You may be slim but are you “skinny fat”? This odd term refers to a rising trend of men and women who are lean but have a higher percentage of fat than they do muscle. Often, they drop weight without getting rid of body fat. People with a skinny fat body are often surprised to learn that they can be prone to the same health issues as people who are overweight, even with a relatively low weight and BMI.
It’s a new year! Be a new, healthier you by bucking the skinny fat diet.
Misconceptions about Skinny Fat
There’s a lot more to skinny fat than what the term implies.
You are slim, but are you healthy and fit? Not necessarily. While it may seem harmless at first glance, being skinny fat is anything but healthy. You’re right in thinking that a lower weight may lower the risk of certain diseases, but losing weight without losing body fat puts you at risk for conditions associated with obesity, including metabolic disorders, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Skinny Fat Causes and Health Risks
Some skinny fat causes are beyond our control, such as genetics and age, but lifestyle plays a major part in the trend. Unfortunately, we see the causes all around us: poor or unbalanced nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, and stress—lots of stress. As we know, stress elevates cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage and muscle breakdown.
Recovery from a skinny fat body can help you reduce these health risks:
- Poor bone health and an increased risk of osteoporosis
- Reduced physical performance and increased risk of injuries
- Cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, stroke, and heart attack
- Mental health issues related to body image and dissatisfaction
- Inflammation and various chronic conditions, such as arthritis and other inflammatory diseases
- A slower metabolism and nutrient deficiencies resulting from low calorie intake.
Critical Factors for Avoiding Skinny Fat
The leading factors for skinny fat body composition include nutrition, hydration, exercise, and stress. Let’s ring in the new year by improving these aspects of our lifestyle to lose flab, gain muscle, and improve overall wellness. Let’s take a closer look.
Nutrition and the Skinny Fat Diet
A person whose sole purpose is seeing lower numbers on the scale can’t miss an important health factor. Their fat loss can lead to muscle loss and hinder muscle growth, potentially accumulating even more fat. Others may eat enough calories, but if their diet includes too much processed food, sugar, and unhealthy fats they won’t get essential nutrients.
Still, others may eat enough healthy food, but in the wrong proportion. For example we need adequate protein to promote muscle growth and repair, regulate appetite, and control junk food cravings.
How IV hydration therapy balances nutrition
It’s hard to maintain a perfectly balanced diet. IV hydration treatments can infuse your body with the essential nutrients you need for your body to perform properly. Fast and effective IV therapy is an increasingly popular option for rounding out a complete fitness and nutrition plan.
Hydration
Water makes up about 50% to 70% of your body weight, helping nearly every cell, tissue, and organ function properly. Staying well-hydrated is important for appropriate metabolic function and promotes greater weight and fat loss than dieting alone.
that water helps with muscle growth, mainly with protein synthesis, nutrient transportation.
Water serves many essential functions, including:
- Promoting muscle growth through protein synthesis and nutrient transportation body temperature via sweating and respiration
- Removing metabolic waste, mainly through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements
- Acting like a shock absorber to protect our brain and spinal cord
- Lubricates and cushions joints
Inadequate hydration makes it hard to reach your body composition goals, even if you achieve all the other elements needed to increase muscle and decrease fat.
How IV therapy provides instant hydration for the skinny fat diet
While hydration is not a direct treatment for body composition issues like skinny fat, its impact on overall well-being is well known. IV therapy quickly restores fluids and essential nutrients to boost energy and metabolism. IV hydration before a workout can improve performance and help avoid injuries, while IV hydration after exercise aids recovery.
Exercise
Exercise is a crucial component in overcoming the health risks of being skinny fat. Focusing on resistance and strength training is the best bet for building muscle. Moderate cardio exercise is also helpful for fat loss and should be included in your exercise routine, but strength training is crucial for building muscle, speeding up your metabolism and supporting weight loss.
How IV hydration therapy aids performance and recovery
IV Therapy boosts athletic performance and recovery. Many skinny fat people exercise inconsistently, and exercise is further hampered by being sore after workouts. IV infusions that contain electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium can encourage more consistent strength training by reducing soreness while improving muscle function and recovery.
Stress and anxiety
Chronic stress can negatively affect mental wellness, weight, diet, and overall wellbeing. Stress also affects hormone levels, including cortisol. This hormone increases appetite, especially for sweet, fatty and salty foods. Cortisol can also slow down your metabolism, reduce muscle mass, and redistribute fat to the abdominal region (belly fat). Other effects of cortisol include high blood pressure, fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and insulin resistance.
How IV Therapy help relieve stress and anxiety
IV hydration therapy can reduce stress and anxiety by replenishing the body’s fluids and providing essential nutrients. Some notable examples are B complex, vitamin C, and magnesium chloride. B complex vitamins have a positive effect on the central nervous system, reducing anxiety. Vitamin C helps rid the body of excess cortisol and prevents blood sugar levels from spiking during stressful situations. Magnesium also lowers cortisol levels, as well as reducing muscle tension and inflammation.
Avoid Skinny Fat with IV Hydration Therapy
Many individuals who find their bodies falling under the “skinny fat” category are looking for ways to lose the excess flab and gain more muscle. Of course, there are ways to transform your skinny fat physique into one that is lean and toned without going overboard with a skinny fat diet and exercise. Finding the right balance of clean eating and effective exercise can turn skinny fat to healthy and fit in just a matter of time.
Skinny fat people are less healthy than they look. If you’re skinny fat, the new year is the perfect time to transform your body from flabby to fit. Alongside lifestyle changes, IV hydration therapy can play a positive role in your wellness program. Oral supplements are only partially absorbed and slower acting, whereas IV infusions go directly into your bloodstream for 100% availability and instant effectiveness.
The IV Nurses provide convenient, personalized at-home IV hydration treatments that align with your wellness and fitness goals. For hydration therapy in the Worcester to Boston, Massachusetts area, contact The IV Nurses for the highest-quality IV health and hydration treatments in your home or workplace.
For more information or to book your infusion, visit us at www.theivnurses.com. You can also reach us via email at services@TheIVNurses.com or call us at (508)-928-7156.