Skinny fat
Replies
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OP you are definitely not skinny fat or anything close. It is common to be underweight and have poor posture, as well food/bloat is more noticeable.
I highly recommend you gain.11 -
As thin as you are, just eating a little something may make you poof out a bit. I have a flat stomach in the morning but later in the day I get a little food baby. That's real life. Please don't think you need your belly to look like a picture on a fitness model's blog or a model on the runway - they don't even actually look like that 99% of the time.
they don't look like that full stop, cos photoshop!
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When I went down to a normal weight (down from 240 pounds @ 5'4"), I had a lot of loss and excess skin. I was however very active, running 5 to 6 times per week. No amount of physical activity could get rid of my jiggly bits, and while I had that jiggly look, I wasn't skinny fat. But I felt skinny fat. Going from one fat label to another fat label was not good for my mental health/ self image.
You may be jiggly in places as well. Supermodels are jiggly too in some places when they're not posing and when they don't have perfect posture. Some female body builders that I know have the soft, jiggly look as well when they're not flexing. Maybe we're conditioned to think that the perfect look is a tight, fit body. But those images are often photoshopped, showcase the individual in their most flattering pose, and are an unrealistic portrayal of a human body.
If you're already underweight, you can add strength exercises and try to "recompose", but honestly, you're not ANY kind of fat. Not skinny fat. Not fat fat. Stop putting negative labels on yourself.12 -
Maybe a slow bulk would be a good plan for you...eat 200-300 calories above maintenance...follow a progressive lifting routine...and then cycle between the bulk/cut every month??? If you do a month of bulking, you aren't going to gain more than a pound or two, and you should be able to lose that within a month of cutting...gaining mostly muscle, losing mostly fat, that might get you to where you want faster than a traditional recomp but also without making you gain a bunch of weight and being unhappy?0
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Ever seen those malnourished African kids on TV with super skinny arms and rather large bellies? That's because they are not eating enough. I can't remember the exact science but when you don't eat enough your body will store the energy in its storage slot...your belly.
I must REPEAT what everyone is saying, don't eat less eat more. If you're that concerned eat more good stuff. Getting some weight training under your belt will not turn you into something with more muscle ripples than a fat kit cannon balling a calm pond. That stuff takes YEARS.
Eat more, train more and your body will come closer to that of sardelsa (toned) in the post above+4.
BUT
It takes time, you need to be patient. These are lifestyle changes not temporary diets.10 -
singingflutelady wrote: »alexandracraia wrote: »Thank you everyone for your replies! @psuLemon I am 172cm. Guys, I don’t think the scale is pretty accurate though, because I do have a lot of belly fat and there is no way that I am at only 14% body fat. I would probably estimate it at around 20-25%. I thought about bulking, but that means I’ll get an even bigger belly and I really don’t want that to happen. My goal is to lose the abdominal fat, no matter how many months it would take.
If I am converting correctly, you are 5"6, 110 lbs? If that's right, you are already underweight. Losing weight is not going to help how you look at all, and even if you do lose weight it still might not shrink that area like you want it to.
If you refuse to gain a little weight, at least eat at maintenance and work a progressive lifting program to build some muscle. I'll add - we are always our worst critics and tend to see what we consider our weak spots as far worse than they actually are.
Some other things to consider - how is your posture? Bad posture can have you sticking out your belly without realizing it. And many women don't have a flat or concave midsection no matter how thin they get, it's not how we're built.
5'7.5 bmi 16.97 so severely underweight.
Oh man, not good at mathing in the AM!
OP, please do not lose more weight! You do not have a lot of belly fat. You are shaped like a human woman. You really should gain a little weight, but at least please don't try to lose any more :flowerforyou:
As thin as you are, just eating a little something may make you poof out a bit. I have a flat stomach in the morning but later in the day I get a little food baby. That's real life. Please don't think you need your belly to look like a picture on a fitness model's blog or a model on the runway - they don't even actually look like that 99% of the time.
I have abs (slowly going bye-bye as I bulk) and look pretty flat and good in the AM. By afternoon and a few big meals I look like I'm expecting my second child... and I'm a dude.
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alexandracraia wrote: »Thank you everyone for your replies! @psuLemon I am 172cm. Guys, I don’t think the scale is pretty accurate though, because I do have a lot of belly fat and there is no way that I am at only 14% body fat. I would probably estimate it at around 20-25%. I thought about bulking, but that means I’ll get an even bigger belly and I really don’t want that to happen. My goal is to lose the abdominal fat, no matter how many months it would take.
At some point, you can either spin your wheels or realize that in order to meet your long term objective, you will need to be uncomfortable for a bit. With such a little base of muscle, and being underweight, you don't really have anywhere to go. And gaining muscle (and fat) to give you the base you need, is what is going to provide the results. Too often people think you only need to cut... but it's not true. To get a very fit/developed body, you often need a base of muscle to get there. Below is an example of a 20 lb gain.
https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/female-powerlifters-meet-staci-ardison/
Ultimately, it's your decision and you need to figure out what is your end state.11 -
alexandracraia wrote: »Thank you everyone for your replies! @psuLemon I am 172cm. Guys, I don’t think the scale is pretty accurate though, because I do have a lot of belly fat and there is no way that I am at only 14% body fat. I would probably estimate it at around 20-25%. I thought about bulking, but that means I’ll get an even bigger belly and I really don’t want that to happen. My goal is to lose the abdominal fat, no matter how many months it would take.
If I am converting correctly, you are 5"6, 110 lbs? If that's right, you are already underweight. Losing weight is not going to help how you look at all, and even if you do lose weight it still might not shrink that area like you want it to.
If you refuse to gain a little weight, at least eat at maintenance and work a progressive lifting program to build some muscle. I'll add - we are always our worst critics and tend to see what we consider our weak spots as far worse than they actually are.
Some other things to consider - how is your posture? Bad posture can have you sticking out your belly without realizing it. And many women don't have a flat or concave midsection no matter how thin they get, it's not how we're built.
I think 172 cm is almost 5'8", not 5'6". With current weight of 50.8 kg (112 lbs), OP is significantly underweight already.
I agree that losing weight is unlikely to achieve the results OP is hoping for, and that trying to build some muscle (which is unlikely to be successful at OP's current stats without eating at least a little bit above maintenance -- you could shoot for just 150 kcal over maintenance, along with, obviously, a progressive resistance program and plenty of protein) is more likely to have a positive aesthetic effect.6 -
CookieVenator wrote: »Ever seen those malnourished African kids on TV with super skinny arms and rather large bellies? That's because they are not eating enough. I can't remember the exact science but when you don't eat enough your body will store the energy in its storage slot...your belly.
I must REPEAT what everyone is saying, don't eat less eat more. If you're that concerned eat more good stuff. Getting some weight training under your belt will not turn you into something with more muscle ripples than a fat kit cannon balling a calm pond. That stuff takes YEARS.
Eat more, train more and your body will come closer to that of sardelsa (toned) in the post above+4.
BUT
It takes time, you need to be patient. These are lifestyle changes not temporary diets.
No, your body doesn't magically store "energy" when you're starving. Those large bellies you mention are filled with water (bloating/edema). I know it's associated with protein deficiency -- not sure if it occurs in other types of malnutrition, including extreme energy deficiency, but I guess if overall energy intake is low enough, you're going to suffer from protein deficiency anyway, since your body will be forced to use any protein you do take in as energy rather than reserving it for the protein-specific uses.
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TavistockToad wrote: »either your scales are wrong or you have a very warped sense of what is a normal amount of bodyfat.
14% is very low and you are not in any way 'skinny fat'.
Agree.
I read somewhere recently that said a healthy BMI is between 25-30. You sound like you are underweight. Maybe you should seek advice from your doctor? Sounds like you have are seeing something that isn't there. I used to be anorexic for years and saw myself as big when I was underweight and stayed under 100 lbs for years. It's something you really can't help when you get to that point but I think you are stressing over something that isn't even a problem.8 -
TavistockToad wrote: »The first one is from like 5-6 weeks ago, the one in the yellow shirt is from today and the last one is me flexing.
I'm 4'11" and my belly is so big I look like I'm 6 months pregnant on an average day. You have no belly fat. Maybe you need to see a therapist?
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perkymommy wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »either your scales are wrong or you have a very warped sense of what is a normal amount of bodyfat.
14% is very low and you are not in any way 'skinny fat'.
Agree.
I read somewhere recently that said a healthy BMI is between 25-30. You sound like you are underweight. Maybe you should seek advice from your doctor? Sounds like you have are seeing something that isn't there. I used to be anorexic for years and saw myself as big when I was underweight and stayed under 100 lbs for years. It's something you really can't help when you get to that point but I think you are stressing over something that isn't even a problem.
That's not accurate -- anything over 25 is considered to be overweight (so an individual with a BMI over 25 may or may not be overweight -- depending on their body fat situation, but they are in the overweight range).7 -
janejellyroll wrote: »perkymommy wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »either your scales are wrong or you have a very warped sense of what is a normal amount of bodyfat.
14% is very low and you are not in any way 'skinny fat'.
Agree.
I read somewhere recently that said a healthy BMI is between 25-30. You sound like you are underweight. Maybe you should seek advice from your doctor? Sounds like you have are seeing something that isn't there. I used to be anorexic for years and saw myself as big when I was underweight and stayed under 100 lbs for years. It's something you really can't help when you get to that point but I think you are stressing over something that isn't even a problem.
That's not accurate -- anything over 25 is considered to be overweight (so an individual with a BMI over 25 may or may not be overweight -- depending on their body fat situation, but they are in the overweight range).
I think she may have meant body fat % for women and not BMI.4 -
alexandracraia wrote: »Hey guys! So i started my new lifestyle journey 2 months ago because i was really unhappy of how i looked (i am what they call skinny fat, which means i have a low BMI, i am very slim, but have a quite high body fat percentage and also all my fat is stored on my belly). I started doing research and found out that i had to lose fat while also gaining muscle (body recomposition)...
Sorry for the long post, but i just want to know what exactly should i do to drop the belly fat. Any help is highly appreciated! Thank you
Firstly, the general community board is probably not the best place to ask your question. Most people in the general community are trying to lose weight to get down towards a normal BMI. To them, your plan may come across as dangerously unhealthy. Perhaps you can try the "Not So Heavy Girls" group. There are more people there that may be sympathetic to your skinny fat situation. Because it is a real issue that is often ignored.
Secondly, I think you should invest in a caliper to measure your body fat. Scales usually use the "visual method" for estimating body fat. Since you are small, the scale could tell you that you have 12-18% body fat when you actually may be in the 25-30% range.
Thirdly, to lower your body fat percentage. you should focus on strength training. I'm not talking about body building since I'm sure you don't want to bulk up. But you do want to focus on activities that build muscle. Consider Pilates, Yoga-lates, Barre, Cross-fit, machine & free weights (high reps/low weight), etc. Also, you want to add more lean protein to your diet. As you build muscle, the fat will melt.
Full Disclosure, I'm kinda in the same boat (I gained a bunch of medication weight, lost the weight, but found I lost a bunch of muscle along the way) and I'm trying to figure out the best formula that works for me. But I when I notice transformations in others, I ask them what they've been doing.29 -
alexandracraia wrote: »Hey guys! So i started my new lifestyle journey 2 months ago because i was really unhappy of how i looked (i am what they call skinny fat, which means i have a low BMI, i am very slim, but have a quite high body fat percentage and also all my fat is stored on my belly). I started doing research and found out that i had to lose fat while also gaining muscle (body recomposition)...
Sorry for the long post, but i just want to know what exactly should i do to drop the belly fat. Any help is highly appreciated! Thank you
Firstly, the general community board is probably not the best place to ask your question. Most people in the general community are trying to lose weight to get down towards a normal BMI. To them, your plan may come across as dangerously unhealthy. Perhaps you can try the "Not So Heavy Girls" group. There are more people there that may be sympathetic to your skinny fat situation. Because it is a real issue that is often ignored.
Secondly, I think you should invest in a caliper to measure your body fat. Scales usually use the "visual method" for estimating body fat. Since you are small, the scale could tell you that you have 12-18% body fat when you actually may be in the 25-30% range.
Thirdly, to lower your body fat percentage. you should focus on strength training. I'm not talking about body building since I'm sure you don't want to bulk up. But you do want to focus on activities that build muscle. Consider Pilates, Yoga-lates, Barre, Cross-fit, machine & free weights (high reps/low weight), etc. As you build muscle, the fat will melt.
Full Disclosure, I'm kinda in the same boat and I'm trying to figure out the best formula that works for me. But I when I notice transformations in others, I ask them what they've been doing.
Just to point out, there are several very experienced lifters and those of us who have worked with underweight individuals who have helped people achieve their goals.
Most of what you have listed works largely endurance muscles (i.e. slow twitch). If one wants to optimize muscle growth, they should follow a structured program overload lifting routine. To optimize muscle gains, a small surplus is ideal, at least until one is within a reasonable weight range. Since the OP is lean, she is in an ideal situation, as a lean body is more insulin sensitive, and she seems to be a newb to lifting which makes it more likely to gain muscle.
She can also look at this in 10 lb increments, where she could bulk for 10 lbs, and then slow cut to reduce and added fat.... This also assumes that when she gains it goes right to her stomach. There is a possibility that it may go to other places. In some cases, people can gain over 10 lbs without worrying and much new fat showing.11 -
Oh, honey. You’re NOT skinny-fat. Just skinny. I worry that if you continue trying to lose more weight, you will make yourself very, very ill. Could you just try to see how many of us are telling you this, and are genuinely concerned for you? Sometimes what we see in the mirror is just our interpretation and rather far from reality. I wish you all the best and hope you get well.5
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I would say your scales are wrong, you aren't 14% bf because (no offense intended
) if you were you'd look like a female body builder, and you don't.
I'd say work on trying to gain some muscle, perhaps that might help you achieve the look you're wanting to achieve.3 -
There's a member here who recently posted pictures of herself at around 130 lbs and then again at 150 lbs but much more muscle definition. She look amazing when she was 20 lbs heavier.
Does anyone here remember who that was or maybe post that thread? I think this visual might help OP see how she could look and that it's not at all just about the number on the scale.1 -
TrishSeren wrote: »I would say your scales are wrong, you aren't 14% bf because (no offense intended ) if you were you'd look like a female body builder, and you don't.
I'd say work on trying to gain some muscle, perhaps that might help you achieve the look you're wanting to achieve.
Considering that she's significantly underweight, 14% BF is not out of the realm of possibility. She just doesn't have the muscles to go with it.6 -
You should not do cutting! You cannot gain muscle (while loosing fat at the same time) on 1100 or 1300 calorie diet!
To gain muscle and fat you need to eat! And working out. You may not want to hear this but to be happier with yourself you need to gain weight. I am your height and 58kg 18% Bf. I used to be 52 kg but miserable eating 800-1200 cals a day even on days I ran 12 miles sometimes. Now I still fit into clothes I used to wear at 52 kg! But guess what, I am eating 2000-3000 cals and working out. Never been happier. Then after looong time maybe even a year or two muscle will work as fat burner so you will be able to loose fat while maintaining most muscle hopefully all that on higher cals intake. It is long journey. Not week nor month...5
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