I have all 3 of the obesity genes.

Yep all 3 of the BIG genes .

There is morbid obesity in my family. 

A mix of Irish famine genes and African genealogy. I had both the genes and environmental triggers. There have been times when I’ve been bigger and smaller but I’ve never been obese. 

First of all what does it mean to have these genes?

•  You’ll have higher food motivation due to higher rewards systems for food.

•  With that said highly palatable foods (mix of sugar and fat or salt and fat) are going to be more difficult to control.

•  Hunger hormones kick in much stronger during a leaning down period so you’ll be hungrier.

•  Your body will make compensations to energy balance as you attempt to lose weight (you’ll stop moving as much). 

•  When eating to satiation you’re likely to be able to eat more and so you’re more than likely to be a couple of kgs higher in set point weight than your peers.

That’s it, a couple of kgs (that’s all the genes predetermine and the rest is behavioral).

Your body is primed to protect against weight-loss rather than to control against weight gain and from an evolutionary stand point this is advantageous. There is nothing wrong with this mechanism. It’s not a mistake. My ancestors survived the Irish famine didn’t they?

So how is it that I have never been obese?

The highest dress size I’ve ever been was a U.K. 14. 

• Behavior 

• I have always exercised.

• I knew I would gain weight if didn’t watch my food intake so I focused on it. I knew I couldn’t ‘getaway’ with as much food as my skinner friends so I stopped feeling sorry for myself and made different choices.

• I didn’t always have the right knowledge and I made all the wrong choices regarding diets when I was younger but I was nevertheless working on it.

• That focus led me to study the science and behavioral psychology around food and I implemented those strategies. 

• It means I focus on finding alternate reward systems to food. 

• I am not the person that needs the message ‘don’t feel guilty for enjoying the cookie.’ I never feel guilty for this, I needed the message ‘the cookie won’t resolve your issues’.  

Takeaway: If you have genes that protect strongly against weight loss you are going to find weight loss and weight maintenance a BIT harder, but, with the right tools you absolutely can lose weight and obesity is NOT a predetermined factor. 

Written by Alexandra.
Edited by Deepa