Any Advice for a "Skinny Fat" Girl?

Hi there!

I'm looking to lose about twenty lbs of fat and to tone up as well. I'm very small boned, but I have a lot of access weight on the sides of my waist (making me look really wide) and in my inner thighs and knees.

If anyone has any exercises/ advice to give me I would GREATLY appreciate it.

I'm currently 142 lbs.

Replies

  • ColeCake292012
    ColeCake292012 Posts: 247 Member
    If you want to aid in firming up, definitely look into strength training. There's many things you can do right at home, just with your body weight alone to help!
  • Cyan99
    Cyan99 Posts: 84 Member
    Same situation myself... in for the tips :)
  • fightingtobefitt
    fightingtobefitt Posts: 12 Member
    I will for sure look into weight training!

    A lot of people don't realize that being "Skinny fat" can be really tough in itself...you don't get very much positive motivation from people you know IRL
  • fightingtobefitt
    fightingtobefitt Posts: 12 Member
    bump
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Find a progressive loading strength training program and stick with it for 6-8 weeks. Strong Lifts is a great place to start.
  • I'm in the same situation. I'm aiming to start strength training; more muscle increases your metabolism and burns fat faster, and if you replace 1lb of fat with 1lb of muscle -(so no overall weight loss, but fat loss)- then your size should decrease as muscle is more dense/has a lower volume. I'm hoping I'll see results by September. :)

    My diet also needs a bit of a rehaul. I'm slowly cutting out processed sugar and replacing my usual snacks (chocolate!) with veggies and healthier fats. With strength training, I've heard you need to up your protein intake to build the muscle and recover from aches quicker; I still need to find a way of doing this.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I'm in the same situation. I'm aiming to start strength training; more muscle increases your metabolism and burns fat faster, and if you replace 1lb of fat with 1lb of muscle -(so no overall weight loss, but fat loss)- then your size should decrease as muscle is more dense/has a lower volume. I'm hoping I'll see results by September. :)

    My diet also needs a bit of a rehaul. I'm slowly cutting out processed sugar and replacing my usual snacks (chocolate!) with veggies and healthier fats. With strength training, I've heard you need to up your protein intake to build the muscle and recover from aches quicker; I still need to find a way of doing this.

    Protein powder
    Lunch Meat
    String Cheese
    Greek Yogurt
    Chicken
    Steak


    ^All good sources of protein. You need 0.8g per lb of lean mass.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Find a progressive loading strength training program and stick with it for 6-8 weeks. Strong Lifts is a great place to start.

    this..

    I've been doing Stronglifts 5x5 for 6 months and have lost 5% bf...6-8 weeks probably wont be long enough to see any significant changes...but it's a good start.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    This is the summary for it.
  • Tenpest
    Tenpest Posts: 3
    Introducing a little bit of cardio into your weekly routine goes a long way :) An hour of running at a steady pace can burn 400-600cals and gives you an excuse to up carb intake.

    Increasing protein intake helps keep me full throughout the day too, and those chocolate protein shakes do cravings a world of good!
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Find a progressive loading strength training program and stick with it for 6-8 weeks. Strong Lifts is a great place to start.

    yup. get plenty of protein. pick up heavy things. profit.
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
    Definitely incorporate some strength training! It's a different kind of workout - I used to be turned off by it. I was a cardio queen! I started doing Chalean Extreme in November, finished the program in February and loved the results that came. I feel stronger, metabolism is probably the best it's been since my early 20's! Don't be scared of the weights! So yes, do cardio, but don't overdo it, and lift!
  • Jewlz280
    Jewlz280 Posts: 547 Member
    I see Stronglifts has already been mentioned. So, there ya go. I like it because it's simple, effective and FREE! :D
  • fightingtobefitt
    fightingtobefitt Posts: 12 Member
    I currently have only a set of three pound weights and no gym membership :/. Should I invest in heavier weights or can I make it work? How many pounds would you suggest if I did get new ones?
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    I currently have only a set of three pound weights and no gym membership :/. Should I invest in heavier weights or can I make it work? How many pounds would you suggest if I did get new ones?
    I'd do bodyweight workouts before spending a lot of time with a 3lb weight. Convict Conditioning / You are your own gym are two that come to mind.

    do that while you look for used equipment. Craigslist is a goldmine. A bench, a bar, and some plates would do you right to start with.
  • There are a lot of strength training exercises you can do using your body weight only. Lots of YouTube help out there without the cost of the gym membership. However, you can pick up inexpensive hand weights just about anywhere when you feel you're ready to add that to your routine.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I currently have only a set of three pound weights and no gym membership :/. Should I invest in heavier weights or can I make it work? How many pounds would you suggest if I did get new ones?
    I'd do bodyweight workouts before spending a lot of time with a 3lb weight. Convict Conditioning / You are your own gym are two that come to mind.

    do that while you look for used equipment. Craigslist is a goldmine. A bench, a bar, and some plates would do you right to start with.

    Definitely do a body weight routine. Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym are both great and are progressive loading (which means they get harder as you go on).
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
    Tosca Reno's Eat Clean book! It will tweak your diet and get the fat off with exercise.
  • jillyrobb
    jillyrobb Posts: 36 Member
    I've been kind of in the same boat, and I've recently started using kettlebells for weight training at home because I don't want the hassle and expense of a gym. They take up much less space than a bar and plates, but you can still progressive load as you would with traditional lifting.
    It works tons of smaller stabilizer muscles as well as the larger ones, and it's amazing cardio, too. So far, I'm loving it, and I'm really feeling--and just now starting to see--a difference.
  • tmjdunn
    tmjdunn Posts: 77 Member
    Check out www.fitnessblender.com. They have a ton of videos with bodyweight strength training. They also have cardio and circuit type videos. I have been using them a bunch and love the workouts.
  • FoodFitnessTravel
    FoodFitnessTravel Posts: 294 Member
    same here :) let's go LIFTING!