It’s Not Just a Matter of Raw Willpower

November 24, 2014

The Willpower Myth

The myth: Successful weight loss is simply a matter of willpower.
The reality: Like hair color, you inherit your metabolism, and metabolic characteristics vary greatly among individuals. Some of the best demonstrations that genes control metabolism involve research on identical twins. When many sets of twins were given the same reduced-calorie diet, all of them lost weight. However the amount of weight loss (and fat loss) varied widely across the whole group. And guess what? The individuals within each pair of identical twins lost very similar amounts of weight. That means that people with the same genes respond to energy restriction in the same way, but people with a different genetic makeup (in this case the different pairs of twins) have a wide range of responses, some losing easily and others very slowly1. The same similarity of response within each pair of twins and wide variation across the sets of twins occurred when they were put on an exercise program that burned 1,000 calories a day2. So don’t be frustrated if someone else is losing weight faster than you. If, despite doing everything right, you’re experiencing snaillike progress, you can blame some of it on your great-grandparents!

References:

1. C. Bouchard, A. Tremblay, J. P. Despres, A. Nadeau, P. J. Lupien, G. Theriault, et al., “The Response to Long-Term Overfeeding in Identical Twins,” The New England Journal of Medicine 322 (1990), 1477–1482.
2. C. Bouchard, A. Tremblay, J. P. Despres, G. Theriault, A. Nadeau, P. J. Lupien, et al., “The Response to Exercise with Constant Energy Intake in Identical Twins,” Obesity Research 2 (1994), 400–410.

Learn More About Low Carb Articles & Research

The Guide to Atkins Bars

Learn about Atkins most popular protein bars and how they can help support your low carb lifestyle or reach your weight loss goals. Between a busy work week or a hectic schedule at home, trying to reach your nutrition goals can feel like another chore on your to-do list. That’s why finding quality protein bars to

Read More »

35 Easy Keto Dinner Recipe Ideas

Keto Beef Recipes | Keto Pork Chop Recipes | Keto Chicken Recipes | Keto Shrimp Recipes | Vegetarian Keto Recipes | Keto Soup Recipes | Keto Crockpot Recipes | Keto Air Fryer Recipes | Keto Instant Pot® Recipes Whether you’re just getting started with keto or need some new additions to your recipe rotation, it’s

Read More »

20 Keto Breakfast Recipes & Ideas

Keto Breakfast Smoothie Recipes | Keto Breakfast Sandwich Ideas | East Keto Breakfast Recipes with Eggs | Keto Breakfast Casserole Recipes | Keto Breakfast without Eggs Following a ketogenic diet doesn’t mean you should skimp on a delicious breakfast or eat the same thing every day. In fact, Atkins’ take on keto diets emphasize optimal

Read More »