Most of the time when we start training and doing sports, we start doing it with the idea of reaching the body type that is trending at that particular moment.
But what if I tell you that the realization of that body idea has more to do with your genetics than the with the effort you put into your training?
Most of the time weight loss is sold as something that’s very hard but it’s possible if you want it; this idea forgets about all the genetic factors that are linked with our body weight and appearance.
Research done on monozygotic twins has shown that different body weight, between people that share the same DNA, was not due to different dietary habits, but to different bacterias that live inside their intestines.
Twins were given the same amount of calories, but one twin was getting weight and the other was keeping his weight constant, which highlighted the fact that body weight is not all about calories, but also about our microbiome and our metabolism.
Hormonal fluctuations can cause weight gain too.
As we all know women are subject to hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle.
These hormones can cause weight gain due to PMS, which occurs 8 to 10 days before menstruation starts.
It causes fluid retention and constipation that resolves as weight gain, typically as menstruation starts it goes away.
The birth control pill can cause weight gain too, they revolve around the manipulation of the hormonal systems, by blocking the menstrual cycle phases with artificial hormones that are similar to the ones we produce.
This new hormonal asset can cause fluid retention and that goes away in a few months of continuous use.
When we talk about weight we cannot forget the ethnicity: research has shown that black women tend to have a more muscular body and a higher bone mass, which means that black women weigh more than white and Asian women, not because they eat more, but because their body is built differently.
To prove so, we can see how athletes’ bodies are different. Athletes such as Serena William or Caster Semenya, are very muscular compared to their white counterparts and for this reason, often called doped, but it was just their genetics.
During the BBL age, we saw women trying to get weight in their bums as trying to lose weight on their bellies to create an hourglass figure that’s not possible for everybody.
Women are naturally curvier than men because of estrogen, but not every woman gains weight the same way.
And because of that, it’s important to remember that everybody is different, and everybody is worthy. Because our bodies are the instruments we use to interact with the world around us, and for doing so they don’t have to be beautiful in the eyes of society.
As people, we don’t owe beauty to anybody, and I also want to remind you that there’s always somebody that gains from your insecurities, so the biggest act of rebellion that we can do is start to love our bodies and respect them because they are our homes.
Rebecca Cromwell Commey
Rebecca is a writer for The Feminist Health Blog and a medical student.
She is an anti-racist feminist and an activist. In her free time, She likes boxing.
She believes in the importance of empowering women, and that knowledge is a
strong weapon against oppression.
The Feminist Health CIC 