Skinny fat help.

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Hannahjane123456
Hannahjane123456 Posts: 116 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 26 years old. 120 pounds and 4 foot 11. I think I'm skinny fat, I carry most of my weight on my stomach, I look skinny in clothes but I'm actually fat underneath.

I do the 4.3 diet which is around 550 calories a day for 3x a week and I intermediate fast rest of the days eating around 1500 calories.

I exercise 6 days a week and lift weights and do bum exercises and do around 2 hours of cardio a day.

I'm worried I'm skinny fat though and if I'm just burning away my muscles,I tend to binge on lots of junk food and don't eat well at all.
I just don't understand though how many calories I need to eat to body recomp and how much exercise, I feel like I'm gonna get to my goal weight of 105 pounds and still be fat.

Replies

  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    Lose weight at a steady pace, not too fast by eating at a defecit, but not too low. Eat enough protein. Like 75 to 85 grams a day. Keep lifting weights.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Stop the 4:3 diet for starters along side doing cardio for 2 hours a day. Not necessary at all and eating the very low calories days are not helping your recomp efforts in the least.

    Protein is important so get a min each day around .8 to 1 gr per body weight, and keep lifting. Sprinkle in a little cardio but certainly not 2 hours worth and do the cardio for your overall fitness goals and cardiovascular health, and even then your nutrition needs are important for all your training efforts.

    eta... update your calorie goal in MFP by telling it you want to maintain see how many calories its gives you. You can maintain your weight during recomp or add a little deficit to that to lose the last little bit you want to, but certainly keep this a very small deficit.
  • emailmehere1122
    emailmehere1122 Posts: 140 Member
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    You're only getting 7650 calories a week...the minimum for women is 1200 a day times 7 days a week...that works out to 8400 a week. Plus you're supposed to eat back your exercise calories.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    So ... personally, I think this whole post is a mess. But my short recommendations to you in getting to your goals are: cut the cardio, and eat a lot more protein. Eat better foods, and you will see results.

    Also if you binge, ever, there's something wrong with your diet. I like intermittent* fasting, but if it causes you to binge, it's not for you.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I got a little confused reading the post as well. Your calories are definitely too low. People that don't have a lot to lose should have a small calorie defecit. Slower weight loss to not burn through your muscle. I am petite as well. I am around 5'1 and weigh around 105. I ate 1900 calories a day if I wanted to cut a little. And maintain anywhere from 2000 to 2300 depending on my activity level because I am a dancer. Getting enough protein. I think 75 or 85 is enough for a small person. And keeping up with strength training 2 or 3 days a week. Those things are important to keep and/or build muscle.
  • Hannahjane123456
    Hannahjane123456 Posts: 116 Member
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    Thank you for all your replies :)

    Would you guys suggest dropping the 4.3 diet and start eating around 1600 calories a day, having more protein and eating better food and still doing weights and doing cardio for a good hour a day.

    I'm just really worried if I eat 1600 calories a day I won't lose weight. I find it so hard to lose weight.
  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
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    Since you are shorter, your maintenance calories (and therefore calorie deficit to lose weight) is going to be lower. Probably about 1500 without exercise. However since you do exercise so much, I estimate that puts your TDEE between 1800-2000. Let’s say 1900.

    That means to lose 1 lb per week, you would have to eat 1400 every day. You might do fine on that for a while, but remember that as you get closer to your goal, your TDEE drops as well. 0.5 lb/week would be better to switch to at some point, which would be 1650 (or lower, depending on what your TDEE is at that point. Just calculate your TDEE - 250 cal).

    ** Please note that with this method, you do NOT eat back the “extra” calories that MFP gives you, as they are already factored into your TDEE.
  • emailmehere1122
    emailmehere1122 Posts: 140 Member
    edited September 2017
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    Definitely more calories...I would suggest setting your calories at sedentary and maintain weight if you're going to be doing an hour of cardio. The calories you're burning from the cardio and weight lifting will put you in the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.

    If you like eating fewer calories some days so you can save them that's up to you. I save 100-150 calories a day because I know I'm going to eat out on Friday. I'm going to want to enjoy my dinner without blowing the entire week

    If you're not weighing your food I suggest you start...a little bit here and there adds up. Verify that the info is correct before you choose an entry

    You're a small person so weight lose is going to be slower than it is for bigger people. Consider measuring yourself so you can see some progress because the scale can be a heartbreaker

    You'll have to make adjustments but do it patiently. Because I have lost weight mfp wants to lower my calories...if it ain't broke I'm not going to try to fix it. I want to eat as many calories as I can and still reach my goals so I'm keeping the calories the same until my fat loss stalls.

    You haven't been eating enough. Don't freak out if you gain back a little water weight. It's just water...the goal is to lose fat. Eating all health foods isn't necessary to lose fat...as long as you're in a caloric deficit you should lose weight. But make sure you get all your fats and protein.

    I think I've rambled on enough...let us know how your progressing and good luck

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