Being skinny or looking good doesnt mean you are healthy

angelalawsons

Ive been watching people. Some people fasting, some people eating less than 1000 calories a day, some people saying that since they have so many calories left that they can eat fried meat and its okay. But If you want long lasting results and health results that extend life you really need to change the way you eat permanently. Being healthy is NOT just about looking good. When I was young i thought it was cute to be skinny and eat three plates of pasta. I thought it was okay to eat healthy monday through friday and then pig out on the weekends. But once I got older and had to start thinking about blood pressure and wow my physical showed that my glucose level is high. Are these things i should worry about even though the doctor tells me there is nothing to worry about? Now I try to eat healthy everyday. I try to eat a lot of vegetables, fruit, nuts, beans, lentils, fish. I try NOT to eat fast food or restaurant foods. Altough I DO get weak some times. I eat too much.....Im working on correcting THAT. I take a liquid vitamin every day, along with 2000 iu of vitamin d , all of the omega oils and co q10. I dont drink coffee anymore instead I have 1 cup of green or black tea in the morning and I take a tablespoon of a home remedy mixture every morning that consists of ginger, garlic, lemon, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Does anybody else care this much about their health? If so please add me. Because Im having a difficult time relating to people who starve to get skinny and to look cute in a dress for weekend binge drinking. Id like to have several people on my friends list who truly want to eat and be healthy.

ctooch99

You are 100% correct - and yes, you will find that there are many good folks on here who get that fitness is about major lifestyle and habit changes - not just watching the scale.

True health involves eating wholesome, healthy foods every day, avoiding garbage food, exercising, slow steady weight loss and control and keeping an active lifestyle.

There was a discussion on the boards recently about "Skinny Fat" people and some people got offended because they felt that any type of weight loss was a good thing and that "Skinny Fat" was a label put on them by people who were envious of their success. Many of us made the point however, that "Skinny Fat" could mean that a person probably lost weight in an unhealthy manner (like crash dieting) and although they were the correct weight on the scale, they were still very unhealthy with a high body fat %.

angelalawsons

Thats interesting. Ill have to try to search for that post.

Sidesteal

But one can also claim that going from obese to fit will cause a significant improvement in your overall health. I believe this to be true even in the presence of a "crappy" diet.

I'm not suggesting that people lose weight eating nothing but fast food, but I absolutely believe that the inclusion of some junk food among a diet that is mostly whole and nutrient dense, is completely fine.

KStambulic

You are 100% correct - and yes, you will find that there are many good folks on here who get that fitness is about major lifestyle and habit changes - not just watching the scale.

True health involves eating wholesome, healthy foods every day, avoiding garbage food, exercising, slow steady weight loss and control and keeping an active lifestyle.

There was a discussion on the boards recently about "Skinny Fat" people and some people got offended because they felt that any type of weight loss was a good thing and that "Skinny Fat" was a label put on them by people who were envious of their success. Many of us made the point however, that "Skinny Fat" could mean that a person probably lost weight in an unhealthy manner (like crash dieting) and although they were the correct weight on the scale, they were still very unhealthy with a high body fat %.

I totally agree with everything you've said. I weigh 125 pounds and at 5'5" that should be a good weight for me. I've been 125 pounds give or take a couple all of my adult life, however, lately I've noticed the fat accumulating due to my desk job and basically inactive lifestyle. I wouldn't consider myself fit anymore since I probably couldn't even jog a mile and can only lift about a quarter of the weight that was easy for me a few years ago. Cutting the junk and building muscle again are my main goals. I don't own a scale because, for me and what I'm working towards, weight is irrelevant.

angelalawsons

Everything in moderation right??? I just feel like health should be put first.

angelalawsons

Thats what Im talking about. Weight should NOT be the goal. :-)

rachey_v

I like to think I'm eating much better than I was before... but it's so hard to know, I eat a lot of fruit and salad, I have a hard time with veg but am really trying (although my diary for the last couple of days is just awful because I have some sort of throat infection and am just concentrating on eating food I could safely suck on)

I still eat pasta etc, but I've noticed I eat a lot of red meat so have bought quorn products as a sub... does this count as healthy? I am a newbie at this and I just get so confused... Hopefully one day I will know without a doubt that what I'm putting in my mouth is doing nothing but wonders for me. I also would like to be healthy, with being slim (not skinny) as an added bonus but I have a long way to go!

angelalawsons

Also, Im at the point now that i try my best to keep junk food out of my diet and away from my family as well. Im slowly learning more about processed and packaged foods and it really scares me. :-( Even in moderation it scares me.

Sidesteal

Also, Im at the point now that i try my best to keep junk food out of my diet and away from my family as well. Im slowly learning more about processed and packaged foods and it really scares me. :-( Even in moderation it scares me.

Dosage and context are always relevant. Eating a little junk here and there shouldn't scare you. What SHOULD scare you is the potential to develop a fear of certain food items.

Adopting an all or nothing strategy where you completely eliminate food because of the belief that ANY amount of that food item is harmful, is probably not the best route to take both for dietary adherence, and sanity.

In my opinion, of course.
EDIT: I'm not judging you when I share the above opinion. I just want to be clear on that since I don't tend to sugar coat things. I'm just sharing my opinion about this topic.

phnx72

Why can't people just do what works for them and stop condeming others?

Puddles0308

I agree! I may be 287 lbs but I dont have a weight loss goal. I am focused on becoming the healthiest version of me. Which includes providing my body nutrients and moving my body everyday.

Sidesteal

Why can't people just do what works for them and stop condeming others?

Who is condemning someone?

skybird455

Everything in moderation right??? I just feel like health should be put first.

just want to say NO to everything in moderation......please dont try and moderate my SEX, CHOCOLATE, PRAYER and CLEANING......who wants sex in moderation? See no hands.....so no not EVERYTHING in moderation :0)

disclaimer....of course this is made to be a joke, for a laugh, so before you get offended realize its FUNNY. thanks

Jess

Vercell

I agree with you 100 percent, that is where I am focusing on my health eating healthy.

JuneBPrice

Did anyone not know this? :huh:

skybird455

Also, Im at the point now that i try my best to keep junk food out of my diet and away from my family as well. Im slowly learning more about processed and packaged foods and it really scares me. :-( Even in moderation it scares me.

Dosage and context are always relevant. Eating a little junk here and there shouldn't scare you. What SHOULD scare you is the potential to develop a fear of certain food items.

Adopting an all or nothing strategy where you completely eliminate food because of the belief that ANY amount of that food item is harmful, is probably not the best route to take both for dietary adherence, and sanity.

In my opinion, of course.
EDIT: I'm not judging you when I share the above opinion. I just want to be clear on that since I don't tend to sugar coat things. I'm just sharing my opinion about this topic.

I agree with this for several reasons, the main two are dont deprive yourself of something you really really want, just count the calories of it track it and go on with it, and two it can lead to zigzagging your calories where you are under one day and a little over another which to me, for me, has worked and kept my body for catching on to the fact that it is losing weight. I have also found that people that so NO I NEVER EAT THAT, but really crave it usually binge on it later on down the line, not saying ALL, but most. If you want fries (or whatever), count the calories or eat them on your free day and adjust for it.

my three cents

phnx72

Why can't people just do what works for them and stop condeming others?

Who is condemning someone?

"Some people fasting, some people eating less than 1000 calories a day, some people saying that since they have so many calories left that they can eat fried meat and its okay..."

Sounds like condemnation to me. I don't understand why the original poster thinks they know what's "okay" for other people's bodies.

chivalryder

I totally agree with what you've been saying. I'm sticking to a very healthy diet (my diary is open to the public, if you'd like to see). Today isn't going so well because I'm being distracted by a computer that needs a re installation of the OS. Takes a lot of time. My stomach is complaining! lol

Anyway, I'm constantly updating my weight goal because I'm aiming for a good BF% as my goal - 15%. I have a scale that measures body fat, so I just take my current lean mass and add 15% to it for my goal weight. I'm expecting it to go, especially once I start resistance training.

If I were to build a decent amount of muscle (I'm pretty damn weak right now) I will very likely end up above what is considered a healthy weight, according to the BMI chart. As it is right now, my goal weight is already in the higher end.

wackyfunster

Bagging on fasting is just ignorant. It has a ton of health benefits, and does not necessitate caloric restriction (I fast 16-22 hours per day and eat over 3k cals on workout days). 24-48 hour fasts are also very good for your health, and are a part of many religious traditions. Just saying.

JanSmelly

80/20 rule works for me.

We don't eat fast food because it makes all of us sick to the point that my 4 year old throws up. We don't eat restaurant food because I can make it much better at home and for a lot less money.

I love beer, wine, coffee, and some quality high fat ice cream. Those things are not going to make me or break me if I am responsible about it. The Mister had to have a physical done for work and was put into the super preferred category, so we must be doing something right.

What I don't need is to swing in the other direction so far that I can't enjoy life.