Health and Fitness Tips - SKINNY BUT STILL FAT?

Envious of that skinny chic who struts her bony behind past your cubicle every day as she wolfs down a gigantic Bear Claw?

Well, here’s some news that might comes as a surprise: just because she’s thin doesn’t mean she’s fit. Fact is, a size zero doesn’t mean she’s got any muscle, and fat-burning muscle is where it’s at.

Am I Healthy???

BMI (Body Mass Index):

BMI is a measurement of body fat based on a computation of your height and weigh. An effective way to estimate your overall health risks, go here for a quick BMI assessment.

BMI Doesn’t Tell The Whole Story:

More important than BMI is how much fat you have relative to your overall weight and WHERE that fat is on your body. The higher your fat percentage and the more fat found around your midsection, the more inflammatory chemicals called cytokines that circulate in your blood. Inflammation from cytokines are a cause of premature aging and make you more susceptible to cardiovascular disease, obesity and metabolic syndrome.

But Miss Skinny Looks So Good, How Can She Be Unhealthy?

Just because Skinny Bitch may look like runway material, it is possible to have a normal weight and BMI and still be obese. Percentage (relative to muscle) and placement of fat (you may not be able to see it but visceral fat still surrounds organs), may put a skinny woman at greater risk of disease than a woman who weighs more.

As inflammation from cytokines in the blood continue to accumulate through the years a skinny-fat woman’s chances of cardiovascular disease and diabetes increase as does her risk of packing on pounds after she hits a certain age (now, now, it is never nice to gloat).

Doesn’t Weighing Less Mean Less Fat?

Scale weight is deceptive. The truth is, muscle is denser than fat so if you have nice muscle tone you will probably weigh more than anyone would ever guess. In fact, a woman with muscle tone appears SMALLER than the scale might indicate because muscle is more compact than fat so you’ll look svelte even if you aren’t a 115lb skinny mini.

Remember, sacrificing muscle to see a certain number on the scale is NEVER a good idea. The more muscle you have the higher your metabolism – a wonderful thing!

I Still Hate The Skinny Girls:

Listen, I’m not asking you to put out a big Boo Hoo for all those skinny wenches. I mean, I understand it may seem better to be fat and look thin than the fat-fat combo most of us struggle to avoid. But, take comfort in the fact that even skinny girls should do regular cardiovascular exercise, weight train and eat balanced meals. A steady diet of Big Mac’s isn’t healthy for anyone– whether you wear a size two or not.

If you happen to be a skinny gal, be aware of that fact that your small frame may be hiding a HUGE health problem if you are not living a healthy lifestyle. Eating junk food and never lifting a dumbbell may have repercussions even if you never know what it is to struggle with the zipper on those size O Seven Jeans.

Take care of that lucky butt!!!

Love,
Health Sundae