Stubborn Weight: Genetics or Diet?

Today, there can be a lot of confusion when it comes to diet. The information received can be contradicting, confusing, and leave individuals feeling lost. This can often result in giving up on the diet and being left with joint pain, inflammation, discomfort, headaches and more.

The reason why there is more than one diet out there is because the research is always advancing. We have come to realize that everyone’s body reacts to different food sources and diets differently.

Genetic Code

As more and more research is being done, the more we are realizing how the genetic factor of individual cells directly correlate to a patient’s weight, diet, and changes as they age. For years, as one would get older and start gaining weight, we would attribute it to age. Although age is a factor, what we are finding now is that the genes are actually changing as we age and that is what creates this weight gain.

Sure enough, there are also genes that will tell us if you are susceptible to snacking. These genes can detect if you have a predisposition for heightened snacking or satiety. Satiety is the feeling of fullness after a meal. If you have reduced satiety, you tend to snack more because you do not feel as full after the meals you eat.

Getting your genes tested will allow the treatment plans created to be more personal and more geared to see results! Believe it or not, your genes can tell us if you are genetically prone to obesity,  if you have weight loss resistance when it comes to carbohydrates, and how your body responds to exercise! Using the genes, we can see how many hours per week you will need for weight loss or to maintain your current weight.

Proven Methods

The best option is to know your genes so the diet plan can be geared more towards you directly. However, if that is not a possibility right away, there has been one diet that has been proven time and time again to work for almost everyone. This diet is referred to as the Ketogenic Diet.

In simple terms, the ketogenic diet is a low carb, high-fat diet. This diet works by sending the body into a state of ketosis which burns fat as fuel.

Research shows that those using a ketogenic diet demonstrated a higher percentage of weight loss and kept the weight off longer when compared to those who did a low-fat diet.

Available Resources

Considering the fact that there is misinformation about diets out there, proper education is going to be the key. As someone who has gone through dietary changes myself and figuring out what works best with my body with type 1 diabetes for optimal health, the right team is what made me successful.

Surround yourself with those who are continuously educating themselves and have a system in place. For example, we make sure our patients get one on one time with the doctor and a health coach. From here, the health coach and patient become connected through a virtual database allowing the patient’s food, weight, supplements, hydration, BMI, BIA, and activity to be tracked by the health coach. The health coach can then instant message or video chat the patient throughout the week to ensure they are staying on track, staying motivated, and answer any questions they may have!

Do not be left confused over diets anymore! Remember that your genetic code holds the key to the right diet for you.

The right diet has the ability to make individuals see the results they have been waiting for. It all comes down to the genes. As mentioned, genes change over time but they hold the code. If you are someone who has struggled with diets, feeling good, or are stuck at a certain weight, I highly recommend getting tested! The information you gain from this is so beneficial! I have seen the results first hand, and they are eye-opening. They let you know if you have the genetics that will hold onto fat. This knowledge can help us prevent health issues such as metabolic syndrome! – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach 

Dr. Alex Jimenez’s Blog Post DisclaimerThe scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

REFERENCES

Bueno, Nassib Bezerra, et al. “Very-Low-Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet v. Low-Fat Diet for Long-Term Weight Loss: a Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.” British Journal of Nutrition, vol. 110, no. 7, 2013, pp. 1178–1187., doi:10.1017/s0007114513000548.