The Struggle To Lose Weight
Nearly 40% of Americans are obese, and another 32% are overweight, so it is no surprise that a whopping 45 million Americans go on a diet each year. However, only dieting when trying to lose weight is setting yourself up for failure as experts think that between 80-95% of people who go on diets, gain back the weight they worked hard to lose.
But why is that?
The answer is that dieting isn’t the answer when it comes to sustained weight loss. Genetics and environmental factors have a much greater influence on your weight than what you eat. Sure, food choices matter, but your genetics and lifestyle guide you to those food choices.
How Genetics Affect Weight
There is no doubt that your genetics have an influence on your weight. The Human Genome Project, which was carried out between 1990 and 2003 to map out the entire human genome found that more than 250 genes are associated with obesity. That is significant when you consider how many people struggle with weight loss or are affected health-wise from being overweight.
Everyone knows someone who can eat cake, ice cream, french fries, and whatever else they want and not gain a pound. While others, maybe even you, take a longing glance at a plate of mac and cheese and gain 2 pounds. The factors controlling whether you gain weight are a combination of your genes and environment.
Genes contribute to the causes of obesity in many ways, by affecting appetite, satiety (the sense of fullness), metabolism, food cravings, body-fat distribution, and the tendency to use eating as a way to cope with stress. The influence genes have on each person’s weight varies, for some people, just 25% of genes play a role in the predisposition to being overweight, while for others the genetic influence is as high as 70% to 80%. Having an idea of how much your genes personally influence your weight may be helpful in treating weight issues.
How Genetic Testing Can Help You Lose Weight
We already know that multiple studies have shown that genetics come into play with our weight. Therefore, knowing how your genes are working, or not working, to affect your weight is important information. A genetic test can uncover this information and help inform healthier choices that are based on the very blueprint of your DNA.
The 10X Health genetic test closely analyzes your methylation cycle and the five genes associated with it. The methylation cycle is important because it is responsible for taking raw nutrients and turning them into usable forms for your body. A broken or compromised methylation cycle can have serious consequences on your body, including vitamin deficiencies, a weakened immune system, and weight gain.
Roughly 44% of the population has a mutation in the genes that affect the methylation cycle, and this mutation can be a major factor in not only the predisposition to gain weight but also in the effectiveness of trying to lose weight. Identifying this mutation can provide valuable information towards reaching your weight loss goals.
We provide you with not only a comprehensive analysis of your genetic makeup but also recommendations for how to fix the problems caused by a gene mutation in the MTHFR gene (methylation cycle).
Other Benefits of 10X Health Genetic Testing
The 10X Health genetic test can not only analyze how your methylation cycle is working and affecting your weight, it can also provide valuable information about your overall wellness.
A genetic test can identify nutrient deficiencies that may be causing poor sleep, anxiety, thyroid issues, mental health problems, and brain fog, to name a few. Exposing these deficiencies allows you to fix them and take control of your wellness.
A genetic test can also be paired with a blood test to uncover how any nutrient deficiencies you have are affecting your body, particularly the function of your organs like your kidneys, liver, and thyroid.
Whether you’re looking for answers to weight loss issues, or looking to enhance your overall well-being, a genetic test can provide answers that you cannot find elsewhere. Knowing exactly what’s going on in your body gives you the key to be successful with weight management, and with feeling your best.
—
Interested in learning more about how 10X Health genetic testing can improve your weight loss efforts? Reach out to us today!
