Skinny Fat: What It Means And How To Fix It
‘Skinny Fat’ is a term that is very commonly used in fitness.
But what does it mean?
And, more importantly, how do you ‘fix’ being skinny fat?
How should someone structure their training and nutrition to go from skinny fat to fit?
Well before I can answer the second or third question that I just posed, let’s start with the first.
What Is Skinny Fat?
So the first thing I want to say is that the term skinny fat is not exactly a ‘scientific’ term.
However it very accurately describes a very common body type.
Someone who is skinny fat is someone who…
Is most likely in the ‘healthy’ BMI range
Looks relatively fit with a shirt on
But they also…
don't have very much muscle
Has a relatively high body fat percentage
Don’t really ‘look like they workout’ or look ‘fit’ underneath their clothes
I’m sure that description made you think of a few different people.
Because like I mentioned before, this is a very common body type.
That description actually made me think of myself at a few different points in my life.
And while anyone can be skinny fat, it’s something that is very common for younger people especially.
It can be extremely frustrating for someone who’s skinny fat.
This is because, according to the scale, you are right in the range where you should be! According to the BMI scale, you are ‘fit.’
The only problem is, when you look in the mirror, you don’t really look all that ‘fit.’
You look great with clothes on, but not without.
And we all want to look great naked…right?
There are a few reasons that people end up in this scenario…
They eat in a calorie deficit to lose weight when they don't really have any weight to lose
They don't prioritize strength train or don't strength train effectively
They do too much cardio (or put cardio over strength training)
And it’s understandable how this happens.
If you were to google, “How to look lean”, “How to get more toned”, or “How to lose body fat”…
You would find a ton of information on eating in a calorie deficit and increasing energy expenditure.
And as someone who is skinny fat, this type of training most likely isn’t going to help you.
It's something I’ve seen multiple times.
People have come to me in the past, and told me that they’ve been eating in a calorie deficit for months yet don't feel like their physique is improving at all.
They don't feel toned, lean, or muscular in any way.
So here is how we fix that…
How To ‘Fix’ Skinny Fat
There are a few things you should be doing to go from skinny fat to fit, toned, or lean.
And I’m going to outline them all here.
Number one is going to be…
INCREASING CALORIES AND PROTEIN INTAKE
This is extremely important if you’re someone who is skinny fat.
You don’t need to lose any more weight, so being in a deficit is going to hurt you more than it is going to help you.
Adjusting your caloric intake up to maintenance or even into a slight surplus is going to be extremely key.
This is NOT going to cause you to gain an absurd amount of body fat.
What this IS going to do, is help you put on lean mass while minimizing fat gain.
I’ve even had people lose a little body fat in this sort of situation, due to a process called recomposition. Read my other article How to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle to learn more about that process!
The other aspect is increasing protein intake.
Along with increasing calories, you need to be focusing on getting close to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be trying to get 150 grams of protein each day.
This is also going to be super helpful in building lean mass, which is going to take you from skinny fat to fit, toned, and lean.
And number two is going to be…
PRIORITIZING EFFECTIVE STRENGTH TRAINING
As I mentioned earlier, lack of strength training is in many cases what gets people into the position of being skinny fat.
Prioritizing effective strength training, aka focusing on getting stronger in the gym, is going to help you build lean mass and drastically improve how you look.
It isn’t going to make you ‘bulky’ or cause you to gain a shit ton of weight.
It’s going to help you build muscle and lower your overall body fat percentage.
If you’re skinny fat, your problem isn’t that you weigh too much.
Your problem is that you have too much body fat and not enough muscle.
And strength training is going to make a big difference in both facets.
CARDIO
Now, notice here that I haven’t said to NOT do cardio.
You should still do cardio if you’re skinny fat.
I’m not talking about 2 hours on the stairmaster, but 30 minutes of low-intensity steady state cardio (walking, elliptical, bike, etc.) 4-5 times per week is perfect.
Cardio does more than just burn calories, it helps improve your overall cardiovascular and respiratory health.
And on top of that, continuing to do cardio will help keep your body fat low while you’re building lean muscle.
So definitely continue to do cardio, just don't go overboard with it and make sure strength training is the PRIORITY.
Ben Bruno, a very well-known and knowledgeable trainer, worded this the best…
“Strength training is the entree, cardio is the side dish.”
Keep that in mind and you’ll make great progress.
So, if you’re skinny fat, focus on these 3 pillars…
increasing calories and protein intake
Prioritizing effective strength training
And a sprinkle of cardio
And you’ll be well on your way from skinny fat to fit, lean, and toned.
If you’re someone who’s skinny fat and are looking for some direction in improving your physique by building muscle and losing fat, check out my online coaching program!
I’ve helped numerous clients just like you achieve their fitness goals and build their dream body, hit the link and fill out the application to apply!
Thanks so much for reading! I hope this helps you and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out.
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