The 3 Skinny Fat Categories (Find Out Which One You Fall Into)

Being skinny fat sucks. You’re not lean, overweight, or muscular, but somewhere in-between.

Many folks in this situation wonder what goals they should pursue. Fat loss? Or maybe focus on gaining muscle?

The truth is, finding the correct approach for yourself will depend on several factors, one of which is your skinny fat category.

In today’s post, we’ll go over the three categories, what characterizes each, and what you should do, based on your situation.

Let’s explore.

The Lies You’ve Been Told

Have you ever heard the Chinese proverb, “Three men make a tiger”? The saying refers to our tendency to accept information, no matter how illogical or absurd, so long as enough people repeat it.

For example, back in the day, people often said that we should avoid carbs in the evening because eating them would make us fat. I also fell for that idea when I first got into fitness, not because of solid proof, but because enough people repeated the myth.

As humans, we tend to accept information as factual and correct, so long as we hear it from enough people. The idea also applies to fitness and being skinny fat.

The problem with skinny fat individuals is that we’ve put them in a relatively small box. A complex situation requiring a unique approach has been reduced to ‘3 easy steps to fixing the skinny fat look.’ Most plans out there combine resistance training with a calorie deficit, but the approach doesn’t work equally well for everyone. Fixing the skinny fat look takes more attention to detail than most people imagine.

As you’ll see in a moment, there are three categories of skinny fat individuals. Given that, it’s not fair to suggest that a single approach will work for everyone because it can’t. For example, some experts and gurus preach the one-size-fits-all approach: body recomposition. The method can work well for many skinny fat individuals, but it can also be counterproductive.

Others recommend bulking or cutting as a means of getting fit. But as with body recomposition, context matters. All three options can work under the right circumstances and for the right people. My goal is to help you become familiar with the categories, see which one you fall into, and pick the most productive path to success.

Let’s take two skinny fat girls: Jenny and Monica. Jenny has recently gone through a weight loss phase, losing 20 pounds in the process. But because of her poor approach to exercise and nutrition, Jenny has lost a significant amount of muscle and is now skinny fat.

In contrast, Monica has been skinny fat for as long as she can remember. She’s been around 110 pounds at 5’10” with little muscle on her frame and a layer of fat covering her body.

Would you say that Jenny and Monica need the same tactics to fix the skinny fat look? No, you wouldn’t. While there is undoubtedly some overlap between the two, both situations require unique approaches.

Knowing where to direct your effort is essential for achieving the desired results. Going down the wrong path can cost you months of wasted effort. You might even find yourself rowing in the opposite direction.

With that in mind, let’s look at the three categories, how they differ, and what that means for you.

The Three Primary Categories of Skinny Fat Individuals

The three primary categories of skinny fat folks are:

1. Beginners
2. Beginners who have gone through a weight loss phase
3. Beginners with some training experience 

All three categories seem identical at first glance. But, as you’ll see in a moment, there are differences. I fell in the second category a few months after starting my weight loss journey.

1. Beginners

The first category is simple: you are a newbie, and you’ve never done consistent or dedicated weight training. You also don’t have much muscle on your frame, but your body fat percentage is high.

You also haven’t paid much attention to your nutrition or exercise habits recently and are now looking to make a change.

This is the most common skinny fat category.

What you should do:

A body recomposition protocol coupled with a simple resistance training plan.

2. Beginners who’ve gone through a weight loss journey

This category is almost the same as the previous one but with one significant difference:

You haven’t been skinny fat for years but have ended up that way after several months of dieting. You might have done some weight training, but your primary goal has been weight loss, which you have approached by dieting and doing cardio.

Despite your weight loss, you don’t like your appearance because you lack muscle definition. You have more fat to lose and muscle to build.

This category is somewhat common and often results from flawed weight loss approaches. If the above describes you and you can identify with any of the below statements, you’re in this category:

1. “I’ve lost a lot of weight recently, and people are complimenting me on my great results. I certainly feel better, but I’m not entirely satisfied with how I look shirtless.”

2. “I’ve done some gym sessions during my weight loss journey, but not much lifting. I’ve mostly focused on cardio: treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, and similar.”

3. “The last few months of my life have involved lots of two things: cardio and clean eating.”

If you fall into this category, don’t worry. I’ve been there myself, and I managed to go from skinny fat to fit. You can do it, too.

What you should do:

A recovery diet for the next 6 to 12 weeks to bring your metabolic rate up before deciding what to do next. You should also do some resistance training. Read more about all of that here: The 4 Mistakes That Made You Skinny Fat After Weight Loss.

3. Beginners with some lifting experience

The third and final category is the least popular of the three, but it exists, and I cannot ignore it. Skinny fat folks with some lifting experience are those that have put time under the bar and have gained some muscle and strength. But, they are at a high body fat percentage and still have a skinny fat physique.

This category is similar to the first one, but there are a few differences. Most notably, you’re in a better position because:

• You can do a fat loss phase since you have some muscle to justify it
• You have gotten into the habit of training, and you know your way around a gym (or home gym)
• You have some experience with various exercises, which means you don’t have to start from zero

It’s important to note that having some weight training experience doesn’t automatically place you in this category. You need to have at least a few months of serious and consistent training, during which time you’ve seen some improvements in the form of strength and muscle gain.

What you should do:

I typically recommend a fat loss phase for at least a few weeks, coupled with resistance training. Doing so is justifiable because you now have some muscle on your frame, you’ll improve how your body looks, and you’ll put yourself in a better position for a gaining phase afterward.

What To Do Next

We went through a lot of information today. If you’re unsure of what to do next, share your best email with me, and I’ll grant you instant access to The 7 Steps You Need to Go From Skinny Fat to Fit In The Next 6 Months.

The simple step-by-step guide will show you precisely what you need to do to start making changes. And the best part? It’s all in a bullet point format. That’s right - no need to read large blocks of text; everything is stripped down to the essential points you need for success: