By Jasmine Niu Do you weigh yourself every day? Do you envy slim girls who do not need to count calories? Generally speaking, thin people tend to be healthier than fat people. But, in fact, this is not always true. Take myself for example. I took a PE course last semester. In the beginning, students were asked to take a physical fitness test, which included measuring our height, weight, and body fat. The results showed that I had a normal weight based on my height. However, I was shocked to find that I was “nearly obese” according to the body fat percentage chart. Normally, people would not call a 5-foot 4-inch, 121-pound girl an obese person. What makes the two results so different from each other? Body fat percentage versus weightHaving the same weight does not mean the same body composition. For example, some people are lean and have a lot of muscle, while others have more body fat even though they weigh the same.
We stand on a scale when we measure body fat. However, unlike weight, body fat is measured in a different way. A small electric current runs through the body. But the current cannot cut across fat. By measuring the scale of the resistance to the current, we can know where and how much fat is in our bodies. Thin people can also carry a lot of body fat, which leads to the same health problems as obesity. This is the definition of skinny fat. What is skinny fat?In medicine, skinny fat is called “metabolically obese normal weight” or “normal weight obesity.” It is a condition of having normal weight but high body fat percentages. Skinny fat people may look slim but they are not lean. Here are some skinny fat characteristics: Skinny fat people tend to be thin their whole lives DNA is one of the key factors that decide whether our bodies will grow in size when we get fat. Unlike those who get fat in size, skinny fat people are born to be thin. They seldom have strong physiques. Skinny fat people suffer from nutritional imbalance Many skinny fat girls put a lot of effort on weight loss. They believe that low calorie intake helps a lot. So they eat few carbohydrates and not enough protein. For example, they may eat only salad and have little rice and meat. But rice and meat can provide the energy we need every day. With so little energy in their body, they easily feel drowsy and dizzy all the time. Skinny fat people seldom exercise This is also a common problem for girls. Girls tend to exercise less often than boys. Usually, there are two reasons. First, they are worried that they might develop a boyish physique if they exercise too much, something not considered beautiful for girls. Next, since they feel tired all the time due to their imbalanced diet, they don’t want to exercise either. Why should we face it?The hidden dangers Large amounts of fat storage can lead to greater risks for cardiovascular diseases, which is the main health problem for fat people. Nevertheless, recent research shows that a growing number of people with normal weight also suffer from diabetes, high cholesterol, heart diseases, and stroke. Thin people should also be aware of this. Better physical appearance Girls say that it matters most to look slender, so dropping your body fat would make that dream come true! Just like the meat we eat, lean meat is usually smaller and denser than fatty meat. And so are muscles in our body. For example, we have two girls with the same weight, one lean and the other skinny fat, but if they stand next to each other, the lean girl will look thinner and fitter than the skinny fat one. Solutions to the skinny fat problemDo you want to be fitter and leaner? Here are some solutions and advice: Understand your body First, you need to take a test to see whether you are skinny fat or not, and it is not difficult. Go find a body fat scale or a body weight scale which can measure both weight and body fat. It is easy and convenient to find one in the health center of a school, in a hospital, or in the retail shops of COSMED, one of the biggest pharmacy chain stores in Taiwan. Besides, if you want to keep track of your body fat percentage and measure the progress, remember to stick to the same body fat scale because minor errors may exist. Give up bad habits! Like weight loss, you need to quit your bad habits such us staying up late, drinking, and smoking. Of all those bad habits, the most overlooked one is rushing our meals. When we eat fast, the food will not be well chewed. The volume of the food can enlarge our stomach, and then we will want to eat more next time. Plus, according to research, chewing well and slowly helps us to get full easily. Just take your time and enjoy your food. Have a balanced diet We need to take all kinds of nutrition. Intake of carbohydrates and protein is necessary so we can maintain the basic energy we need every day. By the way, protein with regular exercise helps build muscles. Meat, milk, and wheat are common sources of protein. Do aerobic exercise According to research, aerobic exercise helps us to get fit and consumes fat. Common aerobic exercises are jogging, swimming, aerobic dance, and cycling. Besides, the exercise should last over 30 minutes and should be at least 3 times a week. Also, workouts can build muscles and make us lean. The gym is the best place to work out. In the beginning, since you do not have a lot of muscles, you should choose some workouts that are simple but a bit tiring. After you get used to them, you can move to more difficult ones. Shake the skinny fat off!Becoming lean is not easy. If we want to make great progress, we need time. Generally, you will need 1-2 years to see whether you have succeeded or not. When we feel lazy, our body fat will return. But don’t be desperate or anxious if you don’t see immediate improvement, just believe in yourself. Soon you can achieve your goals and become lean and healthy! a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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