As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at No extra cost to you.
Losing any amount of weight is no small task. It takes strength, determination and will power. The main thing to remember is patience. You will not lose a lot of weight overnight. Rome wasn’t built in one day. Do you want to know how to lose weight if you are over 300 pounds? The good news is you are in the right place at the right time.
Before we start, let’s explore some background information about how, when, and why your weight zoomed up in the first place. Oftentimes, if you take in an excess of calories and decrease your physical activity you will put on weight. Before we get into the “how,” let’s explore some of the whys. Start learning how to lose weight if you are over 300 pounds. First, let’s talk about the link between you and your genetics.
Link Between Genetics and Obesity
Did you know that about 100 genetic markers are linked to obesity? One of these markers is called the “fat gene” or FTO. It is the gene most strongly linked to obesity. However, this gene explains less than 1% of the difference between your BMI and someone else’s. This fat gene regulates your appetite.
The Fat Gene Regulates Appetite
The fat gene known as FTO regulates appetite and speeds up metabolism. The FTO gene weakens among people who are physically active. In fact, people who have healthier diets don’t have this gene either. Are you one of the billion people that carry the FTO susceptibility genes?
The Fat Genes Respond to Healthier Living
The FTO only affects those who have diets high in saturated fats (meat, dairy and junk foods). The good news is that people who eat healthier diets, do not gain weight– even if they inherited the “fat gene” from both parents. This debunks the myth that you can’t lose weight because obesity runs in your family. That couldn’t be further away from the truth, thanks to scientific evidence. Yahoo!
Obesity Does Not Run in Families
Listen up, physiologically, FTO gene does not affect your ability to lose weight. However, if you assume that you are at risk for obesity, this idea has a positive effect your psyche. This motivates you to eat and live healthier. On the other hand, if you buy into the fact that obesity runs in your family, you will give up hope to lose weight. The truth is that obesity does not run in families. However, studies show that a child’s biology also affect their genes.
Biological Versus Adopted Children
Let’s compare the weight of biological versus adopted children. Unfortunately, children have no control over their environment. For the most part they are totally dependent on parents for everything. So, healthy food habits start right from the time we are born. This study shows the contributions of lifestyle and habits versus genetics:
Case Studies on Genetics Versus Environment.
- One child growing up with two overweight biological parents are 27% more likely to become overweight. In the U.S. one in five children between the age of six and nineteen have a body mass index (BMI) over 30. Many parents in the U.S. are also obese. And when mom and dad are overweight, their kids are 80% more likely to have a weight problem (CNN report, 2022).
- Adopted children placed in a home with two overweight parents are 21% more likely to be overweight themselves (UK, 2020). So, genetics plays a role. This suggests that it’s more the child’s environment than their DNA. The story of the Pima Indians proves this point.
Pima Indians of Arizona
The Pima Indians of Arizona have the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the world. Their propensity to store calories serve them extremely well during times of scarcity. They live off a regular diet of corn, beans, and squash. However, when the area became “settled,” their source of water, the Gila river, was no longer available. Basic needs and food became scarce. Survivors of the famine abandoned their traditional diets. They were forced to depend on handouts and food rations from the government. As a result, chronic disease rates skyrocketed as did obesity. There change in lifestyle turned on the “bad genes.”
Genes May Load the Gun but Diet Pulls the Trigger
While the native Indians ate food grown on the land, they had much less obesity and chronic diseases. Same genes, but different diet, thus different outcome. It is during this time that a group of research scientists set up an experiment regarding lifestyle changes.
The second group of Pima Indians, from the same genetic pool, had a much different outcome. This group maintained their traditional lifestyle of beans, tortillas, and potatoes. As a result of the study, the second group had seven times less obesity and four times less diabetes. This is clearly an example of how environment turns on “good” or “bad” genes when there is a change in lifestyle. In summary, the second group experienced less genetic fat.
How to Lose Genetic Fat
Your diet is your primary way to lose weight. Another effective way to lose genetic fat is by incorporating physical exercise into your daily routine. However, this does not necessarily mean joining a gym. There are other ways to become more active. For example:
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Parking your car away from the shopping mall
- Planting and caring for a garden
- Taking a walk after dinner
- Washing the car instead of using a car wash
- Vacuuming and cleaning the house
- Can you think of other ways?
As you adapt to a healthier lifestyle, your weight will decrease, and you will feel like a brand-new person. Before long, you will be in control of your life again. Each week you notice one or two pounds disappear. The weight melts away right before your eyes. The next three months look very promising.
How Much Can You Lose in Three Months
At 300 pounds (136 kg) you decide to lose 10 pounds (4.5 kg). You reduce your daily intake by 1,000 calories. In addition, you also increase your physical activity. This means that you lose 24-48 pounds in the next three months. So, you stick with your plan. Sounds impressive? It is. The main thing is to eat fewer calories.
Eat Fewer Calories Than You Burn
Research shows that when you eat 20-25% fewer calories than you burn every day, you lose fat lickety-split. Plus, you won’t lose muscle or wrestle with excessive hunger pangs, lethargy, and other symptoms. There is one more option to help you take-off weight, Introducing GenoPalate.
GenoPalate, the Next Level Way to Lose Weight
GenoPalate is a nutritional genomics company that offers dietary recommendations based on your DNA and genetics. It examines your genes and nutritional science. After careful analysis, GenoPalate creates a list of foods that are best for DNA. It looks for how your body metabolizes certain nutrients. With this method, your obesity issues are a thing of the past.
Nipping Obesity in the Bud
Although obesity isn’t new, the prevalence of obesity is rampant. The obesity crisis hit epic proportions both in the United States and abroad. If you are among the masses looking for solutions to your weight problem, look no further. I am here to help you every step of the way. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Flip the script. Change your relationship with food.
- Look for other ways to relieve stress (yoga, meditation, music, art, crochet, journal).
- First, get a new attitude. Be the solution, not the statistic. You got this!
- Congratulations. You are on your way to a healthier lifestyle.
- Commit to take control of your life, everything will be easier.
- The long-term benefits are amazing. Better health and happiness.
- Next, lock in your choice to incorporate a healthy lifestyle.
- Your family and friends are your support system. No one should go it alone. It takes a village.
- Swap out all junk foods, packaged foods, and high-caloric, low-nutritional foods and drinks.
- Add in plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to your meals.
- Increase your fiber and protein intake. (Fooducate app).
- Cut back on refined carbs (white breads, pizza dough, pastries, white flour, sugary sweets, cold cereals loaded with sugars.
- Noom offers 2 free weeks of its Healthy Weight Loss app.
- Blue Shield offers free a weight management plan (866) 671-9644
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it Healthy to be 300 Pounds
All levels of excess fat carry health risks. Extreme obesity robs years of your life. BMIs of 40 and up fall into the category of extreme obesity. This is known as morbid obesity. To give you a point of reference, someone who is 6-feet tall and 300 pounds with a BMI of 40 is high risk. According to CDC 9% of adults fall into this category.
Why Lose Weight?
Losing weight reduces your risk of certain conditions such as heart disease and type two diabetes. In addition, it lowers your blood pressure and total cholesterol levels. It also relieves joint pain and helps prevent injuries.
Is Obesity Considered a Menth Health Issue?
Although the American Heart Association does not consider overeating or excess weight a mental health issue, studies show that there is an interrelationship between obesity and mental illness. The risks factor that coincide with obesity include:
- Lower socioeconomic status
- Sedentary behaviors
- Lower self-esteem
- Cause anxiety and depression
How do I Accept Being Overweight?
Focus on the bigger picture and praise yourself for the healthy choices you make along the way. Also, never dwell on the times you think you “failed.” This too shall pass in time. Take one step at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Today, it is one of the wealthiest nations in the world.
The Annual Medical Cost of Obesity
Obesity is an enormous public health liability. In fact, it is estimated to cost the U.S. healthcare system upwards of $170 billion annually. Medicaid costs in California hit over $671 billion in 2020. Its healthcare budget increased in 2022.
What is the Solution?
To reverse the obesity epidemic, community efforts focus on healthy eating and active living in a variety of settings. We all need to know how to incorporate healthy lifestyles in early childhood, schools, hospitals, and food service venues. Charity begins at home and spreads abroad.
Final Take Home
Now is the time to take control of your life. As you already know, the obesity crisis is not just about consumption of food. It goes way beyond that. Please check out some of my previous post on the topics of Obesity and Genetics. Many people are predisposed to carry excess weight. They carry the FTO (fat gene).
However, just because you carry the gene does not mean that you have no hope to lose weight. You have arrayed of other options to choose from. Prior to your pursuit of weight loss, ask yourself the how, when, and why questions. You’ll discover the mystery of your struggle and learn that YOU have the power to reverse the cycle of weight gain.
Share this blog post with your loved ones and friends. Also, feel free to leave your questions, comments, and feedback in the space provided below. I will reply hastily. Your input is very important to me. You are the reason for this blog.
Rachele, Founder
mybluegenes.com (website)
rachele@mybluegenes.com
(email)