“In simple words, skinny fat means there is an imbalance in your body composition. You may appear to be fit and slender but the fat percentage in your body is higher than your muscle mass.
This can add up to a significant increase in the risk for developing long-term diseases. In the end, “skinny fat” is still fat, and excess body fat is dangerous to your health. You, your family and your healthcare providers should take this seriously to avoid the risks that accompany these unhealthy habits.
What Does 'Skinny Fat' Mean? The phrase 'skinny fat' or metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) is used to describe someone who appears to be lean, but actually has a high body fat percentage.
Skinny fat is when you look reasonably fit and healthy in your clothes but underneath those cool duds, your muscles are like a jiggly bowl of Jell-O. While it sounds like an oxymoron, skinny fat is simply carrying more fat and insignificant amounts of muscle on an otherwise thin body.
On average, you can build noticeable muscle in as little as 6-8 weeks with consistent training. Noticeable fat loss can take as long as 6-12 weeks on the slow range, or 4 weeks on a faster protocol. This is assuming that you are optimizing everything you can for fast results.
Skinny fat people are often a normal weight (or underweight!) but because of their sedentariness, lack of muscle, or poor diet, they have a high percentage of body fat. Often, skinny fat people are at risk of certain medical issues as listed: Raised blood sugar, leading to insulin resistance or diabetes.
So, should you cut or bulk first if you are skinny fat? You should bulk first if you are skinny fat. A 10% caloric surplus is optimal to build muscle while ensuring you don't put on a lot of excess body fat. Stay in a surplus for a minimum of 4 months and then begin a slow, gradual cut.
The recommended ranges for healthy men are between 10-20% body fat, and for women, the ranges are 18-28%. If your body fat exceeds these ranges, but you have a normal weight when you stand on the scale, you may be skinny fat.
The risks of being skinny fat
High levels of fat and inflammation can fall under the disguise of being skinny. This puts you at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and even low bone density. These are the same health concerns we generally associate with obesity.
Skinny fat people are those that look slim in clothes and maintain a low or moderate BMI (body mass index) but have high levels of body fat and low muscle mass. So, underneath those clothes – they actually look soft and they don't have a lot of muscle tone.
In short, to get rid of the "skinny fat" look, you need to focus on building muscle mass. The most effective way to achieve a lean and toned physique is through compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and chest presses, which target multiple muscle groups at once.
And there are a lot of health issues that are associated with this, including high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. So how do you know if you're skinny fat? Men should have a waist circumference of less than 40 inches. Women should have a waist circumference of less than 35 inches.
under 18.5kg/m2 – you are considered underweight and possibly malnourished. 18.5 to 24.9kg/m2 – you are within a healthy weight range for young and middle-aged adults. 25.0 to 29.9kg/m2 – you are considered overweight. over 30kg/m2 – you are considered obese.
Most experts think the appropriate body fat range for beginning a bulk or cut should be between 10-15% for men and 20-25% for women. This range is ideal as it provides enough energy to build muscle while allowing for visible definition. Once you hit the upper end of the range, start cutting.
Always bulk if you are close to or below 8% or 17% body fat for men or women, respectively. Always cut if you are close to or above 18% or 28% body fat for men or women, respectively. If between 8-18% (men) or 17-28% (women), you can choose either, depending on how lean you want to be in 2-3 months' time.
People with high body fat percentages or anyone who's been bulking for 12-16 weeks should focus on losing fat before building muscle. People who are skinny fat, new to strength training, or those who want to prioritize their performance in the gym over their appearance should consider bulking before losing weight.
Almost everyone feels they appear larger in pictures than in real life, but thankfully, there's a science behind it. Factors such as camera lens width, angles, and focal length can easily make even the slimmest of people appear wider by distorting their features or expanding the width of their faces and bodies.
Yes, fat can get “jiggly” before or during weight loss — BUT, it's a good sign, and there are ways to prevent it or make it better.
In a nutshell, researchers from the University of Western Australia in Perth have uncovered new evidence that our brains trick us into thinking that our bodies are smaller than they actually are.
Skinny-fat people ought to try body recomposition. To do that, they'll need to find a way to: Lower their calories enough to get into a calorie deficit. Increase their protein intake despite eating less energy (calories).
Losing belly fat and getting a flat stomach is done through achieving a caloric deficit by eating less, exercising more, and doing that for at least 6-12 weeks. The more stubborn your belly fat is, the more strict and consistent you need to be with your diet and exercises regimen throughout that period.