Be healthy, not thin

Have you ever heard this phrase: “You’re healthy, look how slim you are”?

Or these:

“I can’t believe he had a heart attack, he was so thin.”

“Isn’t type 2 diabetes for fat people?”

This is a glaring example of how we have been so undereducated on a crucial topic. Let me remove any confusion from this:

Being thin does not mean a person is healthy!

Multiple factors affect our metabolic health. Weight is certainly one of them, but there are thin people who live on ice cream, candy, soda, and fast food.

Are they healthy? No!

Recent data revealed that only 31% of people at a normal weight met all five standards of optimal metabolic health. In other words, more than two in three  people are metabolically unhealthy despite having a healthy weight.

Why?

Let’s look at the science.

Why being skinny isn’t always healthy

There is only one thing that being ‘thin’ guarantees, and that’s not being fat.

Despite the glorification of ‘thinness’ we have in American culture, we’ve neglected to look more closely at the problems it can cause — especially with metabolic health.

Let’s take a closer look:

• Food affects us on a cellular level. It plays a fundamental role in the integrity of our cells, our blood, and our hormone levels (including the ever-so-important testosterone and estrogen). So even if you’re within a healthy weight bracket for your height and age, you’re not necessarily taking in the nutrients you need to thrive. A calorie is not just a calorie, despite what intuitive eating and other fad diets may say.
• Being thin typically means not having much muscle, which can have an enormous impact on the function of your metabolic health. Since muscle is more metabolically active than fat, your body may struggle to utilize food effectively throughout the day. 
• Underfeeding yourself in order to stay thin is never a good idea. Not only does this starve your body of key vitamins and nutrients, but you can damage your immune system, weaken your body, and prevent yourself from operating at full capacity. 
• Statistics show skinny people consume 12% fewer calories than others while performing 23% less physical activity. However, eating and exercising less can compound into other problems, including sleep disruptions, brain fog, and constant feelings of exhaustion. And remember: eating 12% fewer calories on the Standard American Diet is still damaging to your metabolic health. .
• Dieting to keep yourself ‘thin’ is not a sustainable approach to health. If you’re constantly looking at food as a temptation rather than fuel for your body, you’re going to hop off your diet one day and gain all the weight back. I know because this was my story — and  my only solution was reframing my view of health.

The bottom line? Being skinny does not make you healthy, and losing weight doesn’t guarantee better metabolic health. The only solution is to put health first — and any effects on your weight should be considered a secondary bonus.

How to obtain real health

Health is an intentional journey, not a one-time goal.

So if you truly want to make your health a priority, you need to focus on these areas:

1. Eating whole, real foods . Shop around the outside of your grocery store for foods that come from the ground or are fed from the ground, including vegetables, some dairy products, and animal protein.
2. Exercising often (I advocate resistance training, HIIT-style workouts, and walking). You don’t have to jump into two-hour workout regimens — that may overwhelm you or cause you to burn out. Instead, start with a half hour of cumulative exercise over the course of the day. If you walk up and down a flight of stairs at least six times per day (think coming into work, taking a walk for lunch, then leaving for the day), you’ll have met your goal.
3. Stress relief. There’s no denying we live in stressful times, but allowing work, money, or political happenings to affect your mood can be disastrous on your metabolic health. Try picking up a new hobby, getting some sun, or spending time with friends and family. 
4. Sleeping well. I advocate getting enough nightly rest to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed. There’s no number for ‘perfect’ sleep, but anywhere between seven and nine hours is likely sufficient. 

These are your important basics of metabolic health — but they’re not the end of your journey. From here , you’ll have a solid foundation to tweak with vitamins and supplements as needed.

To really take control of your health, you’re welcome to take my free metabolic health assessment. This can show you where you can improve and offer some suggestions for next steps.