Skinny fat is a condition in which a person who looks thin or slim, might weigh less, and looks fit but has a high percentage of fat and low percentage of muscle mass. This also means a person has a lower body mass. Skinny fat people have most of the fat concentrated in body parts such as the abdomen, hips, and thighs.
Someone who's skinny fat will often have a diet high in processed foods, sugar and refined carbohydrates, but low in whole foods, fibre and protein. On top of that, they may not be doing enough — or any — exercise. Alternatively, they might only be focusing only on cardio and avoiding weight-bearing exercises.
Lean implies so presence of muscle, as in: you're built small, very little fat, and some muscle. Skinny means little fat and no muscle. Not to be confused with fit, decent body weight and a good amount of muscle.
Too Skinny: What BMI is Considered Underweight? From a clinical perspective, an individual is considered “too skinny” if they are deemed underweight. According to the Centers for Disease Control, an individual is underweight if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is below 18.5 [1].
One reason for belly fat is a sedentary lifestyle. Even skinny people can spend too much time in front of the television or computer screen, and this can encourage what little extra fat they have to settle into the stomach. A diet high in processed foods can also cause belly fat, even in skinny people.
Body mass index (BMI)
For most adults, if your BMI is: below 18.5 – you're in the underweight range. 18.5 to 24.9 – you're in the healthy weight range. 25 to 29.9 – you're in the overweight range.
The term skinny fat or normal weight obesity (NWO) refers to a person who is normal or below normal weight but has a higher than optimal body fat percentage and often lower than optimal lean body mass. A person with a skinny fat body type can have very high amounts of body fat as compared to a lean body mass.
The quickest way for any skinny fat person to make some visible changes, he says, is to follow two simple steps: start following a consistent training plan, and get into a hypo-caloric state (or caloric deficit) where you are consuming fewer calories than your maintenance level.
This ratio of weight to height is known as the body mass index (BMI). People who are overweight (BMI of 25–29.9) have too much body weight for their height. People who are obese (BMI of 30 or above) almost always have a large amount of body fat in relation to their height.
If your BMI is: 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.
Get active.
Strength training exercises are recommended at least twice a week. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you might need to exercise more. There is some evidence that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help reduce belly fat, as can strength training.
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.
Use the calipers to pinch the skin and pull the fat away from the muscle. You can measure yourself or ask someone else to do it for you. The calipers measure the thickness of this fold of skin, usually in inches or millimetres. A higher number can be a sign of excess body fat.
Men tend to store more fat in their stomach and abdominal area, while women tend to store it in their lower body (hips, thighs, bum). This can affect where you first notice weight loss, as it can often begin to drop off in these specific areas [3].
Muscle is denser than fat, meaning a kilogram of muscle takes up less space in your body than a kilogram of fat. So, even if you gain muscle and your weight on the scale increases slightly, you can appear slimmer and more toned.
While cardio is god for your heart, it can also burn more calories to lose weight. If you're already skinny, you'll have to avoid long cardio sessions, which can result in more weight loss. Rather than long jogs, try to perform brief 30-minute sessions which are of moderate to intense.
You should ensure you are including food that is rich in protein and healthy fats in all meals and snacks, so that you can stimulate muscle recovery and facilitate weight loss. Some easy tips include eating cheese and eggs for snacks, and aiming for high quantities of meat or fish for lunch or dinner.
Focus on Strength Training
Since weight training is the most effective way to maintain and build muscle mass, it's also the best way to lose skinny fat. Heavy, compound weightlifting is your golden ticket to fixing skinny fatness.
If you're asking yourself, “Why am I gaining weight when I barely eat,” several factors may be at play. Your body may be holding onto fat stores if your eating habits are inconsistent or restricted. Or, your weight gain may be the effect of a sedentary lifestyle, medical condition, or long-term stress.