Saturday, July 25, 2009

Do You Have Cankles?

Well, I cannot believe that I am doing this post, but alas I am. Cankles are ankles that lack definition. They are firstly caused by obesity, but other causes can include a genetic inclination to store fat in the lower leg, chronic achilles tendinitis and other less common situations. According to an article I read in the WSJ, the average circumference of an ankle is 11 inches. Women have become increasingly concerned about the look of their legs as clothing styles can accent the calf and ankle. (you can Google the word in case you don't know the look)

In fact, there are exercise programs designed to target that area so that the ankles can be slimmed. And you know, I am not sure that I have mentioned this in the last year or two, but you cannot control where exactly you will gain or lose your weight. It just doesn't work that way. I would suggest that one way, perhaps the best way, to prevent fat ankles is to not be fat. Albeit, there are exceptions as there always are...sometimes things just happen.

Funny thing, I HAVE tendinitis right now. When the doctor was looking at my achilles and ankle area yesterday and recommending ultrasound for healing, he actually said that he thought the treatment would work well as I did not have much adipose tissue there. I measured just now, having read the article, and my ankle is 8 inches around.

I also read in the same article, by Amy Chozick , that some counselors were worried that focusing on "cankles" would lead more girls to develop eating disorders. Really.. are you kidding me? Here is an issue to worry about...

childhood obesity

Indeed, I saw a boy at the Farmer's Market today with his Mum... he was very overweight, drinking a soda. Sweating in the sun. He was swollen everywhere, no doubt his ankles too but I didn't look.. instead I was looking at this 8 to 10 year old boy with BOOBS and thinking that really ought to count as child neglect.

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