Q & A: Losing Weight and Heredity

Q. Could it just be heredity? I have had trouble losing weight for a long time. The only thing that ever worked for me was Acai Berry. I took it for two months and lost 30 pounds before I developed an allergy to one of the ingredients. For the next six months, I still watched what I ate. I also walked four to five times each week, going approximately two to three miles a time. But that whole time, I didn't drop another pound. My body stayed exactly the same size, even with all the exercise and careful eating. I've tried other diets and other supplements like Ephedra Hoodia. I've even had my thyroid checked. I’m just stumped as to why I don't lose weight. In fact, I've given up trying because it's just too frustrating to work at it and never get results. My body type is prevalent in my father’s family. One of my nieces (who is now only 21) also seems to be stuck with this body size. She's also tried many things to lose weight and nothing seems to work for her either. Should I just come to terms with my body size?

A. Yes and no. Heredity does influence our body shape, but it is not the sole determinant. All successful weight management efforts are based on simple arithmetic: take in fewer calories than you burn for weight loss to occur. That said, it’s clear that some people are better burners than others!

Beyond the simple arithmetic, there are other things that can effect your weight management efforts.

• Duration, frequency and intensity of exercise: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends thirty minutes or more of aerobic exercise five days of the week PLUS strengthening exercises three to four times weekly. You are already doing the aerobic exercise; consider adding some strength training to build muscle. Muscle not only takes up less room than fat; it also burns more calories than fat even when you are resting. By building muscle, you are stoking your body’s furnace.
  
  
• Type of calories consumed: The type of calorie may have an impact on how you produce or store energy from foods. If you have an apple-shaped body (where your waist is the same size or larger than your hips), you may also have a tendency towards slightly increased blood sugar levels. If this is the case, you may want to get tested for insulin resistance. Insulin from our pancreas helps control our blood sugar levels after meals and throughout the day. If an individual is insulin-resistant, her insulin levels are higher and may promote fat storage. You can try reducing your carbohydrates (forty to fifty percent of total calorie intake) and emphasize complex or high fiber sources that may be easier for their insulin to handle.
  
  
• Take body measurements: Use your measurements to help you track changes in your body that the scale may not be reflecting. Focus on inches lost rather than that number on the scale; this is more indicative of fat loss and your firming up