Is skinny healthy? Not always...

While it is well known that some people being obese or overweight are at risk for heart disease or other problems (click here for more info), a lot of people confuse skinny with always being healthy.

I have a few skinny friends and relatives that shall remain nameless that can prove that skinny or being slender is not always healthy.  And I have some friends that are holding onto an extra 15 lbs or more that can run circles around me and have fantastic heart health.

Take me for example.  When I was in high school, I weighed 85 lbs.  At the time I was two inches shorter than I am now (yes, I gained inches in height in  my early 20s), but still considered underweight.  Tight jeans were in and I remember my mom having to take in size "0" jeans to fit tight on  my legs and the waist always gapped.  I was desperate to gain weight.  I wanted to be curvy like the other girls.  So in order to remedy this I ate like i was going to the electric chair.  I would feast on mozzarella sticks, cheese steaks, Chinese food, subs, pizza, milkshakes, McDonald's - you get the point.  Plus to top it off I drank beer almost every weekend (if you're under 21, please don't do this), and I smoked cigarettes too. 

Was that the picture of health?  No way! When I was in my early 20s I had my cholesterol checked and it was surprisingly high for a young, thin person.  It wasn't until my 20s that I started to get into fitness as a way to get curvy and strong. Then the nutrition fell into place.

To illustrate even further, I have a few friends that are thin, and most people would want to be as slender as they are.  But they have no muscle tone at all, and in order to stay thin (because they don't want to exercise) they won't eat! Seriously, how can you not eat??  They will pick at their kid's uneaten food and they will drink lots of coffee, drink no water, and then eat a large dinner.  I don't think that is healthy either.

I also know some people who are really overdoing it with the exercise, not eating enough, and again, that's not healthy.

Now, I do have some friends and know of some fitness instructors that yes, could lose a little weight.  But they eat pretty good, maybe a little too much, but good.  And they exercise daily and have great numbers when it comes to cholesterol and blood pressure.  There are a few fitness instructors that could kick some serious bootay when it comes to teaching a class, and not look like they broke a sweat. 

So my friends, looks can be deceiving.  Don't judge someones overall health by their appearance alone.  And don't put off eating 5 healthy meals a day and exercise just because you're thin.

Be honest with yourself, make some positive changes in your life and try to view exercise and good nutrition as a positive part of your life.  You only have one body, so treat it like a temple and not the Temple of Doom.

So whether you slender or a little overweight, if you need help with an exercise and nutrition program email me here.

Make it a great day.