Skinny vs. Fit

There is a definite difference between when someone is "skinny" or "slim" and when someone is "fit" or "in shape". This is one of the most important aspects of health and weight loss. The common conception on weight loss is that "skinny" is in and that losing weight will dramatically alter someones health for the better. The honest fact is that this is not the correct way to focus on weigh loss.

Looking at how "skinny" someone is does not relate to how healthy they are. For example there can be some people who would be considered average weight who eat unhealthy, don't sleep, drink and smoke(otherwise have an unhealthy lifestyle) and be considered healthy because they appear to be healthy. Where as a slightly chubbier person can be be considered unhealthy even though he/she eats nutritiously works out regularly drinks only in moderation and does not smoke. The slightly chubbier person may not be considered as healthy as the skinnier one even though they will most likely have a longer lifespan and less health problems due to their lifestyle choices.

People can easily buy weight loss and in the modern world the view of attractive is starting to get skinnier and skinnier. There are hundreds of "miracle drugs" on the market that promise instant weight loss. Shows like "Dr. 90210" display that some will even get cosmetic surgery and liposuction in order to have their dream physique.

Calling someone healthy just because they have a slender physique is a mistake. The focus in diet and exercise programs shouldn't be just to lose weight, but should be to become healthier. For this reason the BMI is horribly wrong. For example, take a 6 foot tale male who lifts weights regularly and plays rugby or football thus has a large amount of muscle. Say he is about 200lbs, mostly muscle. Well according to the BMI he is overweight. Thus according to the BMI he is at an unhealthy weight and will face serious health risks. However this particular person is in excellent shape. This is where the BMI fails. IT fails to account for muscle or body type when showing someones weight. There are plenty of people who would be considered overweight or underweight due to the BMI but who are actually in perfect physical condition.