Kate Moss may be dangerously wrong with her statement, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Although some girls might be skinny, they could actually have more health conditions and stored fat than someone who is a little overweight.
There is a difference between “skinny healthy” and “skinny unhealthy”—lets talk about skinny unhealthy. Many women may look fabulous, but their lifestyle and eating habits are horrible. When you don’t eat two to three meals a day with snacks in between meals, your body is not getting essential nutrients and the energy it needs to function. These meals must also contain vitamins, minerals, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. It is common for these skinny unhealthy girls to eat maybe one small meal a day and not exercise. Although it is possible to maintain your weight with only diet, skipping meals and not exercising can lead to internal fat storage around major organs as well as a serious lack in muscle mass.
“Being thin doesn’t automatically mean you’re not fat,” said Dr. Jimmy Bell, a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College, London.
Bell and his team researched this concept and found that of the women scanned for internal fat, 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores (20-25) had excessive amounts of internal fat. This is where skinny unhealthy people may have major issues. Because some of these girls only eat one meal a day, they usually curb hunger pains with high fat and high sugar foods. Eating these foods regularly cause this internal fat build-up, but not external fat because they aren’t eating enough to actually become fat. Think of your diet—does it consist of one small meal, alcohol, and high calorie drunk food (think Geo’s chicken fingers)?
So why is this dangerous? Internal fat that wraps around the heart, liver, pancreas, and kidneys that is called visceral fat, and it is extremely toxic.
As Dr. David Haslam, clinical director of the National Obesity Forum, explains, “Visceral fat may seem to be an inert lump of lard, but it’s actually highly active and constantly pumping poisons into the bloodstream.”
Some research has found that visceral fat affects mood too. It increases production of cortisol, a stress hormone, and decreases levels of feel-good endorphins.
If thin is your goal, then unhealthy habits like this will work—but only in the short run. Limited exercise and single meals that are high in fat, sugar or carbs will have detrimental effects in the long run.