Skinny fat is a condition that many people may experience without realizing it. Are you experiencing this condition? Let's find out about the causes and how to fix it with Soumaki.
What does skinny fat mean?
Have you ever thought that someone who looks balanced or skinny will have good health? Actually not, because they may be suffering from the condition of skinny fat.
1. Definition
"Skinny fat" does not have a standard definition and is not a medical term. Generally, people use skinny fat to describe those who appear skinny but actually have a high amount of excess body fat.
According to research, about 30 million Americans are currently suffering from "skinny fat" conditions. Even when BMI (body mass index) is within the normal range (18.5 - 24.9), you can still experience this condition. This is because BMI only takes into account height, weight and ignores factors such as bone/ muscle/ fat mass in the body (especially visceral fat - which is not easily visible to the naked eye)
Experiencing skinny fat can lead to metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure...
2. How to identify
There are several ways to identify people who are experiencing skinny fat:
Found by eyes:
Males: The chest of males will be slightly pointed and flattened on both sides, sagging, and darkened. The shoulder frame is also smaller than normal people's.
Both males and females: the body is less firm, fat particularly accumulates in the belly, the edges of the belly or chest. The skin lacks elasticity, is not firm, and is sagging.
Found by test:
Causes of skinny fat
Skinny fat can be caused by many factors, including:
See also: What is protein? How to have a healthy protein-rich meal
How to fix skinny fat?
This condition is not uncommon. About 5 out of 10 people suffer from skinny fat. However, it is possible to fix this condition by making changes in your daily activities:
1. Change your lifestyle
Of course, everyone knows that building a healthy lifestyle is essential. However, knowing and actually practicing it are two different things.
If your skinny fat condition has reached an alarming level, causing your body to become dangerously overweight and even causing cardiovascular diseases or diabetes, will you change your lifestyle quickly?
Soumaki hopes that you will not wait until it is too late to make changes. If possible, be aware and truly take action to change from now on. Improving your lifestyle is not just about facing diseases or health issues, but also opening the door to positive changes from physical to mental health.
2. Change your eating habits
If Soumaki had to give you advice on your eating habits, it would not be about dieting, but rather about eating a balanced diet. Eating a balanced diet is not a scary thing that requires a lot of calculations or strict food choices.
A balanced diet is about being aware of the basics of what you are doing and changing them to fit:
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If you are eating fast food 3 days a week, try to reduce it to 1-2 days a week, and gradually stop eating it altogether.
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If you are addicted to carbonated or alcoholic drinks, try to control yourself before enjoying the taste of filtered water, vegetable and fruit juices, etc.
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If you often eat out, set aside some time on the weekends to cook simple and delicious meals, and enjoy the dishes you cook for yourself.
Soumaki offers healthy meals to help you control calories and balance nutrition every day. If you're interested, please check out our menu here
3. Exercise regularly
Nowadays, there are many physical activities, gyms, sports clubs, etc. available. If you find it difficult to discipline yourself in exercising, you can go to these places to find motivation for yourself.
If not, just a small space in the room, outside, on the balcony... and a few minutes of persistence every day can help you significantly improve your body weight and index.
Be careful with the myths surrounding the skinny fat condition
Laura Cohen - an eating disorder recovery coach and advisor for Equip Health - stated: "In a society that sees 'fat' as a negative issue, the term 'skinny fat' will become a powerful marketing tool."
Skinny fat can lead to many misunderstandings in a completely negative way, causing more victims in the diet culture, and more prey for weight loss/ diet pill companies.
Worse, this can lead many people to develop eating disorders. Among all types of mental health disorders, eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate (after opioid addiction disorder).
Therefore, it is important to understand the skinny fat condition correctly. This is not a tool or a reason for body shaming yourself or anyone else, but to recognize where your body needs to be repaired and how to fix it. Only then can our physical and mental health work together, and our health can be long-lasting.
Answering questions related to skinny fat
Some questions:
1. Does skinny fat affect health?
The condition of skinny fat can be harmful to your health, especially if you have excess fat in the abdominal area. Excess fat in the body can lead to health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and atherosclerosis.
2. Is weight loss the only solution to fix skinny fat?
No, weight loss is not the only way to fix skinny fat. You need to change your lifestyle, eating habits, and exercise to reduce excess fat and build muscle.
3. Should I do weight training to fix skinny fat?
Yes, weight training is one of the effective ways to reduce excess fat and build muscle. However, you need to combine it with a healthy diet and positive lifestyle to achieve the best results.
4. Should I eat less to lose weight?
No, eating too little can be harmful to your health. Instead of reducing food intake, you should focus on eating a healthy and balanced diet, including foods rich in fiber and protein.
5. Should I use weight loss products to fix skinny fat?
No, using weight loss products is not the solution to fixing skinny fat. Instead, you should focus on changing your lifestyle, eating habits, and exercise to reduce excess fat and improve your health.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned about the condition, causes, and ways to fix skinny fat. The most important thing is to change your lifestyle, eating habits, and exercise to reduce excess fat and improve your health. Start today to have a healthy and balanced body.