Is Being Skinny Fat Bad (And What Should You Do About It)?

Are you relatively slim but lacking any muscle definition? Do you still fit in regular-sized clothes but don’t like how your body looks? Have you considered lifestyle changes because you never exercise and eat mainly processed foods?

If you can answer with a ‘Yes’ to these above questions, you might be skinny fat. But is being skinny fat bad, and what should you do about it?

Let’s discuss.

What Does ‘Skinny Fat’ Mean?

Skinny fat might sound like an oxymoron, but the body type exists and is far more prevalent than most people imagine.

To be skinny fat, a person must have low muscular development and a high body fat percentage. The result is a body that appears slim but lacks muscle definition.

Skinny fat men typically have more fat on their chest, belly, and lower back, whereas skinny fat women carry more fat on their belly, lower back, buttocks, and thighs.

Here is what a skinny fat man and woman look like:

Are You Skinny Fat (And What Causes The Body Type)?

Determining if you’re skinny fat is relatively straightforward. Take off your shirt and stand in front of a mirror to examine your body. As discussed above, skinny fat people appear thin but lack any muscle definition.

Here is a brief look at the most common causes of the skinny fat physique:

1. Losing Weight In The ‘Traditional’ Way

Combining a strict diet with too much cardio and not doing any resistance training is a good way to lose a lot of muscle and end up skinny fat.

The above is what happened to me when I was a teenager. I lost roughly 60 pounds, but I ended up skinny fat instead of getting lean.

2. Doing Too Much Cardio

Doing only cardio is another good way to end up skinny fat. Activities like running offer benefits but provide a poor stimulus for muscle growth. As a result, you can shed some fat, but you won’t be able to build any muscle to transform your physique.

Further, doing too much cardio can lead to muscle loss, leading to a skinny fat physique.

3. Not Eating Enough Protein

Protein is necessary for building muscle and recovering well after each workout. Not eating enough protein can contribute to a skinny fat physique even for people who lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise. 

4. Eating too Little Food

Eating as little as possible might seem like a good way to lead a healthy lifestyle, but it’s also a surefire way of becoming skinny fat.

The problem with eating too little is that you cannot get the calories and protein your body needs to grow and build muscle. As a result, you might stay (or get) skinny, but you won’t have much muscle on your frame. 

5. Combination of Lifestyle and Genetics

The last common cause of the skinny fat physique is a combination of poor lifestyle choices and a genetic predisposition to the body type.

Here are some habits that contribute to a skinny fat physique:

• Not prioritizing sleep
• Drinking too much alcohol too frequently
• Eating mostly processed junk food
• Not doing any form of physical activity

You can read much more about the primary causes of a skinny fat physique here.

Is Being Skinny Fat Bad?

Prevailing wisdom suggests that overweight people are the only ones who should consider healthier habits, but that is not the case. As the saying goes, “Looks can be deceiving.”

The skinny fat body type is bad because, while you might not look overweight or have a high body mass index (BMI), you could still be at risk of health problems (1). According to research, body composition and fat distribution are far more critical factors to consider than a person’s body weight (2, 3).

A considerable issue with the BMI scale is that it judges something as complex as human health based on a couple of numbers. (BMI takes your height and weight into account to determine if you’re within a healthy range.)

People with a BMI under 18.5 are underweight and therefore at risk; those with a BMI of more than 24.9 are overweight and must shed fat to improve their health.

While these ideas can be true for many people, there is more to it. For instance, a person with more muscle on their frame can easily have a BMI of 25 or more. But, despite being classified as ‘overweight’ and ‘at risk,’ that person could have healthy blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.

In contrast, a skinny fat individual could easily fall within a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 and be considered healthy. Yet, due to the high body fat percentage, that person could be at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and more (4, 5).

Aside from the health risks, the skinny fat body type is bad because people feel self-conscious and hate how they look. Years ago, when I first got into fitness, I lost considerable weight and dropped several clothes sizes. Yet, despite my tremendous achievement and the countless compliments I got from everyone, I didn’t like how my body looked.

Yes, I was thinner, but I didn’t have abs, defined shoulders, or veins running down my arms. I was simply a smaller version of myself and struggled to take off my shirt around others. 

Related Article: How I Went From Skinny Fat to Fit (Timeline, Tips, Mistakes, and More)

Final Words

Being skinny fat is bad––that much is clear. The question is, how can you get fit if you’re in this position right now?

Many approaches can work, but some combination of resistance training, caloric control, and good sleep will play the biggest role in the equation.

Share your best email below, and I’ll send you a step-by-step PDF blueprint for getting fit in the next six months: