Have you ever observed that in spite of leading an unhealthy lifestyle, some people still look fit? Let us discuss if your genetic code has a role to play here!
When we talk of fitness, both nature & nurture play an important role. If you have been training hard but are not able to see improvements/positive results, your genes are partially to be blamed. However, besides genes, environment/lifestyle & non-modified risk factors play an equally important role in your overall fitness.
Let us start with discussion on genes!
Both your metabolism & frame size are dependent on your genes. You would have a fair idea if you have an athletic build or not. Best visualization of your genetic code is to look at your parents & grandparents. How do they respond to workout/physical training?
If both of your parents are long & thin, there are higher chances that you also will be long & thin. Then in such cases, it would be very difficult for you to build a muscular body than it would be someone whose parents have a muscular build. This is the reason you should focus on a personalised fitness solution rather than adapting a general/standard fitness plan since each one of us responds differently to different exercises. Do not compare your body with others or do not think of building your body similar to some fitness model who frequently posts their pictures on instagram. We have discussed earlier also that your genetic predisposition defines your risk to injuries. Those with high genetic risk to injury need to take extra precautions while working out/physical training. Similarly, the genetic makeup of some people requires them to have a longer recovery period. This is the reason you may see some people working out 3 to 4 days a week while others workout 6 to 7 days a week.
Your environment & lifestyle play a very important role in determining your ability to achieve your fitness goals. You could have your genes work in your favor. However, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle or spend weekends staying at home & eating a lot of junk food, you are not going to have a toned body for long. On the other hand if you have a non-athletic build but really work hard during your training, you may see positive results in toning your body & would be better off than a person (having muscular build genes) leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
Non modified risk factors are those things about our body which we cannot change. These include age, gender, ethnicity & pre-existing health conditions. All these have a profound impact on your ability to achieve your fitness goals. So if you do not have genetic makeup of a muscular build, do not worry! You need to adjust your goal in line with your genetic potential & workout hard to achieve a realistic fitness goal.
So having a toned body is not entirely dependent on your genes. Genes do play a role in shaping up your workout & nutrition. The best way to achieve your fitness goals is to blend nature & nurture with genetically guided workout & nutrition. Consider your genes as your friend & work with them, not against them.
Discover your personal traits & learn about your specific genetic predisposition to workout & nutrition. By subscribing to our membership & personalised fitness programs, you will not only receive information about genetic response to various aspects of nutrition & fitness but also be coached by an international fitness coach who will cover both genetics powered nutrition & exercise aspects of the program that will help you maximise your fitness potential. Sign up here.
