Is skinny fat so bad?
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3dogsrunning wrote: »
It's defined differently by everyone. Anorexics who have any fat will deem themselves "skinny fat" and attempt to eliminate the excess.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »How are you defining "skinny fat"? Like so many other terms, that seems to have several different meanings on MFP. The most common is a BMI in the healthy range but a BF% outside the healthy range. You say your BMI is high so that would not describe you.
It is possible to be overweight and healthy and this may better describe you. Being overweight is a risk factor for some diseases, but it's not a guarantee of disease. If you get enough exercise and eat right you can be overweight and healthy. A gym or structured exercise plan is not required for getting exercise. All activity is exercise.
I said once that I quit lifting weight because it bored the crap out me and someone said, "So, you want to be skinny fat?" Several people agreed. To them, anyone who doesn't lift weights is skinny fat.
Since it's not a medical term with any real definition, everyone gets to make up their own meaning.
There just is no way to use the term nicely, whether you say it about yourself or others.
I agree with you 100%.
Except there is a medical term.
That doesn't mean it's what was meant here. It seems it was not.0 -
im fat skinny0
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amyrebeccah wrote: »
Both of these. Strength training isn't solely for the purposes of aesthetics. It helps with a long-term healthy body. There's a lot of different ways to do it, and in many cases you can find something you enjoy. But justifying not doing something that's hard/boring/tedious is rationalizing, pure and simple.kshama2001 wrote: »daniwilford wrote: »At 53, I don't care about my looks as much, hence the natural premature grey hair color. I do care a ton about my health. Even though I find strength training boring, I am doing it because of the health benefits. I also read how those on the national weight loss registry, those who lost AND maintained weight, by a large measure used a balance of calorie restriction and exercise. My grandmother had osteoporosis, and my aunt in her 80's had to use both arms to lift anything over 10 pounds. I want to be able to stand up straight and carry my own groceries, even if strength training is boring.
Ya, flossing is boring too, but after just having to go through dental scaling, I am motivated to do it. Unfortunately, the effects of not strength training don't show up until it's rather late to do anything about it.
Oh please. A lot of people in every country live long and healthy lives without doing any strength training.0 -
ldrosophila wrote: »im fat skinny
LOL Is that a thing? What do you call someone with a BMI in the overweight range but BF% < 30%? Fat fit?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »3dogsrunning wrote: »
It's defined differently by everyone. Anorexics who have any fat will deem themselves "skinny fat" and attempt to eliminate the excess.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »How are you defining "skinny fat"? Like so many other terms, that seems to have several different meanings on MFP. The most common is a BMI in the healthy range but a BF% outside the healthy range. You say your BMI is high so that would not describe you.
It is possible to be overweight and healthy and this may better describe you. Being overweight is a risk factor for some diseases, but it's not a guarantee of disease. If you get enough exercise and eat right you can be overweight and healthy. A gym or structured exercise plan is not required for getting exercise. All activity is exercise.
I said once that I quit lifting weight because it bored the crap out me and someone said, "So, you want to be skinny fat?" Several people agreed. To them, anyone who doesn't lift weights is skinny fat.
Since it's not a medical term with any real definition, everyone gets to make up their own meaning.
There just is no way to use the term nicely, whether you say it about yourself or others.
I agree with you 100%.
Except there is a medical term.
That doesn't mean it's what was meant here. It seems it was not.
Agreed. But the people dismissing the concept of skinny fat (or more correctly, normal weight obesity, which is what is normally meant by the term) are wrong to do so. You absolutely CAN be a normal BMI and yet have too much body fat for health.
Now, I don't think there's any reason that OP necessarily needs to worry about that, but it's wrong to claim it's just an insult or a justification for anorexia or the like.0 -
...On the exercise front, It's not that I don't like anything, more that I get bored and quit, reach my goal and quit or finish the programme and quit. I struggle to attend regular classes/sessions in anything due to family circumstances so my programmes have to be flexible - I tried running, insanity, and lifting at home and all worked well for a time, but were not really a sustainable way of life for me. The walking and cycling is, and keeps me healthy.
Well, while exercise does tend to be very important for success in maintenance, since you seem like you are planning on continuing walking and cycling, I will back off the gym advice.
I may have overly focused on the age thing and your skinny fat comments. Do you even know that you will be skinny fat? Were you last time you were at your goal weight?
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ldrosophila wrote: »im fat skinny
LOL Is that a thing? What do you call someone with a BMI in the overweight range but BF% < 30%? Fat fit?
Fat fit or would it be fat thin what about fat ripped or fat waif? I'm confused.
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ldrosophila wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ldrosophila wrote: »im fat skinny
LOL Is that a thing? What do you call someone with a BMI in the overweight range but BF% < 30%? Fat fit?
Fat fit or would it be fat thin what about fat ripped or fat waif? I'm confused.
At least for a women, thin or ripped wouldn't be true, though I suppose a man could be overweight by BMI and ripped. Maybe for women it would be bulky.
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amyrebeccah wrote: »
Both of these. Strength training isn't solely for the purposes of aesthetics. It helps with a long-term healthy body. There's a lot of different ways to do it, and in many cases you can find something you enjoy. But justifying not doing something that's hard/boring/tedious is rationalizing, pure and simple.kshama2001 wrote: »daniwilford wrote: »At 53, I don't care about my looks as much, hence the natural premature grey hair color. I do care a ton about my health. Even though I find strength training boring, I am doing it because of the health benefits. I also read how those on the national weight loss registry, those who lost AND maintained weight, by a large measure used a balance of calorie restriction and exercise. My grandmother had osteoporosis, and my aunt in her 80's had to use both arms to lift anything over 10 pounds. I want to be able to stand up straight and carry my own groceries, even if strength training is boring.
Ya, flossing is boring too, but after just having to go through dental scaling, I am motivated to do it. Unfortunately, the effects of not strength training don't show up until it's rather late to do anything about it.
Oh please. A lot of people in every country live long and healthy lives without doing any strength training.
- some people do things over the course of their days that promote muscle health (gardening, carrying groceries around by foot)
- some people live long lives & don't experience major illnesses/injuries but do just live with joint pain and osteoporosis etc0 -
Isn't body fat of 25% for men and 32% for women considered obese? I forget where I saw ranges for the in-between of essential and obese.0
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keep cutting until 10-12% body fat, then bulk the muscle back. You will look much better.0
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This is the consequence of not reading the whole thread.
My mistake. There is always way to mock our body anyway. We gotta have a goal, make a plan and stick to the plan. 0 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »
Both of these. Strength training isn't solely for the purposes of aesthetics. It helps with a long-term healthy body. There's a lot of different ways to do it, and in many cases you can find something you enjoy. But justifying not doing something that's hard/boring/tedious is rationalizing, pure and simple.kshama2001 wrote: »daniwilford wrote: »At 53, I don't care about my looks as much, hence the natural premature grey hair color. I do care a ton about my health. Even though I find strength training boring, I am doing it because of the health benefits. I also read how those on the national weight loss registry, those who lost AND maintained weight, by a large measure used a balance of calorie restriction and exercise. My grandmother had osteoporosis, and my aunt in her 80's had to use both arms to lift anything over 10 pounds. I want to be able to stand up straight and carry my own groceries, even if strength training is boring.
Ya, flossing is boring too, but after just having to go through dental scaling, I am motivated to do it. Unfortunately, the effects of not strength training don't show up until it's rather late to do anything about it.
Oh please. A lot of people in every country live long and healthy lives without doing any strength training.
- some people do things over the course of their days that promote muscle health (gardening, carrying groceries around by foot)
- some people live long lives & don't experience major illnesses/injuries but do just live with joint pain and osteoporosis etc
Please note my OP where I pointed out that I walk to the shops (that includes carrying the groceries home). I also seem to spend far too much time carrying my 5 year old around, and he weighs 2 stone! I also pointed out that I am able to lift the heavy things at home/work, and sadly I get to do all the heavy lifting at home as well as push my lump of a husband around in his wheelchair when necessary:/
Actually I rather liked strength training, but getting to the gym regularly enough became impossible (small town, poor opening hours, chaotic lifestyle) and I couldn't do all the fun stuff at home without smashing few walls down:/ It may be something that I can take up again when older. who knows what else life will throw at me?
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ell I didn't read the whole thread either so bashing is upon us. Oh well; not sure I'll mock someone's body though.
This is the consequence of not reading the whole thread. My mistake. There is always way to mock our body anyway. We gotta have a goal, make a plan and stick to the plan.
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This is the consequence of not reading the whole thread. My mistake. There is always way to mock our body anyway. We gotta have a goal, make a plan and stick to the plan.
It's ok, you're right that that is advice people would give to a man who has an appearance goal encapsulated by concerns about what is commonly meant by "skinny fat".
I agree about having goals & making & sticking to plans 0 -
Yes, considering for women 12% is the essential 'floor' for BF. For an older woman I'd think the number is higher but IDK.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
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amyrebeccah wrote: »
Exactly.amyrebeccah wrote: »
Both of these. Strength training isn't solely for the purposes of aesthetics. It helps with a long-term healthy body. There's a lot of different ways to do it, and in many cases you can find something you enjoy. But justifying not doing something that's hard/boring/tedious is rationalizing, pure and simple.kshama2001 wrote: »daniwilford wrote: »At 53, I don't care about my looks as much, hence the natural premature grey hair color. I do care a ton about my health. Even though I find strength training boring, I am doing it because of the health benefits. I also read how those on the national weight loss registry, those who lost AND maintained weight, by a large measure used a balance of calorie restriction and exercise. My grandmother had osteoporosis, and my aunt in her 80's had to use both arms to lift anything over 10 pounds. I want to be able to stand up straight and carry my own groceries, even if strength training is boring.
Ya, flossing is boring too, but after just having to go through dental scaling, I am motivated to do it. Unfortunately, the effects of not strength training don't show up until it's rather late to do anything about it.
Oh please. A lot of people in every country live long and healthy lives without doing any strength training.
- some people do things over the course of their days that promote muscle health (gardening, carrying groceries around by foot)
- some people live long lives & don't experience major illnesses/injuries but do just live with joint pain and osteoporosis etc
And some people smoke a pack a day and live til 100 and some people never floss or brush and keep all their teeth til they die.
But saying you're not doing strength training because you're focusing on your health and not on how you look is rationalizing.
see reply four posts up!
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amyrebeccah wrote: »
Both of these. Strength training isn't solely for the purposes of aesthetics. It helps with a long-term healthy body. There's a lot of different ways to do it, and in many cases you can find something you enjoy. But justifying not doing something that's hard/boring/tedious is rationalizing, pure and simple.kshama2001 wrote: »daniwilford wrote: »At 53, I don't care about my looks as much, hence the natural premature grey hair color. I do care a ton about my health. Even though I find strength training boring, I am doing it because of the health benefits. I also read how those on the national weight loss registry, those who lost AND maintained weight, by a large measure used a balance of calorie restriction and exercise. My grandmother had osteoporosis, and my aunt in her 80's had to use both arms to lift anything over 10 pounds. I want to be able to stand up straight and carry my own groceries, even if strength training is boring.
Ya, flossing is boring too, but after just having to go through dental scaling, I am motivated to do it. Unfortunately, the effects of not strength training don't show up until it's rather late to do anything about it.
Oh please. A lot of people in every country live long and healthy lives without doing any strength training.
- some people do things over the course of their days that promote muscle health (gardening, carrying groceries around by foot)
- some people live long lives & don't experience major illnesses/injuries but do just live with joint pain and osteoporosis etc
Please note my OP where I pointed out that I walk to the shops (that includes carrying the groceries home). I also seem to spend far too much time carrying my 5 year old around, and he weighs 2 stone! I also pointed out that I am able to lift the heavy things at home/work, and sadly I get to do all the heavy lifting at home as well as push my lump of a husband around in his wheelchair when necessary:/
Actually I rather liked strength training, but getting to the gym regularly enough became impossible (small town, poor opening hours, chaotic lifestyle) and I couldn't do all the fun stuff at home without smashing few walls down:/ It may be something that I can take up again when older. who knows what else life will throw at me?
Ah, so you are lifting loads
It sounds like you have a lot to do.
Re gym - I feel the same way about swimming (annoying scheduling, inconvenient)
If you *did* find yourself positioned to do more focused resistance training of some kind, there are a few ways to get it in (short sessions of bodyweight exercises; once-weekly weight lifting @ the gym [or at home]). But it sounds like you are busy, indeed
Yes, life brings surprises all the time 0 -
enterdanger wrote: »As some one who is fat, fat. I'd love to be skinny fat. When I get to skinny fat I might feel differently. I think it depends on your starting place.
Agreed.
I'm not skinny fat/normal weight obese because you kinda gotta be a "normal" weight to qualify. I'm will be for sure, no doubt. I fairly lazy and haven't found any concrete reason to be more demanding on my body for exercise (isn't learning to jog good enough?) and diet when I'm doing "fine" on the medical testing front. My mindset might be different if I had access to the stuff (aka money) I need to do more "intensive" exercise.
OP, I don't think your bad for being or having a desire to be skinny fat/normal weight obese.
ETA: If you feel you're "old" at 42, it's cool. I feel "old" at 44.0 -
Yes, when i first signed up to MFP and heard this term skinny fat, i presumed it was someone who was slim, but wasn't very muscular. That was going by what people on the forum were saying.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I said once that I quit lifting weight because it bored the crap out me and someone said, "So, you want to be skinny fat?" Several people agreed. To them, anyone who doesn't lift weights is skinny fat.
I was even thinking "I must be skinny fat then"! (I wasn't btw
)
I had no idea it was a slim person with a very high body fat percentage!
So OP, what you think is skinny fat, may not actually be skinny fat.
No one's saying you HAVE to go to the Gym. But for health reasons, as we all know - it's best to do some kind of exercise or keep staying very active.
Personally, i lift weights to be strong and build some Muscle.0 -
_Terrapin_ wrote: »Isn't body fat of 25% for men and 32% for women considered obese? I forget where I saw ranges for the in-between of essential and obese.
I posted a couple of links with it above.
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As some one who is fat, fat. I'd love to be skinny fat. When I get to skinny fat I might feel differently. I think it depI'm will be for sure, no doubt. I fairly lazy and haven't found any concrete reason to be more demanding on my body for exercise (isn't learning to jog good enough?) and diet when I'm doing "fine" on the medical testing front.
I wouldn't be too sure. You build some muscle just by being fat (hey, good for something, right?!) and if you lose sensibly and maintain as much as possible you shouldn't end up with a disproportionately high body fat percentage (or disproportionately low muscle).
I've always had a hard time building muscle and been on the smaller framed side, but with a muscle mass of about 96 lb, I'd be only 20% at about 120 -- which is not particularly small for my height, about BMI 21. Since I've only been losing muscle mass as I've been losing weight, I think this speaks to many of us likely having a decent amount of muscle mass under everything.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »As some one who is fat, fat. I'd love to be skinny fat. When I get to skinny fat I might feel differently. I think it depI'm will be for sure, no doubt. I fairly lazy and haven't found any concrete reason to be more demanding on my body for exercise (isn't learning to jog good enough?) and diet when I'm doing "fine" on the medical testing front.
I wouldn't be too sure. You build some muscle just by being fat (hey, good for something, right?!) and if you lose sensibly and maintain as much as possible you shouldn't end up with a disproportionately high body fat percentage (or disproportionately low muscle).
I've always had a hard time building muscle and been on the smaller framed side, but with a muscle mass of about 96 lb, I'd be only 20% at about 120 -- which is not particularly small for my height, about BMI 21. Since I've only been losing muscle mass as I've been losing weight, I think this speaks to many of us likely having a decent amount of muscle mass under everything.
At 120 lbs and 20% BF you would not have muscle mass of 96 lbs. You'd have LBM of 96, but quite a bit of LBM is not muscle.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »As some one who is fat, fat. I'd love to be skinny fat. When I get to skinny fat I might feel differently. I think it depI'm will be for sure, no doubt. I fairly lazy and haven't found any concrete reason to be more demanding on my body for exercise (isn't learning to jog good enough?) and diet when I'm doing "fine" on the medical testing front.
I wouldn't be too sure. You build some muscle just by being fat (hey, good for something, right?!) and if you lose sensibly and maintain as much as possible you shouldn't end up with a disproportionately high body fat percentage (or disproportionately low muscle).
I've always had a hard time building muscle and been on the smaller framed side, but with a muscle mass of about 96 lb, I'd be only 20% at about 120 -- which is not particularly small for my height, about BMI 21. Since I've only been losing muscle mass as I've been losing weight, I think this speaks to many of us likely having a decent amount of muscle mass under everything.
At 120 lbs and 20% BF you would not have muscle mass of 96 lbs. You'd have LBM of 96, but quite a bit of LBM is not muscle.
Yes, that's what I meant. (Rather obviously, but I did state it incorrectly, so thank you for pointing it out so I could clarify.)
Point is unaffected, though, since when we talk about normal weight obesity we are talking about BF% vs. LBM, not muscle mass itself.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »As some one who is fat, fat. I'd love to be skinny fat. When I get to skinny fat I might feel differently. I think it depI'm will be for sure, no doubt. I fairly lazy and haven't found any concrete reason to be more demanding on my body for exercise (isn't learning to jog good enough?) and diet when I'm doing "fine" on the medical testing front.
I wouldn't be too sure. You build some muscle just by being fat (hey, good for something, right?!) and if you lose sensibly and maintain as much as possible you shouldn't end up with a disproportionately high body fat percentage (or disproportionately low muscle).
I've always had a hard time building muscle and been on the smaller framed side, but with a muscle mass of about 96 lb, I'd be only 20% at about 120 -- which is not particularly small for my height, about BMI 21. Since I've only been losing muscle mass as I've been losing weight, I think this speaks to many of us likely having a decent amount of muscle mass under everything.
But you would likely only retain all of those 96 lbs w resistance training of some kind. I'm not sure, but I read (here I think, should check) that something like 30% of most weight lost consists of muscle lean mass (when measures aren't taken to keep it). So ppl are likely to retain proportions absolute lean mass as they lose unless they do something about it.
Also (am sure someone will correct me) - for those who've gained & lost many times - again if they haven't set out to conserve muscle - the regain is likely to consist of a greater % of fat than muscle, bringing the total fat % higher at weight X the second time they reach it (after regain & loss). i'm sure there's a clearer way of putting that - rushing0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »As some one who is fat, fat. I'd love to be skinny fat. When I get to skinny fat I might feel differently. I think it depI'm will be for sure, no doubt. I fairly lazy and haven't found any concrete reason to be more demanding on my body for exercise (isn't learning to jog good enough?) and diet when I'm doing "fine" on the medical testing front.
I wouldn't be too sure. You build some muscle just by being fat (hey, good for something, right?!) and if you lose sensibly and maintain as much as possible you shouldn't end up with a disproportionately high body fat percentage (or disproportionately low muscle).
I've always had a hard time building muscle and been on the smaller framed side, but with a muscle mass of about 96 lb, I'd be only 20% at about 120 -- which is not particularly small for my height, about BMI 21. Since I've only been losing muscle mass as I've been losing weight, I think this speaks to many of us likely having a decent amount of muscle mass under everything.
I haven't had BF% tested since Feb this year and that was 50.9% at 165# (DEXA scan). Pretty sure I haven't lost more than 1-2% of fat since then, so guessing I'm 48% BF at 152.4# Fat2Fit military BF% calculator says 41%. That's still a lot of fat for 90# of LBM.
PS idk how I fudged up the original quote.0 -
But you would likely only retain all of those 96 lbs w resistance training of some kind.
Even with resistance training you lose some. My point was that I was left with 96 lb of LBM despite not being particularly muscle-y ever before and having a relatively slight build -- I didn't put on muscle mass while at a deficit, but likely from being fat and having to lug around all that extra weight. I'm sure I had much more when I was at my heaviest, but I didn't do a DEXA back then.
I've only gained and lost twice, but this second time I fit into the same clothes at a higher weight. Speaks to the benefits of retaining LBM to the extent you can, to keep the benefit of the muscle you may have unintentionally built.0
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