Skinny fat. It’s not any healthier than being obese. What is it? Thin, but with a body composition that has a higher proportion of fat to muscle. Being thin isn’t really that great if you aren’t healthy.
You know that you can’t outrun a bad diet and this is true whether you are thin or not.
Being overweight isn’t good for our health and to lose weight for any reason, we must eat less. But, being thin doesn’t mean you are healthy.
I often meet with people who have had a heart attack or stroke or been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and they are surprised and say, “but I am not overweight!” Technically that is correct. Their weight falls into a “normal” range. However, most of that weight is fat, not muscle. And that matters.
Having a poor diet, even when you exercise and are normal weight matters too. Just because you don’t look overweight doesn’t mean you are healthy. I have had a number of clients who regularly exercise and they think this means they can eat whatever they want. This is also not true.
Exercise will only do so much for so long. And I know what you are thinking “I don’t have time”. And I have some news for you, it is not about time, it is about what you spend your time on.
The good news is that your body is amazingly forgiving. The other good news is that it doesn’t take much to make a difference. The bad news is that eating well and less somehow feels like, well less. You don’t get healthier eating more. You don’t lose weight eating more. Everyone wants more, not less. That is why the supplement industry in the USA is a $37 billion dollar business (USD)
Funnily, very few people want to do more exercise. Until they start exercising and can’t believe how great it feels. Then suddenly more is fun.
Eating unprocessed foods, filling up on fruits and vegetables, being active daily makes a HUGE difference. For small efforts the rewards are lifesaving.
So let’s stop making this about diet or exercise. It is both. And let’s stop making this about how much you weigh. Because that is not the best way to measure health. You need both kinds of exercise, strength training and cardiovascular training. You need more muscle mass. Less adipose tissue.
If you care about your health you should do it all. Strength training, cardiovascular exercise and eat a proper diet. In 2015 the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges published a report on exercise and called it the “miracle cure”. These are scientists, they don’t just toss the word miracle around without substantial evidence.
Skinny fat is not healthy. It is not either diet or exercise. It is not about more. Or the latest supplement or superfood. Or the latest fitness fad.
There is a miracle cure. Don’t wait. Get moving.
Change your mind, change your health,
Shayla
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