Short and... Skinny Fat?

WellAlB · January 2018

Hi y’all!
I’m twenty years old, and stand very tall at 5’3 (if you round up).

According to my BMI (should I trust that thing) I’m horribly overweight at 154 lbs.

But the thing is, I’m skinny fat. I know the whole “skinny fat” thing is a controversial statement in itself but for me it stands true. No one believes me when I say I weigh as much as I do. But here’s the deal, I know if I gain anymore then it’d really start to show.

My goal is to get down to 135 because that is where I’ve felt my healthiest.

But it’s hard. Is anyone else starting in a sort of “skinny fat” phase? Should I start “cutting” or “bulking”? I wouldn’t describe myself as being lean; I have an hourglass figure and I’ve been called big-boned so I’m not sure if I should try to get smaller before trying to get fit. I’ve been eating better than I ever have before for the past 2-3 months and I’ve only lost 2.5 pounds. I’m kind of lost and stuck. Anyone in the same boat who has found success or has any suggestions would be a real help.

PAV8888 · January 2018

Standard BMI calculators simply call you overweight.

Skinny fat denotes a normal weight person who is metabolically obese, perhaps due to a disproportionately low amount of lean mass for the fat they have.

Irrespectivelly of how much relative lean mass you have, bulking does not enter the picture at your current overweight position.

Set yourself a reasonable deficit (500 Cal a day), eat sufficient protein (say 105 to 135g a day assuming no health concerns that would preclude doing so) and engage in strength training just like you would if you were bulking... and your results will be fabulous!!!

kimny72 · January 2018

Yeah, BMI doesn't say you're "horribly overweight". Listen to @PAV8888 and be patient. Good luck!

WellAlB · January 2018

Early last year my BMI hit right at 30. Which, from my understanding, is the threshold into “obese”. I don’t feel that way but it was enough to tell me I needed to start watching what I eat and start exercising.

Thanks for the advice, guys!

PAV8888 · January 2018

Log your food. Carefully. Before you eat it by preference.
Weight almost everything that you can weigh.
Measure whatever liquids you can't weigh.
Chose your database entries carefully (verify with packaging, verify using the USDA standard reference database https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list?ds=Standard+Reference)
Don't think of foods as good or bad: REVIEW YOUR LOGS and evaluate your foods as to whether they were worth it for your calorie budget (satiating? tasty? some combination?)
Modify your choices based on your caloric budget!

Actually... why don't you have a look at the AnnPlan (tm)

?
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm#

littledainty · January 2018

First off, five footer here. 5' 3" isn't really that short.

Second of all, I think you might be misinterpreting what 'skinny fat' means to most people here. We would use skinny fat for someone whose BMI is normal but still has a lot of fat on there body. This often happens when people lose a lot of weight very quickly without exercising, as they lose a lot of muscle.

I think what you mean is that even though your BMI says you're 'fat' (overweight) you and others feel that you look slim and shouldn't be classified as such? This is my interpretation based on what you've written so sorry if that's not right.

People in general are terrible at guessing weight. Everyone has a distorted view of what 'healthy' looks like and 'big boned' isn't a thing. If your BMI says you're overweight the chances are you could stand to lose a few pounds. 135 is a great goal for you as it will put you back in the healthy range and 2.5 lbs is a great start so build on what you've already done, but tighten up your logging and find yourself an activity that you enjoy and can stick with that will work on building muscle. If you're just satrting out you don't need to worry about cutting/bulking cycles just yet.

PAV8888 · January 2018

Ooopsies, I think I misinterpreted the OP

Thank you @littledainty.

Our environment and people's expectations affect how we perceive.

I am at the upper end of normal weight for my height at bmi ~23.7, ~156lbs. My ~23.5% dexa scan derived body fat is within the normal range for my age (if I were younger it would place me in the low overweight bodyfat range instead, but up to 25% is "normal" for my age group)!

If I pinch my belly and tell someone I met more recently that I've put on a few lbs over Christmas and that I would like to lose them, they will nod and mutter something about going to the gym.

If I were to say the same thing to people who knew me when I was morbidly obese and well over 40% body fat they would look at me like I've gone insane.

Most of the people who knew me when I was in the ~280lb range started expressing concern as to how low I was planning to go a good 10lbs BEFORE I got into the normal weight range!

Unless people have been strength training for an appreciable amount of time it is unlikely that the upper end of normal BMI will force them into an under fat position.

LivingtheLeanDream · January 2018

You're not horribly overweight at 154, you have 20lbs to lose. Set your loss rate to 0.5-1lb a week, track your food intake accurately, using a food scale is key because most of the time we really are eating more than we think. Commit to logging your food and moving a big more and weight loss will follow.

I was 154 when I started off, I'm 5ft 2. I was fed up with years of yoyo dieting where I half starved myself and then just gave up as it wasn't sustainable or even healthy. For me what worked was the slow and steady approach and it took me almost a year. That was sustainable for me, I even went on to lose more weight and have been maintaining a healthy weight now for almost 5 years.

I would just say to not think of weight loss being something that has to happen in a short period of time, rather look on it as a better way of eating/moderating portions/moving more being something you can keep on doing for the rest of your life in order to keep the weight from returning.

Its best to introduce exercise now as you lose weight, it helps preserve muscle as we lose fat if you do strength/resistance training while you eat at deficit.

All the best.

crb426 · January 2018

You know, it's funny. I started out at 5'6", 165 lbs but I really didn't feel "overweight". I thought I'd lose a few pounds because my pants were getting tight, and I just kept going until I got down to 130!

It was only then that I realized a lighter weight was where I was happiest, and I realized just how big I looked before. I think I was in denial before because looking back on photos I did not look how I imagined I did.

People were ALWAYS telling me how "thin" I was back at 165lbs. People are nice. They generally won't tell you that you need to lose a few pounds (probably because it's not important to them either).

If your happy place is 135, then go for it. For you.

yvonne_beavis · January 2018

This made me feel a bit sad as I am 5.3, 154 lbs and feeling pretty pleased with myself, having started out at 196 lbs 30 lbs to go doesn't seem so bad! There is a lot of subjectivity around weight loss and I am finding that people who haven't seen me for a while do a double take and later on tell me (with very serious face on) not to go 'too far', as though I were in danger of starving myself ( not likely!). You aren't horribly overweight, but your goal seems absolutely fine to me. Don't worry about skinny fatness, and good luck.

Noreenmarie1234 · January 2018

littledainty wrote: »

First off, five footer here. 5' 3" isn't really that short.

Second of all, I think you might be misinterpreting what 'skinny fat' means to most people here. We would use skinny fat for someone whose BMI is normal but still has a lot of fat on there body. This often happens when people lose a lot of weight very quickly without exercising, as they lose a lot of muscle.

I think what you mean is that even though your BMI says you're 'fat' (overweight) you and others feel that you look slim and shouldn't be classified as such? This is my interpretation based on what you've written so sorry if that's not right.

People in general are terrible at guessing weight. Everyone has a distorted view of what 'healthy' looks like and 'big boned' isn't a thing. If your BMI says you're overweight the chances are you could stand to lose a few pounds. 135 is a great goal for you as it will put you back in the healthy range and 2.5 lbs is a great start so build on what you've already done, but tighten up your logging and find yourself an activity that you enjoy and can stick with that will work on building muscle. If you're just satrting out you don't need to worry about cutting/bulking cycles just yet.

Completely agree with this.

However, are you male or female? It really makes a difference because males seem to look thinner when overweight vs females. (I think its ridiculous the BMI weight range is the same for both men and women)

Even so, you are not "skinny" if you are overweight. With over 66 percent of Americans overweight, many have a distortion in what a healthy weight really looks like. If you don't look like you weigh as much as you do, you wouldn't be skinnyfat. It would mean you have more muscle as those who are heavier, but have a lot of muscle, look like they weigh less. (Like this girl

) Your goal of 135 is a good starting point. You definitely shouldn't be cutting/bulking until you get into a healthy weight range.

LivingtheLeanDream · January 2018

@yvonne_beavis well done on your loss so far, you're doing great and you are right to feel pleased with your progress. Weight is subjective, two people can be the same height but be very different weights yet look pretty much the same, differing builds and the amount of muscle all contribute.

For example I'm 5ft 2 and so are two of my friends, all the same age - we all look very slim except I am around 15lbs heavier than them - all down to build and muscle. The weight on the scale is just a number.

Keep up the great work

~Ruth

Sunna_W · January 2018

Your weight can also be water weight, which is normal for a woman to have and it fluctuates with your cycle, if you are female.

I recomped by doing the following:

I eat more protein (including the skin on my organic chicken) and healthy fats (olive oil, organic animal fat, coconut oil) and less sugar and carbs (I don't go below 100 g of carbs). My carbs are things like beans, sweet potatoes, cold boiled/steamed potatoes and other veggies that have carbs that I like. I eat rice and pasta in moderation (like only 1/2 a serving and I make sure that it's mixed in with my food or sauce). I treat myself occasionally to steak fries, pizza, and bread just so I don't feel overly deprived.
I eat the calories for my goal maintenance weight... and my metabolism is fine. I weigh my food in advance so that I am eating only my allotted calories.
I include only moderate exercise and weight training (nothing too strenuous) and I don't eat back my calories...

Before you embark on this, have someone to help you measure the circumference of your upper arm, this is one of the areas where we hold extra fat. Measure every 30 days and you should see the amount of fat decrease and the muscle revealed.

Some of my pre-planned meals include:

243 calorie Breakfast: 2 HB eggs, 100 g of cold steamed potato

170 calorie Lunch: 8 oz chopped veggies (red and green cabbages, carrots, broccoli, jicama, bell peppers, radishes and celery) with Raw Apple Cider vinegar and salt plus 3 oz of turkey or chicken breast

Dinner is usually 4 oz of meat, veggies and something with moderate carbs.

I like to eat peanut butter, EPIC meat bars (low sugar / carb) or some other high protein snack in the mid afternoon.

One of my favorite flavored waters is Spindrift: https://spindriftfresh.com/where-to-buy/

WellAlB · January 2018

@yvonne_beavis

You should feel pleased! Please don’t feel sad.
For myself, I know 154 isn’t my healthiest weight. But I think that’s why losing weight is so hard for me. I’m comfortable where I’m at, and I don’t feel awfully out of shape.

@LivingtheLeanDream

I guess I have to learn patience. I’ve felt so discouraged at only losing the 2 lbs in 2-3 months. How many pounds did you lose the first year?

I’m trying to wrap myself around this being a lifetime journey and not a lose quick diet trick.

yvonne_beavis · January 2018

It's taken me 2 years to lose 50lbs, I honestly don't know how many in the first year, it goes up and down, and slowly (I'm not a youngster), but bit by bit, I'm getting there and now feel so much fitter.

The_Ta · January 2018

BMI is only a guideline. A very muscular person can rate as overweight or obese due to muscle mass. A “normal” weight person can have nothing but flab.

That said, perhaps you should talk to your healthcare provider to get some feedback instead of armchair nutritionists in these boards. I am a RN, and I have seen some horrible advice given. If you can’t go see you HCP, you can consider these assessments. Can you easily do a HIIT circuit or run a mile or two without dying? Can you grab a handful of flab, not a little pinch of skin, from your middle? This can help you determine if you should lose weight or if you are just fit.

Jashwood92 · January 2018

We are literally the same person. I am 5 foot 3 (barely) and 154 lol. Well I was 154 2 weeks ago. Now I'm 150. I am the definition of skinny fat.

kimny72 · January 2018

The_Ta wrote: »

BMI is only a guideline. A very muscular person can rate as overweight or obese due to muscle mass. A “normal” weight person can have nothing but flab.

That said, perhaps you should talk to your healthcare provider to get some feedback instead of armchair nutritionists in these boards. I am a RN, and I have seen some horrible advice given. If you can’t go see you HCP, you can consider these assessments. Can you easily do a HIIT circuit or run a mile or two without dying? Can you grab a handful of flab, not a little pinch of skin, from your middle? This can help you determine if you should lose weight or if you are just fit.

Could you clue us in as to which advice is horrible? I'd hate to keep giving or liking horrible advice.

Are you saying if you are classified overweight but can run a mile then you don't need to lose weight?

PAV8888 · January 2018

@The_Ta in for pinpointing of horrible advice.

I mean even though I don't always agree with Sunna, even her advice today (or rather description of what she does) is far from horrible.

So care to expand on horrible?

The_Ta · January 2018

To those that felt slighted and/or want clarification

“Horrible advice” includes nutritional advice in the form of buzzwords of the latest and greatest diet fad and can found throughout these forums though the comment was not focused on this thread in particular.

The OP asked about BMI and then mentioned being “skinny fat”, so it bears logic to help her discover if she is actually in need of losing weight to satisfy a general guideline. Unfit skinny people have difficulty with exercise. Very athletic people can score a higher BMI due to body composition. The ability to grab a handful of flesh indicates that a reduction weight is possible (unless this is excess skin from a massive weight loss, but she never mentioned a history of obesity).

kimny72 · January 2018

So there was no horrible advice on this thread, but you told her to ignore it anyway because you've seen horrible advice given in other threads?

OP, I think you've gotten great advice on this thread. There are lots of generous and knowledgeable posters here. You've got this! Let us know how you do and if you need any more help :drinker:

Short and... Skinny Fat?

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