What the heck is the skinny-fat phenomenon?
Simply put, it refers to people who have a thin appearance, but a high amount of body fat. Usually, these individuals are blessed (or cursed) with the skinny gene. No matter how many Twinkies and Ho-Ho’s they eat, they don’t gain weight. As a result, many don’t feel the need to exercise since they don’t look fat. The result is a skinny-fat person.
Just because you’re thin, doesn’t mean you’re fit. No matter what your genetics are, if you want to reduce body fat percentages and get fit, you have to exercise regularly using both strength and cardiovascular training .
The Significance of Body Fat Measurements
When I was younger I used to weigh myself every single day. With each fluctuation of a pound or two I would beat myself up or rejoice accordingly. It took years of yo-yo dieting and unhealthy exercise habits before I realized that weight isn’t what’s important.
You’ve probably heard by now that the scale isn’t the best way to determine how much weight you need to lose. The only thing a scales tells you is the total weight of all of your tissue. It doesn’t tell you what percentage of that weight is fat and what percentage is lean body mass.
It’s a fact that muscle weighs more than fat. If you have a solid muscle base, you’ll weigh more than someone who’s the same size as you but has less muscle.
I spent years thinking that I was fat because I weighed more than all of my friends who were the same height as me. Never mind that I was a gymnast and carried a lot of muscle on my 5’3″ frame. It didn’t matter to me that I was physically stronger than many of my friends – I could never see past the numbers on the scale.  In retrospect I see how many years I wasted obsessing over my “weight” when what I should have been concerned with was my fitness level and my body composition.
A Simple Fix For The Skinny-Fat Phenomenon
Eat right and exercise…perhaps that’s a little too simple! Seriously, if you suspect that you’re a skinny-fat person, the first thing you need to do is get your body fat checked, either at a health club or a doctors office.
If your body fat is more than 30% for women and 25% for men, you’re carrying around too much fat. If you want to be healthy, clean up your diet and add some moderate exercise to your weekly schedule.
You don’t have to get crazy.
Transforming a skinny-fat physique into a fit physique doesn’t require extreme measures.  Look at your diet and reduce simple sugar and saturated fat consumption.
After you’ve cleaned up your diet a little bit you’ll start to feel energized. Use that extra energy to do some circuit training a few times a week. You don’t have to spend hours a day working out. Set aside 30 minutes 3 to 5 times a week. Remember, when it comes to exercise…
Something is always better than nothing!
As long as you’re not trying out for a spot with a professional football team or planning to compete in the next Olympia, moderate exercise will give you the results you want. Just do something to work your muscles and your skinny-fat status will quickly be replaced by a fit-fabulous status.
Don’t do what I did and waste years obsessing over numbers that don’t really mean too much.  Find out the truth about your weight and body composition. You might find that you’re more fit than you neighbor who wears the size 1 jeans.
Or, you may have your fears confirmed that you need to make a change. Either way, you’re taking a step toward improving your personal health and wellness. Take from someone who’s been there, you’ll be happy you did.
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