Skinny fat is a term for people who look very good in their clothes, while underneath the clothes there are jelly-like thighs, cellulite and flabby body. Skinny fat is said to be a skinny fat when a slim person has low muscle mass and disproportionately high-fat content. When this proportion is disturbed to the detriment of the muscles, at low body weight the figure is unattractive because it is fat. Usually, these people have low bone mass and fine body structure.
The phenomenon of skinny fat
The phenomenon of skinny fat can affect both women and men. However, this type of figure is more often emphasized in young girls - those who can eat anything they want, lie on the couch and still be slim.
Skinny fat - what are the causes?
The silhouette of skinny fat is the result of an irrational approach to diet and physical activity. The phenomenon may concern people who do not move much, spend their free time on the couch and eat poorly. Their diet may be full of snacks, sweets and fast food. On the other hand, a fatty figure may appear as a result of poorly selected exercises and reduction diet.
People who eat too little are very much exposed to the rapid loss of muscle mass, which becomes a source of nutrients and energy for the body. In addition, aerobic training with a low-calorie diet enhances the effect of muscle mass loss, and the consequence is a little firm figure with the desired low body weight.
What lifestyle leads to a skinny fat figure?
- Irrational nutrition combining alternating hunger and periods of very abundant eating
- Irregular meals, lack of comfort, rush
- High content of trans fats and carbohydrates in the diet
- A large amount of fast food and processed food in the diet
- Excessive physical activity based on cardio training
- Lack of physical activity
- Very intensive lifestyle with little time to sleep
Skinny fat - sagging skin, cellulite, flat bottom
The skinny, thick figure can be immediately recognized in the mirror after taking off the clothes. The skin is slightly saggy, not very firm and not very tense, we can see jelly-like thighs, flat bottom and fat accumulating in the abdomen and sides. The same can be seen when it is men's skinny-fat problem. The man has a disproportionately protruding belly in relation to the slim rest of the figure, frail arms and chest.
Very reliable are the measurements on the body composition analyzers to be taken by a dietitian or at the gym, which show the percentage and mass content of fat and non-fat and muscle mass. If the weight is low or near the centre of the norm and the fat is in the upper areas of the norm or exceeds it, it is a signal that we have a skinny fat issue. Muscle mass according to the analysis of body composition is also noticeably low. It may happen (especially in men) that body fat accumulates around internal organs inside the abdominal cavity, which is indicated by high levels of visceral fat.
Skinny fat - how to get rid of the problem?
The key to changing your figure from skinny fat to healthy and firm one is a rational approach to nutrition and training. A diet with skinny fat does not have to be aimed at either gain or lose weight or. It is enough to undergo an optimally balanced diet and provide yourself with as many calories as your body needs from healthy fats, protein and, last but not least, carbohydrates.
The caloric requirement can be calculated according to the related formulas, but it should only refer to the fat-free body weight. You can also eat more intuitively, listening to the body, signals of hunger and satiety and not adore emotions. You certainly have to give up junk food, eat regularly and best prepare your own food from proven ingredients. The most important thing is what we eat, not how much we eat.
How to train with a skinny fat figure?
Training with skinny fat does not have to be especially demanding or planned as for a professional. A simple strength training every other day is enough so that the muscles are not overtired, but are still stimulated to grow. Cardio training is not a way for a firm body. It can be a supplement to strength training but is only an addition.
Strength training for skinny fat figure
Strength training not only stimulates muscle development and makes the body strong and firm, but also increases energy consumption. Women who are afraid of a bodybuilder's figure as a result of gym exercises can take it easy. Their hormonal system does not allow for too much muscle mass building, and the effect of regular use of the gym will be a strong body with gently outlined muscles.
