You may have heard some talk about “skinny fat”. You may know a bit about it, or you may be wondering, what is that anyways? Let’s face it – it’s not the best term and is contradictory to the body positive movement. 

However, it is something to learn more about as it can have serious health consequences. “Skinny fat” basically means that someone may not “appear” to be overweight on the outside, but they are actually quite unhealthy on the inside. 

It also alludes to those who do not participate in regular exercise, but they are still within a “normal” weight range for their height. 

People may look fit or healthy but could have a ton of health problems. 

Their BMI (Body Mass Index) may be low or average, but they have high blood sugar, low good cholesterol, high triglycerides, inflammation, and/or high blood pressure. 

There are pros and cons to focusing on BMI, and this “skinny fat” phenomenon would be one of the cons. 

Your body fat percentage may indicate on a chart that you are healthy, but it does not take into account your overall health. For example, you may be on a diet that doesn’t contain enough protein to maintain muscle. You may not even be eating healthy at all. 

We all know someone who eats poorly and never seems to gain a pound. 

You could also have vitamin or mineral deficiencies. You may have high levels of inflammation in your body that could be representative of diseases like diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or autoimmune disorders.  

The list goes on and the moral of the story is that BMI ought to be taken with a grain of salt as it doesn’t give a good overall picture of your health. 

It is important to dig deeper into your health to get a good idea of what you may need to reduce or what you may be lacking. 

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to look at your; 

• Diet
• Exercise
• Stress levels

Seeking the advice of a medical professional would be beneficial. 

Doctors and naturopaths can give you a better overall picture of your health through blood work and other tests. They can also guide you in the right direction in terms of nutrition and supplements that could help to improve your health. 

You may also want to include gaining or maintaining muscle in your plan. 

Looking at body composition is key because, as you may already know, muscle is denser than fat. A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat, which is why two people with the same height and weight might have vastly different body shapes.

Incorporating lifting weights or other muscle building exercises is important not only for building muscle, but also for bone health and preventing a variety of diseases. Lifting weights also boosts metabolism, regulates insulin, and reduces inflammation. It builds strength and endurance and can improve your sleep, stress and mood. 

Having a lean body may be a goal of yours but ensure that you are following a plan and using products that take into account your overall health. 

Simply standing on the scale or measuring your BMI isn’t sufficient and will not benefit you in the long run. 

Determining your body composition will help to determine your weight loss or exercise plan as well as general lifestyle improvements. 

Looking at the bigger picture will leave you not only looking good, but feeling good – inside and out. If I can be of more assistance in this area (and others) definitely leave a comment below.