Is Your Body Type Keeping You From Reducing Thighs

When it comes to reducing your thighs, there are a lot of challenges standing in your way. Not only do you have to keep a close eye on what you eat, when you eat it and how frequently you get exercise, but you may also have to pay attention to your genetics as well.

How your body breaks down food and burns body fat is determined to some degree by your genetics. Sure you can reduce thighs by following the basic principles of fat loss, but you may find that certain genetic factors like your body type and your bodies hormone regulation to a large extent determine the amount of success you may have when implementing a diet and lower body exercise program.

photo credit: mmmou812ic

Body Types And Metabolism

Most people fall into one of three distinct body types…

• Endomorph

• Mesomorph

• Ectomorph

Endomorphs – Have bodies that are typically rounder and softer than both mesomorphs and ectomorphs.  If you are a endomorph there is a good chance that your body has the classic “pear” shape. This body type has an easy time packing on fat and a harder time slimming down and building muscle mass. If you’re an ectomorph, you’re going to have to work hard for slimmer thighs and a firmer lower body!

Mesomorphs – have a medium bone structure and shorter limbs in relation to their trunks and a high muscle to fat ratio. Generally speaking mesomorphs can typically gain muscle or burn fat by adjusting their diet and fitness plan. If you fall into this body type you will be able to see consistent results from your diet and fitness program if you implement it on a regular basis.

Ectomorphs – Have the highest metabolic rate of all the body types and tend to have longer limbs in relation to their trunk. If this describes you, there is a better than average chance that you do not carry an excess of body fat.  The bad news is that ectomorphs tend to be skinnier than both endomorphs and mesomorphs – and they have a very hard time building lean muscle mass.

The Role of Genetics In Metabolism

Generally speaking, here is how your genetics will affect your chance of being obese at some point in your life…

• If both of your parents are/were obese you have a 70% chance of following in their foot steps.

• If one of your parents is/was obese you have a 40% – 50% chance of also being obese.

• If Both of your parents are lean, you have a 15% – 20% chance of being obese.

While genetics definately plays a role in obesity, there is still some argument as to whether the bigger impact is made by the behaviors that children pick up by watching thier parents.  I would suspect that overall, this accounts for the majority of the problem.

So yes, it is possible for your body type and genetics to play a role in how slim your thighs are, but it is not possible for your genetics to completely controll the choices that you make on a dialy basis.  If you want a slimmer thighs and a firmer lower body you can have them, you just need to be prepared to work for them!