Getting Into Your Genes – and Taking Control of Your Destiny

We all know that genetics determines things about us that without cosmetic alteration remain the same throughout our lives—eye, skin and hair color for example.

Then there are those of us who are genetically predisposed to diseases like cancer, diabetes and—you guessed it—obesity. Although whether obesity is a symptom or a disease is debatable.

One thing most people can agree on is that diseases are more variable than say, your baby blues. Your genes are malleable too. It’s a realm of science called epigenetics.

Along with the genetic coding on your DNA double helix, there are switches that can be turned on and off depending on environmental factors that you control—namely what you do with your body—what you eat, whether you smoke or drink or get enough sleep or sunshine; and how much (or how little) you exercise.

There’s even a recently discovered gene that determines laziness, which we all know can lead a person to weight gain a lot faster than an active lifestyle. But laziness is just one genetic switch that can be turned off by gaining control of your lifestyle.

It’s good news that there are likely hundreds of genes that attribute to common obesity, because it means that you have control over many of them.

Eating a whole-foods based diet that’s loaded with greens, lean protein and healthy fats like almonds, fish oil and avocado, and exercising (boot camp or kettlebells anyone?) most days of the week can turn off your tendency to gain and store fat. It can lighten your mood, your load and even transform your slothfulness into vitality.

So, even if your mother, grandmother and great grandmother were overweight, it doesn’t mean that your body’s destiny is carved in stone. Think of yourself as clay instead—a work in progress. You are both the art and the empowered artist.

Need a quick start to changing your destiny? Check out the 21-Day Reclaim Your Bikini Challenge.