Thin Outside, Fat Inside

It seems like there has been an outbreak lately. An epidemic of people, specifically women, being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or pre-diabetes. When you think of someone who is diabetic, what do you picture? An overweight, lazy couch potato who has McDonald's and Pizza Hut on speed dial? That's what I used to picture too...but not anymore. 

About 15% of the 26 million Americans that have diabetes are NOT overweight, this according to the National Health Institute. "TOFI", which stands for Thin Outside, Fat Inside exposes that inner "fat girl" that everyone has living inside her, and her evil plan to make you sick! TOFI happens when fat that would normally build under the skin starts building around your organs...something that's even scarier than an exposed muffin top! This fat buildup around your organs can cause inflammatory substances to affect your liver and pancreas and lower your insulin levels. So your skinny jeans may fit like a glove, but your insides could be working like you're obese. 

What is the biggest factor to TOFI? Too much focus on diet with no time in the gym! Spending time in the gym has so many benefits including being a stress reliever and giving you those Michelle Obama arms, but preventing type 2 diabetes has got to be the best! Exercise is key in lowering your blood sugar and just 30 minutes of brisk walking cuts your odds of type 2 diabetes by 58%, even if you're pre-diabetic. 

The classic balance of exercise and diet...it's the only system that works! Yo-yo dieting can cause big weight losses and gains, causing huge troughs and peaks in your insulin production. Not to mention, when you lose extreme amounts of weight you lose fat and muscle, and if you gain that weight back you're solely gaining back fat. The key to a good diet is eating healthy foods, not just foods you think are healthy. There is tons of sugar even in foods advertised as "low fat". 

Type 2 diabetes has found a new target: slim, young women. Your waistline is no longer  the determining factor in health. It is your body, it's a responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly, especially considering this is a disease that is almost entirely preventable through your lifestyle choices. So get your buns in the gym today! Not only will you be fit on the outside, but more importantly, your insides will be fit too!