Does Big Equal Obese?

Does Big Equal Obese?

A big stigma that affects people in regards to their fitness goals is their size. We live in a society where only people who are slim are seen as beautiful such as the women and men we see on television and magazines. Now, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and everyone is beautiful in their own way, but what about health? There are cases where yes you may be a beautiful person but excess weight can mean health issues. However, just because someone is big doesn't mean they're unhealthy and just because someone is not overweight doesn't mean they are healthy and in shape.

What your weight means

Obesity is the condition of being grossly fat or overweight. Over 1/3 of the US population is considered obese. Approximately 12.5 million children and adolescents aged 2-19 (17%) are considered obese. There are multiple ways to test obesity but the most common way is using BMI.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the more common methods people use to determine whether they are "fat" or not. BMI is a calculation of your size that takes into account your height and weight. Here is an example of a BMI chart.

 

 Now keep in mind, BMI is a general calculation which does not take into consideration things like high muscle mass, so it is not fully accurate. For example, someone who is a football player could potentially be considered obese. So their bodyweight may be seen as overweight however they may be in great shape being 5'10 and 230 lbs. 

BMI can be a nice interpretation onto where you are heading towards your fitness goals but using the BMI calculation is not the best way to determine if you are obese or not. 

Thick vs. Overweight

 

 Now in terms of looks, being thick is a matter of perception. To each is own. Now this article is nowhere near fat shaming anyone, but it is more to make sure you are healthy. Let's go over what is thick and what is overweight health wise.

Stomach

By no means does your stomach have to be perfectly flat. The idea that in order to be considered fit or healthy you need to have a rock hard six pack or even just a flat stomach is asinine. There is nothing wrong with having a little something to grab on to. However, having too much visceral fat is unhealthy. Visceral fat is body fat that is stored within the abdominal cavity, and is therefore stored around a number of important internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines. This type of fat is different from subcutaneous fat, which the fat stored under the skin. Visceral fat can be damaging to your organs and also cause other health issues such as cancer, coronary heart disease, and even sexual dysfunction. The body needs fat to survive, however, having too much of a gut is very unhealthy for you and it highly recommended that you work to lose that belly fat.

Body Types

 

Body type is a real thing. The way your body is structured may be different from another. This is based off genetics, so if you think that someone who is big is just big because of bad dieting and lack of exercise then I'm here to inform you it is not the case. Here are the 3 body types. 

Ectomorph

An ectomorph is a person with a lean and long body type. Primarily they struggle to build muscle and weight in general. To build muscle, someone with this body must lift heavy. It is critical to any type of growth whether it is a man or woman. And ladies, you will not develop masculine like muscle if you lift heavy. It is actually quite the opposite. You will begin to tone and get the curves you are looking for. I would suggest 3-5 sets with 8-12 reps.

 

Ectomorphs tend to believe they can eat whatever they want because they have a high metabolism but this is also not the case. As they get older, their metabolism will slow down and they will gain weight. They still need to eat healthy like any body type. The best diet for an ectomorph is one that is higher in carbohydrates and calories. Approximately 50 to 60 percent of calories should come from carbs, 25 percent from protein and 25 percent from fat.

  Mesomorph

Mesomorphs are usually called the athletic body type. They are muscular and well-built, with a high metabolism and responsive muscle cells. Basically it is easy for them to gain muscle. It is also easy for them to lose weight as well. You also have a tendency to gain fat quickly as well. That is why it is important for mesomorphs to not take their body for granted. Many mesomorphs believe just like ectomorphs, that they can eat anything they want. A balanced diet is key for them just like any other body type. Moderate amount of complex carbs should be a part of your diet, as well as protein and healthy fats.

 

As a mesomorph, your workout regiment really depends on your goals. It is very easy for you to gain weight whether it is muscle or fat, so they key for a mesomorph is mainly diet. Whether you are trying to get more lean or gain more mass, you will need to really focus on your diet more than anything else.

 Endomorph

Endomorphs are primarily big, high body fat, often pear-shaped, with a high tendency to store body fat. Endomorphs have a slow metabolism, which causes them to gain fat rather quickly. They can also build muscle quickly as well. NFL lineman are perfect examples of this. 

 

Women who are endomorphs tend to be very curvy such as Queen Latifah, Marilyn Monroe, and even Beyonce. Their body fat tends to be stored in the lower part of the body (aka the right places for some). The struggle with storing fat in the lower parts of the body is that it is the hardest to get rid of. 

 

Endomorphs have the hardest time when it comes to weight loss. It will take an endomorph extreme hard work to lose weight. Russell Crowe is an example of an endomorph who lost a lot of weight to build a muscular physique with lower body fat. The stigma of an endomorph is that they are fat and unhealthy but he as well as the women listed above are great examples of people who are beautiful.

Closing

Love who you are. Don't be ashamed of your body by any means. Too many times in our society people are body shamed when they are trying to improve themselves. However, please be careful of your weight not because of looks but because of health. You don't need to look like a model or you don't need to look like a video vixen to be attractive. No matter what size just make sure you are eating right, exercising, and improving your mind every day  to keep that "Glo".