Skinny fat may seem a bit unusual at a first glance. Indeed, this is not the type of fat you can find in most people. It is difficult to understand, but it does make sense and a lot of people struggle with it.
To help you get an idea, you probably know already that people struggling with too much fat make it pretty obvious. Their shape is slightly out of order and, well, they are larger than average.
On the other hand, someone who looks skinny or has a normal weight is not considered fat. The body mass index is within the right limits, but with all these, such people go into two categories.
First, there are people with a bit of muscle mass and a well-defined tone. Second, there are people with a high body fat percentage and little to no muscle.
They look skinny, but this is the skinny fat physique. What else should you know about it then?
What Is Skinny Fat?
Skinny fat refers to a good body mass index, but in an unhealthy way. Normally, this index indicates a healthy lifestyle. However, this is not always the case, despite maintaining a healthy weight.
People can look skinny, even if they have plenty of visceral fat, even excess body fat. How come? Simple – they have no muscle mass.
With their clothes on, they may look like they have the perfect body weight and a healthy lifestyle. Without the clothes on, the skinny fat physique reveals lots of fat and no muscle.
This kind of body construction appears alright under clothes, but having too much fat affects the body composition and can expose people to a series of medical conditions, so it is just as harmful.
To be healthy in the right weight range or body mass index, you need a lean body mass, rather than a low muscle mass. Fat can be harmful whether or not its appearance is obvious.
What does a skinny fat person look like?
In theory, the term skinny fat does not have a perfect definition, so different people and medical specialists use it in different contests. However, there are a few general rules regarding it.
To keep it simple, the actual weight is alright, so people imagine they no longer have to lose weight. They look at the BMI and call it a day if the number is within a normal range.
They do not even think about lifting weights and strength training, yet the percentage of body fat suggests something else.
With their clothes on, skinny fat people have a normal appearance, but there is no shape or tone in their bodies. The amounts of subcutaneous fat cover their tone. Since they look alright, it means their fat mass is much higher than the muscle mass.
Bottom line, skinny fat people look normal, in the right weight range, but they have no tone or shape whatsoever.
What causes one to be skinny fat?
There are more things that could lead to fat gain and the overall skinny fat appearance. Of course, some people are also predisposed to it and they are metabolically obese even if their weight is in a healthy range and they actually make good dietary choices.
For most other skinny fat people, a poor diet is the main reason behind their fat gain. The lack of exercise is another reason. Failing to move at all can cause excess fat to build up.
Age is another reason. As you get older, it makes sense to start losing some muscle mass and gain fat instead. It can be kept under control though, so you can keep on building muscle while burning the body fat storage.
Finally, hormonal imbalances will also add to the fat mass.
Who is at risk of being skinny fat?
People who fail to maintain a healthy diet or exercise regularly are more likely to adopt the skinny fat appearance.
Those with high blood sugar, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and poor overall health are likely to end up in the same situation.
Age is an important factor, so getting older can pose more risks.
What are the health risks associated with high body fat percentage?
Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea and fatty liver affections are among the main risks associated with too much body fat. Metabolic syndrome issues or high cholesterol are common too.
It is not just a matter of looks, but trying to lose fat and focusing on muscle growth will also boost your health, not to mention a less skinny fat appearance.
7 Tips To Avoid Being Skinny Fat
A healthy lifestyle is a priority when trying to gain more muscle mass and burn the visceral fat storage. Here are a few ideas to help out.
1. Minimize stress in your life
Stress does contribute to muscle loss, rather than weight loss. Instead, it will help you gain weight, exposing you to a high risk of health problems. Learn to relax and perhaps try out supplements and programs too.
Best Supplement To Support Healthy Stress Response: Vitapost Stress Support
Vitapost Stress Support is not a magic supplement, but it can help you calm down with its 100% natural approach. The supplement is based on hops, chamomile, valerian, L-theanine, lemon balm and passionflower, among a few other ingredients.
Every ingredient is chosen because of its ability to promote calmness and tranquility. Apart from herbal extracts, it is also rich in minerals and vitamins to promote a lean mass and maintain muscle while keeping you calm.
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Full Article: VitaPost Stress Support Reviews 2024: Does it Really Work?
Best Program For Women: Yoga Burn
Yoga Burn is a 12 week program designed for women. It will not promote weight training and it will not really help with muscle building, but it will give you some handy exercise habits with excellent health consequences. It will tone your body and kill fat as well.
The approach is progressive, so you need to be consistent and give it time. It is split into three different phases. Apart from the actual program, the package also comes with a bunch of bonuses, from videos to community access. Share your story and feel free to learn from others as well.
Shop at Yoga Burn’s Official Website.
Full Article: Yoga Burn Review: Does This Yoga Program Really Work?
2. Aim for 7 or 8 hours of sleep
The lack of sleep will not only affect you mentally, but it will also kill more muscle and add to the weight gain process. Health complications may also arise. No matter how busy you are, aim for at least seven hours of sleep.
The lack of sleep will not just harm you physically. It will prevent you from keeping calm and learning to relax. Besides, it will cause mental discomfort and general fatigue, two of the main reasons why you are skinny fat.
If you struggle with sleep, there are also a few supplements out there.
Induce Sleep By Easing Sore Muscles & Painful Joints: Organifi
There are more supplements in the Organifi range. Some of them are suitable for weight loss, but more importantly for your sleep issues, one of them can help you fall asleep much faster. This is not everything, as you will also enjoy a deeper sleep.
Based on natural ingredients with proven effects on your sleep, Organifi ensures you can unwind after a long day at work or a busy evening. It relieves stress as well and ensures you will actually feel fully energized in the morning.
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Full Article: Organifi Gold Reviews 2024: Does it Really Work?
3. Make exercise part of your weekly routine
A balanced diet is not everything. Healthy lifestyle habits to build muscle also imply exercise. Resistance training and weights will add lean muscle. Cutting calories with cardio will add to fat loss. Exercise will not turn you into a bodybuilder. It would take years to get there. Instead, it will give you a lean appearance.
Exercise must be mixed. Excessive cardio is not really a good idea, despite helping to burn fat. You need weights and resistance training as well. Cardio can burn a bit of fat if you are overweight, but weights will give you the toned body you want.
Not sure where to start? There are a few programs out there with a pretty good reputation.
Best Program For All Ages: Old School New Body
Forget about new wonder diets and workouts. Instead, workout programs that worked for athletes of generations are likely to work for everyone. Old School New Body is a program that will take your body to another level.
It has a core ebook with workouts, instructions and meal plans, as well as a quick start guide spread over three levels, plenty of bonuses and a few interviews with fitness pros and their advice. The training program requires dedication and will work wonders for every obese person out there and not only.
Shop Old School New Body Program at the Official Website.
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4. Eat a balanced diet
A diet high in nutrients will reduce the high percentage of fat, while rushing the metabolism as well. Dieting is extremely important when it comes to both men’s and women’s health. In fact, this is where your fitness and body transformation journey begins.
At the end of the day, it makes no difference if you want to burn some fat, lose weight or just get a toned body. It all starts with a healthy diet. It is said that about 30% of your transformation is based on exercise. Everything else is dieting.
Not sure where to start? Here are a couple of useful programs.
Popular Choice: Two-Week Keto Challenge
You might have heard of the keto challenge, but there is simply too much counting involved to do it properly. The 2 Week Keto Challenge program explains everything in small details and provides an excellent guide with no counting involved. Someone has already done it, you just need to follow.
The diet will keep you in a low to normal range of daily calories, but these are not the only factors to boost your healthy BMI. The program gives you plans for the right amounts of carbs, diet and protein. Two weeks are easy to follow and will give you a solid introduction for further uses.
Shop Two-Week Keto Challenge at the Official Website.
Full Article: Two-Week Keto Challenge Reviews 2024: Does it Really Work For Weight Loss?
Sustainable Weight Loss Program: Eat the Fat Off Program
Eat the Fat Off aims to reduce the amounts of fat in the body by boosting the amounts of a natural enzyme. The more of it you have, the more fat you will burn, simple as that. This weight loss program is not about counting calories, but about eating the right foods to make the body do it itself.
The diet program is easy and spreads over 21 days. You will get to control what happens in your abdominal cavity and you will see the body transform within a few weeks. Happy with the results? Keep going with the diet to replace fat with muscle tissue.
Shop Eat The Fat Off Program at the Official Website.
Full Article: Eat The Fat Off Review 2024: Does This Weight Loss Program Really Work?
5. Keep hydrated
Hydration is critical for a good functionality of your body. It will keep you active, supply the cells with enough nutrients, boost the blood circulation and give you an overall feeling of good. It will also prevent different affections, including cardiovascular disease.
It may seem difficult to have eight glasses of water a day, but you can make it happen if you start early. Do not force yourself either. Simply carry a bottle wherever you are, you will realize that you are often thirsty anyway.
6. Ditch the alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol does make you fat. After all, this is why they associate beer with belly fat. Even fine beverages or spirits will give you lots of unwanted calories. Alcohol brings in the same medical issues as fat, maybe even worse.
As for caffeine, a cup of a day is deemed healthy, as long as you do not have it in the afternoon or less than five hours before bedtime.
7. Avoid crash diets
Crash diets are terrible. They can and will make you lose a bit of weight, but you will end up losing the wrong type of weight. Chances are you will lose muscle mass as well, rather than just fat. In fact, a crash diet is only a temporary solution that will cause more harm in the long run.
Unfortunately, lots of people rely on these solutions. They work for a few days. But then, you and your body will no longer be able to handle it. Your health will go down and you may end up suffering from different affections.
Such diets may also imply starving, which you can only do for a while before losing it. Everything you lost will be back on your body, simple as that.
Bottom Line
Skinny fat is more and more common these days. People believe they are naturally alright just because they look good with their clothes on or they are in a healthy weight range.
However, skinny fat is also quite harmful. Being skinny fat poses a number of health risks one should be completely aware of.
Being toned is the new trend and not just because of the fit appearance, but also for healthy purposes. Simple lifestyle changes can go a long way in getting rid of that skinny fat physique.
Skinny Fat FAQs
How can I tell if I am skinny fat?
There is no such thing as a definition. The determination is based on your looks. Generally speaking, if you have between 10% and 20% body fat as a man, you are skinny fat. For women, the range goes between 20% and 30%. You are skinny fat if you do not see any muscle definition either.
How long does it take to go from skinny fat to fit?
It depends on more factors, such as how skinny fat you are, how your body works and what kind of metabolism you have. Some people can build muscle without too much hassle, others will take ages to burn fat deposits. Normally, three to six months of training and dieting will get you there.
Should I do cardio if I am skinny fat?
Cardio can boost skinny fatness, but it obviously does not do it by itself. There are other factors involved too. Cardio is not mandatory when skinny fat, but small amounts will not hurt either. You just have to focus on other types of training.