caloric deficit necessary for "skinny fat" girl?

Is a caloric deficit necessary for a "skinny fat" girl? I'm 120lb at 5'4" (originally 105lbs). A lot that weight is fat, exampled by my pictures. MFP calculated that I should net 1200 calories a day, but it's SO HARD. I try to burn 300 calories a day, but obviously I eat that back + more.

Also, I've only been doing cardio for the past 4 weeks because I don't know how to do anything else. I've noticed a difference in my endurance, but I haven't lost any inches or weight. A YMCA trainer showed me a few strength training machines today--I'm pretty excited to start that.

My question is, as a flabby "skinny" girl, how many calories should I really be eating and burning? Should I reduce cardio and increase weight training (when I know more)?

On a different note, my friends are deliberately trying to sabotage me! :laugh: Haha I guess I whine too much about the 1200 cal limit.

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Looking differently is definitely more important to me than a number. I don't want to sabotage my metabolism with an extreme diet, either.

I tried shoulder press today and was struggling with 10lbs. Pretty sad... So I'll start the 30-day shred after I get some 3lb weights.

30 Day Shred is more cardio, not strength training. Just because you're holding 3 lbs. dumbbells doesn't make it strength training. Pass on more cardio and start a progressive lifting program.

Starting Strength will have a roadmap to guide you in terms of progression. But as a beginner, the focus will be on perfecting form. So training frequency and volume will be low with moderate to heavy intensity. As you get stronger, training frequency and volume will increase.

Thank you everyone!! I think I'll up my calories to 1600/day for strength training. I'm going to research Starting Strength and New Rules of Lifting for Women now.

Off the bat, would this be a good regime: 2 days weight training/2 days cardio (sprinting) per week? How long should each session be? Let me know if I should move this question to Fitness and Exercise.

I found that works for me and I think it would be a great starting program for you. When we were lifting 3 days/week (I do so with my fiance), we just found it to be too much with the sprinting. It felt like we weren't really recovered. So 2 days/week lifting and 2 days/week sprinting works for us, and I also walk/hike a good deal. I think it would be a great start for you.

I prefer 3x5 because you can lift heavier as you go. To me, Stronglifts appears to be a rip off of Starting Strength's 3x5 program with no real explanation for the extra sets. People just notice that with the increased volume, that they hit a ceiling earlier and can't lift as heavy. Otherwise, they're very similar, especially in the beginning.

For sprinting, start off slowly (not in speed, but in time/sets) because you want to give your body time to adapt -- especially the tendons, joints, ligaments. And, if possible, sprint up a hill -- it helps you keep good form (high kick) and reduces potential for injury (easier to slow down). The idea is to sprint at your maximum for the time limit. We started with 3 sets of 8 second sprints -- literally that was all -- with a rest period in between enough to bring heart rate and breathing to normal (usually a couple of mins). Then the next week, we did 4 sets of 8 second sprints. Each week, increase until you're doing 8 sets of 8 seconds. Once you master that, then you can start upping the sprinting time (increase to 10 seconds, etc.). You'll be shocked by how much it works!

I'm in a very similar situation! I'm super petite (4'11" and +/- 99lbs) and at a healthy weight but really need to change my body's composition. If I figure it out I can post pictures lol, but I'm just really confused about what is best for me at this point. On the one hand, to burn fat I know cardio is more effective but I don't want to actually lose 'weight' just lower my BFP.

I've recently started a lifting program (5x a week, each day different muscle group) and don't know how many calories I should be eating. According to my FitBit, I usually burn about 1500 (with exercise) and have been eating around 1200. My macros are 40/40/20 (c/p/f). Any advice out there? Should I be focusing on cardio? Eating more or less?

Thanks in advance!

@macrotracko thanks for sharing your experience! I'd love to hear your results when you get your next bfp scan. I think I might try focusing on a smaller deficit and see how that goes. What were your macros before you started 40/30/30? Do you think it makes a big difference from 40/40/20 ?