How To Avoid Skinny Fat
Everyone knows those kinds of people who eat what they like, barely work out yet can still slip into their clothes with no trouble as you workout regularly and seem to put on 5 pounds just from looking at a sweet treat. It’s not fair, is it? However, looks can be misleading, and skinny fat is a real thing. Yep, you read that right!
What Is Skinny Fat?
We’ll start by saying that “skinny fat” is most definitely an unscientific and non-medical term. Simply put, skinny fat refers to those who appear to be a weight that is healthy, when in reality, they actually have significant amounts of body fat. Along with having a higher body-fat percentage than you might expect, those that are “skinny fat” tend to lack muscle also. It’s worth being aware that living as “skinny fat” certainly isn’t without consequences.
Thankfully, in this post, we’re going to hit you with our top tips on how to avoid it along with all the tips you’ll need to feel healthier and stronger.
Are You Skinny Fat?
Although a medical, definition of “skinny fat” doesn’t exist generally, it refers to those who are a healthy weight but have a body-fat percentage that exceeds the recommended amount. While you may be of a healthy weight, it’s not always a good indication of health.
How To Tell If You’re Skinny Fat
A reported 20 per cent of the overall population are within the “skinny fat” umbrella. Beyond noticing that your energy levels are low, you’re putting on a little weight or that your diet is extremely poor, you can get tested. So, as well as assessing your behaviour, you can undergo tests that will determine where you fall on the metabolic obesity gage, such as a triglyceride-glucose index test or a DEXA scan. A DEXA scan will calculate your body-fat percentage, which is a good indicator of whether or not you are “skinny fat”.
Because those who are “skinny fat” may appear healthy, any serious health concerns may undetected. While there’s no need to go into a panic, reducing your body-fat percentage in a bid to build muscle is undoubtedly something you should try to do. Even if you have a super-high metabolism and you don’t tend to gain weight, if you never exercise and eat a poor diet, you should probably make a change regardless.
Now that all of the facts are out of the way, here’s how you can avoid it.
1. Get Help From The Pros
If you think you’re “skinny fat” problem is a serious cause for concern, you should seek out the appropriate health care professions to give you advice on the correct treatment, diet and exercise you’ll need to combat it.
2. Move More
This one is pretty simple. If you want to be healthier, moving more is an excellent place to start, particularly if you’re pretty sedentary to begin with. There’s no need to throw yourself into a crazy, unattainable routine, start small and build up. You’re better off choosing a fitness program that you’ll actually stick to so that you can improve your health long-term.
3. Don’t Skip The Weights
If you already work out, but you just stick to cardio, it’s time to switch things up. Doing purely cardio isn’t the most appropriate route to a long-lasting weight loss. Instead, you should mix it up and pair cardio with strength training. While cardio does burn off serious calories during your workout, strength training enables you to build muscle and boost your metabolism – a sure-fire way to combat “skinny fat”.
4. Change Your Eating Habits
If your diet is the route of your problems, you should make it your mission to start eating a healthier diet. It’s worth being aware that it takes 28 days to break a habit. So, rather than clearing out the cupboards and cutting out all of those treats right away, start slow. If you make gradual changes to your diet rather than trying to go cold turkey, you’re more likely to stick at it.
5. Lay Off The Booze
When you’re kickstarting a healthy lifestyle in a bid to lose that dreaded “skinny fat” booze is not your friend. While there’s no need to cut it out entirely, if you’re a big drinker, it might just be the route of your problems. Not only is booze usually full of calories, but it can also trigger your appetite and reduce your inhibitions, leaving you less likely to say no to all those snacks after a few drinks.
Basically, what we’re getting at is no matter how genetically blessed you are with a slim frame and fast metabolism, if you want to rid yourself of “skinny fat” you’ll need to make some serious lifestyle changes. Start small, make them manageable and stick at it, and you’ll soon be looking and feeling better.
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