We live in a world where too many women still chase skinny instead of strong — and it’s costing us our health.
When I hear, “I know I should lose some weight,” I don’t talk about scales.
I say: “Maybe — but what really matters is whether you have enough muscle.”
Because here’s the truth I see every day as a physiotherapist:
You can be skinny — and still dangerously weak.
From a movement and health perspective, that’s far more concerning than being “a little overweight.”
I recently watched an episode of The Diary of a CEO with four leading experts in women’s health — two parts I highly recommend. They unpacked facts every woman should know. Here is part #1 and part #2.
Let’s Get Real About Inflammation & Hormones
Yes — being overweight or obese comes with real health consequences. Let’s not sugar-coat it.
Adipose tissue isn’t just “extra weight.” It’s an active endocrine organ. Especially visceral fat (the fat sitting between your organs and often not even visible) releases proinflammatory adipokines that drive chronic, low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance and metabolic disorders. This affects men and women.
But women face additional, very specific challenges on top of that.
Take polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis for example. Both affect around 10% of women worldwide (and honestly, the true numbers are probably higher because of underdiagnosis). Both diseases are linked to increased inflammation in the female body — meaning many women are not just “a bit tired” or “a bit moody”… their system is literally running in a chronic inflammatory state. And many of them are in severe pain.
Of course, chronic inflammation has consequences.
If women have chronically elevated inflammatory cytokines — like interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and tumor necrosis factor — bone development can be impaired. That’s not some vague wellness claim. That’s biology.
Now add the hormonal part.
There are many women with hormonal imbalances and low estrogen levels (for whatever reason), which we need for bone formation. On top of that, there’s often reduced testosterone production — caused by these conditions mentioned above and also influenced by birth control pills, which can affect testosterone levels. And testosterone matters. We need it for muscle growth and recovery.
Then we have female teenagers and women with irregular or absent menstrual cycles. And on top of it all: a sedentary lifestyle with little exercise and almost no strength training.
This combination leads to a scary reality: many women in their 20s and 30s already have low bone density — even though we build most of our bone between 15 and 25. Then perimenopause hits, and women can lose another 20%.
And that’s why fractures in older women are not “just fractures.”
A distal femur fracture, which is very common in elderly women, shows a one-year death rate of about 30% (sometimes higher depending on the type). That is absolutely insane.
A fracture can literally be a death sentence. And that is why I will always care more about women being strong than being skinny.
I care about strength. Muscle. Bone density. Resilience.
Because that’s what determines whether you stay independent — or become fragile.
As Kyla Cobbler says in one of her reels (mimicking her Irish accent):
Fuck skinny, let’s get jacked and furious.
🧪 Let’s Experiment
Stop training to be small. Start training to be capable.
If you’ve spent years chasing “skinny,” I’m not here to shame you — I’m here to offer you a different goal.
Not because aesthetics don’t matter at all, but because strength changes everything: your body, your confidence, your health, your independence.
🎯 Try This:
For the next 4 weeks, run a simple experiment:
1) Train for strength 2–3x/week
Pick 4–6 basic movements and focus on getting stronger:
- squat pattern (squat / leg press)
- hinge pattern (Romanian deadlift / hip thrust)
- push (bench press / push-ups)
- pull (rows / lat pulldown)
- carry or core (farmer carries / planks)
Keep it simple. Progress matters more than variety.
2) Track one thing: performance
Not weight. Not calories. Not your waist.
Write down one metric like:
- “How much weight did I lift?”
- “How many reps did I do?”
- “How stable did I feel?”
Your goal is to improve something every week — even if it’s small.
3) Eat like someone who wants muscle, not punishment
At least once per day, ask yourself:
“Did I eat in a way that helps my body build and recover?”
More protein. More real food. More fuel. Less starving.
4) Replace the beauty question
Whenever you catch yourself thinking: “Do I look good?”
Swap it with: “Am I getting stronger?” or “Would this body carry me through the next 30 years?”
That one change is a mindset revolution.
🧠 Final Thought:
A strong woman is not a trend. She’s a threat — to weak standards and weak expectations.
Train for strength. Train for your bones. Train for the version of you that doesn’t need saving.
And if you need a reminder:
Fuck skinny, let’s get jacked and furious.
Keep it simple, stay curious, and keep learning—you’ve got this.
Take care,
Carina 🦊