Toned Versus Skinny

There is a definite difference between lean and skinny fat and using all factors of body composition instead of simply relying on the number on the weight scale is the correct way to determine how healthy you really are. As you look at pictures of celebrities they may look lean and they may have an awesome shape, but they actually have high parentages of body fat. Take for example the athlete that has almost a Coke-bottle shape and may weigh up to twenty pounds more than a skinny celebrity. This “heavier” figure is actually 10 percent leaner than the skinnier model.

It is impossible to tone one part of your body at a time. As you lose fat your body simply loses fat all over; you must reduce overall body fat percentages to realize results in the area you want toned. To be toned you need to see muscle definition on your body and to be toned you need low levels of body fat combined with muscular development. Basically you need to see the shape of the muscle under the skin. As a guideline the body fat percentages should be 20% body fat for women and 10% body fat for men. It does take time and effort to get to these body fat percentage levels.

You cannot have that toned look unless you have muscle. Toned equals smooth muscles underneath a thin layer of fat. If you lose too much body fat you will be skinny with a low percentage of body fat, but you will not have the fat layer you need to look toned. Body fat is the shielding layer and your body needs a fat layer for insulation and protection. Restricting your calorie take to lessen you body weight and become skinning diminishes the body’s ability to fight disease. A toned body means you are eating and exercising correctly and the entire body is operating up to its potential.

To become skinny you will need to severely restrict your calorie intake and by only eating an apple a day and drinking water you will definitely lose weight, but there are several other healthy aspects that you will also lose. First you will lose bone density and that loss leads to osteoporosis. With little lean muscle or muscle tone your metabolism will slow down as you age and your once skinny body begins to add visceral fat layers. Everything you eat will turn to fat since a skinny body cannot burn calories quickly. Stay toned to keep your metabolism at a normal or high level. This is what will burn the calories.

The right answers to being toned versus skinny? Lose weight and keep your fat percentages down, but do it the right way. Using diet pills and cutting calories to low levels per day or doing occasional body cleanses is not the way to look good. Live a life of daily fitness by eating right, drinking plenty of fluids and being active. Exercise at least thirty minutes a day to keep toned and fit.

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HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

Written by HealthStatus Team
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

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