Can someone show & explain skinny fat to me?

13

Replies

  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    I consider myself fat skinny
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I consider myself fat skinny

    LOL! I have great muscle but also fat pockets here and there. Pretty much always have.

    In the locker room back in high school I had a girl hear I wanted to lose 5 lbs and she said I just needed to 'tone up'. I was an athlete and trained a minimum of 3.5 hrs 5 days a week (not cardio or running, etc, btw)! In people with normal BMIs, sometimes they have enough muscle; they just have what I call 'bikini bulges' :D That's not 'skinny fat', y'all. It's just normal bulges. We're all not bikini model types unless we really, really work at it. It's not necessary to go that far, health-wise. Aesthetics? Personal choice :)
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I consider myself fat skinny

    LOL! I have great muscle but also fat pockets here and there. Pretty much always have.

    In the locker room back in high school I had a girl hear I wanted to lose 5 lbs and she said I just needed to 'tone up'. I was an athlete and trained a minimum of 3.5 hrs 5 days a week (not cardio or running, etc, btw)! In people with normal BMIs, sometimes they have enough muscle; they just have what I call 'bikini bulges' :D That's not 'skinny fat', y'all. It's just normal bulges. We're all not bikini model types unless we really, really work at it. It's not necessary to go that far, health-wise. Aesthetics? Personal choice :)

    sizing up on bikini should solve that, right? :flowerforyou:
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Can I be "somewhat muscular fat"? I don't really give my self a label. I'm at a healthy weight, have a decent amount of muscle an 25% body fat. I'm not lean. I'm not fat. I'm not "skinny". I'm not "skinny fat"....
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Can I be "somewhat muscular fat"? I don't really give my self a label. I'm at a healthy weight, have a decent amount of muscle an 25% body fat. I'm not lean. I'm not fat. I'm not "skinny". I'm not "skinny fat"....

    "normal"
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    this is my personal example...

    2011 - skinny fat - 120 pounds, 24-25% body fat
    2012 - fit - 130 pounds, 15% body fat

    You look stunning in both but to be honest they look the same to me except for the different lighting/tan and the pushup bikini. Where did you get those body fat %s from? 15% is below where you normally lose ability to menstruate. Here's some pics of other women at 15%.

    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

    I'm not saying women can't bulk, at all, ever. Most people here are obese. When people constantly post things like "don't aim for 2 lbs. a week or you'll just wind up skinny fat", it's kind of silly.

    Thank you. I do believe I said neither are bad pictures, just a difference in weight and body fat and and a clear difference in definition. I gained weight and lost body fat. I compete in bikini competitions and have had my body fat tested. 15% is considered athletic, not unhealthy. That's not to say the 25% is unhealthy, just doesn't work when competing.

    ETA: Here's a different picture of the 15% - excuse the spraytan - its required for competitions...

    sideab.jpg
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    That one does look more like 15% than the others to me. I'm guessing it's dehydrated (not that there's anything wrong with that). I wouldn't call you skinny fat in any of them, though, but maybe that was your point. I think the term applies to obese body fat percentages (32%+ for women) while at healthy BMI, when the medical community uses it.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...thinner to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    eta: removed my inappropriate remark. apologized in later post. :)
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    That one does look more like 15% than the others to me. I'm guessing it's dehydrated (not that there's anything wrong with that). I wouldn't call you skinny fat in any of them, though, but maybe that was your point. I think the term applies to obese body fat percentages (32%+ for women) while at healthy BMI, when the medical community uses it.

    I did say it was my personal opinion of my own before image compared to the after, based on the fact that I gained weight and lost body fat.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    I'm not really certain how you see a skeleton. I'm sure it was the pose I was standing in, more than anything else. I was about 125-128 pounds in that picture. But, thanks for the body shaming comment.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    I'm sure it was the pose I was standing in, more than anything else. I was about 125-128 pounds in that picture.

    Is that you in the picture as well?
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    I'm sure it was the pose I was standing in, more than anything else. I was about 125-128 pounds in that picture.

    Is that you in the picture as well?

    It is. I don't post other people's pictures.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...

    Well that was nice of you.

    Put up a picture of yourself in a bikini so we can make disparaging comments about you now. This game is fun!
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...

    Well that was nice of you.

    Put up a picture of yourself in a bikini so we can make disparaging comments about you now. This game is fun!

    Seriously.


    ETA: Except, the difference is, I would never put another woman down, whether she posted her own picture or someone else's. I just don't tear other women down. Only weak people do things like. Strong people lift others up.
  • mortuseon
    mortuseon Posts: 579 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    how rude
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    My apologies if my inappropriate choice of word has offended you or anybody else. I didn't mean so.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    Not cool.

    Eta: nm saw your second post :)
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    Not cool.

    Eta: nm saw your second post :)

    I guess "looking thinner than other competitors" might have had a slightly less negative outcome and it was what I truly meant to say...I have learned to keep my mouth shut. :drinker:
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    somehow the picture above with 15% looks...skeleton-ish to me...unlike other body builing competitors I have seen...

    Not cool.

    Eta: nm saw your second post :)

    I guess "looking thinner than other competitors" might have had a slightly less negative outcome and it was what I truly meant to say...I have learned to keep my mouth shut. :drinker:


    I really think its the pose I'm standing in, because I actually weighed a little more than some of the other competitors, but thank you for the apology.
  • Sarahliquid
    Sarahliquid Posts: 201 Member
    Thank you for this thread. I started working out in September. I'm 5'5" and started at 135 lbs and 31.4% BF. I was nearly obese with respect to BF only. That's skinny fat. I'm down to 28% now! but I didn't realize you could look thinner while gaining weight. I will be much less concerned about the scale now!
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Thank you for this thread. I started working out in September. I'm 5'5" and started at 135 lbs and 31.4% BF. I was nearly obese with respect to BF only. That's skinny fat. I'm down to 28% now! but I didn't realize you could look thinner while gaining weight. I will be much less concerned about the scale now!

    The time in my life when I wore the smallest size clothes was when I weighed the most--almost 160 pounds. If you asked anyone what they thought I weighed, they would answer 120-125. I was lifting heavy, and I was smokin' hot. Ah, youth.
  • BostonStrong617
    BostonStrong617 Posts: 117
    I feel like this is used by someone who also uses the words "Thigh gap" "Bikini Birdge" and ABC Diet.

    I understand that this can be legitimately used but the pictures posted of "examples" on the first page are ****ing ridiculous. All women tend to store a little extra flab on their butt and aren't even close to being fat "Skinny fat" or otherwise.

    And I completely agree with the sentiment that you/re going to see better results from lifting than from cardio
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • legenary111
    legenary111 Posts: 1 Member
    Skinny-fat, imo, is being at a healthy weight but having a relatively high bodyfat percentage. Note, not *unhealthy* but high relative to total bodyweight. Usually as a result of little to no resistance training and rapid weight loss.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    I think there are actually two different definitions that are commonly used.

    1. Healthy BMI, unhealthy body fat percentage (above 30% for women).

    2. Healthy BMI, upper end of the healthy body fat percentage, low muscle percentage.


    The first has some serious medical consequences especially later in life. This should be avoided.

    The second is more atheistic preference but it's use can be insulting to people who just don't want a lot of muscle or don't want to be especially lean. Like Puffy's first picture. There's nothing wrong with that. Some people want to look that way. To call those people "skinny fat" IS insulting them. We don't all have the same preferences or goals.

    All of this.

    1 - is more in line with Normal Weight Obesity which can have similar health implication to obesity
    2 - Preference, scare mongering or an insult depending on context
  • Binky_Muffin
    Binky_Muffin Posts: 191 Member
    Seems that "skinny fat" means different things to different people. As long as you are comfortable in your body, feel good and have a healthy BMI and weight, who cares if you're "toned" or whatever. Some people don't like lifting and I think that's ok.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    The general consensus on here is an unhealthy BF% with a healthy BMI.

    But based on the posts in this thread, that is not the consensus.

    Skinny obese?
    Skinny morbidly obese?

    Skinny fat is a social term not medical. Not a single pubmed article uses the term as a ref or title.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    this is my personal example...

    2011 - skinny fat - 120 pounds, 24-25% body fat
    2012 - fit - 130 pounds, 15% body fat


    bodyfatdifference.jpg
    You look stunning in both but to be honest they look the same to me except for the different lighting/tan and the pushup bikini. Where did you get those body fat %s from? 15% is below where you normally lose ability to menstruate. Here's some pics of other women at 15%.

    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

    I'm not saying women can't bulk, at all, ever. Most people here are obese. When people constantly post things like "don't aim for 2 lbs. a week or you'll just wind up skinny fat", it's kind of silly.


    Youre gorgeous but did your tattoo migrate in both pics?

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    120lb one was taken by someone...128lb one was a selfie in a mirror...wowsers.

    As well I use the term skinny fat but do not use the terms "thigh gap" or "bikini bridge" unless it's to make a joke...the last two are genetics the skinny fat is not.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    this is my personal example...

    2011 - skinny fat - 120 pounds, 24-25% body fat
    2012 - fit - 130 pounds, 15% body fat

    You look stunning in both but to be honest they look the same to me except for the different lighting/tan and the pushup bikini. Where did you get those body fat %s from? 15% is below where you normally lose ability to menstruate. Here's some pics of other women at 15%.

    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

    I'm not saying women can't bulk, at all, ever. Most people here are obese. When people constantly post things like "don't aim for 2 lbs. a week or you'll just wind up skinny fat", it's kind of silly.


    Youre gorgeous but did your tattoo migrate in both pics?

    thank you. And, yes. Yes, it did. It was magic.

Categories