Being Skinny Does Not Always Equal Being Healthy

During #Fitblog Chats last night, a few of us got into a discussion about the thinking that being skinny = being healthy.  Here is just a snippet of our chat:

I have heard many clients, friends and even kids, tell me that their goal is to be skinny.  No mention of eating better, having more energy, feeling great or staying active.  Just skinny.

Hmmm, there is something definitely wrong with this picture.

The truth is that skinny does not always equal healthy.  Enter the "fat" skinny person.

You know her.  She has never struggled with her weight, doesn't exercise, eats whatever she wants and is a perfect size 4.  What you may not know is that beneath this "perfect" 5'9" 115 lbs frame lies 32% body fat and nearly no muscle tone.  Does that sound healthy to you?

That is not to say that a thinner person is cannot be a healthy one, but the two are not always synonymous with each other.  Conversely, a larger individual could have more muscle, a better diet and less body fat. I am merely trying to suggest that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.

I think it is time for us to redefine what being healthy looks like.

Here is what I think:

Being healthy starts with your attitude.  How you look at yourself and the world around you play a major role in your overall health.  If your glass is always half empty, you are probably sabotaging all of your healthy living efforts.

Health comes in all shapes and sizes.  Being fit  is not defined by one standard "look".  Every body is different and beautiful and it is up to you to embrace yours and define it the way that makes you feel the best about yourself.

Heath is loving the skin you are in.  You need to love you, exactly the way you are right now while striving to make changes in your health habits.  I don't think someone will ever be able to make livelong changes if they can't love and except who they are at this moment.  You need to start from a good place to move to an even better one.

Health is balance.  This is balance in every sense of the word.  Exercise, diet, stress, sleep, work, family, you need to find balance in your life in order to be healthy. Period.

Health is different for everyone.  The aspects of being healthy for me may be very different for you.  Take some time think about what being healthy means to you.


So, what does being healthy look like to you?

Stay Healthy,
Tracy