“Skinny Fat” is a term that has been picking up in popularity over the past few years – but what does it actually mean? The term itself refers to a phenomena in which someone is a normal weight (or maybe even underweight) but lacks muscle tone and is, overall, considered unfit. It can also be described as a metabolically obese normal weight, which refers to someone who looks seemingly healthy but is actually at risk for obesity related health issues. This is a very popular body type that can be seen in both men and women, and is mainly due to a poor diet and lack of exercise.
People deemed “skinny fat” often have average to low body mass indexes but, upon further evaluation, fall victim to unhealthy diagnostic markers including: elevated blood sugar, elevated triglycerides, inflammation, elevated blood pressure, poor cholesterol markers, etc. Although these individuals are not in fact obese, they are still at similar cardiovascular risks as obese individuals with similar abnormal metabolic profiles.
This is a frightening dose of reality for the outwardly skinny person. Contrary to what the media teaches us, thin does not necessarily equal healthy. What’s even more frightening is the fact that this phenomena may affect up to one fourth of the normal weight population according to a 2008 article sited in Time Magazine.
Many of us are in a frequent struggle to battle the bulge, but we are forgetting about the importance of also getting fit and toned. Over the course of the next few weeks we will further discuss what you can do to combat “skinny fat”, how to gain muscle more easily, what specific products we recommend, and how we at The Hormone Zone can help you!
Can’t wait until the next blog post and want to learn more now? Give us a call today at 480-338-8070 and we’ll direct you!
