Work With Your Body, Not Against It!

Have you ever looked at someone else and thought, “If I just trained harder, ate less, or had more willpower, I’d look like that too”?

It’s a thought many of us have had, including me! I am forever looking at my cellulite and thinking – it’s not fair, I’m training hard and doing all the right things but it’s not budging!?

The fact is, while we can absolutely transform our health, fitness and body composition, we can’t completely rewrite the genetic blueprint we were born with. And understanding that can be one of the most freeing mindset shifts you’ll ever make.

Your Genetics Are the Blueprint, Not the Final Outcome

Think of your body like a house! The blueprint determines the structure, but what you do with it determines how well it’s built, maintained and cared for. You can renovate, strengthen, improve and look after it, but you can’t completely redesign the foundations.

Our genes influence far more than most people realise, including:

• Where we naturally store body fat.

• Our bone structure and frame.

• Muscle shape and insertions.

• How easily we build muscle.

• How readily we gain or lose body fat.

That’s not an excuse, it’s biology and yes it can be unfair!

“So What’s the Point of Exercising?”

Exercise is still one of the most powerful things you can do for your body.

Strength training builds muscle and helps shape your physique.

Cardiovascular exercise strengthens your heart and lungs.

Good nutrition supports fat loss, recovery and overall health.

Quality sleep and stress management help regulate hormones, appetite and recovery.

Your body is incredibly adaptable. You can become stronger, fitter, healthier and more confident. And the good news is you CAN significantly change your body composition. But even after all of those changes, your body will still reflect your unique genetics. And that’s exactly how it should be.

Why Do We All Store Fat Differently?

One of the questions I often hear from my clients is:

“Why does all my weight go to my tummy?”

Or…

“Why are my thighs always the last place to slim down?”

The answer is that where we store fat is largely influenced by our genetics, hormones and sex.

Some people naturally carry more fat around their:

• Lower stomach

• Hips

• Thighs

• Glutes

• Upper arms

• Lower back

Others tend to carry more around their waist or upper body. Mine is def in my upper thighs!

Unfortunately, we don’t get to choose. When we lose body fat, our body decides where it comes from first and that’s why one area may seem to change quickly while another appears stubborn.

This is also why spot reduction is a myth. You can’t crunch away belly fat and you can’t squat away thigh fat. Those exercises strengthen the muscles underneath, but they don’t determine where your body burns fat.

Stop Comparing Your Genetics to Someone Else’s

Social media has made this harder than ever. We compare ourselves to people with completely different genetics, lifestyles and body shapes. You might follow someone on Instagram with naturally long legs, narrow hips or a flat stomach, then wonder why your body doesn’t respond in the same way, even though it looks like you’re doing the exact same training plan.

But here’s the annoying thing…

Even if you followed the exact same workout programme, ate exactly the same meals, walked the same number of steps and trained for the same number of years. You still wouldn’t look identical, because bodies aren’t designed to be copies of one another. We’re all completely unique!

Respect the Body You’re Building

Accepting your genetics doesn’t mean giving up. It means letting go of unrealistic expectations. It means understanding that your body has its own natural shape and choosing to make that body as healthy, strong and capable as possible is what matters

So, maybe I will heed my own advice and stop moaning about my cellulite now too!!