In partnership with myDNA
If you’ve been following me for a while, then you know outside of fashion and beauty I am a total gym junkie. I love working out. So much so, that I became a fitness instructor earlier this year. From boxing to spinning to running, I will try any workout once. I try to lead a healthy, active lifestyle, and am always on the lookout for how I can be the best version of myself.
So when I heard about myDNA, an Australian wellness company that helps to decode your genes so you can make better lifestyle decisions, my interest peaked. Wait, what?
myDNA isn’t a genetics company that tells you you’re 55% Irish, 43% German, and 2% other. In fact, you don’t get any of that info. What it does tell you though, are things like:
- How your body processes vitamins or nutrients
- Where your body might be more likely to store fat
- Fitness-related genetics that may impact how you work out
- How your body processes caffeine
Along with all of the above, myDNA then goes on to explain how to turn your insights into action. Each report is complete with a full breakdown of your genetic profile, insights that explain what your genetics mean, and suggestions like fitness and meal plans that work with your body to help you optimize your nutrition and fitness.
Cool, right?
Today I’m sharing my experience with myDNA, what I learned about my body, and small changes I’m making to work smarter with my genes. (There’s also a special offer at the bottom of this post if you want to try myDNA for yourself!)
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, so what is in the post is my own opinion and based off of my OWN DNA and suggestions from myDNA. Consult a doctor before you take supplements, etc. (I know you’re smart enough to know this already, but just in case!)
Once I got my test in the mail, I swabbed the side of my mouth for a couple of minutes, locked that baby up in a tube, and sent it back with a pre-paid label. Easy peasy. Then after a couple of weeks, I got an email notification letting me know my results were ready online.
I’m a pretty fit, active, and healthy person, so for me this wasn’t about getting so hooked on one tiny piece of information, obsessing over it, and going crazy with a fad diet or overhauling my entire life. However, it’s pretty cool to think that we can make small adjustments to our routines to become our best, healthiest version of ourselves, if we just know a little more about what we’re made of.
After getting my myDNA results, I learned some things about myself that I never even thought twice about, but I also had some “oh, that makes sense” moments going through my report.
The first thing I learned from the team at myDNA is that your DNA is not your destiny. Perhaps you have a gene that slows down something, creating a higher risk for obesity. This, my friend, doesn’t mean you’ll be obese. Maybe there’s something that affects how your body processes a nutrient, so you might be more prone to high cholesterol. Does that mean you’re for sure going to have high cholesterol? Nope.
That’s the beauty of myDNA and learning about your genetic makeup. It is simply a tool to know what you may be at a higher risk for or how your body processes nutrients, and then working with it. You know that phrase, “You’ve got to work with what you’ve got?” Yeah. That’s true in this situation, too.
Nutrition & Vitamins
For example, I have always had trouble with weight around my waist area. It doesn’t matter how much I work out, that’s always where my stubborn fat has been. I’ve joked around with Matt and I have to do more crunches than other people, or that I may have been born without abs.
Now, I’m smart enough to know that pesky waist weight is based on genetics. But, there was some sense of relief reading that because I have a ADIPOQ gene variation, my body has trouble burning weight in this area. I know this sounds so weird, but it almost made my feelings feel validated thanks to science.
In both the nutrition and vitamin reports, it was detected that my FADS1 gene might not be working efficiently enough to process healthy fats like Omega-3 and Omega-6.
When I read that, my first thought was, “I hate fish! I don’t want to have to east fish!” Instead of forcing myself to eat a food I don’t enjoy, I searched for an alternative to getting these healthy fats. I’ve now incorporated Omega-3 supplements into my daily routine, and reaping the benefits of fish oil while keeping my meals Flounder-free.
Conversely, my body processes Vitamin B6 quickly. So I’m focusing on incorporating more foods high in B6 and eating them whenever I can, especially when I’m in between workouts and teaching group fitness classes. Bye-bye “healthy protein bars” and hello to more, packable, carry-around snacks like pistachios, bananas, raw broccoli, or hard-boiled eggs.
I’ve never been one to take a multi-vitamin, simply because I don’t like the idea of taking something if my body doesn’t really need it. So to me, finding out about nutrients or vitamins that I may over or under process is fascinating.
I can now pinpoint exactly what it should need based on my genes. I’d rather spend money on a single vitamin and know it’s what I need, than take a generic multi-vitamin and not really know what my body pulls from it.
Fitness
Is it weird that this was the part of the report where I was most nervous?
Like I mentioned above, I’ll try any workout once. Once I love a workout, I’m hooked on it. Usually these classes are high-impact ones like spinning, circuits or boxing.
Here’s the crazy part: I AM LITERALLY WIRED THAT WAY. No but seriously, the report came back and told me that people with my genetic makeup would spend every day at the track or gym if they could. Not a terrible quality to have, but explains why on my days off, I feel like I should be doing something.
Apparently I’m equipped for both power and endurance sports, which explains why I love the types of classes I mentioned above. I’m not an Olympian or was ever a college athlete, but there is something I LOVE about going into a group class and feeling like a bus just hit me. It’s not for everyone, and that’s because that literally comes down to genetics. WILD!
I also learned that my body requires more stretching than the Average Joe because it produces less collagen than others. Considering how much I work out, I really, really need to stretch! I’m going to start taking this more seriously by carving out time to stretch while I watch TV at night. I want to prolong my joints as long as possible and workout forever!
I think the idea behind myDNA is so cool. By knowing more about your body and how it functions, you can set yourself up for a healthier life, and work smarter to achieve it.
Every body is different, and there is no one size fits all approach to nutrition or exercise.
Embrace what your body does, acknowledge and know where it’s challenged and needs help, then work smarter to make small adjustments that optimize your health.
Try it for yourself! The team at myDNA was kind enough to give my readers a $20 off EACH KIT your purchase with code CHARMEDBYCAMILLE20. Click here to purchase.
Cheers to that!
