Skinny Fat is my goal

What about just being healthy instead? Weight and clothing sizes are just numbers, having a nicely toned body isn't the same as being ultra-muscular. You can have a healthy BMI, a healthy body fat percentage and a healthy percentage of muscle, good overall cardiovascular health, etc. without spending hours at the gym and without a crazy weight lifting routine. But a little bit of strength training is very good for your body. And, a healthy amount of body fat doesn't mean you'll be skin and bones...

Have you read this article?

http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/

Good article!

I am 5' 4" 115lbs and 16% body fat . I run 40 min a day. I should weight train, but don't.

Am I skinny fat?

16% body fat is not skinny fat, fat fat, or any other kind of fat.

You really had to ask???

This is what you should do:

Set MFP at 1200 & don't eat exercise calories
cardio 6x a week for minimum an hour (zumba, tae bo, body sculpt, long distance slow jogging, any jillian michaels dvd are really good)
Make sure never to consume anywhere near 1g/lb of bw of protein
Never pick up anything heavier than your handbag

I wish you the best in you're quest for skinny fatness.

I aspire to be "fat skinny," so thanks for providing me with the "don't" list!

Last time I lost weight, I was skinny fat. I weighed about what I do now (around130# at 5'5) but I still had back fat rolls and a muffin top. This time around, I wore smaller clothes and was more streamlined (no back boobs!) at 140#. At 130-ish, I'm fitting into clothes I last wore when I was under 120, including a couple pair of jeans from high school when I was about 110. (Not that they fit well. They're quite painful.)

Having been a little fat, very thin, kinda thin, skinny fat, just plain average, and now pretty much athletic... I'm really diggin' on being athletic. I have strong muscle that shows when I'm using it and gives shape to my body when I'm not. I wouldn't mine being a little leaner, but I'm not going to bust a nut getting there. I'm enjoying where I'm at and knowing I'm doing good things for my health and appearance.

I don't consider wanting to be an active person with a healthy level of body fat to be the same as "skinny fat is my goal."

Last time I lost weight, I was skinny fat. I weighed about what I do now (around130# at 5'5) but I still had back fat rolls and a muffin top. This time around, I wore smaller clothes and was more streamlined (no back boobs!) at 140#. At 130-ish, I'm fitting into clothes I last wore when I was under 120, including a couple pair of jeans from high school when I was about 110. (Not that they fit well. They're quite painful.)

Having been a little fat, very thin, kinda thin, skinny fat, just plain average, and now pretty much athletic... I'm really diggin' on being athletic. I have strong muscle that shows when I'm using it and gives shape to my body when I'm not. I wouldn't mine being a little leaner, but I'm not going to bust a nut getting there. I'm enjoying where I'm at and knowing I'm doing good things for my health and appearance.

I don't consider wanting to be an active person with a healthy level of body fat to be the same as "skinny fat is my goal."

^^Perfect. This is me except the weight range over the years is a little smaller (I am 4'10). But I agree, been down the road "skinny", "skinny fat'...I want to look lean & be healthy.

I thought this place was for support not for people to down people for what they say. If this is her goal, thats it. Don't judge. I feel like there is enough judging already in the outside world and this is supposed to be a safe place. I guess I thought wrong.

If you post your opinion on a public forum, you should expect responses. And given that this is a FITNESS site, the responses are not surprising.

OP, you mention your age (50) a couple of times. Why? Are you resigned to looking a certain way because of it?

I have to agree with this. OP made her thoughts public and open to discussion. Quite frankly, the statement the OP made was alarming at best and saddening at worst. Why does one aspire to be skinny fat? Is that all that can be expected?? Yes, we're here for support, and that means showing people that sometimes they need a reality check.

Everyone has different goals and of course different ideas of what looks good. I believe I am an example of one who has muscle (I have some guns) but still have some curve (my booty :blushing: ) And I love my combination But this is what I am happy with and other people might not like it. My arms don't look like this though unless I flex. So I walk around looking softer.

I too went through a skinny fat stage and I have to say it wasn't for me. I've been much happier since I started lifted weights. But again, to each their own.

Good luck achieving whatever look it is you're going for!!

There is a difference between aesthetics and health. Working in the healthcare profession I am sure you know that and I won't second guess your goals. The degree of muscles of lack of muscles you have can be an issue if it hinders your health. That being said, there is room for choice if it doesn't hinder your health. It is, in fact, a matter of taste and many times a matter of what is in style. What some people say is attractive now may not have been considered attractive years ago or might not be considered attractive years from now. I am like you, I don't want my muscles to be the prime focus of my body. I happen to like a softer look to my body. I find it to be more feminine. I don't like the defined muscles look (with or without clothes). The main issue is to be healthy. If your choices are within a healthy range you only owe it to yourself to make them.

I am sorry I still don't get it...all the fitness magazines and I mean the hard core fitness ones for women discuss to NOT be skinny fat. But to each his own....everything under the sun. We are all different and reach for different stars. Just be healthy!!!!!!!

And I was just about to chime in "you keep using that word..."

i don't think it means what you think it means....

inconceivable!

LOL, my favorite movie!

As you wish.

I wanna be sober-drunk next year! :drinker:

J/K - I don't know what "skinny-fat" means but it made me giggle. :flowerforyou:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Working in health care for many years I'd never heard the term skinny fat used the way it is used on these forums (it has a very different meaning in healthcare) but people always use it as if it's as bad as being obese. But skinny fat (as it's used here) is exactly what I'm aiming for. I'm not there yet, but I hope to be by the middle of next year.

I'm not saying I want no muscle, but I really only want enough to keep the fat I have left from sagging and to allow me to run and play and do normal activities. But I don't want to drop my body fat % so that my arms look like little sticks with tiny bulges on them and I have buy breast implants so people can tell I'm female. A little firm fat feels nice to the touch and it looks good both in clothes and out.

Skinny fat is my 2012 goal.

From the description you gave of your goal, that doesn't sound like skinny fat (what we call skinny fat outside the medical world). It's just a decent (normal) amount of BF% on top of muscle. The girls I think of as "skinny fat" - well basically their arms are skinny but all mushy.. as soon as they rest an arm against their side it flattens out and looks twice as big from the side as before, kwim? Basically not enough muscle to keep the fat from sagging.

Does this help? Just different body fat percentages, you may want

If the one on the right is 30% then I'm 10%.. doesn't look correct for 30% at all..

I Like Skinny Fat too.