Skinny Fat Bulking: Should You Do It? (Everything You Need to Know)

You’re in a difficult spot because you don’t have much muscle to justify a cut, but you’re also not that lean to justify bulking.

While I typically recommend a unique approach, which I’ll mention below, certain skinny fat individuals would be better off doing a gaining phase and focusing on muscle growth.

Let’s discuss skinny fat bulking, why you might consider it, and how to pull it off.

What Does It Mean to Be Skinny Fat?

Being skinny fat means you have low muscular development and a relatively high body fat percentage. As a result, you look thin while wearing clothes, but a layer of fat covers your body.

Here is a photo of a skinny fat man:

And here is one of a skinny fat woman:

You can become skinny fat for various reasons, including because of lifestyle choices and improper weight loss.

What Should Most Skinny Fat People Focus On?

The best course of action for most skinny fat individuals is to do a body recomposition: lose fat and build muscle simultaneously. Doing so brings quick initial results and allows beginners to take advantage of newbie gains.

Unfortunately, not every skinny fat individual would benefit from the approach because:

1. It takes patience and a meticulous approach
2. It can be difficult to notice progress, and you might feel discouraged
3. Many skinny fat people have too little muscle to justify a calorie deficit

For example, take a look at the guy in the following photo:

A body recomposition can work for him, but bulking and gaining some weight will likely result in better results. He could then do a fat loss phase to shed excess fat before resuming his muscle-building journey.

Read on if your physique resembles that of the person in the last photo or if you’re underweight.

How to Pull Off a Successful Bulk In Three Steps

1. Determine Your Calorie Needs

The first step to a successful bulk is determining how many calories you should consume. First, calculate your BMR with one of the following formula variations:

Women
BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

Men
BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)

(Credits.)

Take your BMR value and multiply it by one of the following:

• Sedentary (little or no exercise): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
• Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
• Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
• Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
• Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training): Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

(Credits.)

Doing so will help you determine your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)––the number of calories your body burns each day. You must then add a small surplus of 100 to 250 calories on top of your TDEE and start tracking your calories. Read more about the process in my guide on going from skinny fat to fit at home.

2. Calculate Your Macronutrients

Use the following rules:

• 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight
• 0.35 to 0.45 grams of fat per pound of body weight
• Remaining calories from carbohydrates

For example, a 170-pound person who needs to consume 3,100 calories for skinny fat bulking will need:

• 119 to 170 grams of protein
• 59 to 76 grams of fats
• Remaining calories from carbs

You can calculate your carb needs, but I find it unnecessary so long as you stay within your fat and protein ranges and get the recommended number of calories.

Alternatively, track only protein and get enough calories. A balanced diet will ensure an adequate intake of both other nutrients. You can read about protein’s importance here.

3. Introduce Weight Training

The third piece of the puzzle is doing weight training. Lifting weights provides the necessary stimulus that drives growth and strength gain. Combined with a surplus, the right hypertrophy training plan can lead to significant progress, especially for people new to resistance exercise.

There are countless approaches for weight training, and many programs can work, so long as you adhere to a few fundamental rules:

• Train all major muscle groups one to three times per week
• Give each muscle at least 48 hours of recovery before training it again
• Recover long enough between sets to maintain your performance
• Perform 10 to 20 weekly sets for large muscle groups (back, chest, legs, etc.) and 6 to 10 for smaller ones (biceps, triceps, shoulders, etc.)
• Prioritize proper technique over the load you’re using; training with a full range of motion and lift without jerking the weight
• Train in a variety of repetition ranges, utilizing heavier loads and doing sets with lighter weights
• Push yourself hard on each set but avoid training to failure most of the time; leave between one to three reps in the tank
• Perform two to three exercises for small muscle groups and three to four for the large ones

Tracking Your Progress On a Bulk (Determine You’re On The Right Path)

1. Weight Gain

Beginners can gain up to two percent body weight per month. For example, if you start bulking at 150 lbs, you can gain up to three lbs initially. Your rate of weight gain will have to slow down to 1-1.5 percent per month after the first six months because you will stop gaining muscle at the same rapid rate.

Weigh yourself four to seven times per week but limit it to once daily. Step on the scale in the morning, after going to the bathroom but before eating or drinking anything. Calculate your averages for each week and compare to determine if there is a trend. For example:

Week 1:

Monday - 149.9 lbs
Tuesday - 150.2 lbs
Wednesday - N/A
Thursday - 150.5 lbs
Friday - N/A
Saturday - 150.3 lbs
Sunday - N/A

Average: 150.2 lbs

Week 2:

Monday - 150.4 lbs
Tuesday - 150.3 lbs
Wednesday - N/A
Thursday - 150.5 lbs
Friday - N/A
Saturday - 150.2 lbs
Sunday - N/A

Average: 150.3 lbs

In this case, you might not be eating enough calories to support weight gain and should boost your intake by 100 to 150 per day for another few weeks.

2. Circumference Measurements

Taking circumference measurements of your chest, upper arms, waist, hips, and thighs is the second actionable way to track progress. For example, if your waist measurements remain the same but your arms and thighs grow monthly, it likely means you’re gaining more muscle than fat.

You should take these measurements using a simple tape, preferably a self-tightening one. Measure the widest part of each area, ensuring the tape fits snugly around your body without compressing fat. Write each value to 0.1 of an inch or centimeter, and repeat the process every four weeks.

Compare your measurements over time to determine if you’re growing.

3. Progress Photos

Progress photos are the third beneficial tactic for tracking progress to determine if you’re on the right track. Visual changes can be difficult to notice, especially when skinny fat bulking because we see ourselves in the mirror daily. Plus, muscle growth happens more slowly than fat loss, so taking progress photos helps us spot improvements.

You should take progress photos every four weeks and compare, just as you would for circumference measurements. Take the photos in the morning, on an empty stomach, and while standing against a natural light source (e.g., a window). Use the same poses and take photos of your front, side, and back for optimal comparison.

Once you’ve taken a set of photos, save them in a folder and name it after the date of when you took them. For example - June 17, 2022.

4. Gym Performance

Gym performance is the final thing you should track when skinny fat bulking. You should ideally see improvements each week, at least initially. Progress will inevitably slow down but logging your workouts will help determine if you’re building muscle.

For instance, if you’re steadily gaining weight and your circumference measurements are increasing, but you don’t see any gym performance improvements, you’re likely just gaining fat.

You should see steady gains in weight, circumference measurements, and gym numbers. Lifting more weight is one obvious way to tell you’re improving, but other things include:

• Lifting the same weight for more reps
• Doing more sets with the same weight
• Training each muscle more frequently
• Lifting the same weight but with better technique

Getting enough protein, maintaining a calorie surplus, and sleeping well are essential for optimizing your gym performance and building muscle in the long run.

You can use a note-taking app like Evernote for recording your workouts or go old school and use a training log. Whatever you choose, write down the following:

• Date and focus of each workout (e.g., June 17, back workout)
• Exercises you’re doing
• The weight you’re lifting
• How many sets you do per exercise
• How many reps you get per set

You can also record how long you rest between sets, your RPE (rate of perceived exertion) per set, and add small notes on some workouts. 

How to Make Adjustments When Skinny Fat Bulking

Setting up your nutrition is the first step toward a successful bulk, but it’s far from the only one. You must continue to tweak your calorie intake as you gain weight to maintain the small surplus and make steady progress. The calories you need to eat now for weight gain will be less than what you should consume when you’re five, ten, or fifteen pounds heavier.

Tracking your progress and making adjustments based on your body’s feedback will ensure steady muscle gain and no time wasted. Doing so is also crucial for determining if it’s time to do a fat loss phase or if you should keep bulking.

First, examine your rate of weight gain. Are you gaining the recommended two percent per month? If not, you should bump your calorie intake or take better care to track your food intake.

Second, take note of your circumference measurements. Are they steadily increasing in the right places? You should ideally see improvements in your chest, arm, and thigh measurements. Your waist and hips will also grow because some fat gain is inevitable.

Finally, look at progress photos and combine the data with your gym performance. Progress photos will also show you how your body changes over time and if you’re gaining too much fat. Combining the data with your gym performance will tell you if you’re on the right track or if changes are necessary.

Conclusion

There you have it: everything you need to know for skinny fat bulking. Feel free to drop a comment with any thoughts or questions. I’d be more than happy to reply.