Thin vs Fit

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Replies

  • angieklebba
    angieklebba Posts: 3 Member
    I call a thin, non-tone person "skinny fat." To tone, most people need to do some type of strength training. A good book for women to read on this matter is The Female Body Breakthrough by Rachel Crosgrove.
  • sabusby
    sabusby Posts: 78 Member
    Yes, you can be healthy and fat and healthy and thin, but Fit is another factor. I want to be healthy and fit. I'm glad you have found your sweet spot. I am looking for my own.

    I disagree with the part I put in bold. I don't think you can be truly healthy if you're truly fat, because to me, being "fat" means you have too much body fat (body fat % which usually correlates pretty closely to a high BMI too), which is not a healthy condition to be in.

    Sure there are athletes who have healthy body fat % but high BMI, but those people aren't really "fat" then, right?

    Healthy means in good health. No diseases, syndromes, ailments, injuries, etc.

    A fat person can be healthy. But you are far more likely to be, and remain, healthy if you are thin and fit.
    Just because you aren't sick, doesn't mean you're healthy.

    There are 'fat' standards.

    BMI Categories:
    Underweight = <18.5
    Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
    Overweight = 25–29.9
    Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

    At 120lbs (5'2") and THIN, I've had a bmi of 25% before.

    THIN does NOT mean healthy.

    A BMI of 18.5–24.9. End of story.

    You can OTHERWISE be healthy, (not at risk of heart disease, regular BP, etc) but you are not healthy if you have a BMI of 24.9 or over.
  • GweniePoo
    GweniePoo Posts: 11
    ok then...tell that to an anorexic
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member

    There are 'fat' standards.

    BMI Categories:
    Underweight = <18.5
    Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
    Overweight = 25–29.9
    Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

    At 120lbs (5'2") and THIN, I've had a bmi of 25% before.

    THIN does NOT mean healthy.

    A BMI of 18.5–24.9. End of story.

    You can OTHERWISE be healthy, (not at risk of heart disease, regular BP, etc) but you are not healthy if you have a BMI of 24.9 or over.

    Oh come on the BMI standards are so flawed as to be pretty much useless as a guide these days.

    BMI = 32 (Obese)

    arnie4.jpg
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I think of being thin as being an appropriate weight for my height and age. When I was in my 30s that was around 120 (I'm 5'4) but now that I am in my 60s it means around 130. That gives me a size 8 where I feel happy about myself, but don't have to give up the occasional splurge dinner or dessert.
  • GweniePoo
    GweniePoo Posts: 11
    I've gotten some good comments and help and thanks to those who were encouraging. I was surprised at those who were mean spirited kinda reminds me of High School. I'll think twice before post again. :0/
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Yes, you can be healthy and fat and healthy and thin, but Fit is another factor. I want to be healthy and fit. I'm glad you have found your sweet spot. I am looking for my own.

    I disagree with the part I put in bold. I don't think you can be truly healthy if you're truly fat, because to me, being "fat" means you have too much body fat (body fat % which usually correlates pretty closely to a high BMI too), which is not a healthy condition to be in.

    Sure there are athletes who have healthy body fat % but high BMI, but those people aren't really "fat" then, right?

    Healthy means in good health. No diseases, syndromes, ailments, injuries, etc.

    A fat person can be healthy. But you are far more likely to be, and remain, healthy if you are thin and fit.
    Just because you aren't sick, doesn't mean you're healthy.

    There are 'fat' standards.

    BMI Categories:
    Underweight = <18.5
    Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
    Overweight = 25–29.9
    Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

    At 120lbs (5'2") and THIN, I've had a bmi of 25% before.

    THIN does NOT mean healthy.

    A BMI of 18.5–24.9. End of story.

    You can OTHERWISE be healthy, (not at risk of heart disease, regular BP, etc) but you are not healthy if you have a BMI of 24.9 or over.

    That is simply not true. Look up the definition of the word healthy.

    Just as a healthy BMI is no guarantee of health, a BMI of over/under weight is no guarantee of poor health.

    Someone dying of cancer may have a healthy BMI, while someone free from disease and injury and able to run 10k and lift heavy things may have a BMI of overweight or even obese. Someone born with a congenital heart defect may have a healthy BMI, while a petite marathon runner may be in perfect health and have a BMI of underweight.

    Being overweight/obese risk factors for disease. But a risk factor is not the same thing as actually having disease.
  • sabusby
    sabusby Posts: 78 Member
    Healthy BMI being key.

    If you're talking about overall health, then I stand by my statement.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    Healthy BMI being key.

    If you're talking about overall health, then I stand by my statement.

    Again - BMI has too many flaws as to make it anything more than a vague guide
  • sabusby
    sabusby Posts: 78 Member
    So an individual with a very high BMI is an overall healthy individual?

    I am going to have to disagree. Though, like I said, you may be in perfect health otherwise, BMI itself is an indicator for future disease. See the research cited below:

    http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001212

    http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=664259

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/height-weight--bmi-doctors-urged-to-treat-body-mass-index-as-a-vital-sign/2012/05/12/gIQAbFbJLU_story.html

    These are few of many. Though it may not effect an individual for a short interim, it is, indeed, a sign of poor health.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    So an individual with a very high BMI is an overall healthy individual?

    As I keep saying, knowing your BMI will NOT give you any indications as to whether you are fit, fat, skinny or otherwise. Scroll up the page until you find the picture of the pretty famous politcian. At his peak as Mr. Universe he had a BMI of 32

    He had hardly any fat (less than 5%), was as fit as a fiddle, lean, muscley body - yet the BMI charts would say he was obese!

    He WAS an overall healthy individual - with a very high BMI!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    So an individual with a very high BMI is an overall healthy individual?

    I am going to have to disagree. Though, like I said, you may be in perfect health otherwise, BMI itself is an indicator for future disease. See the research cited below:

    These are few of many. Though it may not effect an individual for a short interim, it is, indeed, a sign of poor health.

    *sigh* You are confusing disease risk factor with actual disease. You can have a healthy BMI, healthy BF%, eat right, exercise regularly and still have a risk factor for disease.

    Whether an individual with a very high BMI is healthy or not can only be determined on the individual level. Most NBA players have a very high BMI. Many bodybuilders have a very high BMI. That doesn't make them unhealthy.

    Certainly it is more difficult to be healthy with a high BMI, especially if you also have a high BF%, but it is not impossible.

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