DNA may be key to successful dieting and fitness goals - WMBFNews.com, Myrtle Beach/Florence SC, Weather

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - We all know dieting and exercise is no easy task. Some say just getting to the gym is half the battle, while others say abs are made in the kitchen.

But what if you learned that all this time, the key to weight loss is not what goes in, but rather what’s already inside of you? In most gyms across the nation, you’ll find them packed with fitness fanatics. Here’s what some had to say.

“I try to watch what I eat, eat a healthier balanced diet, try to stay moving,” said Marsha Larson, a local gym enthusiast.

“I get in about seven to 10 work outs a week,” said another local gym enthusiast.

But no matter your goals, most gym goers will tell you, they're never quite satisfied, like Ashley Brooks, who also works out often.

“I can be good 90 percent of the time and I cheat 10 percent. And that 10 percent is what shows up on me,” said another gym goer.

“I’m not a fan of my legs and that’s one thing I really like to work on more,” said Alyssa Raymer.

Staying fit and healthy is a multi-billion dollar industry and everyone has an opinion about what works best. The collective thought centers around food and exercise. After all, people who tend to eat healthier foods and exercise more stand a better chance to lose weight than those who don’t.

But while there’s truth in this line of thinking, a new way of going about it has come along showing there might be much more to the story: DNA Dieting.

A handful of companies are popping up online that will analyze your DNA and give you a set of recommendations to help you achieve your goals based exclusively on your genetic makeup.

Kim Rosenfield tried DNA Dieting.

“It was really simple," said Kim Rosenfield. "I had an appointment with the nutritionist, she swabbed out the inside of my mouth, put it in a little tube, sent it off and about a month later I got the results," said Kim Rosenfield.

Rosenfield tried a company called GXSlim out of Dallas, Texas. She paid around $250 for the results.

A sample summary report gives you an idea of what you’ll learn - things like how your body utilizes protein, fat and carbs and which nutrients you may be deficient in and your body’s response to exercise.

“My genetics show that I have a tendency not to process vitamin A or vitamin D as well, so supplements are one option but she also talked about getting more dairy,” Rosenfield said.

She has been using the DNA diet plan for a little more than a month. She said she hasn’t seen significant weight loss or a decline in inches but that she certainly feels better overall.

Nutrionists and health experts we spoke to said when it comes to science, DNA dieting works. But Rosenfield said at the end of the day it’s like any other diet out there - you have to follow the plan.

“I feel like I have the knowledge to make better choices. I don’t always make them but at least I have the knowledge,” she said.

Below are two documents from GXSlim: the first is an overview of the DNA services they offer, and the second is an example of a personalized genetic report provided by the company:

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