What to do if you're skinny-fat????

[Reed Tard]

I only weigh 155. I want to weigh 165, but I don't want to put on fat because I already have a small gut. I workout already and I'm seeing slight results. I put on 5 pounds, but I think I put on some more fat because I'm eating so much protein.

Should I lose fat and then focus on building muscle?

[Reed Tard]

Everyone says to lose fat I need to eat less calories, but then they say I need to eat more calories in order to build muscle and add mass. What do I do?

[Emphasis]

I'd say cardio (running) should help out drastically. The running will help drop the unnecessary pounds and a healthy diet will keep your weight where it is supposed to be.

If 165 is a realistic goal for you, then I'd say configure your workout and diet to one that will help you build mass. You'll probably gain a little fat doing this regardless.

For shedding fat, the running will undoubtedly help.

[ScottDBA]

To gain muscle you have to be eating more calories than you are burning off, but there is a limit where you will eat way too many calories and will start to build fat. And have a good weight lifting program of course.

You don't want to be eating crappy sugary/fat junk foods. Lean protein, complex carbs, healthy fats. Same kind of foods you would eat if you are trying to lose weight, just eat more.

[MOTHER DUCKER]

Personally i would drop weight till you got rid of the gut then build back up, its kind of what i am doing right now. Was 210 at 5,11 i looked ok but not great and a bit puffy in some areas, dropped too 190 now in the last few months, aiming for 180 then i will build up.

I see so many people who claim to be bodybuilers/lifters etc they have big arms/shoulders but they have fat belly and look horrible imo

[Sugarj]

Everyone will give slightly different answers but this is what I would do:

1) Spend the next two to or three months weight training. Make sure that you exercise all the relevant muscle groups. Get a cheap book or research online if you are not sure of which exercises do what.

Keep your weights fairly high so that the very maximum number of repetitions in any exercise is 8 reps. In other words if you get to 8 but could do 9 or more.....then its time to up the weight on that given exercise. Write down your results for every session and try to improve on them.

Keep to a diet with a lot of grilled chicken, but dont miss your five a day fresh fruit or veg. Protein shakes after training are a thought too. You should aim to eat at least 1 gram of protein for each kilo of body fat per day. I wouldn't avoid treats too much either.

I would do perhaps three serious 45 minute - 1 hour sessions of weights per week.


2) If you train hard and eat well in sufficient quantity you will put on weight. Monitor your weight at various times during the week, just before going to sleep will keep some degree of consistency. This way, if you seem to be a pound or so down on the previous week, then it is your call to eat more!


3) Realistically in three months you should be able to put on at least 10 pounds of weight with decent training and diet, much of this should be muscle mass. When you have got to this level, I would then start focussing on cardio work. Running, skipping, bag work, circuit training.....its your call. If you train hard with these exercises you will burn body fat. BUT try to do at least one serious weights session a week to maintain the lifting that you built up to!. Always keep your notes and maintain that level. If you dont, you are in danger of losing what you built up in the first place, because decent cardio work will make you lose weight.


There is so much I've missed, this really is the basics. It all requires hard work. My own weight varies between 154 and 168 Lbs depending on what I am training for and I have done routines like this for donkeys years.

[Emphasis]

I want to add getting enough sleep is extremely important too. 10 hours I'd say is best to aim for, with 8 being a good minimum.

Not getting enough overall rest will mess with your body and also your results.

[*2TOUGH*]

I want to add getting enough sleep is extremely important too. 10 hours I'd say is best to aim for, with 8 being a good minimum.

Not getting enough overall rest will mess with your body and also your results.

in the world of working professionals 10 hours is a dream lol
if you are living in paradise then 10 hours might be ok..

[blaze778]

I want to add getting enough sleep is extremely important too. 10 hours I'd say is best to aim for, with 8 being a good minimum.

Not getting enough overall rest will mess with your body and also your results.

in the world of working professionals 10 hours is a dream lol
if you are living in paradise then 10 hours might be ok..

Depends on the body.

If I sleep more than 9 hours at a time, I feel totally weak when I wake up.

7-8 is ideal for me, with 9 being the absolute max. Anything more, I might as well sleep 4 hours. I know it's not healthy, but I feel equally shitty with 4 hours of sleep as I do with 10.

[Darkstranger]

I only weigh 155. I want to weigh 165, but I don't want to put on fat because I already have a small gut. I workout already and I'm seeing slight results. I put on 5 pounds, but I think I put on some more fat because I'm eating so much protein.

Should I lose fat and then focus on building muscle?

You didn't put on fat because of protein. You put on fat because you consumed more calories than you burn.

Usually people are skinny fat because they don't consume enough protein and don't do any resistance training.