I know it’s not politically correct to by the National Enquirer, but I got roped in by the headline, “Hollywood’s Deadly Skin and Bones Diet: Stars Risking Their Lives to be Thin.” Then there was the Tabloid, In Touch, with a similar headline, “Scary Skinny!”
I wasn’t actually reading these publications, I was just doing “professional” research. Confessions from the Tabloid
The cover of the Enquirer featured images of 5′ 7″, 100 pound Angelina Jolie; 5′ 6″, 110 pound Anna Kournikova; and 5′ 8″, 106 pound Cate Blanchett, and others.
Looking past some amusing photos, I came to the article which quoted Dr. Stanley Title as saying, “The skin and bones diet is extremely dangerous and can cause serious health implications. Literally, there are starving themselves to death.”
This is so because celebrities know that they look heavier when they’re on camera so they go to extremes to compensate for that even it means protruding bones.
Skinny and Healthy aren’t the Same
Frequently, people forget about health when they talk about weight loss.Leaving out things like nutrition, quality-of-life issues, general health, and energy levels, goals usually focus on clothing size, body fat percentage, and weight.I see something even more alarming with the skin and bones diet plans because I have tested body composition over 7000 times as a fat loss coach.
Ratio of Muscle to Body Fat
The fact that weight loss can come from muscle rather than fat is a major concern.In this case, people still have fat spots and have very little muscle. Many of the skinny women whose composition I have tested have it load average ratios of body fat to muscle.
Much like a pipe with insulation wrapped around it, what people like this have amounts to a bone with a pat of fat surrounding it. Problem with this is compounded by the slow metabolism and lack of strength. I used to think that fat was bad: now I know that skinny fat is worse.
4 Suggestions for How to be Lean and Fit Rather than Skinny
1. Continue eating.The weight loss resulting from reducing the amount of food you eat usually doesn’t last, so it isn’t a real solution. This is not how to lose weight fast.
2. Your normal routine should include strength training. Training with weights is not just the thing for body builders: it’s good for everyone to get their metabolism to build muscle, and to be healthy.
3 Use a different vocabulary. Rather than using terms like “dying to be thin,” try using terms like “improving nutrition.”How about trying to have an athletic look rather than trying to look skinny? Just look at how people talk in a weight loss forum.
4. Check your body composition. This will help you avoid damaging muscle loss.
This is the same approach natural bodybuilders take: they each up to six meals with natural food every day to keep their muscle. Remember,it’s not about being “skinny:” it’s about being “healthy” and “lean.”
For information about how to lose weight fast go to www.fatlossfactor.com.
