“Skinny fat” is a term often used to describe individuals who appear to have a normal body weight but have a relatively high percentage of body fat and low muscle mass. For men, this typically means having over 20% body fat with little muscle definition, while for women, it generally refers to over 35% body fat with low muscularity.
If your body fat levels are below these thresholds, even with low muscle mass, you would not be classified as truly “skinny fat” and can follow standard recommendations for caloric intake and muscle-building strategies. However, if you do fall into this category, simply bulking (increasing calories to build muscle) can often worsen the problem, leading to a fatter appearance. This is because bulking increases both fat and muscle mass, and with already high body fat, it can exaggerate the negative health outcomes, such as insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Research suggests that skinny fat individuals are more prone to these issues, which also puts them at a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases.
For this reason, we generally advise against entering a caloric surplus. Instead, while cutting (aggressively reducing calories) might lower body fat, it can leave you looking even thinner and exacerbate muscle loss. Body recomposition, where you aim to build muscle while losing fat simultaneously, is typically the best strategy for someone who is skinny fat.
One of the major advantages of starting with body recomposition is that most people who are skinny fat lack extensive resistance training experience. This means they’re likely far from their genetic potential and can gain muscle relatively quickly, even in a caloric deficit. This makes the initial fat loss more effective without compromising muscle mass.
When structuring your diet and training plan, the primary goal should be to reduce body fat, while weight training and a high-protein diet should drive muscle growth. Depending on whether you are “more fat than skinny” or “more skinny than fat,” you may either focus more on fat loss or on building muscle, but both should happen concurrently to some extent.
Phases of Body Recomposition
Phase 1: Lower Body Fat Percentage (~10-20% Caloric Deficit)
In this phase, the goal is to reduce body fat significantly. A moderate caloric deficit, combined with resistance training and sufficient protein intake, can help preserve muscle while losing fat. This phase typically lasts between two to six months, depending on how much fat needs to be lost.
Phase 2: Gain Lean Mass and Continue to Lower Body Fat (~Caloric Maintenance)
Once you’ve reduced a significant amount of fat, you’ll become more insulin-sensitive, which sets the stage for muscle growth. In this phase, you eat at maintenance calories to support muscle growth while keeping fat levels low. This phase can last from one to 12 months, depending on your goals. During this time, you may notice gradual progress in both fat loss and muscle gain.
Phase 3: Enter a Caloric Surplus (~10-25% Caloric Surplus)
After reaching a lower body fat percentage and improving insulin sensitivity, you can enter a controlled caloric surplus to focus on muscle gain. We recommend increasing calories by 10-25%, depending on your comfort level with gaining some fat. If you prioritize staying lean, opt for a smaller surplus (closer to 10%). If you prioritize muscle gain, a larger surplus (up to 25%) can speed up progress. This phase can last anywhere from two to 12 months based on your needs.
As you progress through these phases, it’s important to reassess regularly and adjust your calorie and macronutrient intake as your body composition changes.
This is a true example of “skinny fat” type of the body.
This transformation represents around five months of online collaboration, with some on-and-off periods and a few beers and food trips along the way.
The weight change may only be 5 kg, but the real difference lies in the improved body composition—less body fat and more muscle. I dolie uspod njih kao ovo
