We all know the general principles of how to lose weight. Eating less processed foods & sugar, choosing whole foods, lots of veg, adequate protein and healthy fats – these are all excellent ways to eat a healthy diet which can often result in shedding excess pounds.
But there is no ‘one size fits all' diet that magically works for everyone (despite what you are led to believe by many experts).
The reason for that is that we are all unique. We have different bodies, metabolisms, energy requirements, lifestyles, hormone levels and environments.
And we all have a different genetic blueprint. Scientific research indicates that 40%-80% of the variance in body weight can be attributed to your genes!
You can watch the video below or listen to the podcast (episode 135);
Nutrigenetics
Nutrigenetics is the fascinating field that explores how our unique genetic makeup interacts with the foods we consume, ultimately shaping our individual nutritional needs and responses
The genes you are born with can influence key processes in the body like insulin resistance, appetite, inflammation, sleep and how you deal with food macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) – all of which have a influential role in your weight.
This might mean that you are predisposed to more fat absorption, less able to metabolise carbs, or more susceptible to more weight gain in general (obesity genes) than someone standing next to you.
Weight loss resistance
Weight gain is not just about diet and exercise. If you're a midlife woman, you'll know how hard it is to shift those extra pounds! Weight loss resistance is real. That's because there are many factors at play beyond your diet that can influence your metabolism and weight.
When we help clients with weight loss, we are not just optimising their diet and making sure they're exercising right. We test for hormone imbalances (especially cortisol, thyroid and insulin). We look at nutrient deficiencies (eg Vitamin D and Magnesium), and we look at gut and immune health to make sure your microbiome is not causing inflammatory weight gain.
These are all great tools to identify what might be causing YOUR individual weight loss resistance.
And NOW we can also look at your DNA through a simple saliva DNA Diet test to identify any genetic variants that might be hindering your weight loss efforts.
What is the DNA Diet test?
Knowing your unique nutrigenetic blueprint through a DNA Diet test can help you work out what foods and lifestyle factors your body actually responds best to for effective and lasting weight loss.
Our DNA Diet test looks at variations in 20 genes that play crucial roles in these key biological weight management processes;
- Fat absorption and metabolism – the metabolism of different types of dietary fat is important in weight management. By identifying the way your body responds to fats, you can adapt your diet to include the right type and amount of fat for more effective weight loss.
- Carbohydrate response – certain genes influence your blood sugar response and insulin sensitivity. This can hugely influence the amount and type of carbs you should focus on in your diet.
- Exercise Responsiveness – gene variants associated with regulating energy expediture can inform how much (and what type of) exercise you need to burn more fat.
- Circadian Rhythms – certain genes predispose how well you sleep, which can have a direct impact on appetite and hunger hormones.
- Eating Behaviours & Appetite – by identifying gene variations affecting reward processing, appetite and satiety, you can tailor your way of eating to mitigate any behaviours that can result in addiction, cravings, overeating and more.
- Inflammation – identification of gene variants that can stimulate pro-inflammatory processes can be helpful as this can have a negative impact on blood sugar regulation & fat storing, as well as increase your risk of obesity, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.
Key benefits of DNA testing
If you've tried many approaches and have had tests done in other areas (eg hormones, nutrients, gut microbiome), but are still struggling to lose weight, then getting your DNA tested can;
- Help you understand why previous weight management strategies might have failed.
- Identify your specific genetic factors that impact weight loss or gain.
- Offer personalized nutrition and exercise plans based on your unique genetic make-up.
Nutrigenetic testing does not look at specific disease risks (eg Alzheimers, heart disease etc). The DNA Diet test focuses on the relationship between genes, nutrition, and health, so that we can provide personalised dietary and exercise recommendations to optimise weight loss, reduce weight loss resistance and improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control. This of course can have a positive impact on reducing the risk of chronic conditions associated with being overweight such as Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension.
DNA testing isn't a magic pill, you still have to do the work! But by knowing what your genes are doing in these key biological areas, we can help ensure that you have the best chance to manage your weight effectively and sustainably.
Click here for more info and price, or contact us and we can book in a call to see if it's right for you.