Testing my Genes: Is it Luck or Fitness?
Regular readers know I have been told how “lucky I was” for my “thin” genes. Many of my fitness friends actually tell me they hear the same, “you are so lucky to be naturally thin” from their friends and family as well. Of course, my readers also know that I incorporate exercise into life on a daily basis, along with good nutrition.
I didn’t think it was luck at all, I felt I looked fit and healthy because I WAS fit and healthy. Was it luck, that I put myself in my gym, getting my butt handed to me, at 5:30 in the morning each day? This was a curiosity, so what’s a girl to do?
I asked myself: was this the luck gene; or hard work and dedication to taking care of my health? I decided to run a little test to see which it was, or so I told myself, I think my Seasonal Affective Disorder might have played a hand as well, I am not sure which came first actually.
I decided to do a test: for one month I would limit my fitness and enjoy a few of those uber tempting deserts to see how “lucky” I actually was.
(Or, the fact that I was completely intimidated by the thought of starting a fitness regime, but that is another story)
Granted I started this process around the holiday season, I knew, to a certain degree, that I would be enjoying certain foods that I don’t eat in my every day life.
I consumed holiday meals with wanton abandon, seconds, no problem, pie for breakfast, sure, why not!
This year however, instead of one day of decadence, I brought home a childhood favorite: peanut butter rice krispie treats, with chocolate in the middle. I know how they are made and that I can’t resist them, they are like crack to me. This was the start of, what I thought would be, a month of “test” eating — I was eating things I normally avoid as poor food choices..
Okay, I wasn’t eating processed foods or anything like that, I hadn’t gone completely over the edge, but I was eating more take out, white potato, breads and then there was the nuts mixed with chocolate after dinner each night. I have never been one to drink, we still have the same 6 pack of beer in the fridge from 2010 and a full wine rack with bottles covered in dust, this makes me an anomaly within my family unit. (in fact, my niece once commented about the dusty bottles, I wasn’t sure if she was shocked regarding the dust or that the bottles hadn’t been consumed as of yet!) I didn’t add alcohol to the mix, I just want to clarify that fact.
So what was the result of my little experiment: I gained 15 pounds – I felt — tired, listless, my back & joints ached, I felt older than my age! Not only that, I noticed that my seasonal depression became worse than in years past. Of course that might have been due to me not being able to fit into anything I owned, I didn’t have any interest in leaving the house to spend time with friends. The whole process ended with me getting a horrid cold, something that almost never happens to me, I hadn’t been sick in years!!!
My annual exam happened to coincide with event completion, I asked for a blood test, which I normally get through with flying colors. This time it came back with cholesterol levels that warranted a stern note from my doctor, who was unaware of my little experiment.
The experience told me a lot actually, that:
I hadn’t been so lucky to have been gifted the “thin” gene and I too had the potential to become obese and suffer the ill effects of this type of lifestyle.
As my readers know, my life goal was to break the chain — my parents had handicapped themselves from lifestyle diseases: obesity and heart disease. Unfortunately, my father had been ill with a heart condition since before I was born, he died at 57 from lung cancer and complications from his heart condition. My maternal side suffers from obesity and type 2 diabetes, I say my maternal side as the remaining members of my family are obese: they are either diabetic, prediabetic or quickly racing towards that end..
At first I didn’t have motivation to return to my previously fit lifestyle, I looked at the 15 pounds and didn’t think it was too terrible, I looked and felt okay. Then it occurred to me that this is how is must begin for so many people – adapting to become my new normal wasn’t an option. I feared that this adaptation would lead to the next 10 lbs adaptation, then the next and so on, until I too was a statistic.
As soon as my cold ended I was back to my daily fitness routine and normal healthy lifestyle, that was two weeks ago. Returning to good eating and hydration, helped to flush 6 pounds of water retention out; that 6 pound drop in weight felt excellent. Tracking my eating always helps me to see what I am during the day, this allows me to adjust my nutrition to hit my daily goals. At this time I am not at my pre-experiment weight – things are moving in the right direction, I can wear my pants comfortably again.
I am back to being myself again, I not only found myself hiding from my friends and family during this process, I also didn’t feel worthy of my online family as well and promptly hid myself. In the end I feel this was an excellent experience to help me understand and appreciate the process others are going through – this will be useful as I work toward my personal trainer certification and helpful to those I hope to guide to find their inner “fit and healthy” self..
WOW! You went above and beyond to prove a point!
I really was easier than it sounds.. LOL.. It was an interesting look inside the mental process of image, eating style and acceptance of myself. Thanks for reading Anne and commenting as well.
Twitter: narkside
J… there’s no way I would’ve undertaken that experiment. That being said, much respect to you for having done so. I hope your physique bounces back to your previous level of fitness quickly.
Corey, I think I needed to do it for me and for people in my family, I hope they can see that I am so different because of how I live. If they can see that then perhaps they can make the needed changes as well.. 🙂
You make a very important point here: genes are like a roadmap, designating our potential paths (some of which may be blocked — consider the improbability of a 4’11” man making it into the NBA). But we chose our own routes. They may not be easy ones to follow, and may require quite a bit of resolve at times; but as you showed, we ourselves create an environment that may or may not support favorable/unfavorable gene expression.
Longitudinal studies with twins adopted into different families (and therefore, different environments) have illustrated that we cannot completely escape the influence of detrimental genes; but at the same time, that doesn’t constitute an excuse to not try.
Forgot one interesting point:
“I not only found myself hiding from my friends and family during this process, I also didn’t feel worthy of my online family as well and promptly hid myself. In the end I feel this was an excellent experience to help me understand and appreciate the process others are going through.”
This really says a lot. Because even if we’re not blessed with “thin” genes, when we come from a background of lifetime fitness, we don’t really grasp what someone who’s never had that feels. There can be a lot of negative emotion built up about exercise, eating and societal expectations. Telling someone “simply” eat less and move more may sound like an acceptable solution to those who’ve never struggled. It’s only when we dip our toes into someone else’s world that we see it’s not as simple as it seems.
This is very true, as a person who has spent a lifetime being fit and at a normal weight it would be difficult to truly understand the inner turmoil of others. I have lived with people who have had this struggle, but never traveled it myself until this point.. I learned a lot about the thought patterns behind the slow gains and how they can creep up, seemingly unnoticed, until you reach a point where it seems overwhelming to reverse the trend.
Those twin studies would be very interesting to see.. Hopefully they weren’t the studies where the twins were intentionally separated just to test these theories.
YOu are nuts! But, Thank you! I was there online through the whole thing, and I never saw it. You hide well…… which is BAD, by the way! Your post has motivated me to get on the stick. I will be able to “eat at my own pace” when I go see Kayleigh in Seattle next week, so When Scott goes back to shifts on Sun, I will start the shateology that I have left… it will last me through the day I leave and travel! (About 3 days), I am already planning on walking while I’m there instead of renting a car. I got a good hotel (with the difference saved from not getting the car) and it has a heated pool, spa, and of course fitness center. I’m just gonna take it easy in the gym, but plan to do light water activity every day, plus the walking. this will give me a kick to keep it up when I get home! Thanks for posting Janet, you motivate me. Sorry you did all that, just for me though!…lol
I didn’t do it just for you, but I appreciate you thinking I did.. It really was a combination of many things and myself just wanting to know and/or prove to those that thought I wasn’t working to earn my fitness. Now I can say that I can in fact gain weight when I don’t follow a plan, then, when I get back on track I will also lose the weight again..
Your trip sounds great, the activities planned are going to help as well.. Of course let me know if there is anything I can do for you to help out..
this proves nothing. you can get 6-pack when eating right, and won’t have 6-pack when eating crap. I need to starve myself to get 4-pack (which is not bad, considering) and have some chankiness going when I am not eating(still remaining size 6-8, mind you). Did you know that a lot of the before/after models (not saying you are one) where skinny to begin with and gained fat for the “before” shot?! what I say is: you still have the above average physique and you are doing great to optimize it. But still – you are not the rule, you are an exception. For the the rest of us: love the body you have and get it the best support it needs to be healthy, but don’t ruin your health if you genetic best does not coincide with the the body image in vogue. Peace!
I think you are missing the point of my post.. I had been told that I was lucky to be thin, it wasn’t luck, that is what I determined.. If I didn’t live my fit and healthy lifestyle then my body has the potential to gain weight like everyone else. The common statement “Abs are made in the kitchen” is quite true, now I know that they can disappear in the kitchen as well.
when I am not eating = when I am not starving myself (above 1400)
Wow, 15 pounds, that’s quite a lot of sacrifice (or is it gain?) for science. I think people should also keep in mind that even people who are genetically predisposed to be thin and eat poorly can still have dangerous and unhealthy fat inside like a fatty liver even though it may not show on the outside.
Thanks, I am glad you could see what it was I wanted to prove. That even when you are naturally thin, that can change if you don’t make good choices in your life.