I work out, yet I'm "skinny fat?"

_Clarana_
_Clarana_ Posts: 73 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I burn about 300-400 a day, my BMI's 20-ish, I'm a UK size 6-8 (female), and yet I have a lot of stomach fat and love handles? Do I just need a greater calorie deficit?
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Replies

  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
    Could be what you're eating and goes back to the whole 'you can't out exercise a bad diet', you can be within your calorie goal and workout everyday but still have high visceral fat because of what types of food you're eating.
    Could be you're not eating enough (think of the pictures of famine victims and protruding bellies).
    Could be that you need to add weights/core into your routine to tighten the underlying muscles, purely cardio workouts don't build muscle (my lean body muscle dropped a bit when I was training for the marathon as I had dropped a weights session so I could fit in my 4 runs a week, back to weights twice/three times a week and running threes times a week so it's building up again).
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Greater calorie deficit is only going to make it worse.


    Eat at a moderate deficit and lift heavy things.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    What kind of exercise are you doing? Do you know your body fat percentage?
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    I burn about 300-400 a day, my BMI's 20-ish, I'm a UK size 6-8 (female), and yet I have a lot of stomach fat and love handles?

    Not much information here, so what type of training do you do, what's your forecast rate of weight loss and how long have you been trying to lose?

    Skinny fat is a pretty meaningless term, but your results are going to depend on how your diet, CV and resistance training play into one another.
  • pjstar31
    pjstar31 Posts: 26
    I'm certainly no expert on the matter but if it were me and I was still having issues in my stomach and love handles area I would add exercises that work the stomach and core muscles. Situps, crunches, ab rollers, stuff like that. If you type "Abdominal Exercises" into google, the first link that comes up should be bodybuilding.com and they have a list of about 90 exercises that are designed to focus on the abdominal muscles.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    It sounds like you have fallen into the same trap that a lot of women fall into. They think, "I want to be smaller so I'll eat less and do more cardio" but they never stop to think that once they lose their fat, there needs to be some muscle mass to uncover or else you'll look terrible and be in a worse state metabolically than you were in to begin with! Luckily, there is an easy solution to this problem. Eat at a slight deficit, lift weights 3 days a week and do cardio on 3 of your off days (I would recommend HIIT for cardio. Walking/jogging burns muscle and fat without prejudice).

    If you don't know where to start in the weight room, go to stronglifts.com and run the stronglifts 5x5 program outlined on the website.
  • thatjosiegirl
    thatjosiegirl Posts: 362 Member
    You need to add strength training into your routine to see some positive change! Trust me, it makes a huge difference!
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
    Lift heavy, create a reasonable calorie deficit, and be patient! It will not happen overnight.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    I'm certainly no expert on the matter but if it were me and I was still having issues in my stomach and love handles area I would add exercises that work the stomach and core muscles.

    You can't spot reduce, so targetting specific exercises at specific areas of mass aren't effective.

    Essentially what one has to do is find a way to balance the loss of fat and lean mass, optimising towards retention of lean mass. That means a balance of CV work to burn calories, drive the deficit and improve stamina, with resistance training to help the retention of lean mass. Some CV exercises are better than others around supporting the lean mass component of that.

    That said, burning 300 calories in a session isn't a great deal, but personally I'd also advise against ellipticals and recumbents in the gym as far as CV is concerned. I'd genrally advocate running, cycling, swimming and rowing alongside some form of resistance training, whether bodyweight or free weights.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    It sounds like you need to add strength training to your life. Strong lifts and New Rules of Lifting are both good programs to look into.
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
    Not sure what you do for your workouts but definitely make sure you add strength training. If you lift heavy while eating at a slight deficit, you'll burn fat and maintain muscle. Or if you're already at your goal weight then eat at maintenance.
  • LilyMammoth
    LilyMammoth Posts: 38 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
    It sounds like you have fallen into the same trap that a lot of women fall into. They think, "I want to be smaller so I'll eat less and do more cardio" but they never stop to think that once they lose their fat, there needs to be some muscle mass to uncover or else you'll look terrible and be in a worse state metabolically than you were in to begin with! Luckily, there is an easy solution to this problem. Eat at a slight deficit, lift weights 3 days a week and do cardio on 3 of your off days (I would recommend HIIT for cardio. Walking/jogging burns muscle and fat without prejudice).

    If you don't know where to start in the weight room, go to stronglifts.com and run the stronglifts 5x5 program outlined on the website.

    ^ That.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    There are also some body types that are going to retain fat in those areas. I recommend a balanced program of strength and cardio, and a sensible calorie deficit. You also need to have your body fat measured. If it turns out your bf% is under 20% and you still have extra fat in those areas, then that just might be your body type.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    spongebob-lifting-weights-o.gif

    LIFT!

    It doesn't matter that you're burning 300-400 calories per day. If it's cardio, you're not doing a whole lot for your lean muscle mass. Lift heavy and your body will thank you.
  • meganb2506
    meganb2506 Posts: 24 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.

    This ^
  • mandyosetti
    mandyosetti Posts: 72 Member
    Please have a look at this girl's photo's. She is too thin. OP please seek some help to deal with your body issues. All the best.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.

    After your comment I did look, and I would agree. Please be healthy...there are NO love handles and only skin/bones. Muscle tone can't be seen as much as you would think of a BMI of 20. P.S. BMI charts are not accurate for muscular people. Most muscular people will be in the overweight category even if they look absolutely awesome! Please be healthy.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.

    In her profile she idetifies a history of disordered eating, which doesn't invalidate the advice; balanced programme of CV and resistance training is going to deliver effective results.
  • pfgaytriot
    pfgaytriot Posts: 238 Member
    Greater calorie deficit is only going to make it worse.


    Eat at a moderate deficit and lift heavy things.

    This. Doing exactly this has made all the difference. The difference between what I look like now compared to how I looked at the same weight last year is significant. I wish I had done this from the very beginning. You live and you learn, I guess.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.

    In her profile she idetifies a history of disordered eating, which doesn't invalidate the advice; balanced programme of CV and resistance training is going to deliver effective results.

    This- and let's keep the negative comments about her body to a minimum. (not you meanderingman- generically)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    20 is borderline underweight BMI. Please don't lose weight.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    1. You're not skinny fat - you sound like you have a normal fat distribution
    2. Eat a little less than maintenance calories
    3. Eat more protein
    4. Engage in some sort of progressive resistance training programme you like 2-3 times per week (doesn't have to be barbell / dumbell / lift heavy / strength training - could be kettle bells, body weight stuff if you prefer.)
    5. Relax
    6. Enjoy yourself.
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
    In this case, ditch the scale, eat, lift, and add about 15 lbs of muscle. You'll have the body you're looking for.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.

    Good call. I wasn't even going to look at her photos.

    To OP--You are extremely thin. You definitely do not need to be losing any additional weight!!

    If you are looking for a more chisled looking physique then you actually need to increase your calories, eat a lower carb, higher protein, healthy lifestyle and you need to start on a heavy lifting routine. Cardio will burn calories but it does not get rid of the fat, it usually makes you lose muscle---hence the skinny fat syndrome people encounter. They lose the weight but they have lost more muscle then fat.

    I would also consider professional advice as it does seem you have some body issues.
  • deabora
    deabora Posts: 20 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.

    Really, take a look. US size is 4/6.
  • GinNJuice75
    GinNJuice75 Posts: 186 Member
    Sadly this thread is me all over! Ugh most of my fat was always in my belly and chin. So even when i was down to 140lbs i was still a 10! And still have a bigger chin then i should have. I am trying to get to the 140lbs again and i will. It just makes me frustrated that i will always have to wear longer shirts then norm to cover up that saggy belly. Unless i get plastics and well i cant afford those :-(
  • _Clarana_
    _Clarana_ Posts: 73 Member
    Has anyone looked at the OP's pictures? I would say that you have a case of body dysmorphia and is not eating enough. I see no love handles or belly pouch. Only skin and bones.

    I've gained 10kg since then.
  • _Clarana_
    _Clarana_ Posts: 73 Member
    Thanks everyone, all useful stuff! I am 10kg heavier than in my profile pics, which I haven't updated because I hate the way I look now. I was concerned about strength training because I thought that it would maybe make that area look worse, as I need to be lean for the muscle to show, but I think strength training is the way to go. I did try to start blogilates and it was so hard, so it shows how out of shape I am!
  • waxon81
    waxon81 Posts: 198 Member
    Your photos don't give a lot away, however at a glance I would say that it's doubtful what your seeing in the mirror is reflected accurately. I certainly would not recommend loosing more weight.
    Start lifting weights, gain some muscle and you'd be surprised what an amazing effect this could have on an untrained 'soft' physique

    Edit - just seen the 'gained 10kg since' part. I do however stand by my lift weights suggestion. Also, update your pics :)

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