Three Other Factors Affecting Your Size and Shape
Unfortunately it's not easy for the majority of us to lose weight, especially when we're on a structured diet. Losing weight may involve more than self-discipline, exercise and watching every morsel that goes into your mouth. There are other things that affect your size and shape – things that are impossible to control.
Three Factors that Contribute to Your Body Shape and Size
1. Age. Most people round out a little as they get older, as a result of a decreased metabolism and less movement. Menopause can cause women to suddenly gain weight, and both men and women find that they can't eat as much as they did a few years back without gaining a few pounds!
2. Set point and metabolism. The set point of your weight is predetermined, which means that your body stubbornly clings to a certain amount of weight. For instance, my husband's set point dictates that he won't gain an ounce no matter what or how much he eats. My set point, on the other hand, is set a little higher than I'd like, causing me to gain pounds when I catch a whiff of French fries and bacon cheeseburgers. Evidently, physiological forces can prevent weight loss. However, I do know it's possible to be thinner than I am now because I once was – but it was a real struggle staying at my lowest weight. Perhaps that's the secret behind set points: it's still possible to lose weight, but just a little more difficult.
3. Genetics. Your body shape, weight, and size is affected by your genes. Studies have shown that adopted children are most similar in body shape and weight to their biological parents. You see examples all around you, every day, of people looking exactly like their parents or grandparents – for better or for worse. I have my mom's curves and tendency towards the bulge; my half-sisters have their mother's lean silhouette and long, slim limbs. It's part of our inheritance (for better or worse).
Food and Fitness Level Counts!
Watching what you eat, exercising, and keeping informed of health tips and low-fat recipes are still extremely important in losing weight and keeping it off. Remember to strike a balance between accepting and loving your body the way it is, and striving for health and wellness.
Feeling no fear naked and confident about who you are is possible – and it doesn't matter what your weight or shape is!
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