There's so much out there about losing weight, toning up, and getting smaller, slimmer, and tighter that it can get a little disheartening — especially if you're trying to feel comfortable and confident in your own body. All those perfect (ahem, airbrushed) models everywhere don't help matters either.
If you're like most people, you've experienced some fluctuation in your weight. Hormones, childbirth, and all kinds of things can affect how we gain, lose, and carry weight.
Most people, men and women, older and younger, would probably say that they would, in a perfect world, be a little bit slimmer, maybe shed some extra inches from certain parts of their bodies.
After all, being slim and having only a tiny amount of body fat means you're healthier, right?
Well, maybe not. Some research suggests that being a little bit on the plump side might actually be good for you. (And if you're worried that it will make you less sexy, just look to Hilda, the pinup girl with a little extra, and you'll see that being curvy can be totally sexy.)
Medical research has shown that being slightly overweight might actually put you at an advantage when it comes to matters of health.
However, it's very important to talk to your doctor about your unique body mass index, or BMI, which is an estimate of your total body fat, measured by your height, weight, and age.
While being considered slightly overweight has its perks, it's also important to eat balanced, healthy meals, and to exercise as often as your doctor sees fit.
Check out what your chub can do for you, and the next time you're down on yourself for a little pooch in the belly, remember that it actually loves you!
Can You Be Chubby AND Healthy?
We typically think of a "healthy" person as being slim and muscular, but that's not always the case.
Plenty of heavier-set people are actually quite physically fit and strong. Since every body works differently, there's not one way to be strong or healthy.
Excess weight can absolutely come with health problems, but if you're only a little bit on a plump side, your health probably won't be too negatively affected.
But don't just take our word for it. If you really want to know where your health stands, get an assessment by a doctor.
Plus-Sized Perk #1: Stronger Immune System
A group of researchers in Chicago says that fat interacts with your immune system on a cellular level, and helps regulate it.
Essentially, it keeps the immune system from running wild and causing more damaging symptoms to your body when fighting off an infection.
The cells found in abdominal fat are also found, in this study, to repair damaged tissues so quickly that many people don't even know there was an issue in the first place!
Plus-Sized Perk #2: Reduced Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
This perk is more prevalent in men than women, a study in Sweden showed that their overweight participants were less likely to have RA than their slimmer counterparts.
Why? It seems that the excess of fat makes the body create new pathways, and these pathways end up serving as a protective barriers against the disease. Crazy!
Plus-Sized Perk #3: Reduced Risk Of Dementia
It used to be thought that carrying more weight meant more risk for this debilitating disease, but it turns out the exact opposite may be true, with the brains of plumper folks being around 25% less likely to develop dementia than others.
The studies on this are still new, so it's not clear exactly how this might work (although fat is a major component of brain development and health), but it's making medical professionals reconsider who they consider at highest risk.
Plus-Sized Perk #4: Speedier Recoveries
When you're recovering from an illness or injury, your body needs energy to repair itself, heal damaged tissue, and fight off infection.
And a good source of energy? Fat, of course!
The more fat you have means the more energy reserves your body can draw from during healing time.
Like the rest of this, there is a limit to how much fat can help you before it starts harming you, but someone with a slightly higher-than-average fat may have to spend less time recuperating.
Plus-Sized Perk #5: A Longer Life
People with higher BMIs are more susceptible to health issues, but are more likely to fight them off.
That means that people with slightly higher than average BMIs tend to live slightly longer lives, and are less likely to succumb to serious health issues, including heart disease, one study says.
However, this doesn't mean that you should start packing on the pounds all willy-nilly! It just means that a couple of extra pounds aren't going to do you in.
Plus-Sized Perk #6: A Better Time In The Bedroom
Who said extra weight doesn't mean extra fun?
It turns out that heavier people actually have more stamina in the bedroom — perhaps even 7 minutes longer, as one study showed. Oh my!
It also turns out that heavier men have elevated levels of a female hormone called estradiol, which keeps things from, er, wrapping up too quickly.
Plus-Sized Perk #7: Your Organs Are Better Protected
A layer of fat serves as a layer of protection for your delicate insides.
Now, it won't protect you from major impacts or shield you from bullets or anything, so wear your seatbelt and practice gun safety.
However, a layer of fat can keep organs cushioned from smaller knocks and bumps. And that layer of fat will also keep you warm!
Plus-Sized Perk #8: It Can Help With Heart Problems
OK, a major caveat here is that fat and heart health aren't the best of friends, but it turns out that mildly overweight people are more likely to recover from heart disease than thinner counterparts.
It's possible that this has to do with the fact that a thinner person is more likely to suffer from hereditary heart disease, which is harder to recover from, than a chubbier person.
Heart issues are still very much influenced by weight, so it's best to keep your heart healthy through diet and exercise.
Plus-Sized Perk #9: You'll Inspire Others To Love Their Bodies
In a looks-obsessed world, it can make all the difference to be someone who's simply confident and happy in their own skin.
By loving your body, you'll be showing others, including the young and impressionable, that health, as well as beauty, comes in a lot of different shapes.
Do you love the way you look, or would you change it? What makes you feel good about the way you look?
Let us know in the comments, and SHARE this fascinating look at being a little plump!
