Have you ever noticed how we often justify our food indulgences with our weight? If we put on weight quickly then we better avoid it, and if it isn’t leading to a spike on the weighing scale then we needn’t worry.

If only it were that simple! As Dr Pooja Bhatlavande puts it, “The food you eat affects everything. Right from your weight to your skin, hair, sleeping pattern, concentration – everything!

Body Structure Is Genetic

There’s a prevailing view in our society that fat people are unhealthy and thin ones are healthy. But is our body structure enough to determine our health? Ankita Shah, a professional yoga instructor, said, ‘Your body structure is not your health meter. Besides, there’s no such thing as an ‘ideal’ body type. Everyone is born with a certain structure which will not change no matter what.’

Everybody is different and has diverse tendencies. Some have fast metabolism, while some bodies store fat; some people have weak stomachs while some suffer from fatigue.

Each body has a different way of telling its owner that it’s suffering. You may have noticed that some people burp constantly or get a lot of headaches or have no stamina. All these are nothing but indicators.

“If you really want to know what is good for you, check for all reactions of the body after eating something, not just the waistline,” Shah adds.

Should Thin People Exercise

Ever heard someone say, ‘You’re so thin, why do you need to exercise?’

This is another misconception that plagues our society – Thin people don’t require exercise.

Our body is meant for exercise. If not through weight gain, lack of exercise may have other adverse effects in your body which will manifest themselves sooner or later. It’s also very important to remember that exercising is integral for various other body functions.

Another myth is that if you’re thin and blessed with a fast metabolism, you can have whatever you want and how much ever you want. Dr Pooja seconds this, ‘Unhealthy food is not biased towards thin people. It is bad and it is going to affect your body whether it shows or not.’ An incorrect diet affects digestion adversely and leads to rise in body toxins which may lead to other diseases.