Many people focus only on the number of pounds they weigh and pay little or no attention to the actual composition of their body. Your body composition is so important! Our bodies are mainly made up of 3 things: Water, Fat and Muscle. If your approach to weight loss does not include exercise and healthy eating you may lose some weight on the scale and even look skinnier (possibly fit better into your clothes) BUT this result will not last if what you are made of is mostly fat.
The term “Skinny Fat” describes individuals who choose to focus only onlosing pounds without building muscle leaving their fat content high overall in their body. There is a HUGE difference between 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat. Muscle is more dense than fat so it takes up less space in your body. Additionally muscle burns more calories than fat because of it’s function in the body. Head to your supermarket and pick out 3 grapefruits (representing fat) and 3 tangerines (representing muscle) for an easy way to clearly illustrate the difference in the density and the amount of space (or area) each type of tissue takes up in the body. How do you know what you are made of? You can take a simple Body Composition Analysis test to determine how much of you is fat vs muscle vs water. This is very valuable information. You then have a starting point other than the number on the scale to base your progress and success. Someone who is “Skinny Fat” is at a higher risk for certain medical conditions than someone who is visibly overweight. People who fall into this category may also tend to find themselves on the dieting yo-yo. The health risks of gaining and losing significant weight repeatedly are well documented. Don’t fall into this trap! First thing to do, throw away your scale and stop focusing only on that one number. Instead, pay attention to the things that matter most such as healthy eating, exercise and finding time to relax and recuperate. Remember, weight loss doesn’t mean FAT loss. Make your goal to be healthy, not skinny! A Better You offers Body Composition Analysis tests for $25.00. Book an appointment today to find out what you are made of!
