Body fat — Genetic?

Dear Alice,

I am a female, five feet tall and about 127 lbs. I am not satisfied with my size. I am not obsessed with weight but with the way I look. I am very strong and have plenty of muscle. It just happens to be covered by a thick layer of fat. Yes, it runs in my family. On my father's side everyone has trouble with their weight.

I am writing to you because I don't understand why I am not losing weight. I am a vegan. I have no dairy products and no fat content in my diet. Except for the occasional pat of margarine and fried falafel, I don't see why I haven't lost weight because I just cut the dairy products out about two months ago. I have been a vegetarian for 9 years. I ride a stationary bike twice a week in my target heart rate zone. I work out with weights and do calisthenics in my room every night. What is wrong? Is there another factor I am not considering? Glands? Do I just need to be patient? I like being big, I just don't want it all to be fat.

Thank You.
Gland Problem?

Health topics
Nutrition and Physical Activity
Fueling Your Body
Wondering About Weight
Answer

Dear Gland Problem?, 

As with any relationship, those with bodies are complex — satisfaction and fulfillment may ebb and flow, and the relationships tend to grow and change throughout the course of life. At times, it’s natural to experience dissatisfaction with parts of your relationship with your body. After all, any relationship requires consistent and intentional consideration, and it seems as if in your process you’ve identified some dissatisfaction with your weight and appearance. To dig into that more, as you note, weight loss isn’t as simple as eating healthy and being physically active — there are many factors including body type, health conditions, and history of weight loss that influence the ease of shedding pounds. To complicate matters further, weight alone may not be the best indicator of health status, and notions of what constitutes a healthy or desirable weight vary between cultures. Media portrayals of beauty and social stigma towards people considered overweight may shape how a person views their body. That being said, you may also want to reflect on in what ways making these changes to your appearance matches your values and how your behaviors align with them. If you’re concerned about your lack of weight loss being associated with a medical condition, a health care provider could assess that for you; there are some health conditions that may contribute to weight gain or making it difficult to lose weight (e.g., hypothyroidism or polycystic ovary syndrome, among others). However, it’s possible that there could be a number of reasons your body isn’t changing, so reflecting on your current eating habits, physical activity, and current size may all be helpful in understanding what changes may or may not be happening. 

If shedding pounds are central to your goals and aspirations, it may be helpful to understand a bit more about the physiological mechanisms behind weight loss. To lose pounds, a person needs to cut overall calories, which can be achieved by eating fewer calories or burning more calories through physical activity. A person’s metabolism (the process of converting food into energy) plays a role and is influenced by a host of factors, including weight loss. Consuming more calories and having more muscle mass are tied to faster metabolism. Since weight loss can lead to a lower caloric need and decreased muscle mass (along with fat), it may also cause the metabolism to slow down, a point called a weight-loss plateau. One strategy for overcoming a weight-loss plateau is to try altering up physical activity routines, such as changing the amount of strength training and cardio you do. For some people, a plateau could also occur if their diets aren’t conducive to further weight loss, whether they’re eating too much or too little. A plateau could also mean that the body is functions well at its current weight, especially if already eating a balanced diet and being physically active regularly. 

Speaking of patterns of eating, weight is impacted by a variety of factors. It's not necessarily just fat in your diet, so avoiding fatty foods may not inherently result in weight loss. In fact, eating a moderate amount of healthy fats can help make meals satisfying. Along those lines, consuming dairy products (whether conventional or plant-based) isn’t necessarily tied to weight gain. It’s recommended that people who adhere to a vegan diet eat a variety of whole grains, legumes (beans and peas), seeds, and nuts for adequate protein. Regardless of what type of diet you may be following, having an eating pattern rich with macronutrients such as fat, protein, and carbohydrates will ensure that you’re getting the fuel your body needs to function. Another factor that influences weight is body composition or the proportions of fat and muscle in the body. While the body mass index (BMI) is often used to assess weight status, many note how it overlooks fat and muscle (key indicators of health). For example, an athlete with ample muscle mass might have a high BMI while a person with too little muscle mass could fall within the normal range. People have varying percentages of body fat — and that's natural.

With these factors in mind, it may be good to take time to reflect. How do you feel in your body? Strong? Healthy? Sluggish? Some people choose to focus on maintaining a feeling of good health, rather than a specific body weight. It might be helpful to reflect on why you’re dissatisfied with your current weight. Are your perceptions of your weight influenced by images in the media? Can you think of a moment when you started to feel this way about your body? Have you felt this way for a while? What would make you more comfortable in your body? How do these feelings impact other parts of your relationship with your body? Additionally, you note that you're more concerned with your appearance than your weight. People can be the same weight but have varying body compositions, causing their bodies to look different. Have you considered any strategies that focus less on losing weight? For example, focusing on building muscle may be an option. You may also try different styles of clothing or hair that makes you feel better about your appearance. 

If you'd like to learn more, you might be interested in speaking with a registered dietitian. They can help you determine a realistic weight for your body and family history, and together you can craft a personalized eating and physical activity plan to reach your goal. If it's available to you, working with a personal trainer to increase your strength training to build more muscle may be of interest. If you’re navigating perceptions of your body and self-acceptance, you might find it helpful to speak with a trusted friend, loved one, or mental health professional. Here's to continued nourishment, as well as a fulfilling relationship with your body! 

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Originally Published
Last updated
Informative links: other Q&As
Weight training: Do I need to change my workout to see results?
Body mass index (BMI) and the right weight for my height?
Summary of informative links

Source 1:  Weight Loss Plateaus and Pitfalls  

SUMMARY  

  This source provides a summary of feelings and experiences of weight loss hitting what seems to be an inevitable plateau. A plateau always has a cause, whether it is inappropiate calorie amounts, metabolism adjusting to weight change, or other reasons, identifying the cause usually allows one to pass the hump of a plauteau. Usually, if the person wants to lose further weight, then they need to further reduce their calorie intake or spend more time doing physical activity, because the plateau comes from the current diet/exercise being what is needed to maintain weight, not lose further weight.  

  

Source 2:  “It is not the diet; it is the mental part we need help with.” A multilevel analysis of psychological, emotional, and social well-being in obesity 

SUMMARY  

  I included this source to discuss some of the psychological aspects of weight loss. This study was done on the psychological, emotional, and social aspects of people who live with obesity. It was found that the mental health of those trying to lose weight can be affected either from blame and shame by family members and friends, or a lack of support from health care professionals.   

  

Source 3:  Weight Loss 

SUMMARY  

  This source discusses the idea of a weight loss plateau further. It happens to most people who try to lose weight, even if they are maintaining a solid diet and exercise. As one loses weight, their metabolism declines, and they burn fewer calories from exercise as they did at their previous weight. Then, as someone loses weight, more exercise is needed to burn adequate calories to continue their weight loss. If you reach a plateau, it is possible that you have reached the limit of weight loss possible from your current diet and exercise. To get past the plateau, you can check your habits, cut more calories, amp up the workouts, be more active, and speak to a healthcare professional about the best way to proceed for your personal body.  

  

Source 4: Genes and Obesity 

SUMMARY  

  I included this source to have some information about the genetics of weight. This source says that genetics contribute to weight, but that environment, lifestyle, and healthy choices still make a great contribution. Genetics can greatly affect which weight loss strategy works for specific people. Obesity can be genetically inherited, through the affect of genetics on how full a person feels and their appetite levels. Speaking to a healthcare provider can help a person best determine how to work with their genetics for their weight loss.   

Source 5:  How to train and diet for your body type 

SUMMARY  

  This source discusses the different body types and how that can affect weight loss. It disproves the theory that body type is set in stone and that people cannot lose weight depending on their body type, saying the human body is highly adaptable. Different body types and how to identify them are provided, and how fitness plans can be modified to work best for each one.  

  

  

OVERALL CONCLUSIONS:  

  • Unless otherwise stated, the information below has been confirmed by the sources above 

  

First off, great job with your daily exercise routine! Moving on to your question, genetics do influence body size and body fat composition, but family tendencies are only part of the picture. 

  • We also need to mention the psychological effects of losing weight, and question why this woman feels so passionate that she must lose weight although she seems to be at an average weight for her height.  
  • Next we need to address the idea of a “weight loss plateau.” this information can be gotten from sources 1 and 3, and gives information about why people may find that they are not losing weight despite doing all the “right things.” I think discussing ways to get past this hump may help the reader. 
  • Next, we barely discuss the genetics of weight loss here when that is most of the woman’s question. Source 4 and some of source 5 discuss how genes affect weight loss. 
  • This woman seems to be very focused on the body type she has, so I included source 5 so we could perhaps discuss different body types in the answer and how weight loss needs to be perfectly tailored match each one.  

Based on your description, your eating and exercise habits seem fairly healthy. Avoiding fatty foods is one weight loss strategy, but ultimately a person needs to cut overall calories, not necessarily fat, to lose pounds. In fact, eating a moderate amount of healthy fats can help make meals satisfying, so that filling up on "empty" calories from sugary, salty, or processed foods becomes a habit of the past. For veggie- and vegan-friendly weight loss tips, check out Weightloss diets for vegetarians, and everybody in the Go Ask Alice! archive. As a new vegan, take care to eat a variety of whole grains, legumes (beans and peas), seeds, and nuts to for adequate protein. You may be interested in Vegan Eating (also in the Go Ask Alice! archive) for more vegan nutrition info. 

People naturally have varying percentages of body fat — and that's OK. How do you feel in your body? Strong? Healthy? Sluggish? Some people choose to focus on maintaining a feeling of good health, rather than a specific body weight. Experimenting with foods and your exercise routine can help you figure out what makes your body feel best. 

If you are set on losing weight, depending on your body type, it may take a while to notice significant weight loss. Research shows that genetics explain 25 to 70 percent of the variation in body mass index (BMI). If many of your family members are on the heavy side, you may be predisposed to carry a bit more weight. Also, your body may be happy and healthy at its current weight, since you are already eating well and exercising regularly. These factors don't mean that your weight cannot be changed, but your weight loss may occur gradually. The good news is that people who lose weight slowly are more likely to keep off the pounds in the long run. 

If you'd like to learn more, you might be interested in speaking with a registered dietitian. A dietitian can help you determine a realistic weight for your body and family history, and together you can craft a personalized eating and physical activity plan to reach your goal. 

Regardless of where the scale points, you can feel proud of your healthy eating, physical activity habits, and your strong body. Here's to good nutrition and fitness! 

  • I think it would be really effective to discuss the psychological effects of weight loss. The way this question is worded seems to be bordering the lines of obsession, and addressing these things using information form source 2 would be important. Why does this woman feel she needs to lose weight so badly? What can she do to become more comfortable in her body type instead of obsessing over losing weight? It is important to keep in mind that the idea of “if I lose one more pound, then this...” is not a healthy way to approach weight loss. 
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