How does one go from skinny fat to fit?
Deep down, we know what we need to do: lose the fat and build muscle.
And do you want to know a secret? It does come down to this. It is that simple.
But where do you begin? How do you approach it? A thousand questions arise.
In reality, the whole process is pretty straightforward. What you need is to know the basics and apply them consistently.
Once you get going, the entire process can be enjoyable.
More...
Fix the skinny fat look in 7 simple steps...
Download my free guide on fixing the skinny fat look in the next 6 months. Implement step one today!
What Does 'Skinny Fat' Look Like?
To diagnose whether you fall into the skinny-fat category, we first need to look at what it is.
A skinny-fat person typically appears thin with clothes on but has a high body fat percentage. The person has love handles, a pouchy gut, and, in some cases, man boobs.
Here is a skinny-fat guy:

And here is an example of a skinny-fat girl:

Why Do People Get Skinny Fat?
To be skinny-fat, you need to have little muscle mass on your frame and a high body fat percentage. You may appear thin and fit while wearing clothes, but not so much when you're shirtless.
Aside from genetics and leading a sedentary lifestyle, bad training and nutritional habits are often responsible for the skinny-fat look.
When most people decide they want to transform their bodies and lose weight, they often jump the cardio bandwagon. They combine lots of cardio with a severe slash in calories. In a few short months, they go from overweight to skinny-fat.
(For some people, this weight loss approach also leads to binge eating episodes, but this is a topic for another time.)
The reason for this effect is simple:
Because of the severe calorie deficit, you are bound to lose weight. But, by not practicing strength training and not consuming enough protein, you are very likely to burn muscle for energy alongside fat.
You might be wondering, "Well, I finally look thin, so what's wrong with this approach?"
The biggest mistake you could make with your weight loss is to let yourself lose a lot of muscle mass in the process. Even if you don't aspire to get jacked, having more muscle is incredibly beneficial.
Having more muscle means that your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and, by extension, total daily energy intake (TDEE) are higher. As a result, you can eat a bit more food without gaining weight.
Having more muscle on your frame also makes you look much better once you've lost some fat. Instead of looking skinny-fat, you have a lean and athletic physique.
Take a look at the below two photos. The first one is of your typically skinny-fat guy. He might have recently come out of a massive weight loss journey, but he still has a considerable amount of fat and little muscle on his frame.

In the second photo, the person also has some fat on his frame, but he also has a lot more muscle mass. As a result, he looks great. You can tell that he trains and eats well.

What Makes the Typical Weight Loss Approach Contribute to the Skinny-Fat Look?
If you're like most people, you might be thinking, "Well, I'm eating healthily and exercising regularly. Why can't I get decent results for my work?"
It's frustrating, I know. But what the typical weight loss approach fails to do is be precise. For example, you might be eating nothing but clean foods every day, but are you eating enough calories for your goals? Are you eating enough of each macronutrient - proteins, carbs, and fats?
You might need to eat around 2,200 calories per day to lose weight, but you might be eating 1,600 and unnecessarily making things more difficult and less effective for yourself.
The best thing you can do is count your calories and macronutrients. That way, you know exactly how much food you need to eat every day to achieve your goals as smoothly as possible. You will create enough of a deficit to serve your needs. When the inevitable fat loss plateau comes, you will have the room to drop your calorie intake a bit more and resume the fat loss journey.
Also, if you follow the principles of flexible dieting, you'll be able to enjoy foods like pizza and chips in moderation and still lose fat. This type of eating has become incredibly popular in the last decade or so, and it's because it allows dietary freedom. It's easier to follow, and you get to enjoy your nutrition while making progress.
This is where clean eaters hit a turning point. They eat 'clean,' exercise plenty, and lose weight every week. But then, weight loss stops, and that continues for weeks. Most people panic and slash their calories even more or get angry and quit. As you can imagine, neither scenario is beneficial.
The other aspect of the flawed weight loss approach has to do with exercise—specifically, the amount and type of training.
Most people combine a severe calorie restriction with a sudden and massive increase in physical activity, typically in the form of cardio. Because of cardio's low-intensity nature, it doesn't serve you well because it doesn't help protect muscle mass when dieting.
Folks who diet and only do cardio tend to lose a lot of muscle mass alongside the fat, which further contributes to the skinny-fat look. Allow me to illustrate what I mean:

The above is a photo of some long-distance runners. While not skinny-fat, they share one common characteristic: low muscular development.
Now, compare them to a woman who lifts weights:

As you can see, the difference is noticeable. The long-distance runners are skinny but don't have much in the way of muscle. But, the fitness model has a decent amount of muscle mass and looks great.
The bottom line?
Combining regular strength training with an adequate protein intake and a moderate calorie deficit will help you maintain a lot more muscle mass and lose fat instead. We'll go over the specifics in the following points. This will help you get rid of the skinny-fat look, and you might even experience a degree of body recomposition in the process (especially if you're new to lifting weights).
The Skinny-Fat Solution: How to Go From Skinny Fat to Fit
Despite seeing many 'one-shoe-fits-all' solutions out there, there are different categories of skinny-fat individuals—three, to be exact. Each requires a different approach, and you should follow the plan that best suits your current situation.
Read: How To Go From Skinny Fat to Muscular at Home: The Complete Guide
How to Fix The Skinny-Fat Look As a Complete Beginner
You're new to training. You've never lifted weights or have only done so for short periods in the past. You don't have much muscle mass, but your body fat percentage is high, and you look skinny-fat.
This is where most guys and girls start. The great thing about this stage is that you have the opportunity to pull off a body recomposition (build muscle and lose fat at the same time). Here, you get to enjoy newbie gains: your body isn't used to the stress of training and is highly susceptible to positive adaptations, even if you're not eating too many calories.
How to Train During This Period
I typically prescribe at least some heavy lifting in a program, but you should wait as a gym newbie. When you're first starting, it's essential to focus on learning the movements before adding much weight to the bar.
Too often, beginners load up the bar and lift with poor technique. This prevents them from training the right muscles well and increases the risk of injuries and aches.
For the first few months of training, you should focus on a few core movements and gradually improve your technique. As a beginner, you'll be able to improve your strength regularly while maintaining good form.
If you're interested in a simple and effective beginner program, I've put together one for you:
Download a FREE skinny fat workout plan
Here are some instructional videos on how to perform the basic lifts:
How to Make Your Nutrition Work For You
Let's face it:
No matter how good your training plan is, your nutrition is what dictates change. If you don't pay careful attention, you won't see the results you hope for.
Since your goal is to lose fat and get rid of the skinny-fat look, you need to be in a calorie deficit: consuming fewer calories than you burn each day.
Once the newbie phase is over, building muscle while eating in a deficit will become increasingly more difficult. But, for the first few months, you can make significant gains.
To cover your nutrition well, you'll have to calculate your caloric needs and track them alongside protein. Start by calculating your BMR: the number of calories your body burns every day at rest.
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)
(Source.)
Once you have your BMR, it's time to use the below activity multiplier to find what your TDEE is: the number of total calories your body burns each day.
- 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
(Source.)
Now, calculate a moderate deficit of 250 to 400 calories. Of the three macronutrients, I recommend keeping track of protein alone: get around 0.8 grams per pound of body weight.
Here is an example:
Mary is 29-years-old, weighs 135 pounds, and is 5'7" (about 67 inches). So, to use the above formula:
BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
BMR = 655 + (4.35 x 135) + (4.7 x 67) - (4.7 x 29)
BMR = 1421 calories
Let's also say that Mary is moderately active. She does moderate exercise three to five times per week. In this case, we will use the 1.55 activity multiplier. So:
1421 x 1.55 = 2200 calories
Now, let's apply a 300-calorie deficit to this number:
2200 - 300 = 1900 calories
This will be Mary's starting point. Also, because she weighs 135 pounds, she should aim for around 108 grams of protein per day.
With that said, keep in mind that these calculations only give us a starting point, and we should then monitor our progress (more on that below) and make adjustments as needed.
I wrote an entire guide on body recomposition (the art of building muscle and losing fat simultaneously. You can check it out here.
How Long Does This Period Last?
You should follow this path for as long as you can make progress. This will vary from person to person, but it usually lasts anywhere from three to six months.
Once the newbie gains are gone, your lifts will most likely stall. Being in a caloric deficit won't cut it anymore. At this point, you will have two options:
- Continue with your caloric deficit and get leaner.
- Increase your calories up and go into a small surplus to start building muscle.
(I wrote about the recovery diet more in the next section. You can learn the exact process and apply it if you decide to increase your caloric intake.)
What it comes down to is your personal decision and how you prefer to look. Sean Nalewanyj made a great video on this exact topic, and I encourage you to check it out.
How to Approach Being Skinny Fat After You've Just Lost Some Weight
You're new to training. You might have spent some time playing around with weights, but your primary focus has been cardio for weight loss. You don't have much muscle on your frame, but you don't like how you look after your weight loss period.
The primary difference from the previous category is that you had to lose weight to become skinny fat.
This is another common category of skinny-fat people, and I was once in this same position, clueless as to what I should do. If the above describes you well and you can answer with a yes to the three statements below, then you fall into this category and should read on.
- "I've lost quite a bit of weight recently, and everyone is complimenting me on my great results. Yet, when I look at myself in the mirror shirtless, I don't particularly like what I see."
- "I have been in the gym during my weight loss, but I didn't do a lot of lifting. My main focus was on cardio."
- "I went about my weight loss in a typical manner: clean eating paired up with a lot of cardio work."
This category is a bit trickier than the first one because of one thing:
You've already spent a lot of time in a calorie deficit. You've experienced the adverse effects of dieting: a lower metabolic rate, higher hunger levels, food focus, and such. Staying in a calorie deficit is not a wise decision right now.
The next best route for you is a recovery diet. Whether you want to lose more fat or start building a solid muscle base, this is a mandatory step, so don't skip it. Also, if you haven't been tracking your calories so far, don't worry.
Calculate your TDEE with the above formula and activity multiplier, and start eating around that number. Keep your calories there for up to ten days and weigh yourself every morning on an empty stomach.
Do a waist measurement now and after seven days. Take a few progress photos now and after seven days: one front, one side, and one back, all in a relaxed state. Take them at the same time of day, using the same poses, and in the same light.
The goal here is to determine whether you're eating at maintenance. If you keep losing weight after seven days, bump your calories by about 150 and go for another seven to ten days.
Once you're at maintenance and eat that way for a while, you will allow your body to recover and get back to normal:
- Your hormones will begin to normalize after the diet
- You will restore your muscle and liver glycogen stores
Most importantly, you will put yourself in a better position to decide what you want to do next. The entire process should take you up to six weeks. At that point, you will have two options:
- Add a small calorie surplus of 200-250 and start building muscle over time.
- Add a moderate calorie deficit of 250-400 calories and focus on further losing fat.
At this point, it mostly comes down to personal preference. You're at a great spot to start building muscle, but you can also keep losing fat. If you haven't watched the video I posted about this very dilemma, I encourage you to check it out.
Also, because you're a gym newbie, your training will be the same as for the previous category. You can download a beginner program I put together below:
Download a FREE skinny fat workout plan
How to Approach Being Skinny Fat If You've Got Some Lifting Experience
You've put some time under the bar, and you've achieved some muscle and strength gain. Still, your body fat percentage is high, and you're skinny-fat because you haven't built much muscle yet.
This category is different from the above two in a few significant ways:
- I assume that you've been practicing compound lifts, and your technique is decent. If not, you're at least proficient in some resistance exercises. You can also check out the videos I posted above.
- I assume you've gained some muscle thanks to your newbie status, and you're slowly adding weight on the bar.
- I assume you keep track of your calories and protein. I also guess that you have a good idea of how much weight you've gained in the last few months.
This is an excellent place to start a fat loss phase because you now have some muscle mass to justify it. Also, some folks in this situation might experience a degree of body recomposition. It's difficult to say how experienced you need to get for body recomposition to become borderline impossible.
By doing this, you will set yourself up for a fantastic bulking cycle afterward because you will be leaner, which carries some benefits. Namely:
- You can bulk for a bit longer. In other words, you have a slightly longer 'runway' before you get overly-fluffy.
- You can see progress better because you won't have a thick layer of fat covering your muscles.
- You get to look better thanks to having less fat on your frame. Let's face it: we all care about this one.
Now, let's take a look at what you need to do here.
How to Eat During This Phase
The biggest mistake most people make when trying to lose fat is to jump headfirst into the process. They immediately add a lot of cardio and cut their calories too much, which sets them up for failure from the start.
To avoid this mistake, you need to pace yourself. Start by decreasing your calorie intake gradually over a few weeks. For example, if you're currently eating around 3,600 calories per day, don't immediately drop them to 2,000. Instead, drop them to approximately 3,200. Monitor your progress for a couple of weeks and see how your body responds.
From there, drop them by another 200 and go for another week. Monitor progress, and if you find that you're still not losing any fat, lower your calories by another 150-200.
Within three weeks, you should be in a calorie deficit and losing fat. The goal of this is simple:
Find the highest number of calories you can lose significant fat on. This sets you up for success because you have room to decrease your calories further once weight loss inevitably slows down. Once your fat loss plateaus, you can either:
- Decrease calorie intake by 100 per day and see if that gets you going again
- Start incorporating cardio and keep your calorie intake the same
But to achieve this, the process needs to be gradual. As far as diet composition goes, you should mostly track your protein - aim for around 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. For nutritional choices and such, I recommend adopting a flexible dieting mindset.
Progress photos, circumference measurements, and morning weigh-ins are valuable tools that will help you better track your progress. We'll go over these more in-depth below.
How to Train
A big misconception about fat loss training is that you need to use light weights and do tons of repetitions to 'bring out definition.' This is a huge mistake.
Sure, training with lighter weights has its benefits. But you shouldn't base your entire training program on that and completely disregard the other repetition ranges. The reason for that is simple:
Training exclusively with light weights will lead to a lot more muscle and strength loss than you need to endure. If you instead use a mixture of intensities and repetition ranges, you'll be able to retain more muscle and strength in the process.
There are two big reasons why using only light weights is counterproductive:
- Spot reduction is a myth. Feeling a burn in your muscles doesn't mean that you'll burn more fat in that area.
- Muscle retention while dieting depends on two factors: consuming enough protein and putting your muscles under heavy loads.
My main idea here is that you should keep your training the same, at least initially. Use the same weights, repetition ranges, exercises, and overall program. As far as your training volume and frequency go:
Being in a calorie deficit will lead to lower energy levels and a decreased ability to recover from training. There is no way around this. Once you've been dieting for several weeks, doing high-frequency and high-volume training won't cut it anymore.
Aside from regular deload weeks, you should also gradually reduce your volume across all workouts. You can even remove one to two training days (depending on your training frequency) and combine more muscle groups. Here is an example of volume reduction:
Let's say that you're doing 16 sets for chest, 16 for back, 18 for your entire lower body, 12 for shoulders, and 9 for biceps and triceps each. Here, you can drop two working sets from each body part and see how it impacts you within a couple of weeks. It might not seem like much, but that simple change will reduce your overall volume by 12 sets.
I recommend getting rid of sets from your accessory and isolation exercises and keeping your compound lifts the same.
Here is how you can reduce your training frequency:
If you follow a typical four-day split but find it hard to keep up, knock one day off and combine more muscle groups into fewer workouts. For example, say that your current split looks like this:
Monday | Chest and triceps |
Tuesday | Back and biceps |
Wednesday | Off |
Thursday | Legs |
Friday | Shoulders and traps |
Saturday | Off |
Sunday | Off |
You can transition to a three-day split:
Monday | Chest and triceps + shoulders |
Tuesday | Off |
Wednesday | Back and biceps + traps |
Thursday | Off |
Friday | Legs |
Saturday | Off |
Sunday | Off |
Notice how we added the shoulder work on Monday and the trap work on Wednesday.
If you usually follow a five-day split, you have more flexibility to combine muscle groups and downsize to a four-day split for a while. You can do a push/pull/legs or upper/lower program here.
I've written a lot more about strength training for fat loss here.
How to Track Your Skinny Fat Progress Effectively
While we haven't gone over progress tracking thus far, this process is of enormous importance. Many people spend countless hours in the gym, yet they can't find a few minutes to fill in their workout log or take a couple of progress pictures. Without data, you won't know how far you've come. Even worse, you won't know whether your current plan works.
Tracking your progress is even more important for fat loss. It gives you a much better understanding of whether you're on the right track or need to adjust things. For example, eating a mere 200 calories more than you should every day can significantly slow down your fat loss.
Here is how to track your progress effectively:
1. Progress photos
I recommend taking a set of up to ten photos of yourself to have a good understanding of where you begin. Take photos of your back, front, and side in a relaxed and flexed state.
After that, take progress photos every two to three weeks. Take them at the same time of day (ideally, in the morning), under the same light, and while using the same poses.
No matter what your starting point is, taking the photos in the same way each time will give you a good idea of how your body is changing.

2. Weigh-ins
Body weight can also give you valuable insight into how your body is changing over time. To make weigh-ins effective, you should take several per week (at least four) and calculate the weekly average. As you wake up in the morning, go to the bathroom, and step on the scale afterward.
Write down the exact value each time and then calculate the week's average. Daily fluctuations are normal and expected, so comparing changes from week to week will give you much more accurate data.

3. Circumference measurements
Aside from visual and body weight changes, taking measurements of key areas on your body will help further tell you how you're doing. For example, if you find that your weigh-ins stall for a couple of weeks but your waist gets smaller in that same time, you can conclude that you're losing fat, but that maybe you're retaining more water, which is masking your progress.
Like the previous tracking methods, I recommend doing this in the morning on an empty stomach. That way, you can avoid bloating that can occur later in the day and skew your results.
I recommend taking measures of the following:
- Left and right upper arm
- Chest (at nipple line)
- Two inches above the navel
- At the navel
- Hips
- Left and right thighs
Here is a comprehensive video by Scott Herman on how to take accurate measurements.
As for the frequency, I recommend taking measurements every two to three weeks, much like you would take progress photos.
4. Gym performance
Tracking your workouts is also essential as it gives you further insight into how things are going. Plus, seeing that you're doing better can be a huge motivator in the long run.
You can get yourself a workout log or a plain notebook. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Write down the date, what exercises you've done, the number of sets, and the number of reps.
I use an app called Evernote. I've created separate notes that represent each workout. On top of each note, I write the focus of my workout (e.g., deadlift session, squat session, etc.) and the date. On workouts where I do bodyweight movements (such as pull-ups, dips, etc.) I also write my morning weigh-in. You don't have to be as detail-oriented if you don't want to.

Below that, I list each exercise along with the number of sets and reps that I do. On the compound lifts, I also record my rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and whether I'm wearing a belt or not (for the squat and deadlift).
Once the training week is done, I sit down for about 15 minutes and write down each workout in my notebook. After that, all I have to do is revisit each note, change the date, adjust loads on some exercises, and I'm done.
How Long Is The Skinny Fat Transformation Going to Take?
Changing your body composition will be challenging. You will need to put in the work, and you will have to push through things, even when you don't feel like it.
Despite the hard work, you will find yourself feeling like you're not making progress at times. This is one reason why I emphasize progress tracking so much: you have hard data of your progress, even when you feel like you're stalling.
As far as the time it's going to take - it's different for everyone. It could be twelve weeks, and it could be thirty. What matters more is that you stay consistent and focus on the objective.
The best answer I can give you is this:
It's going to take as long as it needs to until you reach your desired look. Don't despair, and don't compare yourself to people who've been at it for years. Do your work, track your progress, and you will succeed.
Going From Skinny Fat to Fit: Do Supplements Play a Role In The Equation?
I don't like to rely on supplements too much. I take a handful of products that have significant scientific backing. Everything else, I discard.
So long as you follow the plans outlined above, you will achieve great results without spending a single cent on any products. Still, I recommend the following:
1. Creatine monohydrate
Creatine is one of the few products worth taking. If you're interested in learning more about it, I welcome you to check out the article I wrote on it a while back.
Take the standard three to five grams per day, and don't worry about the timing.
2. Protein powder
Protein powder is not mandatory for muscle gain or fat loss, but I take and recommend it because it's a convenient source of protein. Instead of having to eat yet another chicken breast, you can have a quick scoop of protein powder and go about your day.
Protein powders are also a cheap source of protein. Sure, you have to pay a bit more upfront, but the cost per serving is typically less than poultry, meat, and such.
3. Fish oil
This is more of a health supplement, but I recommend it for most people because the average person rarely eats fatty fish.
Omega-3's are proven to support our well-being and could even benefit our fitness efforts. You can learn a lot more about them in this article.
Conclusion
Transforming your body doesn't happen easily. It takes dedication and discipline to form life-transforming habits, and you won't always feel like going to the gym to train.
But do you know what? It's all worth it. You will prove to yourself that you can achieve something admirable, so long as you put your mind to it and do the work. In doing that, you won't merely transform your body. You will also elevate your mindset and adopt a superior approach to everything. Your life, finances, relationships, and everything in-between will be better.
As cliché as it may sound, fitness is not just about the physical, but also about the mental. The rewards are well worth the effort.
Loved the article, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, Janett! 🙂
Thank you for your invaluable article.It gave me a lot of knowledge about body recomposition.I wish you all the best
I’m glad to be of help! Thank you for your comment. 🙂
I really appreciate this article. My doctor told me that I was skinny fat last summer. So I embarked on a workout quest since then but my scale says that I am skinny fat . I am 122 , 5ft 3 inches 42 years female. Body fat of 40%. I need help.
Read through this guide and don’t hesitate to ask specific questions, Tanera. Good luck! 🙂
This was such a great read, thank you Philip! I’m 5′ 4″ 112lb female 26″ waist, my scales say 21%BF is that skinny fat? I want to start lifting to build much needed muscle, but there’s so much info out there it’s overwhelming! I will def will take tips from this article though, thanks!
Judging from your stats you don’t seem skinny fat. You could have naturally wide hips and also store more fat in your low back area. Also, 21% BF is not as high for a woman.
Add a bit of muscle mass on your frame and I think you’ll look great.
I’m 118 lbs, 18 yrs, 5 ft 7.5 inches, 17-18% BF, but I look jiggly and chubby. I have little muscle and I can grab fat on my stomach, inner thighs, calves, arms, belly… everywhere. Am I skinny fat?
It seems that way, yes. But how did you get the 17-18% BF? People often underestimate their BF levels.
I used an InBody scanner.
Alright, cool. Hope the guide has everything you need. Feel free to ask anything. 🙂
a very helpful article for a skinny fat person like me
loved ur way of writing
i have some problem about my fat
can i email u
Sure, hit me up at thinkinglifter[at]gmail.com
Amazing article, really has everything I needed to start working out, I just have one question. Why is the schedule only 3 days a week? I would think that being skinny fat and needing to build muscle from almost scratch would require a daily workout or something. There definitely is a reason as to why it’s like that since i’ve seen a couple other workout routines for the skinny fat body type and a few of them were 3 days a week only (btw this article was my favorite by far) and i would just like the know the reason for that. Please let me know whenever you can.
Thanks you.
Hey Aly,
3 workouts/week is plenty for beginners to build muscle and gain strength. Also, training most muscle groups in each workout would be best. If you want specifics, you should go to this link: http://www.thinkinglifter.com/chapter-3/ . You can download a free beginner’s program near the top of the page.
Hey,
thanks for your quick reply. I was planning to do the workout you posted for the skinny fat body type, like the 3 days a week mix between heavy bench, deadlift, and the mixture of both. Do you think following that with a 2550 calories a day (TDEE of 2250 +300) with 182.6 – 220 grams of protein, 54.78 – 110 grams of fat and, 220.0 – 316 grams of carbs per day would be good? Also would it be better if i did 4 workout a week, like workout once every other day instead of having the weekend free. I basically followed your article to reach these numbers but I just wanted to make sure that everything is in range. btw I weigh around 182 pounds.
Thanks a lot.
Aly
It depends. If you prefer to work out 4 days per week, go for it. Also, track your body weight to make sure you’re not gaining weight too quickly. These calculations are alright but everyone responds differently.
Macros seem alright. If you’re having a hard time eating the needed calories, eat on the lower end of protein as protein is very satiating.
Begin your exercise regime by working out two to three days a week. After six months, add one more day to it. This will reduce the onslaught of burn out.
Do thirty minutes of cardio and weight training every day. If you want to shed pounds, do weight training before cardio.
Remember, a routine Cardio regime like jogging, treadmill and elliptical can contribute to weight gain, as they demand increased energy output. Researchers have also indicated that regular cardiovascular exercises can trigger additional eating as it depletes the glycogen stores in the liver and muscle to make the glucose available for fuel.
Im 14, 6 ft. 0in, and have approximately 20% BF. Am i considered skinny fat. Im on the football team so I’m very active but i don’t know if I’m eating enough tho. Should i bulk or cut bc i don’t want to gain fat since i play receiver and id rather cut.
Hey Will,
Seeing your stats, I’m assuming that you’re a newbie in the gym, correct? In this case, you can follow a recomposition protocol by eating in a slight deficit, getting enough protein, and lifting weights.
For a few months, you can stay the relatively same body weight and improve your body composition.
Hope that helps! 🙂
I’m 66kgs, 5.5′, 21.4% BF, Male.
Entered gym at 47kgs and took mass gainers by wrong guidance. It’s been almost more than 8 months since I started weight training 5-6 days a week. Now I have got good biceps but thin forearms and wrist, decent broad shoulders, chest fat and a good belly, and no shape. I can’t predict whether I’m skinny fat or not. I just need to build some lean muscle and get into shape. Should I eat in a surlpus or in a deficit? I have trouble calculating my maintenance calories as I have the above mentioned doubts. Thank you.
It sounds like you’ve made some nice muscle gains in the last 8 months, but you also have quite a bit of fat. I recommend cutting for a while to a decent 10-13% body fat and then resuming the bulk. 🙂 You can read http://www.thinkinglifter.com/lose-fat/ for further guidance.
Hi Phillip,
I am 55 kgs, 163 cms, 32 yrs, male with a body fat of 20%. My BMR works out to roughly 1260 cals. I am looking to gain weight and muscle mass and reach my first target weight of 60 kgs. I am skinny fat as I have a pot belly and thin arms and legs.
Would you advise me to first do a cut by eating calorie deficit and achieve body fat of 10-13% and then bulk later OR should I just go for the bulk to 60 kgs ?
Hey Ryan.
It depends on your lifting experience and personal preferences. If you’re new to lifting you can very much eat in a caloric deficit, lift 3-4 times per week and lose fat while building some muscle mass.
My recommendation is to eat in a deficit for a while to shed some fat and build some muscle. Once the gains slow down, you can raise your calories and bulk for 6-12 months.
Hope that helps, keep me posted. 🙂
I tend to do a 6 hour eating window in the evening with Intermittent Fasting. I’d love to see an update to this where you bring IF into the equation for us Skinny Fat guys.
Hey William. IF doesn’t really make much of a difference. Everything I wrote still applies and total caloric intake still dictates the results. But I’ll definitely keep that in mind and add a point in the near future. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
so I am 5’3, 48 kg and I am thin (what people say) but my waist is 29 inch! (on an empty stomach) Well I don’t eat less and take naps of 2+ hours. I sleep late at night and sleep less at night. My mom is also thin with a big stomach. Am I skinny fat? (Ik I am)
So what can I do get a fit body with a flat tummy? please give me tips. I really wanna be fit and look good in all clothes. ._. Thanks.
Hi Soha,
A controlled caloric deficit combined with weight training and focusing on progressive overload will put you on the right path. Everything you need is in the guide. Let me know if you’ve got any other questions. 🙂
Hi!
I found this article very helpful so thank you! I have been weightlifting at home, doing some HIIT exercises and running for a while (couple months) and I’ve started to see a little changes when it comes to my skinny fat body. I try to schedule my daily exercises so I can have a versatile but effective routine with one or few rest-days.
I really love running 2-4 kilometers in 20-30 minutes but I was wondering how often should I run per week? I have been going out for runs 2-4 times a week but I am not sure if I maybe could go out more or should I go out less? As I said, I’m a skinny fat person, so I’m not sure if running is the best exercise for my body to get leaner but I really like it. So can you please help? 🙂
Hi Nea,
Well, assuming that you’re in a caloric deficit, I would advise you to ease up on the running, but still do some of it. For example, you can scale back down to two runs per week or keep running 2-4 times but run shorter distances.
I recommend leaning more on weightlifting to help you preserve your muscle mass as you’re shedding the fat.
Cheers, and let me know if that helps! 🙂
Amazing article and very factual.
Thanks for putting it down !
Thank you, Khan! 🙂
Hey Philip!
Just a quick note to let you know that your button links to downloading the PDF of the article and workout plan aren’t working at this time for this page.
Thanks!
Hey William, thanks for the heads up. I checked them and they seem to work. Would you like to check now and let me know if they work for you? 🙂
Yep! Working now! Thank you!
Wonderful article. I read more than 15 articles today and this one was the best!
Thanks for the kind words, Daniel. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Thank you so much for this article! This motivated me to keep going!
I’m glad you liked it, mate. 🙂
I know I’m skinny-fat. But you cant tell under my baggy clothes. My mom won’t ever believe me and she will get mad at me and tell me I’m perfect and healthy. But I’m not and I know it. And my doctor says I’m healthy, but she don’t know what I look like under my clothes. They just don’t understand that I can be at health risk, and won’t let me diet in fear of me getting an eating disorder. How can I convince the truth without getting lectured?
Hey Stella,
This is a tough one. I wouldn’t say that being skinny-fat necessarily makes you unhealthy, but there are other considerations such as how physically capable you are and how you feel about yourself.
I’d say, stay away from dieting and instead focus on improving your nutrition and getting some exercise in your life – both resistance training and some cardiovascular work. Over time, that alone should be enough to improve your body composition drastically.
Hope that’s been of help!
Naturally im a skinny guy, i was pretty toned and had decent muscle mass for my height/weight (5,4 height), 57kg weight. people would pressure me that im still too skinny so i decided to go on a caloric surplus. 4 weeks later i weight almost 65kg. although i have increased in size (shoulders/chest), got an increased level of belly and waist fat. so much that my resting belly looked awful. decided to stick to maintenance calories and have noticed loss of muscle and still a big belly gut. from what i have read/been advised, i should focus on macros and strength train 3 days, one day HIIT and one day low intensity cardio. Please help 🙁 i feel depressed
Hi JR,
For one, it appears that you ate in a pretty big surplus to gain 8 kilos in 4 weeks. Try going for half a pound of weight gain every week the next time around.
Second, I recommend checking my guide on body recomposition as I feel this would be the best course of action right now: https://www.thinkinglifter.com/body-recomposition/
Let me know if that helps!
Hello,
Thank you for such a good article. This is the best, step by step, very helpful.
I am a skinny fat female. I am trying to change my body composition. I started my journey last September and I just lost 4 kg until today, on the other hand my waist was 92 cm and now 76 cm. Everyone thinks that I lost more than 10 kg but my scale doesn’t move. In this phase I did strength training everyday (30 minutes) Last month, I also added HIIT. (30 minutes)
It is a little bit frustrating that I can’t lose weight and fat covers all my body I am getting thinner but still so flappy and soft. My body fat percentage is 32. What do you suggest me? I feel lost and confused. Thank you!
Hey Seda, thank you for your kind words.
It sounds like you’ve experienced some successful body composition in the last 10-11 months. Losing only 4 kilos and 16 cm off your waist is quite good.
I recommend sticking with a moderate deficit, strength training, and a bit of cardio. Make sure to get enough protein (at least 0.7 grams per pound of body weight), sleep for at least seven hours per night, and track your progress.
If you’re interested in learning more about it, you can check my post on body recomp here – https://www.thinkinglifter.com/body-recomposition/
I hope that helps! 🙂
-Philip
I understand that I used the benefits of being a newbie until today but from now on I need to continue with cutting phase. It is a long process. Being patient is so important.
Thank you Philip!
Well, I’m not fully sure if that’s the case, but you’re right – it is a long process and we have to be patient. 🙂
-Philip
Hey,
I was happy to find an article that shone a little more light on this topic…
I have lost 27kgs since March 2020 and have decided enough is enough now.
I am currently around 81kgs, 6ft 2 and have less muscle than fat and it’s slightly irritating that I prioritised cardio oclver everything else.
I am just looking for some advise as far as building muscle, I’m classed and sedentary so my calories needed are 2350ish so if I was to increase my muscle mass would I need to jump to 2550/2600 if so would I also need to consume the same amount of calories on a rest day as I would a lifting/workout day?
Many thanks.
Hey Nick, great job so far.
Well, 2350 calories seem like too little for a guy at your size. As you start bumping your calorie intake, you’ll probably notice that your calorie needs increase over time thanks to a combination of increases in NEAT and hormonal changes.
I recommend that you start bumping your calorie intake from week to week and track your scale weight and visual appearance. You can download my beginner’s training program and start using it for the first few months.
I hope that helps. Let me know if there is anything else.
Cheers,
Philip
Hi
I am currently working from home and consistently sticking to a workout plan and lifting 3 times a week. My only concern is I am lifting for around 1.5 hours (4.5) for all three sessions. The rest of the time I’m pretty sedentary. I go for 3 mile walks once or twice a week but I’m worried this isn’t enough. For this reason I feel I’m not losing the weight even though I feel I’m getting a little stronger. So what do I do?
In your article you haven’t written much about any cardio or what types or how much or how often. Could you please advise?
Hey Ziah,
Well, if you work from home, then going for a walk every day is beneficial. You can also do some cardio on your recovery days from training – for example, jogging in the morning.
Your alternative is to reduce your calories a bit more but I recommend increasing activity first, seeing as you’re mostly at home these days.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have further questions. 🙂
-Philip
This article was super helpful. I just have one question, though. I just lost around 65 pounds, so I’m doing the recovery diet. Once it’s done, I plan on cutting. Should I be doing resistance training until I start to bulk or should I wait?
Hey, Steven. I’m glad to hear you liked the article. 🙂
Yes, you should be doing resistance training at all points of your journey – now, during your cut, and as you start bulking later. Feel free to check out the beginner training program I’ve promoted inside the guide.
Hello, thank you for this article. I am a little concerned because I am considered “skinny fat” and on a regular I eat about 1000 to 1200 calories a day. I know it is not healthy but to start with the skinny fat workout regime and nutrition don’t I have to eat more because 1000 to 1200 calories a day is not enough I believe, also I am sedentary. What should I do?
Hey, Gabriela.
Well, your best course for the moment would be to start some type of physical activity (preferably resistance training) and temporarily bump your calorie intake. This will normalize your hormones, improve your well-being, and allow you to put some muscle mass on.
Once you’re comfortably eating more calories without gaining scale weight, you can consider dieting to shed some fat. But, for the moment, trying to diet will probably result in muscle loss, fatigue, and an even greater drop in metabolic rate.
I’ve written about this in the guide – it’s under ‘How to Approach Being Skinny Fat After You’ve Just Lost Some Weight.’
Let me know if you have any further questions. 🙂
Cheers,
Philip
loved it! thank you very much, i am a 16 years old teenager, i am skinny fat because i’ve lost too much fat after a long period of strict dieting and a lot of exercices so i’m at the first case, no lifting experience etc… i will change my diet, do as you said and wait for some good results!
I’m glad you liked the content, Karim! Take it one step at a time and you will succeed! Best of luck with it and feel free to reach out with questions. 🙂
Philip,
I think this was one of the most informative and thorough articles I have ever read regarding this subject. Thank you for the formulas and your in depth explanations of everything.
I have a quick question and would appreciate your opinion. What do you think of rowing? I did some in college and noticed very quickly the muscle toning. I enjoy this exercise above all others and as a busy single mom, registered nurse, etc…. it is the only workout I know that I would do regularly and with ease. I do not have time to go to the gym or I would do the nautilus machines because I enjoy that and see improvement there as well.
I am thinking about purchasing a rowing machine so that I can row at home when I can fit 20 to 30 minutes in for exercise. And maybe work up from there.
What do you think about rowing in general?
And what would be too much or too little?
Can I do it 5 days a week? Everyday? Would 3 days be better?
And how long do I row?
Is it like reps and you do it til you burn and can’t do another one?
I am skinny fat and want to tone.
Thanks again for a well written article.
And thank you so much for your time!
-Karen
Hey, Karen! Thank you so much for the comment. I’m glad you liked the article. 🙂
As for your questions:
-As far as cardio activities go, rowing is a balanced way to build strength, endurance, and muscle mass.
-Too much and too little depend on many factors, such as your age, stress levels, nutrition, immediate and long-term goals, and more.
-I recommend starting with three weekly workouts, assessing how you feel and progress, and including an extra session or two later.
-You can row for up to half an hour to start but it depends on your intensity. As a rule of thumb, avoid feeling utterly exhausted by the time you’re done.
So long as you get at least 6 to 7 hours of sleep, recover well between workouts, and pay attention to your nutrition, I believe rowing can be quite beneficial. You can also include a bit of bodyweight leg movements like squats, lunges, and hip hinges because rowing is primarily an upper body activity.
I hope this helps!
Kind regards,
Philip
Thank you!