never heard the term "skinny fat" before joining this forum

WendyTerry420

at first i thought people were talking about women who are skinny but with thick thighs or arms.

then i see pictures of what people are considering "skinny fat", and it's pretty much skinny people who don't have that beach body.

stop being insecure, people. any person who is fat or obese would kill to be "skinny fat"

Count me out of that category! I would much rather be fat and strong than to be skinny and weak.

I highly doubt it ever comes down to choosing between the two. Someone who never lifted weights in their life does not go from fat and strong to skinny and weak unless they do something extremely stupid or they get sick. Just normal dieting will not result in that.

The more likely scenario is that a fat person at say 45% body fat becomes a thin person at something like 25% body fat and the skinny fat shamers come down on the person. They are overall much more healthy at 25% body fat than at 45% body fat.

When I was 140 pounds, I was not any stronger than I am at 115 pounds, just merely by being fatter. I didn't really lift while losing weight because I had injured myself towards the beginning of dieting. I'm sure that overall, my body fat percentage went down. It always goes down by losing weight if you change nothing else other than diet.

I highly doubt it as well. But I was simply responding to the OP's claim that "everyone" would rather be skinny than fat. Not me. To me, strength, endurance, and muscle mass are WAY more important than how I look in the mirror.

WendyTerry420

at first i thought people were talking about women who are skinny but with thick thighs or arms.

then i see pictures of what people are considering "skinny fat", and it's pretty much skinny people who don't have that beach body.

stop being insecure, people. any person who is fat or obese would kill to be "skinny fat"

Count me out of that category! I would much rather be fat and strong than to be skinny and weak.

I highly doubt it ever comes down to choosing between the two. Someone who never lifted weights in their life does not go from fat and strong to skinny and weak unless they do something extremely stupid or they get sick. Just normal dieting will not result in that.

The more likely scenario is that a fat person at say 45% body fat becomes a thin person at something like 25% body fat and the skinny fat shamers come down on the person. They are overall much more healthy at 25% body fat than at 45% body fat.

When I was 140 pounds, I was not any stronger than I am at 115 pounds, just merely by being fatter. I didn't really lift while losing weight because I had injured myself towards the beginning of dieting. I'm sure that overall, my body fat percentage went down. It always goes down by losing weight if you change nothing else other than diet.

Again, i think you lack the understanding that those people are using it incorrectly.

The term means you are at an acceptable BMI weight vs. Height ratio but you have an OVERWEIGHT or OBESE level of body fat.

That is what the term means.

It has nothing to do with "shaming women for not having muscles". That's stupid and makes no sense. If someone is using it that way than they don't know what the term actually means.

Please please please tell me how I was healthier at a lower weight and 32% (OBESE) body fat than at a higher weight with around 19% body fat.

That isn't what I stated. I'm sure that you lifted a lot in order to get to that 19% body fat. The person said they would rather be fat and strong, rather than thin and weak. You seem to be neither of those. What does "fat and strong" even mean? Seems like a useless description. I know that they are using the term incorrectly. That was what I was trying to say.

You must have missed this earlier, if you don't know what it means to be both fat and strong.

Check the one that says "Strong Fat (bear mode)" on the bottom right.



Edit: the picture is too big. You'll have to see it in a new tab or window:
http://oi53.tinypic.com/35mh9fo.jpg

LiftAllThePizzas

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

Aviva92

at first i thought people were talking about women who are skinny but with thick thighs or arms.

then i see pictures of what people are considering "skinny fat", and it's pretty much skinny people who don't have that beach body.

stop being insecure, people. any person who is fat or obese would kill to be "skinny fat"

Count me out of that category! I would much rather be fat and strong than to be skinny and weak.

I highly doubt it ever comes down to choosing between the two. Someone who never lifted weights in their life does not go from fat and strong to skinny and weak unless they do something extremely stupid or they get sick. Just normal dieting will not result in that.

The more likely scenario is that a fat person at say 45% body fat becomes a thin person at something like 25% body fat and the skinny fat shamers come down on the person. They are overall much more healthy at 25% body fat than at 45% body fat.

When I was 140 pounds, I was not any stronger than I am at 115 pounds, just merely by being fatter. I didn't really lift while losing weight because I had injured myself towards the beginning of dieting. I'm sure that overall, my body fat percentage went down. It always goes down by losing weight if you change nothing else other than diet.

I highly doubt it as well. But I was simply responding to the OP's claim that "everyone" would rather be skinny than fat. Not me. To me, strength, endurance, and muscle mass are WAY more important than how I look in the mirror.

I don't think that was the point. If we are including strength, endurance and muscle mass, I'll pick thin with those attributes over fat with those attributes. Being skinny does not mean a person can't also be muscular anymore than being fat means it.

Aviva92

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

I'd rather be 115 pounds and have feminine muscles that look good than look like that with those muscles. i kind of like to look like a female.

for a non-powerlifter fat person, the excess fat causing weakness sort of nullifies any extra lean muscle they have in my mind.

MoreBean13

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

I'd rather be 115 pounds and have feminine muscles that look good than look like that with those muscles. i kind of like to look like a female.

for a non-powerlifter fat person, the excess fat causing weakness sort of nullifies any extra lean muscle they have in my mind.

WHYYYYYY do you have to always go to the "that person doesn't look female" place, val?

Seriously, earlier in this thread you were so self-righteous about other people shaming women on this site. What do you think you just did?

LorinaLynn

I heard the term skinny fat long, long, long before joining this site. But the first time I truly understood it was after being... um... intimate with a guy who was skinny fat. Dressed, he looked normal. Out of his clothes, he looked like a bad cartoon character. Pot belly, droopy bum, bony chest and arms. He was unapologetic geek who never exercised and ate poorly. And for the record, none of that mattered to me at all and I still had a great time with him, but it was pretty shocking. I'd seen skinny guys. I'd seen fat guys. I never saw someone who was both before.

Last time I tried to lose weight, I was well on my way to becoming skinny fat. My BF% wasn't high enough to really qualify, but at the same weight I am now, I wore clothes about two sizes larger. My hips and waist were two inches larger than they are now. I was soft, squishy and mushy. And the chins... Ugh, the chins. :sad: It was the result of too large of a calorie deficit, not exercising properly and poor nutrition.

I'm strong now and love my muscles, but my goal isn't to be a rock hard fitness model type. I like having slightly higher body fat and softer curves. Plus, when my BF gets too low, it shows too much on my face. But you can be soft, "feminine" (whatever that means) and curvy without being weak and "skinny fat."

No one who truly understands what skinny fat is would wish to be that. No one ever says, "I want to look like I weigh 15 pounds more than I do."

Aviva92

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

I'd rather be 115 pounds and have feminine muscles that look good than look like that with those muscles. i kind of like to look like a female.

for a non-powerlifter fat person, the excess fat causing weakness sort of nullifies any extra lean muscle they have in my mind.

WHYYYYYY do you have to always go to the "that person doesn't look female" place, val?

I do? I said it just now, but I don't recall saying it before.

BinaryPulsar

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

Yeah, this is true!!

And in response to some things that have been said in the thread I also just want to add that what I can do with my body is also more important to me than what it looks like (I am a dancer after all). Although, I do like what I see. But, at one point in the thread I said that I was happy with what I see in the mirror and with my measurements and I was only saying that because what I mean is that at this point I am satisfied with that as a measurement of my bf% and do not feel the need to set up a dunk test (although at some point I will).

Rawr1978

sure, there's such a thing as "skinny fat". I used to see them in the gym- they'd kill themselves on cardio machines, ignore the strength training section, and their *kitten* were thin, but pretty much hung to the backs of their knees. Zero muscle tone.

Weird. What kind of cardio were they doing that didn't use their glutes??

I did stationary biking, rowing, those didnt use my glutes.

WendyTerry420

at first i thought people were talking about women who are skinny but with thick thighs or arms.

then i see pictures of what people are considering "skinny fat", and it's pretty much skinny people who don't have that beach body.

stop being insecure, people. any person who is fat or obese would kill to be "skinny fat"

Count me out of that category! I would much rather be fat and strong than to be skinny and weak.

I highly doubt it ever comes down to choosing between the two. Someone who never lifted weights in their life does not go from fat and strong to skinny and weak unless they do something extremely stupid or they get sick. Just normal dieting will not result in that.

The more likely scenario is that a fat person at say 45% body fat becomes a thin person at something like 25% body fat and the skinny fat shamers come down on the person. They are overall much more healthy at 25% body fat than at 45% body fat.

When I was 140 pounds, I was not any stronger than I am at 115 pounds, just merely by being fatter. I didn't really lift while losing weight because I had injured myself towards the beginning of dieting. I'm sure that overall, my body fat percentage went down. It always goes down by losing weight if you change nothing else other than diet.

I highly doubt it as well. But I was simply responding to the OP's claim that "everyone" would rather be skinny than fat. Not me. To me, strength, endurance, and muscle mass are WAY more important than how I look in the mirror.

I don't think that was the point. If we are including strength, endurance and muscle mass, I'll pick thin with those attributes over fat with those attributes. Being skinny does not mean a person can't also be muscular anymore than being fat means it.

Agreed. (Those weren't the choices the OP gave though. :ohwell:)

WendyTerry420

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

I'd rather be 115 pounds and have feminine muscles that look good than look like that with those muscles. i kind of like to look like a female.

for a non-powerlifter fat person, the excess fat causing weakness sort of nullifies any extra lean muscle they have in my mind.

WHYYYYYY do you have to always go to the "that person doesn't look female" place, val?

Seriously, earlier in this thread you were so self-righteous about other people shaming women on this site. What do you think you just did?

Agreed! If she doesn't look like a female, then someone needs their eyes checked.

Aviva92

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

I'd rather be 115 pounds and have feminine muscles that look good than look like that with those muscles. i kind of like to look like a female.

for a non-powerlifter fat person, the excess fat causing weakness sort of nullifies any extra lean muscle they have in my mind.

WHYYYYYY do you have to always go to the "that person doesn't look female" place, val?

Seriously, earlier in this thread you were so self-righteous about other people shaming women on this site. What do you think you just did?

Agreed! If she doesn't look like a female, then someone needs their eyes checked.

fine, she looks female, but i don't consider that to be an attractive look.

BinaryPulsar

at first i thought people were talking about women who are skinny but with thick thighs or arms.

then i see pictures of what people are considering "skinny fat", and it's pretty much skinny people who don't have that beach body.

stop being insecure, people. any person who is fat or obese would kill to be "skinny fat"

Count me out of that category! I would much rather be fat and strong than to be skinny and weak.

I highly doubt it ever comes down to choosing between the two. Someone who never lifted weights in their life does not go from fat and strong to skinny and weak unless they do something extremely stupid or they get sick. Just normal dieting will not result in that.

The more likely scenario is that a fat person at say 45% body fat becomes a thin person at something like 25% body fat and the skinny fat shamers come down on the person. They are overall much more healthy at 25% body fat than at 45% body fat.

When I was 140 pounds, I was not any stronger than I am at 115 pounds, just merely by being fatter. I didn't really lift while losing weight because I had injured myself towards the beginning of dieting. I'm sure that overall, my body fat percentage went down. It always goes down by losing weight if you change nothing else other than diet.

Again, i think you lack the understanding that those people are using it incorrectly.

The term means you are at an acceptable BMI weight vs. Height ratio but you have an OVERWEIGHT or OBESE level of body fat.

That is what the term means.

It has nothing to do with "shaming women for not having muscles". That's stupid and makes no sense. If someone is using it that way than they don't know what the term actually means.

Please please please tell me how I was healthier at a lower weight and 32% (OBESE) body fat than at a higher weight with around 19% body fat.

That isn't what I stated. I'm sure that you lifted a lot in order to get to that 19% body fat. The person said they would rather be fat and strong, rather than thin and weak. You seem to be neither of those. What does "fat and strong" even mean? Seems like a useless description. I know that they are using the term incorrectly. That was what I was trying to say.

You must have missed this earlier, if you don't know what it means to be both fat and strong.

Check the one that says "Strong Fat (bear mode)" on the bottom right.



Edit: the picture is too big. You'll have to see it in a new tab or window:
http://oi53.tinypic.com/35mh9fo.jpg

Oh, I never heard of Ottermode before. I like that terminology.

LorinaLynn

I would much rather be fat and strong than to be skinny and weak.

When I thought I could either "diet" (which to my ignorant mind meant eating minimally, and left me feeling like crap) to lose weight to be thinner, or eat what I want and be heavier but feel good and be happy, I stopped dieting.

I'm happy as a pig in poop that there was another option, and that was the closely guarded weight loss secret, "Eat right and exercise." :indifferent:

LiftAllThePizzas

What does "fat and strong" even mean?

Also, anyone who is 400 lbs and can walk is definitely stronger than I am. When people get fat they do need to have significant musculature to be able to move their body around. They might not be "power lifter" strong or super athletic, but any "weakness" is only relative to the amount of excess fat they need to move around just to do ordinary things.

I'd rather be 115 pounds and have feminine muscles that look good than look like that with those muscles. i kind of like to look like a female.

for a non-powerlifter fat person, the excess fat causing weakness sort of nullifies any extra lean muscle they have in my mind.

WHYYYYYY do you have to always go to the "that person doesn't look female" place, val?

Seriously, earlier in this thread you were so self-righteous about other people shaming women on this site. What do you think you just did?

Yeah. I don't agree with the premise that expressing a preference amounts to shaming, IMO that's BS. If I say I like one type of music it's not "shaming" anyone who likes other types of music.

But when she expresses that as her own standard, her above comment is total hypocrisy, especially when she even implies that she doesn't look female, which has nothing to do with one's own preference.

ETA: and she did it again.

jennaworksout

I had 29% body fat but had a BMI of 24 when I started. Obese is over 30% body fat. Skinny fat is used to describe someone who looks to be of normal weight but is carrying way too much body fat and not enough lean body mass.

I've lost only 15 pounds, but I've gone from a size 12 jeans down to a size 2.

That is what is meant by skinny fat--normal sized but still dangerously unhealthy.

exactly this ^^^

BinaryPulsar

Having personal preferences is not "body shaming". Insulting a person and saying incorrect things about that person's health or mental state (as an example) that you have no way of knowing just because of some small detail (weight, measurement, clothing size, body type, whatever) is what is meant when people say body shaming. However I think body shaming is a misleading term because it implies that the person being insulted feels shame. I don't personally feel shame when people insult me or my body type or when I see them do that to other people. But, I still find it annoying when people do it. And I am sure there are times when I do it unintentionally, but when I realize that I learn from my mistake. But, with that said, some amount of an ability to feel shame is what keeps people in check to some degree. The only people that are entirely shameless are sociopaths/psychopaths.

AnvilHead

WHYYYYYY do you have to always go to the "that person doesn't look female" place, val?

Seriously, earlier in this thread you were so self-righteous about other people shaming women on this site. What do you think you just did?

...or what about another thread in which a certain person ruthlessly shamed a muscular female who had breast implants? I guess it's ok to shame muscular people, but not skinnyfat people. Got it.

To the OP - "skinny fat", while a term that's often misused, refers to a person who is at a normal weight but has a high bodyfat percentage. As others have said, it certainly does exist outside of MFP, and is referred to clinically as "normal weight obesity".

Aviva92

...or what about another thread in which a certain person ruthlessly shamed a muscular female who had breast implants? I guess it's ok to shame muscular people, but not skinnyfat people. Got it.

I said that I don't like breast implants. I did not say anything negative about muscular people. Ruthless is a bit of a stretch. I said she had breast implants and people jumped all over me for it, so I expanded to say that I don't like breast implants that look fake. That was about it. Others were sort of ruthless towards me, yes that's true.

LiftAllThePizzas

I said that I don't like breast implants. ... I don't like breast implants that look fake.

Aviva92

disliking breast implants is not body shaming. last i checked, breast implants are bags of saline or silicone which are not part of any body naturally.

ktrn0312

Bump

Bumbeen

The term you are looking for is "feminine". That *weightlifter*, not powerlifter, does look female, but she most definitely does not look *feminine*.

Aviva92

The term you are looking for is "feminine". That *weightlifter*, not powerlifter, does look female, but she most definitely does not look *feminine*.

ty. that is correct.

LiftAllThePizzas

Wow, rope and shovels are not your friends.

Jonna13

http://lmgtfy.com/?q="skinny+fat"

Lol