Are You Victim of The Fat Gene?

“The risk of becoming obese is 2.5 times higher for those who have double copies of the best known risk gene for overweight and obesity. However, this is only true if the fat consumption is high. A low fat diet neutralizes the harmful effects of the gene.”

“Several studies have found that exercise diminishes the effect of the risk gene but this is the first study where the effect of the gene has been studied in relation to food habits. The risk variant of the FTO gene (fat mass and obesity associated) is common in the general population. 17 percent have double copies, meaning they have inherited it from both parents. Another 40 percent have a single copy.”

“The FTO genes acts in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates appetite and satiety, and the risk variant has been connected to an increased energy intake, especially in the form of fat.”

“The finding that the harmful effects of the gene can be cancelled by changing eating habits could, combined with mapping of the effects of other obesity genes, lead to better and more individualized nutritional counseling for those that want to avoid gaining weight.”

Source: Science Daily, September 2011

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FTO stands for Fat mass and obesity-associated. We all have this gene but some of us (17% according to the study) have double copies of it, which is impacting the appetite and satiety feeling that can lead us to crave more food. According to the study, the FTO gene would be triggered by a high fat consumption…

Let’s stop right here. If you’ve read the article in the Science Daily, you may think that to slim down you have to switch to a low fat diet… This is not exactly as simple as black and white.

Yes, you are not a victim of your genetics and food plays an essential part in the way you feel and the way you look.

No, following a low-fat diet and restricting yourself from eating fat is not the solution to slim down, even if you have several copies of the Fat Tass and Obesity-associated gene. Here’s why:

Fats Don’t Make You Fat

For this I will refer you to my article: How Much Fat Can I Eat and Still Lose Weight?

It is important to know your fats: which fats you should go for and how much of them you should have per day.

We get our calories from 3 types of macro-nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and fats. We, human beings, are designed to thrive on this unique combinations of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Your cells need fuel to function, and they can get their fuel in the form of sugar (carbs) or fat. The more you feed your cells with sugar and fat, the more they’re used to burn those compounds and the better they are at it. I’m not saying that you have to eat more fat and sugar to slim down, I’m saying that you have to eat fat and sugar that are easy to break down: fat and sugar from whole foods and healthy fats are easy to digest and break down into energy, not fat and sugar from hamburgers and processed foods.

According to Dr Ron Rosedale, “People get fat not so much because they eat fat, but because their bodies have forgotten how to burn it, and because of poor hormonal communication.”

What are the Good Fats?

(Unsaturated fats, poly-unsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats)

Avocados, nuts, seeds, cold-pressed vegetable oils, coconut oil

What are the Bad Fats?

All fats in processed foods (typically hydrogenated oils and trans-fat), animal fat, cooked oil and butter

How Much Fat Shall I eat per day?

This would depends on each individuals but the World Health Organisation recommends we need a minimum of 32g fat daily. This is the minimum we absolutely need in order to sustain our good health.

32 g of fat represents 290Kcal.

You can eat up to 50gr of good healthy fats daily and still lose weight (that’s 450Kcal!) with a good meal plan.

So don’t be afraid of the word “fat” if you’re in your weight loss journey, just learn to recognise the good and healthy fats from the bad and harmful ones!

Remember to exercice!

Exercise and Diet go hand in hand when you look at shedding pounds. If you’re overweight and on a healthy diet plan, I recommend to do 30min exercise per day (60min is best) so you can see any results. Not only you will look good quicker but you will also feel better, as exercising makes you release a natural chemical called dopamin, which is making you happy!

Exercise can just be a 30min walk in the morning to go to work, and another 30min walk back from walk in the evening. Go for a 30min session in the gym or at home, in front of a good exercise program. One of my favourite exercise routine is Kettlebell, you can spend just 20min per day and get incredible results, working your muscles and your cardio at the same time. But it has to be done with a good technique if you don’t want to hurt your back or knees. That’s why it’s important to get a coach, or a good program. This one is a good one if you’re interested:

>> click here for kettlebell Fat Burn method <<

Also, try not to stay sitted for long period of time.

To Your Healthy Success,