Genetics and weight

Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »

bmeadows380 wrote: »

maryannprt wrote: »

In fairness, your sister's diet may have little to do with her cholesterol levels. I have friends with the same diet. They eat breakfast and dinner together most days and take turns packing work lunches. Her cholesterol is fine. His is through the roof. She's a little chubby, he's skinny as a rail. They changed their diet to try to bring down his cholesterol. Hers came down even lower, his didn't really change at all. Having said that, a genetic predisposition is not the biggest factor for most of us, and if it is, it's even more important to control the things we can. Best of luck to you. All you can do is hope your sister gets it before it's too late for her.

True, and I do know that there is a major genetic component that trends in families to give folks a disposition towards certain things.

However, being that she has several factors that would give her a disposition toward certain health conditions, she needs to do whatever she can to mitigate those genetic biases, not worsen the situation by over-eating foods that exasperate the health problems.

You are right - the best answer is to control the things she can, which includes making healthier food choices. But she doesn't; she doesn't want to eat better or healthier or limit her portions because she thinks that's "starving" herself and frankly, she just doesn't care enough to want to be healthier, so she's using the "its inevitable because its my genetics" as her excuse to not bother trying.

I know I can't lecture her on it especially because any hint of what she might even consider a lecture, whether it was truly intended to be so or spoken out of loving concern, just causes her to become even more stubborn and to tune a person out. If she doesn't want to hear what is being said, she just refuses to listen, and that's the point she's at when it comes to her bad health and weight. And unfortunately, my example hasn't made a bit of difference in her attitude; she still thinks she can't do it herself when it's not a matter of "can't"; its a matter of "won't". She simply doesn't want to expend the effort or discipline it requires, so she moans about wanting to lose weight, but refuses to make little adjustments like limiting portion sizes, and instead continues searching for a quick cure like a diet pill or "apple cider vinegar" and such. I just pray that she finally gets to the point where she wants to bad enough before she has a major health crisis like a stroke or heart attack

I am completely in agreement with everything you guys said. I hate when people attribute it to "genetics" as being the reason they can't lose weight etc but then continue to eat too many calories and crappy foods.

I just wanted to bring up something I found very interesting in case you haven't heard of it. There is actually a genetic mutation that can occur in families. Basically what it means is that they do not have the receptor to digest and breakdown LDL cholesterol so they have high cholesterol regardless of diet and overall health. Obviously it is very rare, but if you have this mutation you could have high cholesterol while eating a fantastic diet your entire life.

middlehaitch wrote: »

Thanks for explaining that @CharlieBeansmomTracey. I have known for a long time you lose at a slower rate than others, but never knew why.

Cheers, h.