“Skinny Fat” problem: pls help !!
Options
demimarie18
Posts: 1 Member
I’m a 20 year old girl. I’m currently 54 kg (119 lbs) and 172 cm (5,8). According to my BMI I am classified as ‘underweight’. Recently, I have been in a calorie deficit to lose body fat because even tho I am at an “unhealthy” weight I still have excess fat on my body e.g. stomach and thighs. How could this be ? It makes me worry that I am going to have to be in a calorie deficit to the point where I am even more underweight to achieve the body I want.
It makes me look at other girls my age and wonder if they are severely underweight (even more than I am) to achieve such lean figures ?
Has anyone had a similar experience or can give any advice/guidance ?
It makes me look at other girls my age and wonder if they are severely underweight (even more than I am) to achieve such lean figures ?
Has anyone had a similar experience or can give any advice/guidance ?
4
Replies
-
Without any more information I'd say a good resistance training program would be the ticket for you along with proper diet.16
-
You probably don't have nearly as much fat as you think you do. If you want to lose fat without losing more weight (which, if you are already underweight you should NOT lose more weight) then you should work to gain muscle.19
-
Lift weights5
-
demimarie18 wrote: »I’m a 20 year old girl. I’m currently 54 kg (119 lbs) and 172 cm (5,8). According to my BMI I am classified as ‘underweight’. Recently, I have been in a calorie deficit to lose body fat because even tho I am at an “unhealthy” weight I still have excess fat on my body e.g. stomach and thighs. How could this be ? It makes me worry that I am going to have to be in a calorie deficit to the point where I am even more underweight to achieve the body I want.
It makes me look at other girls my age and wonder if they are severely underweight (even more than I am) to achieve such lean figures ?
Has anyone had a similar experience or can give any advice/guidance ?
I think you are looking at it the wrong way. If we assume that you have more fat than is normal at your weight (this is an assumption, because if you haven't measured your body fat, your perception might not be reality), the issue is not your body fat (which is pretty much guaranteed to be in the normal or lower range), but rather a lack of muscle mass. Because if you are underweight and have more fat than expected, you definitely don't have enough muscle mass. Increasing muscle mass should be the focus, not losing fat.
You should see your doctor before you do (if you lost weight in an unhealthy way to get underweight, you may have some underlying health issues that should be monitored), but if you get the go ahead, follow a weight lifting program and eat at a slight surplus. That will take time, but you can build up your muscle. And then once you are comfortably in a normal weight range, you can look at cutting calories to lose some fat. This will likely be a slow process and take some patience and dedication, but it can be done.
Without seeing them, I can't say for sure, but these other girls you look at could quite possibly have a higher BMI than you, they just have more muscle.
Focusing on muscle, not body fat, is going to be what gets you the change you seek.20 -
Adding to previous comment: I have seen two body profiles that fit your description. One is someone who is normal weight/over fat. That is usually some one with a small frame and lower muscle mass. Two: normal weight/appropriate body fat with “over fat areas”. This means that, while overall body fat is normal or low, there is excess body fat in certain areas.
Both of these are genetically determined body types. And, as stated by others, the focus should be on building and shaping muscle, not on losing fat. I don’t think that calorie restriction is the healthiest or most effective approach in your case. You also have to be realistic about the body you have-which may not always be the body you want.
It would also be helpful to do some quality body composition testing done. That can be easier said than done, but if there is a university nearby that might have some options.11 -
If you are skinny the best way to fix it is slow bulk and lift. Eat about 500-700 calories over maintenance, high protein, diet. The fix for skinny fat is to add muscle and once you've done that you go into a deficit again to bring the body fat down again.4
-
I will add in a link to a good thread with a bunch of lifting programs.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
But it's very common for underweight people to have fat and it's driven by too little muscle mass (like others have alluded to).
Lift heavy, eat about 300-500 calories over maintenance and you gain some weight. You might have to cycle between bulks/cuts a few times until you get the results you want.11 -
First I want to compliment the OP for such a reasoned question. She obviously thinks she has a fat problem, but is insightful enough to understand that her current approach might not be the best pathway.
I also want to compliment the comments in he thread for not instantly telling her she had body image issues and needed counseling. I cringed when I first read the OP because that is usually what happens and I find it often inappropriate.
However, I do think the rush to push “bulk/cut” cycles is very premature and ill-considered in a case like this. Especially since no one really knows what the specific situation is. For someone who doesn’t even understand the basic approach yet, getting into any kind of basic lifting program would be an important first step. Telling someone who is already concerned with excess body fat to add 500-700 calories a day to their diet does not strike me as the best starting point.
Maybe that’s just my innate caution.
18 -
demimarie18 wrote: »I’m a 20 year old girl. I’m currently 54 kg (119 lbs) and 172 cm (5,8). According to my BMI I am classified as ‘underweight’. Recently, I have been in a calorie deficit to lose body fat because even tho I am at an “unhealthy” weight I still have excess fat on my body e.g. stomach and thighs. How could this be ? It makes me worry that I am going to have to be in a calorie deficit to the point where I am even more underweight to achieve the body I want.
It makes me look at other girls my age and wonder if they are severely underweight (even more than I am) to achieve such lean figures ?
Has anyone had a similar experience or can give any advice/guidance ?
I think you are looking at it the wrong way. If we assume that you have more fat than is normal at your weight (this is an assumption, because if you haven't measured your body fat, your perception might not be reality), the issue is not your body fat (which is pretty much guaranteed to be in the normal or lower range), but rather a lack of muscle mass. Because if you are underweight and have more fat than expected, you definitely don't have enough muscle mass. Increasing muscle mass should be the focus, not losing fat.
You should see your doctor before you do (if you lost weight in an unhealthy way to get underweight, you may have some underlying health issues that should be monitored), but if you get the go ahead, follow a weight lifting program and eat at a slight surplus. That will take time, but you can build up your muscle. And then once you are comfortably in a normal weight range, you can look at cutting calories to lose some fat. This will likely be a slow process and take some patience and dedication, but it can be done.
Without seeing them, I can't say for sure, but these other girls you look at could quite possibly have a higher BMI than you, they just have more muscle.
Focusing on muscle, not body fat, is going to be what gets you the change you seek.
All of this. I would advise the same.
To add I have been in the same situation. Undermuscled and normal weight and almost underweight. At that point I gained weight, lifted and got to a healthy place and looked much better. I would recommend you talk to your doctor first to make sure lifting is right for you right now. Good luck!10 -
First I want to compliment the OP for such a reasoned question. She obviously thinks she has a fat problem, but is insightful enough to understand that her current approach might not be the best pathway.
I also want to compliment the comments in he thread for not instantly telling her she had body image issues and needed counseling. I cringed when I first read the OP because that is usually what happens and I find it often inappropriate.
However, I do think the rush to push “bulk/cut” cycles is very premature and ill-considered in a case like this. Especially since no one really knows what the specific situation is. For someone who doesn’t even understand the basic approach yet, getting into any kind of basic lifting program would be an important first step. Telling someone who is already concerned with excess body fat to add 500-700 calories a day to their diet does not strike me as the best starting point.
Maybe that’s just my innate caution.
Your innate caution is well placed. IMO, there is a pretty small % of the population where bulk/cut may be appropriate, As you say, someone who is not lifting and is concerned with BF sure isn't one of them.4 -
First I want to compliment the OP for such a reasoned question. She obviously thinks she has a fat problem, but is insightful enough to understand that her current approach might not be the best pathway.
I also want to compliment the comments in he thread for not instantly telling her she had body image issues and needed counseling. I cringed when I first read the OP because that is usually what happens and I find it often inappropriate.
However, I do think the rush to push “bulk/cut” cycles is very premature and ill-considered in a case like this. Especially since no one really knows what the specific situation is. For someone who doesn’t even understand the basic approach yet, getting into any kind of basic lifting program would be an important first step. Telling someone who is already concerned with excess body fat to add 500-700 calories a day to their diet does not strike me as the best starting point.
Maybe that’s just my innate caution.
And how is your initial advice different than bulking as noted below? If you are lifting, with the intent to gain muscle, that is a bulk. If bulk is scary term, i definitely recognize it. But if a person is underweight and struggling with higher levels of body fat, outside of body dysmorphia, than it's largely a problem with underdevelopment of muscle. Gaining weight to get withing a healthy weight range, should be the focus. If there are emotional or psychological issues as well, they should certainly be addressed before the OP would take any other advice.
And, as stated by others, the focus should be on building and shaping muscle, not on losing fat.
5 -
The one thing that should not continue is the loss of weight and muscle in an attempt to lose fat while underweight. If nothing else because the look won't change.
A responsible slow bulk would be the first step if there is no underlying ED.
There are arguments to be made that a speedy weight restoration to BMI 20ish is more important and productive if there exists an underlying ED.7 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »First I want to compliment the OP for such a reasoned question. She obviously thinks she has a fat problem, but is insightful enough to understand that her current approach might not be the best pathway.
I also want to compliment the comments in he thread for not instantly telling her she had body image issues and needed counseling. I cringed when I first read the OP because that is usually what happens and I find it often inappropriate.
However, I do think the rush to push “bulk/cut” cycles is very premature and ill-considered in a case like this. Especially since no one really knows what the specific situation is. For someone who doesn’t even understand the basic approach yet, getting into any kind of basic lifting program would be an important first step. Telling someone who is already concerned with excess body fat to add 500-700 calories a day to their diet does not strike me as the best starting point.
Maybe that’s just my innate caution.
Your innate caution is well placed. IMO, there is a pretty small % of the population where bulk/cut may be appropriate, As you say, someone who is not lifting and is concerned with BF sure isn't one of them.
A bulk is certainly not the best course of action for everyone. It's not usually the first thing I would recommend. But for someone who is already underweight and has what is likely low muscle mass, bulking first is likely the most appropriate strategy. They should not try to lose more or even "recomp", as their current weight is still not a healthy one.5 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »First I want to compliment the OP for such a reasoned question. She obviously thinks she has a fat problem, but is insightful enough to understand that her current approach might not be the best pathway.
I also want to compliment the comments in he thread for not instantly telling her she had body image issues and needed counseling. I cringed when I first read the OP because that is usually what happens and I find it often inappropriate.
However, I do think the rush to push “bulk/cut” cycles is very premature and ill-considered in a case like this. Especially since no one really knows what the specific situation is. For someone who doesn’t even understand the basic approach yet, getting into any kind of basic lifting program would be an important first step. Telling someone who is already concerned with excess body fat to add 500-700 calories a day to their diet does not strike me as the best starting point.
Maybe that’s just my innate caution.
Your innate caution is well placed. IMO, there is a pretty small % of the population where bulk/cut may be appropriate, As you say, someone who is not lifting and is concerned with BF sure isn't one of them.
A bulk is certainly not the best course of action for everyone. It's not usually the first thing I would recommend. But for someone who is already underweight and has what is likely low muscle mass, bulking first is likely the most appropriate strategy. They should not try to lose more or even "recomp", as their current weight is still not a healthy one.
The OP is clinically underweight and may possibly have some physical/mental issues going on. Telling her blindly eat 5-700 calories over maintenance as some have suggested, without medical direction/advice on diet is not appropriate IMO.5 -
demimarie18 wrote: »I’m a 20 year old girl. I’m currently 54 kg (119 lbs) and 172 cm (5,8). According to my BMI I am classified as ‘underweight’. Recently, I have been in a calorie deficit to lose body fat because even tho I am at an “unhealthy” weight I still have excess fat on my body e.g. stomach and thighs. How could this be ?
You should not going under 2,000 a day. Walk a whole mile daily. That's should put thighs in great shape.
1 -
candylilacs wrote: »demimarie18 wrote: »I’m a 20 year old girl. I’m currently 54 kg (119 lbs) and 172 cm (5,8). According to my BMI I am classified as ‘underweight’. Recently, I have been in a calorie deficit to lose body fat because even tho I am at an “unhealthy” weight I still have excess fat on my body e.g. stomach and thighs. How could this be ?
You should not going under 2,000 a day. Walk a whole mile daily. That's should put thighs in great shape.
How will walking a mile a day help build up muscle mass?9 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »First I want to compliment the OP for such a reasoned question. She obviously thinks she has a fat problem, but is insightful enough to understand that her current approach might not be the best pathway.
I also want to compliment the comments in he thread for not instantly telling her she had body image issues and needed counseling. I cringed when I first read the OP because that is usually what happens and I find it often inappropriate.
However, I do think the rush to push “bulk/cut” cycles is very premature and ill-considered in a case like this. Especially since no one really knows what the specific situation is. For someone who doesn’t even understand the basic approach yet, getting into any kind of basic lifting program would be an important first step. Telling someone who is already concerned with excess body fat to add 500-700 calories a day to their diet does not strike me as the best starting point.
Maybe that’s just my innate caution.
Your innate caution is well placed. IMO, there is a pretty small % of the population where bulk/cut may be appropriate, As you say, someone who is not lifting and is concerned with BF sure isn't one of them.
A bulk is certainly not the best course of action for everyone. It's not usually the first thing I would recommend. But for someone who is already underweight and has what is likely low muscle mass, bulking first is likely the most appropriate strategy. They should not try to lose more or even "recomp", as their current weight is still not a healthy one.
The OP is clinically underweight and may possibly have some physical/mental issues going on. Telling her blindly eat 5-700 calories over maintenance as some have suggested, without medical direction/advice on diet is not appropriate IMO.
If the OP has some psychology issues, then that should be a discussion she should have with her doctor. But just because the OP is worried doesn't mean she has one. Its possible she just needs some education. Given the fact that i have worked with several women in the situation and others in this thread also have direct experience, i would suggest its not uncommon for underweight women or even men to deal with this situation. Low muscle mass makes it difficult to get a shapely body.
So while you are quick to criticize others without adding more context to her OP, I will provide a recommendation based on my experience.4 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »First I want to compliment the OP for such a reasoned question. She obviously thinks she has a fat problem, but is insightful enough to understand that her current approach might not be the best pathway.
I also want to compliment the comments in he thread for not instantly telling her she had body image issues and needed counseling. I cringed when I first read the OP because that is usually what happens and I find it often inappropriate.
However, I do think the rush to push “bulk/cut” cycles is very premature and ill-considered in a case like this. Especially since no one really knows what the specific situation is. For someone who doesn’t even understand the basic approach yet, getting into any kind of basic lifting program would be an important first step. Telling someone who is already concerned with excess body fat to add 500-700 calories a day to their diet does not strike me as the best starting point.
Maybe that’s just my innate caution.
Your innate caution is well placed. IMO, there is a pretty small % of the population where bulk/cut may be appropriate, As you say, someone who is not lifting and is concerned with BF sure isn't one of them.
A bulk is certainly not the best course of action for everyone. It's not usually the first thing I would recommend. But for someone who is already underweight and has what is likely low muscle mass, bulking first is likely the most appropriate strategy. They should not try to lose more or even "recomp", as their current weight is still not a healthy one.
The OP is clinically underweight and may possibly have some physical/mental issues going on. Telling her blindly eat 5-700 calories over maintenance as some have suggested, without medical direction/advice on diet is not appropriate IMO.
If the OP has some psychology issues, then that should be a discussion she should have with her doctor. But just because the OP is worried doesn't mean she has one. Its possible she just needs some education. Given the fact that i have worked with several women in the situation and others in this thread also have direct experience, i would suggest its not uncommon for underweight women or even men to deal with this situation. Low muscle mass makes it difficult to get a shapely body.
So while you are quick to criticize others without adding more context to her OP, I will provide a recommendation based on my experience.
That's fair, I assume you have some type of formal training/education to be working with nutrition counseling?
I suggested she should get some medical direction. I didn't specifically say, but I would take that to assume from a licensed professional.1 -
Lillymoo01 wrote: »[
How will walking a mile a day help build up muscle mass?
Where does the OP say "help build up muscle mass"?
2
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.6K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.2K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 913 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions