Are your genes making you fat?

Have you ever met someone who said they are fat because its genetic? You probably have. Do you think you can be fat because of your genes? At Fitho, we don’t think* that you should just blame your genetics for being fat, and let it be. We’ll tell you why. If you blame your genes for your weight gain, then you must read this.

Fat Family on the Beach (fabbianoaccorsi@flickr)

Its a common phenomenon that over weight parents have over weight kids. But equally often, you will see overweight parents with skinny children and vice versa. So, what is the deal? Do your genetics really play a role?

Genetics can increase your tendency to gain weight, but if you gain weight, in most cases its because of the parental physical & eating habits that can make you fat. What we mean is that, people gain weight because they consume more calories than they burn. Now, overweight people are in the habit of doing so. It might be because of the meals they eat, the snacks they consume, what they drink (juices, alcohol), their portion sizes, or a combination of all these, and the lack of physical activity.

When they have children, unconsciously the same calorie consumption habits get inculcated in the kids, along with the physical activity habits. As a result, the kids also gain weight.

Think back … its true! Your genetics might increase your tendency to gain weight, but its more of the eating and physical activity habits that make you gain weight.

Even though you might watch what you eat now, it might not be enough to help you lose weight. To make a real dent in your weight loss, play sports to lose weight or get on a proper weight loss plan, that combines both diet and exercise.