Skinny fat

The new buzzword of the fitness industry and a common pitfall of the unwary, skinny fat describes people with high body fat and low musculature. The big component here is that, the lower your body weight and the less muscle you have, the more likely you are to look "skinny fat".

The 10% body fat comparison images in this article demonstrates skinny fat well.'

Muscle mass is generally quite easy for most people to obtain. Lifting weights is very quickly becoming mainstream. There are more and more people hitting the squatting rack (and the male to female ratio is dropping). Hooray I say!

Weight training, and load bearing activities in general, are good for the body and the mind. The strength gains are a real confidence booster. Being physically strong makes facing life's hardships a little easier - the endorphin rush from a good session in the gym is hard to top.

So, avoid the skinny fat this summer. Get thy booty to the gym. If you are new to the game, a couple of sessions with a (good) PT (personal trainer for the uninitiated) is well worth the money spent. Ask the gym for recommendations for a PT that has worked with newbies to ensure you get the right technique. Correct form is everything when it comes to protecting your assets (by this I don't mean your girls or the crown jewels, I mean your back and knees in particular). If you have preexisting injuries and you're returning to the gym after some time off, I would again recommend some time with a trainer to ensure you don't aggravate your injury. Maintaining momentum is hard for some and an injury early in the game when you are returning to the gym floor can thwart progress and kill motivation.