Body By Kit: Mom Genes

Body by Kit

"Mom Genes" by Kit Rich

“Well, before we ever get serious, I would have to see what your mother looks like,” my date smirked.
“Excuse me?” I questioned.
“You know, how your mother looks is how you are going to end up looking,” he finished.

So it’s come down to this, huh? A woman’s beauty is only validated and considered “marriage worthy” if her mother ages well. Well this is just great. Women not only have to rule the world in stilettos, they now also have to ensure their future love life by keeping tabs on their mother’s eating and exercise regime. This sounds exhausting and downright ridiculous.

Sadly this is not the first time I have heard this. I have sat amongst a group of male friends while they discussed dating women as though they were choosing whether to lease or buy a car. For some, the good looking mother was the warranty they needed to feel comfortable committing long-term.

Even the rap artist Juvenile dedicated an entire song, "Mamma Got Ass," to a woman getting all her attributes from her mother:
“Oh, where she get her eyes from? She get it from her mamma...
Oh, where she get her thighs from? She get it from her mamma...”

He keeps going, but I think we get it. Regardless of the fact that I think this wave of thought is completely juvenile (pun intended) and regardless of the fact I never saw that guy again, as a fitness expert this does bring up the subject of healthy lifestyle choices versus genetics. How much do genetics play a role in your body’s destiny? If your mother is overweight, will you be too—regardless of how much you work out and eat right? Is your fate in the hands that fed you?

The answer is both yes and no.

Yes, genetics do determine your body type. Your physique is something that you can maintain, tighten, tone, shape and mold, but its foundation you cannot change. And yes it is also true that if obesity runs in your family, the likelihood of you also gaining weight in later years is very possible.  

But the upside is, no matter what your genetics are, a healthy active lifestyle can trump genetic pre-determination. Even those with “thin” genes can go downhill with abuse and negligence. This is where the knowledge of your body potential becomes a blessing and not a curse. If you know in advance that you are prone to weight gain and diseases such as diabetes, you can start using the right tools to prevent these problems from happening later in life. The earlier you start, the better chances you have of controlling your outcome.

The biggest road block I see with clients and peers is fear-based behavior that leads to unwanted results. This fear has a coin with two sides. One side is when a woman fears she has no control over the look of her body and just gives up on herself. Her thoughts influence her actions, so her greatest fear becomes her reality. She gains weight and the cycle continues. On the flip side, the fear may inspire extreme approaches to weight loss and health, with unrealistic goals. These intense behavior will only lead to weight loss that will never last. And it can cause the body to yo-yo, which can eventually cause stubborn weight gain later in life, not to mention other potential health problems.

It is so important to have a realistic attitude about what your body’s limitations are. For instance, I know that I will never look like a model. But I have a healthy-looking figure that can stay that way for the rest of my life if I treat it as I should.  

All in all, you do have control over your destiny. You have control over your health by the choices you make every day. Balanced daily decisions add up and become your lifestyle. In my experience, a healthy body and mind help you make wiser and healthier choices in every other aspect of your life. Hopefully, you are or will become healthy enough to not date a guy like I did. Hopefully, the significant other you choose sees your true beauty and adores you just as you are and for all you will become. And hopefully, your significant other adores your mother for all that she is and for the simple fact that her body, whatever it may look like, brought you into this world.

Kit Rich is Los Angeles-based fitness trainer with endless exercise and nutritional know-how. Hollywood's hottest stars are addicted to Kit's unique, multi-disciplined approach that combines cardio, yoga, Pilates, and weight training. Kit's clients are immediately taken by her funny and honest approach to health and fitness. She treats her clients as she treats herself, "with a hard challenge, sensibility, sensitively, and a good laugh." Follow Kit on Twitter @kitrichfitness