110. How Our Genes Impact our Jeans

Your genes show you so many interesting things about yourself and your health, but they don’t have to define you. I’m sharing with you how some of my specific gene markers show me where I am predisposed to certain responses and how knowing this can help me create a better health and wellness strategy.   How to Use Your Genes for Optimal Health Figure out your stress response Optimize your stress management Understand how you’re predisposed Create a smarter strategy based on your predispositions   Gene Analysis and Your Health It was really interesting for me to discover, through my gene analysis, that my body is actually predisposed to have a heightened response to stress. This means that when I approach a stressful situation, my heart beats faster, my breathing shallows, and the cortisol rushes through my body. This also means that hard and fast exercises, like HIIT or daily strenuous workouts, don’t work for me. My body ends up surging cortisol and adrenaline, which in turn means that I end up feeling in fight or flight mode - and holding onto the fat that I’m actually trying to lose. Knowing this about my genes helps me curate my workouts to not trigger my body’s stress response. Another great example from my genes is understanding that I’m actually predisposed to binge eating! I also have the gene which means my hunger and full cues aren’t as noticeable. You can see how this could cause weight gain!   Redefining Your Predisposed Genes However, knowing what I know now about these genes has actually helped me develop a smarter strategy when it comes to my health, fitness, and wellness routine.  I can’t change my genes, but I can change my lifestyle. And that’s exactly what I did. I developed strategies and methods to help me rely on them, such as knowing what a normal meal for my body size and type should look like, instead of my non-existent hunger cues.  My genes don’t define me - and yours don’t define you. It’s about understanding what you’re predisposed to and figuring out a strategy that helps you work smarter for your body.   In This Episode  How your genes might predispose you to heightened stress response [8:00] What happens to your exercise routine when you understand your body’s response to stress [10:00] How your genes might predispose you to impulse and binge eating [19:00] Why knowing your genes can help you redefine your health goals [24:15] How to use your genes to create a smarter strategy [24:30]   Quotes “Our genes, whatever they tell us, are not a good or bad thing. It’s a thing. With the information we have from our genes, we can move forward in a way where we can work smarter, not harder, and have a lot more self-compassion.” [5:14] “I can’t change my genes, but I can change my lifestyle.” [12:00] “This did feel hard because that was my predisposition, but I did it anyway. If I can do that, imagine the other things I can do. And if I can do this, knowing that I have this gene, imagine all the other genes that can give me information that I can then go ahead and optimize how I can care for myself and my health.” [21:02] “Having the knowledge is power, but we still get to decide how we pursue the lifestyle. These genes do not define us at all.” [24:18]   Resources Optimizing GLP-1 Weight Loss Program. Learn more HERE. 31 Days of FIT. Learn more HERE. Muscle Maintenance During Fat Loss. Waitlist HERE. Fit Woman Collective™. Learn more HERE. Transform® 8.0 deposit link is now open. Sign up HERE. Follow Dr. Ali Novitsky on TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Subscribe to The Muscles and Mindset Podcast on Spotify | Apple Podcasts   Related Episodes Episode 103: You Did Not Fail Episode 106: Honoring Your Authentic Body Episode 105: Go All-In On You