The 'skinny fat' issue and maintaining..

fatfudgery

But I would certainly work on my ad exercises DAILY.

No.

No, no, no. NO.

Nope.

MyOwnSunshine

Up your protein and do more ab exercises. BUT depending on how much you WERE before the journey--some girls have stretched their skin out and need to have some removed IF THEY CHOOSE.. But I would certainly work on my ad exercises DAILY.

NOT THIS!

From the pictures the OP provided, it is obvious that she doesn't have stretched skin. The protein idea is good, but ab exercises aren't going to do anything for you. Lift heavy: New Rules of Lifting for Women (or Supercharged), Stronglifts, Starting Strength.

neandermagnon

at 23% body fat you are not remotely skinny fat. Skinny fat = obese body fat percentage while your weight is in the normal BMI range. Obese body fat percentage for women is 35%+ you're nowhere near that. Unfortunately it's a term that gets abused and used to body shame women whose body fat percentage is in the mid to high end of the healthy range and don't have visible muscle definition.

If you want 6 pack abs, go for it, women usually see them around 15% body fat. Lifting while eating at a deficit and sticking to your macros should enable you to do that. However, also realise that the amount of fat you are carrying is right in the middle of the healthy range, and having a small amount of fat on your abdomen as you do is normal and healthy and nothing to be concerned about, even magazine models have flabby bits... they get airbrushed out of the pictures but the actual models themselves still have them. Lowering your body fat percentage in order to get a flatter stomach or 6 pack abs is a purely aesthetic decision, and if that's what you want then go for it.

I second the recommendation for Starting Strength, whether you want to go for 6 pack abs or just want to get stronger.

moxiept

Great post. I am going to try some of these recommendations for myself.

Nadiataha

Just want to chime in and add my voice to the New Rules chorus. It will change how you think of fitness completely and I think you'll be really happy with the results. You look fabulous, no question. And if you want to look more athletic and raise your metabolism, a workout regimen based on heavy lifting is the way to go!

mcflat29

at 23% body fat you are not remotely skinny fat. Skinny fat = obese body fat percentage while your weight is in the normal BMI range. Obese body fat percentage for women is 35%+ you're nowhere near that. Unfortunately it's a term that gets abused and used to body shame women whose body fat percentage is in the mid to high end of the healthy range and don't have visible muscle definition.

THIS

It appears "skinny-fat" will be the new abused term on everyone's mind. One friend was actually skinny fat, size 4 and almost had a heart attack in her 20's. She's now a little larger but lower fat percentage and looks/feels great. Only problem, people all the time ask her how she got "fat". She didn't get fat, she got fit. She lowered her body fat and increased her muscle mass. Makes me want to head bop them...

So thank you for the voice of reason!

55in13

Another term that seems to have multiple meanings. I have been told I am skinny fat with a BF% around 22, not because of how much there is but because of where it is. After losing 55 pounds, I am in the healthy BMI range, but if I wear something with an elastic waistband and sit down, I will have a little belly fat spill over the waistband. The other day I was going through old clothes and tried on an old shorty wetsuit I had saved from my whitewater days. I was able to get in it! That's the good news. The bad news is what it squeezed up to the top and spilled out around my armpits looked as bad as it did when I started. The gym rats tell me I need to do some bulk/cut cycles, drop my BF% about 4 more points and it will go away.

Christi132

You look great and congratulations at maintaining your weight! I get a lot of advice from the owner of a Health Club where I live who has a Masters in Exercise Physiology & Biomechanics. What I have learned is that 22 is a great body fat number, but if you want to be extremely lean you could aim for high teens to 20. Also, women need more body fat than men to be healthy and our genetics usually determine where that fat is stored. I work-out in a gym a lot in during winter and usually exercise outdoors when it's warmer (running, biking, etc). For me, it's fun to strength train indoors during those cold months and see those muscles come out and body fat % drop. Each year when I go back to it, my body seems to respond faster to the exercises (and it's really nice to have a break).

3laine75

oh no no no no need for skin removal ( look at my progress pic) just light heavy weight multiple times 3 -4 times a week eat your protein and enough cals to fuel you up and voila

so glad you posted - your 'before' belly is exactly like mine atm. have been wondering if i'll ever have a belly button instead of a belly line again - you've given me hope you look amazing btw

OP - your pics look great - glad you've been converted to strength training. NROLFW and starting strength are both great reads (starting strength, if you're struggling with form - its helped me no end).

kdiamond

You will benefit greatly from eating at maintenance and weight training 3-4x a week. I did that when I was 110 pounds, I ended up gaining a couple of pounds in the progress but I lowered my body fat by 3% or so. My clothes fit better, my body is less jiggly, and bonus, I hardly do any cardio and I've brought my workouts down in time substantially.

You look great already, start lifting weights and you'll be happy with the progress.

LorinaLynn

You look fabulous, and EVERYONE gets some degree of fluff when they sit down. If someone doesn't have it, it's been photoshopped out.

Plus, your shorts might just be a smidgen bit too tight. Don't mistake improper fit for excessive fat.

lin7604

You will benefit greatly from eating at maintenance and weight training 3-4x a week. I did that when I was 110 pounds, I ended up gaining a couple of pounds in the progress but I lowered my body fat by 3% or so. My clothes fit better, my body is less jiggly, and bonus, I hardly do any cardio and I've brought my workouts down in time substantially.

You look great already, start lifting weights and you'll be happy with the progress.

how long did it take you to reduce your body at that much?

Fleas2U

You DO look fabulous. I think maybe you perception of self and self esteem might need a little work. And even if you did have a bit of fat on your abdomen, you should have. It's the way God made women....even though our society seems to gamorize the so-called "perfection" of an anorexic look. I would really quit worrying about it if I were you. I used to be 5' 10" and 115 and thought my inner thighs were fat. That was 25 years ago and I realize that I just didn't see myself clearly. Be happy & healthy.

Mischievous_Rascal

Up your protein and do more ab exercises. BUT depending on how much you WERE before the journey--some girls have stretched their skin out and need to have some removed IF THEY CHOOSE.. But I would certainly work on my ad exercises DAILY.

No.

Select a weight training program. Strong Lifts, Starting Strength, New Rules, whichever one works for you.

Exactly - you can't spot reduce. My tummy and all the other little trouble spots have been steadily disappearing for the past few months by lifting, walking (with a very little bit of HIIT cardio thrown in) and by eating 10% below maintenance with 40C/30P/30F macros. And make sure to get enough sleep, too. Good luck!

balancedbrunette

Firstly just want to say thank you so, so much everyone for the advice given, honestly did not expect such feedback and I really appreciate it!..And for the comments on my progress thank you, from reading some replies on here its made me realise i should recognise my own progress instead of pointing out the wrongs, i think if i had took pics at the beginning of my weight loss journey it would have helped with this because sometimes you just dont see it yourself so really appreciate the positive feedback.

Tracieangelet - well done on your progress so far, reassuring to see someone in similar position and yea I have heard that patience is really vital at this stage to getting leaner, thanks for advice!

Lin7604 - sounds like you've made/still making great progress will also check out them programs to keep options open.

kdiamond - thank you and 3%bf that is amazing, feel I also need to cut down on my cardio and up the lifting now.

Fleas2U - thank you very much, really good advice.

at 23% body fat you are not remotely skinny fat. Skinny fat = obese body fat percentage while your weight is in the normal BMI range. Obese body fat percentage for women is 35%+ you're nowhere near that. Unfortunately it's a term that gets abused and used to body shame women whose body fat percentage is in the mid to high end of the healthy range and don't have visible muscle definition.

If you want 6 pack abs, go for it, women usually see them around 15% body fat. Lifting while eating at a deficit and sticking to your macros should enable you to do that. However, also realise that the amount of fat you are carrying is right in the middle of the healthy range, and having a small amount of fat on your abdomen as you do is normal and healthy and nothing to be concerned about, even magazine models have flabby bits... they get airbrushed out of the pictures but the actual models themselves still have them. Lowering your body fat percentage in order to get a flatter stomach or 6 pack abs is a purely aesthetic decision, and if that's what you want then go for it.

I second the recommendation for Starting Strength, whether you want to go for 6 pack abs or just want to get stronger.

Thanks for the feedback, honestly I just felt I fell into the skinny fat category because i looked thin with clothes on but not so much with them off perhaps more so when I had more weight on me, anyways your advice has helped a lot, i know myself I don't want to lower my bf% under the 20 range, I think i'll be quite happy just toning up a bit more, guess i'll see how the training progresses.
Have downloaded the starting strength programme so going to have a read of it and take it from there.

Once again thanks a lot everyone and good luck to all of you as well with your goals!

kdiamond

You will benefit greatly from eating at maintenance and weight training 3-4x a week. I did that when I was 110 pounds, I ended up gaining a couple of pounds in the progress but I lowered my body fat by 3% or so. My clothes fit better, my body is less jiggly, and bonus, I hardly do any cardio and I've brought my workouts down in time substantially.

You look great already, start lifting weights and you'll be happy with the progress.

how long did it take you to reduce your body at that much?

4-5 months

lin7604

humm good to know. i am trying to drop my body fat currently and have been doing focus t25 to do it... i have dropped maybe 1% and still have a good 2% to go... i have 4 more weeks to go on t25 and we will see where i am after that

balancedbrunette

Just curious those of you that have dropped bf%/currently doing strength training how are your diets, is there anything you've cut out?

Reason i'm asking is because of the strength training classes I'm currently doing our instructor sent us a guide to go on as such and it is quite strict on cutting out foods such as breads, i'm taking an 80/20 approach with this...where possible trying to hit 80% whole, nutritious foods and 20% for those days i have treats or foods that wouldn't be considered as healthy.

lin7604

i haven't as i won't do anything drastic that i won't be able to maintain forever... i have to keep it simple so i don't fall off the wagon, so to speak. I have been told if i did, i woudl see results faster but i know it would be way too hard and i would give up or break....so i just try to do as best as i can.

kdiamond

Just curious those of you that have dropped bf%/currently doing strength training how are your diets, is there anything you've cut out?

Reason i'm asking is because of the strength training classes I'm currently doing our instructor sent us a guide to go on as such and it is quite strict on cutting out foods such as breads, i'm taking an 80/20 approach with this...where possible trying to hit 80% whole, nutritious foods and 20% for those days i have treats or foods that wouldn't be considered as healthy.

Same here 80/20 I do eat some processed foods/junk but I try to eat as many natural and whole foods that I can. I'm certainly not perfect and I like to drink once a week on average but I like to think I make up for it with my workouts 5x a week. Been doing this for over 9 years now, it seems to be the best approach as I haven't gained or lost more than 3-4 pounds all those years!