Skinny fat or heavy lean?

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fmbomzo
fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Which is more taxing on the body and overall health... to have a lower body weight with a not so decent body fat% or to weigh more but have more lean mass?

The reason I ask it that I want to lose about 40 more lbs overall. I have been doing strength/cardio intervals for the most part. More strength than cardio, but recently upped to include at least 30 mins cardio per day in addition to strength training to try to get the scale to move.

I didn't take initial measurements but I must have lost a decent amount of inches because I've gone from a size 14 in pants to a snug 10 and people who don't know I'm trying to lose weight are commenting that I seem to have lost weight.

Right now, my body fat% is about 27% but I'm about 40 lbs from my goal. Should I try to accelerate weight loss so that there is less weight for my body to carry around (I'm 5'3") or is it ok to continue slow and steady because it appears that my lean body mass % is increasing?

I do about 75-80 mins daily total workout (30-50 strength; the remainder cardio) with one rest day per week.

Replies

  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
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    Bump
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    It is all about lean muscle mass. The more you have the less pressure on your ligments and joints and the more support your body has. Also with more lean muscle mass the better your metabolism, the stronger your immune system and the better your body can control insulin. Keep in mind skinny people can get diabetes II.


    On a side note, you are better off not doing cardio on ST days as your body can fight for resources for repairing itself.
  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
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    Makes sense. I will stay the course.

    I guess I may only get in 2 days a week of cardio if I shouldn't be doing cardio and strength together. I'm really having trouble getting my protein numbers (I have it set at 30%), so I don't need to be doing even more damage.

    Thanks!!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    i think it depends on how the fat is distributed. too much fat around the midsection isnt good for anyone regardless of their weight of body composition.

    i've always been in the heavy lean category since i've been lifting weights for like 20 years. i didnt start having health issues until i got belly blubber. then suddenly i was prediabetic, hypertensive and sleep apnea..

    oh, i do cardio on lifting days. but if im doing HIIT then i do it a few hours later. i try not to do hiit the day after lifting since that's really the day my muscles need to recover
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    i think it depends on how the fat is distributed. too much fat around the midsection isnt good for anyone regardless of their weight of body composition.

    i've always been in the heavy lean category since i've been lifting weights for like 20 years. i didnt start having health issues until i got belly blubber. then suddenly i was prediabetic, hypertensive and sleep apnea..

    oh, i do cardio on lifting days. but if im doing HIIT then i do it a few hours later. i try not to do hiit the day after lifting since that's really the day my muscles need to recover

    Agreed! Body fat% is much more important than the number on the scale. But apple body types are more at risk for diseases. I think the magic waist size number is currently under 35 is good. But there is talk that it should be even lower. And for this measurement, waist is = belly button, not natural waist.

    http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/heart/articles/2010/08/10/for-good-health-watch-your-waist-size-not-just-your-weight
  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
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    I'm a banana (rectangular) shape. My bust and hips are almost the same size and my waist is only about 5 inches less than my hips. I want to lose about 15 more inches total at least.
  • babyblooeyes
    babyblooeyes Posts: 67 Member
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    The changes I have seen in my body since strength training is amazing. However, I am still 240 lbs. I was aiming for 145 but by the looks of thing I think a strong 180 might be where I am heading. I have a large bust and large hips but a 37 inch waist and big legs. I see myself now as overweight but not obese.... and I think I am definitely heading in the right direction.
  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
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    The changes I have seen in my body since strength training is amazing. However, I am still 240 lbs. I was aiming for 145 but by the looks of thing I think a strong 180 might be where I am heading. I have a large bust and large hips but a 37 inch waist and big legs. I see myself now as overweight but not obese.... and I think I am definitely heading in the right direction.

    Great perspective. When doctors focus on BMI though, it's frustrating. I'm 5'3" and yes I would be OK at 125-130, but right now I need to do something that is sustainable for a lifetime. Being hungry trying to cut too many calories or spending half my day in a gym is not a life to me. I will be curious to see what my bloodwork looks like at my next physical as well. The only issue I had last time was a borderline high LDL level. Everything else ... BP, blood sugar, waist circumference, HDL, were acceptable or great.
  • fittorow
    fittorow Posts: 28
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    I'm a banana (rectangular) shape. My bust and hips are almost the same size and my waist is only about 5 inches less than my hips. I want to lose about 15 more inches total at least.
    I feel like with that description, if you lost more fat at a slow pace, you would end up with a nice hourglass figure! You'd end up losing more belly fat and more fat overall with that, and the muscle would keep your butt from disappearing. Personally, I'd think heavy lean would be better than skinny fat, but I'm no nutritionist.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    The changes I have seen in my body since strength training is amazing. However, I am still 240 lbs. I was aiming for 145 but by the looks of thing I think a strong 180 might be where I am heading. I have a large bust and large hips but a 37 inch waist and big legs. I see myself now as overweight but not obese.... and I think I am definitely heading in the right direction.

    Not even aiming for the magical "145#" that puts me in the healthy BMI category. I am not sure what my body fat percentage is, but I have played around with the online calculators. I imagine it is somewhere between the results I am seeing, so current BF% for me is somewhere between 31 and 37. So I have between 130 and 145 pounds of lean tissue....... So doing the math, a totally reasonable body fat percentage of 20% (which might be on the low end of what I want) means I would need to weigh 160-180. Each of these numbers is solidly in the overweight category.

    Some of us have more muscles than others.
  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
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    I'm a banana (rectangular) shape. My bust and hips are almost the same size and my waist is only about 5 inches less than my hips. I want to lose about 15 more inches total at least.
    I feel like with that description, if you lost more fat at a slow pace, you would end up with a nice hourglass figure! You'd end up losing more belly fat and more fat overall with that, and the muscle would keep your butt from disappearing. Personally, I'd think heavy lean would be better than skinny fat, but I'm no nutritionist.

    You give me hope. I would love to be an hourglass and I don't want to lose my butt. Slow and steady it is.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    the lower body fat % the better... for example aneorexics have high body fat % relative to their bodyweight because their muscle mass is so low.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    If you look at bmi i am obese and 20lbs overweight. But i am 200 lbs and 12% body fat.
  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
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    I am 64 I am aiming for lean body mass with less BF% I was over 40% BF with Skeletal muscle around 24% I am now BF 27% with muscle 32% I cantsupport the weight lean or fat with my joints as I could when I was younger so if I want to be active need to be lighter and stronger not neccessary more muscle mass
    That 40% was on 367 pounds :sick:

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