Think You Can Be Fat and Fit? Think again

You can’t be fat and fit, even if you’re getting paid to be a ‘supermodel’.

Fat but fit. It’s an idea that’s being pushed on us more and more, especially by the beauty industry. That’s where larger-sized models have now taken to calling themselves ‘curvy’ rather than ‘fat’, ‘chubby’ or ‘obese’, as if taking out the word ‘fat’ somehow changes the fact. (It doesn’t.  ‘Curvy’ models are still clinically obese in most cases, and morbidly obese as well.)

But it’s not just over-sized fashion models, it’s coming from TV and movies too. (Mike and Molly ring a bell?  How about Hairspray or Precious?) Today there’s this growing idea that you can be overweight but still be fit and healthy too.

There’s only 1 small problem- it’s a complete myth.

Source: google.comA new study conducted at the Imperial College London’s School of Public Health found that overweight or clinically obese people, even if they were active, still had an increased risk of coronary heart disease.  In fact, they found that the risk was almost 30% higher than people who were of normal clinical weight.

Here’s the problem; over 2 billion people on the planet are now either overweight or obese.  That’s nearly a third of the earth’s population or, in layman’s terms, a shitload of fucking fat people. Being overweight comes with a number of distinctly negative factors, including increased blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and more, all factors that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and an early grave.

The sad fact is, obesity is now the norm, especially in the United States, and being the norm means that many people think it’s normal.  This normalcy has been helped by many in the medical community over the last few years.  Take, for example, WebMD, one of the top medical websites.  They say that, if you don’t have high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol, you can be fat and still be healthy. (That they say this while also recommending obese people drop a few pounds is very telling.)

Source: Thinkstock.comBut it’s all been proven a giant load of BS by the biggest obesity study of its kind, from the Institute of Applied Health Research at the University of Birmingham.  Tracking 3.5 million adults from 1995 until 2015, the study found that people considered to be ‘obese but healthy’ had a 49% increased risk of coronary heart disease.  That’s almost 50% more chance of heart problems in people who are supposedly ‘fit’.  The lead author of the study, Dr Rishi Caleyachetty, was quoted as saying that “‘Metabolically healthy obesity is not a harmless condition, and it would be incorrect to think so. It’s actually better not to use this term as it can create a lot of confusion.”  (Translation; You’re fat, and it’s unhealthy to say otherwise.)

Now, yes, there are obese people who, for whatever reason, are in good shape.  If you look at any NFL lineman you’ll see a humungous sonofabitch who can run up and down a football field all day long, and Sumo wrestlers are said to be incredibly fit (albeit fat as a goddamn house).

Body scan of 250 lb woman and 120 lb woman. Source: PinterestThe problem is, those men are professional athletes who get paid to exercise heavily day-in and day-out.  They are, if you’ll forgive the term, freaks of nature and far from the norm.  Also, if they stop exercising they won’t stay fit, they’ll just get fat.  (Or fatter.)

From all of these studies and all of this research there has been one resounding conclusion; being overweight, no matter how fit you might be in terms of physical fitness, cholesterol or what have you, still increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

The truth is, being overweight doesn’t make you ugly, it won’t make you stupid and it doesn’t make you a bad person.  Hell, some people love their fat, or love that their partner is overweight. (Chubby chaser anyone?) But there’s no denying that being overweight, fat, chunky, or ‘curvy’ is still bad for your health.

There’s simply no way around it; you can’t be fat and fit, even if you’re getting paid to be a ‘supermodel’.