Overweight? Are You Skinny Fat? Burned Out Fat? Or Stressed Fat?

In researching another topic for a blog, I found this on The Telegraph website.  Now I am a doctor, and I love science.  I am not sure how all of this holds true, and I would need to research it. But in reading their categories, I thought it was an interesting way of looking at fat. Most of their recommendations would apply to everyone: build muscle, sleep well, eat protein, avoid stress, eat small meals. As I Google “skinny fat,” a host of articles come up.

Here is what I found on the original article:

SKINNY FAT

Characterised by:

• Poor diet and exercise regime
• Healthy or low BMI
• Lack of muscle tone
• Poor metabolic health (high-blood lipids, high blood glucose, visceral fat). Visceral fat is normally present when there is a large build-up of fat around the abdominal area.
• In more extreme cases, visceral fat can coat the internal organs, leading to serious cardiovascular health problems and diabetes.

How to tackle it:

• Identify problem areas by measuring body fat using callipers; a DEXA scan can reveal the presence of visceral fat.
• Building muscle is key: an exercise programme should stress cardiovascular and muscle resistance.
• Diet should then support the exercise demands: make sure you are fuelled properly if you’re exercising (carb intake should match exercise demands).

BURNT-OUT FAT

Characterised by:

• Constant tiredness
•  Interrupted sleep patterns or difficulty dropping off
• Increased appetite and carbohydrate and sugar cravings
• Tiredness can negatively affect metabolism by causing shifts in “hunger hormones”.

How to tackle it:

• Cutting down on alcohol will help to regulate your sleep patterns.
• Add protein to every meal – this will help to control your body’s insulin levels by slowing down your rate of digestion.
• Introduce a sleep-inducing wind-down time to the end of the day: banish distractions, sip a caffeine-free herbal tea. Have a relaxing bath, read a book in bed.
• Supplements that can help with sleep include magnesium, Lactium, taurine and vitamin B.
• Introducing regular cardio and weight-bearing exercises will promote a healthier sleep pattern, as well as help you build muscle.

STRESSED FAT

Characterised by:

• Inability to lose weight, even when dieting; weight accumulation around the tummy.
• Stress fat is normally related to burnt-out fat, as they have a knock-on effect to one another – all hormones in the body work together as part of the endocrine system.

How to tackle it:

• Stop dieting: if you deprive yourself, your body will think it’s being starved, which raises stress levels, contributing to fat storage
• Eat little and often to control blood sugar fluctuations and eliminate refined carbohydrates, sugar and alcohol.
• Sip herbal tea instead of caffeine (a stimulant makes you more stressed, causing more release of cortisol, thus more fat around the middle).
• Food also plays an important role in stress relief. Making healthy food choices – balanced protein, fresh fruit such as raspberries, blueberries and cherries, and vegetables – will aid a sense of wellbeing. Avocado, asparagus and nuts are good healthy, stress-relieving foods to include.