The term ”skinny fat” might sound contradictory – how can someone be “skinny” and “fat” at the same time?
WHAT IS A SKINNY FAT BODY TYPE?
“Skinny fat” refers to someone who looks slim but has higher body fat and low muscle mass. Medically, this is known as “normal weight obesity” (“normal” referring to weight to height range).
So, how do you know if you have a ‘skinny fat’ body (slim body with low muscle tone)?
So, how can you fix this? Start by adjusting your diet and workout routine — the goal is to build muscle, boost your metabolism, and improve overall health.
Both men and women can be “skinny fat,” but in this post, I’ll focus on women and the best workouts to address it.
Before we start, please read carefully if you have a history of disordered eating and consult a healthcare professional before making any changes.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU’RE ‘SKINNY FAT’?
1. ANALYZE YOUR BODY APPEARANCE
The quickest way to tell if you’re “skinny fat” is to look closely at your body.
Do you look slim in clothes, but notice soft arms, legs, or belly when in just your underwear instead of firm, toned muscles?
Lack of Muscle Tone: You might find that even with a low body weight, your arms, legs, and core lack muscle definition.
Soft Appearance: Your abdomen or thighs may feel soft instead of firm, indicating excess fat. You might also notice fat in areas like your belly or love handles, even if you’re not overweight.
2. ASSESS YOUR LIFESTYLE
Then you can assess your lifestyle, especially your activity levels and diet.
- What is your diet like? Are you eating a balanced and nutritious diet? If not, this may contribute to having excess fat.
- Are you physically active? Do you regularly do resistance training or mostly cardio, or lead a sedentary lifestyle? Without strength training, you won’t build muscle tone, and your body may look softer.
3. DO A BODY COMPOSITION ANALYSIS
For a more accurate check, consider getting a professional body composition analysis.
Consult with a healthcare professional or fitness expert who can perform body composition measurements like, DEXA (DXA) scan, bioimpedance analysis (BIA), or skinfold measurements.
BIA ANALYSIS VS DEXA SCAN – WHICH ONE YOU SHOULD DO
BIA is fast, non-invasive, and useful for regular body composition checks, though hydration and activity levels can affect its accuracy. DEXA, on the other hand, is highly accurate and less impacted by these variables, making it ideal for precise measurements and clinical use.
Your choice depends on your goals, use BIA for general tracking and DEXA for detailed analysis. Regular tests help monitor progress and detect risks like osteoporosis.
I had a DEXA scan about 10 years ago, showing a body fat percentage of around 21%!
There are some common traits that could be a sign you fall under this category:
- Skinny fat women tend to carry most of their fat around their midsection (stomach) and hips and thighs (You know, the dreaded “muffin top/love handles” and “saddlebags.”).
- Skinny fat women’s diet is usually unbalanced and it typically consists of excess simple carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, sugar, or heavily processed foods. (I’m not saying all processed foods and carbs are bad and that you should never eat them. But I’d always recommend eating a balanced diet with enough complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fat for your needs.)
- Skinny fat women usually do not work out at all or only focus on doing cardio.
- They also tend to eat a low-protein diet (usually substituted with processed food and sugar) leading to excess fat buildup.
- Skinny fat women usually look good in clothes, but very flabby underneath.
- They can also experience a constant “sugar crash,” or suffer from ”brain fog.”
If you are a ‘skinny’ woman but struggle with excess fat around your midsection, hips, and thighs that you can’t seem to get rid of, then you might be ‘skinny fat’.
WHAT CAUSES A ‘SKINNY FAT’ BODY IN WOMEN?
As mentioned above, one, two – or all of these – usually cause the ‘skinny fat’ body:
- Doing cardio only and avoiding resistance training
- Poor diet (unbalanced diet consisting mainly of heavily processed foods)
- Genetics
- Hormonal issues
- Extreme dieting
Skinny fat body can also be a result of losing too much muscle mass (which lowers your metabolic rate) and adding fat by eating too many calories. In this case, you may maintain the same weight, go slightly above, or even lower in weight – but it’s mainly fat, not muscle.
1. YOU’RE DOING ONLY CARDIO WORKOUTS
Is your ”getting rid of skinny fat workout regime” just cardio?
I often see this syndrome in women who do lots of cardio and don’t do any resistance training, because they’re afraid it will make them look bulky.
I understand this fear, as I had it myself. If that’s the case, I encourage you to read my blog post on how to do get lean and toned but without getting bulky.
Cardio keeps you slim but doesn’t build enough muscle to help you go from skinny fat to lean and toned. There are a lot of exercises and sports that combine a good cardio workout with strength training/muscle building, such as rowing, walking on stairs, swimming, etc. Of course, they won’t build muscle as effectively as some other types of exercise, but these are also still an option.
Your skinny fat workout must be based on building muscle that helps to keep your metabolism up and your body fat levels down.
Avoiding resistance training can cause a skinny fat body look.
RELATED POST: HOW TO LIFT WEIGHTS WITHOUT GETTING BULKY
2. YOU’RE EATING A POOR DIET
If you’re wondering how to get rid of the ‘skinny fat’ body look – you need to make healthier choices of the food you’re eating.
A “skinny fat” body can be a result of a diet high in carbs and highly processed foods. This type of unbalanced diet can lead to increased body fat levels and excess weight stored in the mid-region. To transform your body from “skinny fat” to fit, and lose the unwanted fat, I would highly recommend following a tailored skinny fat diet plan.
The old golden rule still applies – You cannot out-train a bad diet!
3. YOU HAVE A GENETIC PREDISPOSITION
Being ‘skinny fat’ can be a genetic trait.
But don’t worry! If you genetically have this kind of body fat-to-muscle ratio, this is NOT impossible to change.
With the right skinny fat workout and diet plan, you can be lean AND toned! If you’re aiming to go from “skinny fat” to fit without adding stress to your body or excessive bulk, our Lean Legs 1 Program is the perfect way to start your journey. Check it out below!
4. YOU HAVE HORMONAL ISSUES
I should also mention that in some cases, being skinny fat can be a result of certain health issues which include hypothyroidism, hormone imbalances, certain medications (such as the contraceptive pill and antibiotics), gut health issues (I had my fair share of struggles with this), and more.
If you’ve suffered from any of the health conditions I mentioned above, make sure to consult your doctor and focus on fixing the cause of your hormonal imbalance.
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RELATED POST: MY HYPOTHYROIDISM STORY – DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
5. YOU’VE DONE SOME EXTREME DIETING BEFORE
Lastly, a ‘skinny fat’ body can happen when a person loses a lot of weight by just dramatically cutting his/her calorie intake, without exercising.
That is why women who diet a lot and mainly focus on the number on the scale (instead of on the overall health), usually end up looking slim (skinny) but not toned.
If you have been exercising consistently (doing both cardio and resistance training) and eating a good diet, but still can’t seem to get rid of the skinny fat body and tone up, then it could be worth seeing a health professional.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH BEING “SKINNY FAT” AND HOW I FIXED IT
I used to be “skinny fat” (you can see me in this phase in the image below). I was by no means overweight or anything like that but you can see I was definitely not toned and I had excess belly fat, and I always wondered before how do I get rid of a skinny fat belly?
Before I started educating myself about fitness and nutrition (I’m now a fully certified group and personal trainer and nutritionist), I made a lot of mistakes that impacted both my physical health and the way I looked.
I used to exercise and stay active when I was in high school. My mum is an aerobics instructor and we loved (and still love) exercising together. But when I got to college, I was quite busy so I stopped training. I also didn’t pay attention to my diet at that time and I used to party during the weekends.
And then I gained weight (not really a surprise). I was unhappy and stressed and it all kinda got to be a bit too much for me. I realized I needed to make some changes so I decided to start training again.
When I started, I only did cardio and skipped resistance training completely. I enjoyed cardio and I knew it would help with fat loss. But I didn’t know that a good exercise routine needs to have both resistance training and cardio.
TAKING CARE OF MY DIET AND WORKOUT ROUTINE
It was only after I took care of my diet and added resistance training to my routine, that I was able to get rid of the skinny fat look.
By taking care of my diet, I mean this. I learned what healthy eating means and I finally started eating the right amount of calories for my activity level. Before learning this, my diet was either – eating mostly junk food and too much of it or eating super strict – healthy but my calorie intake was too low for my needs. Both overeating and undereating are bad for you.
And why did I need resistance training to get rid of the skinny fat body? You need resistance training to build muscle tone (you can do resistance training with weights, your own body weight, weighted machines, or resistance bands). Muscle is more metabolically active than fat. This means you’ll burn more calories if you have more muscles.
So if you are looking to lose excess body fat, you should definitely do both cardio and resistance training. If you just stick to cardio and don’t work on your muscle tone, you’ll just end up looking “skinny fat”, like I did.
I’ll explain what you should do if you want to avoid the “skinny fat” look. And I’ll tell you what are the best “skinny fat” workouts for women.
HOW TO GO FROM SKINNY FAT TO FIT FAST
I know some of you may be asking, ”Can I really go from ‘skinny fat’ to fit?”
The answer is: ”Absolutely!”
Below, I’ve laid out the best skinny fat workout and diet plan that will help you gain some lean muscle, lower the excess body fat, and make you healthier overall.
But, before we cover the details, I want to share some skinny fat transformation photos of some of our Lean Legs Girls who struggled with this same body composition issue but they managed to help them go from skinny fat to lean with my programs:
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WHAT IS THE BEST ‘SKINNY FAT’ WORKOUT PLAN FOR WOMEN?
If you are looking to tone up, get back your stamina and metabolism, and lose excess body fat, you will need to do a combination of resistance training and cardio.
1. FOCUS ON RESISTANCE TRAINING AS YOUR MAIN WORKOUT
As I mentioned above, it’s really important that you don’t neglect resistance training.
Building muscle will help improve your metabolism and also reduce your body fat levels.
The resistance training should include both a mix of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and circuits, using weights or body weight.
HIIT is an awesome skinny fat exercise because it burns a really high number of calories in a short period of time.
But the best part is, after your HIIT workout, you will continue to burn more calories.
HIIT is one of the best exercise regimens to get rid of excess fat.
However, another really common complaint I hear from women is that they become too muscular when doing HIIT and lifting weights, particularly in their legs.
I have written a blog post on how to lift weights without getting bulky, to help with this exact issue.
It has some good guidelines and workout ideas that will help you tone up without getting bigger and too muscular.
RELATED POST: HOW TO SPEED UP YOUR METABOLISM
2. DO SOME CARDIO (BUT DON’T OVERDO IT)
If you are already slim, you don’t necessarily need to do a lot of cardio.
But I do recommend it to mix it up with your resistance training workouts so that you stay slim with all of the HIIT and weight lifting you will be doing.
Plus cardio has amazing and important health benefits! Cardio is good for your heart and blood pressure, for your brain health, joints and range of motion. I know you may already know these but I also know a lot of people don’t like doing cardio and they tend to avoid so I think it’s important to mention it.
FULL ‘SKINNY FAT’ WORKOUT PLAN FOR WOMEN
The skinny fat workout program below is only a framework to guide you and give you an idea of a great routine that will help you achieve your health and fitness goals.
My weekly workout recommendation to get rid of the ‘skinny fat’ body composition would include the following:
1-2 DAYS OF FULL BODY RESISTANCE TRAINING
You don’t need to lift heavy weights – you can use bodyweight only, lighter dumbbells, resistance bands, ankle weights, and gliding discs. Just get those muscles working.
Aim for a 30-minute resistance training workout.
Also, please have a look at the blog post I mentioned above for some guidelines on how to lift weights without getting bulky.
Here is an example of full-body resistance training.
This is the type of workout you can do at home anytime.
1-2 DAYS OF HIIT: HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING
As I mentioned, HIIT is amazing for getting rid of excess fat, and the workouts don’t need to be extreme or take much of your time! You can complete an amazing HIIT workout in 20-30 minutes.
Just be careful not to overdo it on lower body HIIT exercises, such as burpees, jump squats, jump lunges, box jumps, etc. as they can make your legs overly muscular (if that is something you want to avoid).
I have posted lots of different HIIT workouts that won’t cause bulk, so have a look at these for some workout ideas.
If you prefer not to do HIIT, that’s OK.
You can still get fantastic results with full-body resistance training, and I would aim for a total of 3 sessions per week. The point of any workout routine is that it shouldn’t be overbearing and that is should fit easily into your life in order to be sustainable, which is exactly the way we designed our programs.
1-2 DAYS OF HIGH-INTENSITY CARDIO
High-intensity cardio can include exercises such as running, swimming, dancing, cycling, etc.
Do something that you love so that you will actually stick to it! Keep your high-intensity cardio workouts to 20-30 minutes (obviously, if it’s a dance class or spin class, you can go longer).
Plus, it’s a great idea to try and fit in as much low-intensity cardio as you want!
1-2 DAYS OF REST
It’s really important to give your body some time to rest and your muscles to recover! Overtraining can cause you to hold onto excess body fat, so if you feel like your body needs a break, give it one.
THE BEST DIET REGIME TO GET YOU LEAN AND TONED
Diet plays a huge part in your body’s ability to lose weight, so you can’t just rely on a good workout program alone.
If you don’t eat a balanced diet, you won’t be able to reduce the excess body fat.
In general, all that you really need is to focus on eating healthier, nutritional meals – but don’t restrict yourself. A balanced nutrition is one where you learn to have a healthy relationship with food and enjoy every type of food – in moderation.
That is why I prefer to follow the 80-20 rule when it comes to nutrition. If you’re curious to learn more about this rule, you may read about it in detail here.
1. CUT THE PROCESSED FOOD
A proper diet recommendation starts with getting rid of processed food.
You don’t need to do anything fancy with your nutrition – just reduce the packaged, heavily processed foods (think anything that comes in a bottle, packet, tin, or box), fizzy drinks, sugary foods, deep-fried food, and anything that is considered ‘junk’ food, such as cakes and chocolate.
I’m not saying that you can never eat these, just try to limit them to a few times per week and stick to appropriate portion sizes.
2. REDUCE CARB INTAKE
It is becoming more and more well-known that a diet lower in carbohydrates will help you lose weight quicker.
A ‘skinny fat’ diet regime should be focused on protein (which will help you build muscle) and healthy fats. But, don’t cut out carbs completely, as your body still needs them and that’s where all the fiber is!
You just need to take another approach to this:
- Switch any white carbs (i.e. bread, rice) to brown and whole-meal varieties
- Eat more carbs on your workout days and fewer carbs on your rest days
- Try to eat most of your carbs at breakfast or post-workout
- Aim to get most of your carbs from fruit, vegetables, and whole grains
RELATED POST: ARE LOW-CARB DIETS GOOD OR BAD FOR YOU?
3. EAT MORE VEGGIES
Focus on eating more fruit and vegetables on a daily basis- they contain a range of vitamins, minerals and fiber, which your body needs.
I know you probably always hear people talking about fiber and how you should try to eat more of it. But it really does play a huge part in keeping you full and improving your metabolism.
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Aim for 2-3 pieces of fruit per day and at least 5 servings of vegetables.
This can be hard to do without consciously thinking about it at first, but it’s worth the effort, not just for your physique, but also for your health.
For getting rid of the ‘skinny fat’ body I’d recommend eating vegetables with every single meal and snack to get those 5 servings in.
If you’re having smoothies for breakfast, add some spinach. If you’re having scrambled eggs, add spinach and other green vegetables.
Some of my favorite healthy snacks are carrot sticks and hummus, egg cups made from eggs and vegetables in muffin tins, and whole pieces of fruit.
Lunch and dinner are a little easier to eat vegetables. Pack them in as much as you can!
4. DRINK MORE WATER
It can also be hard to drink the required 2l of water per day if you’re not consciously thinking about it, but this is another one of those things that are important for your health.
Track your water intake for a few days to see how much you drink, and aim for about 2 L daily. It might feel hard at first, but it’ll get easier — your body will thank you for the hydration.
Upping your water intake should also help with bloating.
One of my favorite tips is to carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go. It will help you drink more water!
I should also mention my FREE 7-Day Meal Plan that is gluten, dairy, and refined sugar–free. So, if you’re not sure where to start, this meal plan would be a great starting point. And it’s completely free! :)
RELATED POST: MY ULTIMATE ADVICE HOW TO GET RID OF BLOATING
BONUS TIP – LEARN YOUR BODY TYPE
I would also recommend learning your body type. You see, there are three different body types and they all gain muscle and lose weight differently.
No matter what your fitness goals are, I assure you that you’ll get the best results after you learn which body type you are! :)
I have created a special Body Type Quiz that will help you learn your body type in just 2 minutes, and it is completely free.
After you take it, you will also get some essential tips on how to eat and train specifically for your body type.
WANT TO KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE?
- Complete the quiz in 2 minutes
- It’S free
- You will get 3 nutrition and workout tips for your body type
RELATED POST: 2 OUT OF 3 FEMALE BODY TYPES CAN GET BULKY
DANGERS OF THE ‘SKINNY FAT’ PHYSIQUE FOR WOMEN
Skinny fat women are often those who don’t exercise or only do cardio, yet seem to get away with eating pizza, pasta, and bread every day.
It might seem fine when you’re younger, but it can catch up to you later and harm your body.
If you’re dealing with the “skinny fat” body type, know that it can lead to serious health issues.
Even women with a fast metabolism can face the same medical risks as someone who is obese:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Blood sugar issues
- Increased cholesterol levels
This is why a “normal” BMI may not be the most accurate representation of your health and fitness.
To learn more about visceral fat and how to get rid of it, check out this blog post.
SUMMARY
To summarize all of the information above:
- Women with a “skinny fat” body type may look slim in clothes but have higher body fat that gives a softer appearance.
- The “skinny fat” body type often results from too much cardio, an unbalanced diet, and genetics.
- A proper workout for this should combine resistance training (like HIIT and weightlifting) with some low-intensity cardio.
- A balanced diet means cutting down on processed foods and sugar while eating more nutrient-dense options like fiber, fruits, and vegetables.
- Drinking lots of water is very important and will help reduce bloating and water retention.
- Learn your body type to get the best possible results.
If you stick to a good workout and nutrition plan, you will get results. But you need to be consistent and make this new routine a lifestyle, instead of a ‘quick fix’.
Eating well for a few days but then binging, drinking, or skipping workouts can slow your progress and affect your sleep, metabolism, and overall health.
That’s why consistency is key! And remember, it’s completely okay to binge occasionally, have a drink, or enjoy some sweets — it doesn’t undo your progress.
All you need to do is simply continue eating as balanced the next day and live your life to the fullest!
START MY LEAN LEGS PROGRAM THAT WILL HELP YOU GET LEAN AND TONED
If you need help finding a workout plan that will suit YOUR BODY TYPE, you don’t know where to start with resistance training, or you tend to get bulky when you lift weights, then my program is perfect routine for you!
My program offers an 8-week workout plan to help you get lean, toned, and lose fat sustainably. I’ve also created tailored versions for each of the three main body types.
This way, you can be sure you are going to get the best possible results!
My program includes 16 FULL-LENGTH VIDEOS you can follow from warm-up to cool-down.
To find out more about my Lean Legs 1 Program click the link below.
Love, Rachael and the Femme Nativa Team xx
SOURCES:
- Normal Weight Obesity – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24438734/
- Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA) – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4118362/
- DEXA vs BIA – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6042744/
- Skinfold Measurements – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7368772/
- Simple VS Complex Carbs – https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325171
- Metabolic Rate – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7368772/
- Hypothyroidism – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20350284
- Improving Metabolism – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661116/
- Cardio Benefits – https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-many-benefits-of-a-cardio-workout
- Low-Carb Diets Help Weight Loss – https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/down-low-on-low-carb-diets
- “Normal” BMI useful tracking tool or misleading?- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323622#BMI-in-adults
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231 Responses
Great insights in this post! I’ve been struggling with the skinny fat issue for a while, and your tips on combining strength training with proper nutrition are super helpful. I’m definitely going to try out the suggested meal ideas. Thanks for sharing!
Great insights in this post! I’ve always struggled with being skinny fat, and I appreciate the balanced approach to both workout and nutrition. The emphasis on strength training really resonates with me. I’m excited to try out some of the meal ideas you’ve shared too! Thanks for the motivation!