A new study could change the way we look at ourselves and one another. It basically says humans can be overweight and fit at the same time. So if you’re at the gym but not seeing the results you wanted, don’t be discouraged!
“There’s this real disconnect between health and body weight so people think that the only way you can be healthy is if you’re lean but that’s not true.” Jennifer Kuk, York University.
The study from York University included over 850 people, mainly middle-aged women weighing around 250 pounds and put them through a stress test on a treadmill.
“I took a look at what are the health differences in people who are severely obese if they had a high fitness versus a low fitness and what we saw is that no matter what your BMI is, if you’re fit, there’s really no difference.”
Kuk says that out of the severely obese people in the study, 11% had fitness levels equal to people who were 60-100 pounds lighter. She adds that while some obese people may not see esthetic changes at the gym right away, logging in 2.5-3 hours is only going to benefit your health long-term.
She also says that exercise isn’t just beneficial for overweight people. Those people who are naturally slimmer and don’t workout could be at risk as just as many diseases as a larger person who’s equally sedentary.
