With every new year comes a wave of resolutions to lose weight, and with spring break right around the corner there is little time to waste! I recently watched a segment on the Today Show in which Al Roker interviewed nutritionist Joy Bauer on the dangers of being "skinny fat." Normal weight obesity, or skinny fat, is a condition in which an individual looks slim and trim on the outside with a normal BMI and body weight, but at the same time has a worrisome level of body fat. This increases the chances of having obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The study conducted by Bauer revealed that 30 million Americans fall into the category of "skinny fat."
We have discussed what motivates us to exercise in class, and for some of us it is to look and feel better about ourselves. When our behavior is aimed toward achieving a particular purpose or goal like this, it contributes direction. Imagine yourself as one of those people who is naturally skinny no matter how much they eat or exercise--those of us who have to work hard often get irritated by them, but what is the direction of their behavior? What energy drives their behavior if they already have a nice looking body? Well, this study unveils what their direction should be. Even those people who look great on the outside may not look so great on the inside. No one gets a free pass--we all must take care of our bodies by eating right and exercising regularly no matter what we have been blessed with genetically.
Check out the clip to this segment below for more information including a comparison between a naturally trim person and another who diets and exercises regularly. Can you tell the difference between the two?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35181451#35181451
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