You don’t work out and your diet isn’t all that great. But what do you care? You’re skinny.
Well, the problem is that skinny doesn’t equal healthy–you may be the dreaded “skinny fat.”
Sometimes, when I begin working with skinny people who aren’t fit, they will tell me: “I don’t understand. I’m skinny but I have no tone. I feel soft and squishy all over.”
They’re then shocked to find that their body fat levels are quite high relative to their weight. This is what we call “skinny fat!”
Who is Skinny Fat?
Women are more likely to be skinny fat than men. This is because there’s a lot of cultural and media pressure on women to be skinny, which leads some women to seek out starvation diets and become obsessed with the scale. If they do exercise then it’s usually just cardio.
But don’t get me wrong; guys can be skinny fat too! The skinny fat guy is more likely to be the guy in his late 20s to late 30s who has always been super skinny and could just eat whatever he wanted without gaining weight. He doesn’t exercise and, over the years, he has stayed skinny but, yet, has become increasingly skinny fat due to loss of muscle and an increase in internal fat due to poor lifestyle. This fellow may not think his bad habits are hurting him at all.
Why is Skinny Fat Dangerous?
Being Skinny Fat can be dangerous because it’s sneaky! Many people equate physical appearance with internal health. If you’re skinny on the outside then you must be fit on the inside. This is simply not true.
In fact, an active person with a higher body fat may be healthier then a sedentary skinny fat person. If you fall into the skinny fat category, meaning you don’t exercise and you eat poor nutrition, then you are at an increased risk of developing many sedentary related diseases, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke.
From a good health and longevity standpoint, exercise and proper nutrition are important for everyone. Some of the benefits of exercising and eating healthy are improved lean muscle, a firm body, increased energy, improved mood, improved sleep and a substantial reduction in the risk of developing any of the above-mentioned diseases.
If you want good health and a great-looking body then you want to aim for being lean, not skinny. You need to have a good amount of lean muscle to support metabolism, strength and mobility as you age. Good exercise and eating habits will also help you stay healthy, energetic and mentally sharp as the years go by.
So go ahead…take a good honest look in the mirror. Are you skinny fat?
If you are, get your butt to a qualified fitness club or clinic to determine your body fat vs. your lean mass and then take steps to achieve the body you have always wanted. It’s never too late!
Stay tuned for the next Team T & E update on Tuesday. Show time is quickly approaching.
Yours in health,
Tammy
rethtrghtg says:
What is wrong with feeling soft. it feels nicer to touch for one thing … being skinny and a little soft. although I would say I’m a bit bonier in more areas such as shoulder, but still … soft is gooood. oh yea. women with muscles? bleh
Tammy says:
Upon reading the article you will see that it is really about health and longevity. “Skinny fat” is about the poor lifestyle choices that lead people to think they are healthy just because they are skinny on the surface. That is really different than being active with a healthy degree of lean muscle in proportion to body fat. Most of those women will still be soft but will be far healthier because they are taking care of their health. It takes a high degree of training, nutrition and genetics to create that “hard” look in women and even we don’t keep it that hard year round. We soften up a bit in the off season. Depending on personal preference…of course. This article is not talking about being a competitive physique athlete. It is about being healthy. The “Skinny Fat” population are on a slippery slope of preventing poor health down the road. This post is really about the poor lifestyle choices that lead to loss of necessary lean muscle and an accumulation of body fat over the decades. This goes along with increasing the risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and lack of mobility with age due to muscle wasting. You can still take great care of your body and maintain the feminine softness that you desire. Not being “Skinny Fat” means that you are supporting good metabolic health, hormonal health, cardiovascular health and longevity through a healthy body composition. It applies the same to the “over weight group.” You can still keep your personal preference and maximize your health and well being. All the best, Tammy