I am Skinny Fat.

Spliner1969

I did not start recomp until I hit around 15% BF, until that time I simply dropped my deficit to around 1lb a day or so and kept at it until I hit 15%. I upped my protein and kept up the compound exercises (mine are a bit modified due to some injuries, but still they are compound exercises) and did not slack off on the cardio to keep the fat burning. When I hit 15% I transitioned to maintenance as I was also at my goal weight, or slightly below it.

Right now I hover around 10% which is where I would love to stay, but I know that eventually I'll want more muscle than I've gained already and will have to eat at a surplus for a while to get it. Keep in mind, I'm eating between 2700 and 3k calories a day and that still puts me in a very slight deficit of around 100-250 calories a day during my current phase of recomp because of the mad level of exercise I'm doing each week.

So I'd listen to @Michael190lbs and drop your deficit to a manageable level and start lifting. Having a huge deficit at this point isn't going to do you any favors. Since you're still at the upper end of the BMI range for normal, or slightly overweight with a 20% body fat, do keep up the deficit, just make it smaller. Up the protein, up the exercise, and eat accordingly. I cannot lift (back and knee injuries) much so I do more body weight training. It'll be a long road, just keep at it.

amusedmonkey

I believe (I might be wrong) that you have another thread going where you stated you eat 1000 calories. If you are trying to combat "skinny fat", the last thing you want to do is eat that little. It may have contributed to your current state because of muscle loss. In addition to fixing your calorie intake, you need watch your protein and start some sort of resistance program.

AnvilHead

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

AnvilHead wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

CadenDavid wrote: »

I am 6'4 and 229lbs. BMR is 2200. 20ish% body fat. @Michael190lbs

That is not skinny fat. Even with th bmi calculation for tall people, yours is 26, putting you just into overweight territory. Skinny fat means low bmi, high bf%.

Regardless, start doing resistance exercise yesterday. Continue to eat in a deficit.

Is it actually possible to have low BMI and high BF%? I've never seen anyone with a BMI of 18-19 that had a high BF%.

Not only possible, but apparently quite common:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9588440

http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/47/5/699

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/expert-answers/normal-weight-obesity/faq-20058313

http://www.nature.com/nutd/journal/v5/n4/full/nutd201446a.html

None of those mention a high BF%.

Look up the definition of MONW (Metabolically obese, normal weight). All of those studies refer to MONW subjects.

Spliner1969

Spliner1969 wrote: »

I did not start recomp until I hit around 15% BF, until that time I simply dropped my deficit to around 1lb a day or so...

Er.. 1 lb a week. Sorry didn't catch that sooner lol.