Is it just me, or is anyone feeling like they want to hug?
I'm laughing at myself, here; seriously, I am just so proud to be in this group of fine, amazing, incredibly strong and brave people.
As for the fat gene, I think we can inherit a predisposition to, or manifestation of gaining, but it's the eating that gets us there. When we compare not only the number of obese, but the degree of obesity in our country -- and, to a lesser degree, some others -- in current times and even 50 years ago, the exponential increase in the numbers of obese and morbidly obese speak loudly. We've done this to ourselves. My mother grew to be obese in her late 30's and remained so until she died of breast cancer at 51. She didn't raise me, so I didn't learn my eating habits from her. I grew up eating healthy food in normal portions. It wasn't until I started drinking too heavily that I started to overeat. I drank to try to bury pain, and I suppose I ate for the same reason. I gained in the same places she did, so did I inherit her "gene?" Like I said, I believe I inherited her "way" of gaining, but it sure could have been avoided through more emotionally healthy choices.
I agree that metabolic rates vary wildly among humans....both fat and thin. But I seriously find it hard to believe that an individual grows obese without the presence of some kind of dysfunctional food-related behavior. A little soft, plump, smooshy -- maybe! But obese -- that I have a harder time accepting.