You've seen it on the television commericals: before and after pictures of people who 'lost weight' by simply taking a pill. The local radio station plays ads promising that you can 'lose weight' without dieting, or as they call it, 'sweaty exercise'. Your favorite magazine even tells you that dieting alone can help you reach your 'ideal weight'.
What do all of these advertisements have in common?
Products and ads that promise you 'weight loss' without exercise are only telling you part of the story. The first important point to realize is that not all diets or diet pills work, and even those that do work for some people do not work for all people. The government is constantly taking action against fraudulent weight loss claims.
Unfortunately for the American public, we don't hear very much about the difference between fitness and weight. The infomercials would have you believe that reaching your ideal weight automatically means that you are healthy, and that how you reach that ideal weight doesn't really matter. Nothing could be further from the truth!
In reality, weight alone does not equal fitness. Think about it. We all know someone who is thin but not fit or healthy. Simply being thin does not automatically qualify us as fit. As a matter of fact, the world is full of 'skinny fat people'.
What? Skinny fat people? How can that be?
When talking about overall fitness, what matters is the percentage of bodyfat we have. It is entirely possible for a thin person to have a high percentage of bodyfat. It is also entirely possible for a thin person to be out of shape.
The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) defines 'fitness' as: "The state of well-being consisting of optimum levels of strength, flexibility, weight control, cardiovascular capacity and positive physical and mental health behaviors, that prepare a person to participate fully in life, to be free from controllable health risk factors and to achieve physical objectives consistent with his/her potential."
Wow! Fitness means all that? Of course! Being truly fit doesn't simply mean the number on the scale. Think about it this way - some people who are thin still suffer from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other maladies that we often associate with weight issues. Being thin does not necessarily mean that you are fit.
Doctors and medical associations have told us the truth time and time again: the only path to true fitness is through regular exercise.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily create a healthier heart, but regular exercise will improve heart health.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily lower cholesterol, but regular exercise will.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily lower the risk of some cancers, but regular exercise has been proven to reduce the risk of some cancers.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily prevent osteoperosis, but regular resistance exercise does.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily boost the immune system, but regular exercise will.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily lead to healthier pregnancies, but regular exercise does.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily prevent disability in seniors, but regular exercise does.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily help you keep the weight off for life, but regular exercise will.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily improve physical performance, but regular exercise does.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily prevent muscle loss, but regular resistance exercise does.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily increase metabolism, but regular resistance exercise will.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily decrease the risk of injury, but regular exercise does.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily prevent diabetes, but regular exercise will.
* Simply losing weight does not necessarily prevent estrogen loss, but regular exercise may.
This list could go on and on and on.....the point is that simply losing weight does not make us fit. The only path to true fitness, and all the benefits associated with fitness, is with regular resistance and aerobic exercise.
So the next time you see one of those advertisements promising weight loss without dieting or exercise, remember that weight loss is not the only goal that matters! Remember that the world is full of 'skinny fat people'.
Muscle building can be really easy unless you are a skinny fat person. If you have skinny arms and legs but add fat on your stomach easily like I do then you need to listen to these nutrition rules. I have spent years in libraries and seminars to find the secret nutrition methods for skinny fat people like us. Being skinny and fat has everything to do with our nutrition and a lot less with the amount of calories that we eat or the amount of carbohydrates that we eat.
Skinny fat people must primarily eat protein and fat with every meal I get really mad when I see nutrition coaches recommending that everyone needs to eat protein and carbohydrates with their meals. That just is not true for skinny fat people. You see combining protein and carbohydrates will actually encourage your body to store more fat on your stomach. Instead, by eating protein with healthy fats you encourage your body to burn fat. How?
Regular people can eat moderate amounts of healthy fat and be ok. Skinny fat people need to rely on fat for fuel and as a result need more healthy fats that are found in almonds, cashews, natural peanut butter and fish. This type of healthy fat can actually aid in reducing the waistline. See, omega three fats like I recommend actually help to burn sugar and reduce stress, which is one of the main reasons that skinny fat people add more fat on their stomach.
Skinny fat people must love fish oil Fish oil is my number one recommended supplement for solving the skinny fat mystery. Fish oil has many important benefits to skinny fat people but none more important than the ability to decrease sugar and stress. When I say decrease sugar and stress, I am implying to the immense benefits that fish oil have on increasing metabolism. The problem that skinny fat people face is the ability to increase their metabolism through training, we just can not raise it the same way that skinny people who walk on the treadmill all day.
Fish oil raises your metabolism while also helping you to build muscle. Fish oil allows you to force your protein and carbohydrates into where you need, your muscle. People that just eat carbohydrates do not have this benefit.
Skinny fat people need to drink green tea This is another big secret into how skinny fat people can build muscle and burn fat. There really is not anything that green tea can not help you with. Not only does it increase stress which all skinny fat people have but will also raise your metabolism anywhere from five to ten percent according to recent research.
When taken after your workout it can also help to keep your metabolism high for hours after you have left the gym.
Skinny fat people must always eat fibrous carbohydrates
This is another tip that as helped me to reshape countless skinny fat bodies. Carbs with fiber do not raise blood sugar in the same way that foods like pasta and white bread. As a result, you do not increase the ability of your body to store fat. Most skinny fat people have done this countless times and keep shooting themselves in the foot. Eating carbs like oatmeal and sweet potatoes not only keeps your blood sugar stable but it also helps you to use your problem better than if you just ate a high protein diet.
Both Tracie Johanson & Jsmith2482 are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Tracie Johanson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Lose Weight and Nutrition. Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit. Tracie Johanson's top article generates over 1500000 views. to your Favourites.
Jsmith2482 has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Ford and Build Muscle. Jimmy Smith, a Men's Fitness training expert, has created the ultimate no brainer, step-by-step blueprint for skinny fat people looking to build muscle and drop stomach fat. Visit http://www.jimmysmithtraing.com for a free report on the top five new muscl. Jsmith2482's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.