LOWER BODY FAT & SIX PACK ABS, BUT AT WHAT COST?
The drive to look our best is a large factor for many of us when it comes to why we get into working out and eating healthier. The truth is, there is nothing wrong with having that be used as a motivator. What many don’t know is that to be truly lean–the guy with the 6 pack, the girl with no lower belly fat, there is a LOT more work involved than just exercising regularly and eating healthy.
You have probably heard of the 80/20 rule, the balanced lifestyle, and you have potentially even gone through dieting phases where you were stricter than these. The main difference in these types of diets or lifestyles is the true cost of changing your life. You may think it is worth it, that you’re ready for that kind of commitment–but let’s talk about what it truly means to live the super lean lifestyle.
LIVING THE SUPER LEAN LIFESTYLE
Dietary Restrictions:
When working to get super lean and stay super lean, you may find yourself facing challenges in social situations, and your ability to participate in events outside of the home. When staying incredibly lean, you will have to have a much higher adherence to your diet, which limits your amount of time being able to eat out at restaurants, at friend’s homes, or participate in things like holiday parties and get-togethers. You may find yourself eating before events and not at all when you arrive, or bringing your own food wherever you go. You may be fine with this, but it can also lead to some discomfort for you, questions from friends and family, and some feelings of being more alone.
Time Constraints/Time Management:
When it comes to staying lean, missing strength training sessions, cardio sessions, or not hitting your steps may come at a cost. Those sessions typically can’t be missed if you want to maintain your leanness, which may lead to things like saying no to events with friends, showing up later because of having to get your workouts in first, or just not having time to do other things for fun. Hobbies and interests may dwindle because you simply do not have time for them. Sometimes this can lead to relationships suffering with friends and family, too, because you have to be at the gym instead. This can also lead to higher stress and anxiety because of letting people down, and again, feelings of loneliness.
Mental Health/Disordered Eating/Exercise Behaviors: The desire to get lean and stay lean can lead to a lot of mental health issues as well. Many that develop disordered eating behaviors or are attempting to out-exercise their diet develop these behaviors due to a desire to stay lean. The jump from healthy to unhealthy is not something many even realize, and is a quick, slippery slope into never being lean enough. We often see this show up as skipping meals to save calories for later, trying to exercise away the food eaten, weighing yourself multiple times a day, or a constant need to choose healthier food alternatives. Wanting to be healthy isn’t inherently bad, but never being able to separate your thoughts from how it may impact your weight/leanness is where things start to push the boundaries of disorder.
Negative Health Outcomes:
Although you may think being lean can lead to a more positive health outcome, this isn’t always the case. For example, when we look at BMI (Body Mass Index) versus All Cause Mortality, those with a BMI lower than 18.5 are at higher risk than those at a normal weight.(All Cause Mortality is a blanket term defined by epidemiologists as death from any cause). Lean mass does help with providing some positive benefits here, but a super lean body weight can lead to things like irregular menstrual cycles in biological females, higher risk for osteoporosis, and just overall negative health. A compromised immune system, regular lethargy and fatigue, and organs not functioning as optimally as they should are all associated with low body mass index.
LOSING BODY FAT & WANTING TO BE LEANER ISN'T ALL NEGATIVE…
Now–are there positives to losing body fat and being on the leaner side of body mass? Yes! Lower body fat is associated with positive health outcomes, better bloodwork, and typically better ability to function in daily life. The caveat is–recognizing how lean is too lean, and when it’s time to stop. If your “goal body” is to look like the bodybuilding pros on stage–it’s worth recognizing that these competitors do NOT look like this year round! In fact, many bounce out of that look within just a week or two of competition. The body is not meant to maintain that level of leanness year round.
Biofeedback can be the piece of the puzzle you use to ensure while you are losing weight that you stay in a healthy range, and don’t go so far as to have negative outcomes. Watching for things like major fatigue, trouble sleeping, a loss of menstrual cycle, or frequent injuries is important.
Not sure if you are potentially leaning into this “too lean” category? Seek help from a medical professional if you have any concerns. Being fit is fantastic for your health, but being so lean that it starts to negatively impact you–not so much. And as always, remember that your worth is not determined by the number on the scale, or the size of your jeans. Health does not look a certain way, and a 6 pack is not the key to happiness.
UNTIL NEXT TIME - COACH SHELBY