By Dr. Dineshani Hettiarachchi Sirisena
People often assume that being thin is equivalent to being healthy, but this can be far from the truth. Evidence suggests that nearly 30% of people whose weight falls within the normal range don’t get enough exercise, but they have a false notion that they’re in optimal health based on a number on the scale.
To debunk some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding health and fitness we spoke to Dinendra Jayasinghe, a fitness coach with over 12 years of industry experience. Dinendra holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Science and Sports Coaching from Deakin University, Australia, and a Diploma in Advanced Nutrition and Weight Loss from the Centre of Excellence, UK, and Certificate 3 and 4 in Fitness from Fit College, Australia.
What is your definition of being ‘healthy’?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of “complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Living healthy is about more than losing weight – it’s about treating your body right, strengthening muscles, and feeding it the nutrients it needs for optimal function.
Why do people associate skinny with healthy and how has the fitness industry contributed to this?
Being healthy and skinny can be a great goal to work towards, but it’s important to remember that being healthy is not always synonymous with being skinny.
The association of being skinny as healthy has been embedded within us at a young age as that is what we have been taught. If you are skinny, you are healthy, which implies you’re in optimal health. However, this can be far from the truth as the individual may be skinny on the outside but could carry more fat, a term known as ‘skinny-fat’. Many assume that if they’re able to stay lean while eating poorly and not exercising, then there are no health risks. Unfortunately, this is not true.
The fitness industry does a wonderful job at conveying the message that an active, healthy lifestyle is beneficial for all. However, the images that often accompany these messages are those of fitness models with low body fat and very slim physiques. The fitness industry uses low body weight as an indicator of how healthy a person is by using BMI (body mass index) as the main parameter to gauge the percentage of fat you have in terms of your height and weight. Fitness professionals are mostly appearance-oriented and focus on the physique more than the pursuit of fitness, which can harbour negative body image and/or unrealistic expectations around shaping the ‘perfect’ physique, stated Dinendra.
What are the most common myths around being fit?
Myth 1: Weight training means getting bulky
Myth 2: Muscle is converted to fat if not used
Myth 3: Exercise only in the morning
Myth 4: Don’t exercise for less than an hour
Myth 5: Ab exercises are what will get you a sculpted stomach
Myth 6: Run barefoot
Myth 7: Avoid weights after 40
Myth 8: The more you sweat, the more you burn
Myth 9: Fast before doing cardio
Myth 10: Pain means you’re doing good
Most kids and young adults look up to fitness influencers for motivation. What are the pros and cons of this?
We check our phones nonstop, scrolling through hours and hours of content on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and now TikTok. Especially during quarantine, there was a significant increase in the average time users spent on social media. Social media has undoubtedly had a huge impact on the fitness industry, from it being accessible to anyone and everyone.
One of the main pros is having access to fitness content in the form of workout videos, product recommendations, and other educational posts which are created by real people and usually through their own experience and results. However, there are several cons to this trend as well. Generally, fitness influencers aren’t certified fitness gurus or perhaps even fitness experts: they’re everyday people with the ability to be relatable. They build a fan base by being like us and sharing their successes and failures with fitness and nutrition.
The influencer industry is new and unregulated: bodies can be photoshopped and people can lie about how they got their physiques. Influencers might be using filters, photoshopping themselves or taking steroids, and selling programmes or supplements, which they themselves don’t actually use, stated Dinendra. Therefore, social media has also opened the door for exploitation. Hence, fitness professionals should be aiming to use social media as a positive influence by promoting healthy and ethical fitness practices that support the interests of the people and help them achieve their fitness goals.
How has social media influenced the way we view our physique?
The biggest downside to social media postings is the psychological effects it has on one’s body image. We all see those Instagram models and fitness influencers with fantastic bodies and we immediately compare our bodies to theirs.
What we should remember is that Instagram models and fitness influencers have been working out all their life to look good and some even flex just to look good online. Scrolling through social media, we are compelled to believe that skinny is healthy and skinny is what society expects from us, which leads to many negative and harmful views on not only female but male physiques as well.
The upside to all of this is that social media can be a source of inspiration regarding body transformation progress. It is also a valuable tool for the suggestion of certain exercises and healthy eating if the correct content is viewed and digested properly. Especially in this time of Covid where access to gyms and public areas may not be safe, people are looking online to work out from the comfort of their homes.
What advice do you have on how to be fit and healthy and how to overcome fitness challenges?
Everyone has a different body type – a person may be lean but unhealthy and could carry visceral fat (fat around organs), while others may be somewhat stockier and have their fat mainly distributed superficially i.e subcutaneous fat but still relatively healthier. It’s important to maintain your health and an appropriate weight for you and your build and lifestyle. Healthy eating, regular exercise, and remaining committed to your healthy lifestyle will lead to optimal health.
It starts with little changes in your life such as consciously trying to eat more fruits and vegetables, limiting sugar intake, and reducing alcohol consumption. Physical activity has to be a part of everyday life. Research shows that all it takes is daily 30-minute workouts to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases, to increase bone density, while having many other positive changes including increased energy, a firmer body, and a stronger immune system. As moderate daily exercise supports your body’s production of antibodies and white blood cells, it will also fight off viruses and other pathogens more efficiently, significantly boosting your immune response and ability to fight disease. Focus on getting in those 30 minutes of physical activity a day even if you break it down into three 10-minute blocks throughout the day.
What are the changes you wish to see in the fitness industry in the future?
I would like fitness to be about a lifestyle change for the better. Health is not something you can buy, you need to work for it and be aware that the choices you make will ultimately play a massive role in your life. The fitness industry needs to look at helping people achieve their goals instead of pushing for results on the scale. Weight loss should not be the primary reason people decide to get into shape, it should be centred around health and wellbeing and weight loss should be secondary.
It would be fantastic to see changes in the fitness industry where trainers would show photos and progress without them being photoshopped. Along with flexed and posed photos to make bodies seem unachievable as the viewers sometimes do not realise these photos are staged and fitness models and trainers do not look like this all day long. Personally speaking, I wake up with a flat stomach but as soon as I have my breakfast my stomach pops out. This is how it is for everyone, stated Dinendra.
Take home message
Many people use low body weight as an excuse for unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity. However, body weight is not the best indicator of internal wellbeing. A much better indicator is your diet and fitness. When it comes to your health, it’s what’s on the inside that counts and you really are what you eat. Both obesity and being out of shape increase your risk of several diseases and early death.
However, the person who is lean but doesn’t exercise regularly may not be in such good health after all. Being active and fit is good for you regardless of your body size. Given the challenge of weight loss, focusing on regular activity is a sure way to improve your health, making you feel good and look good both on the inside and out. Remember that skinny is not always healthy and we need to be in tune with our bodies to understand how best to look after it, concluded Dinendra.
