conflicting advice about "skinny fat"

N

NeuroRN76

0
Most of the articles I find say to incorporate cardio into your workout. But isn't that going to be counterproductive for someone who is already "too thin" but has areas of flab? I am thin, but I have a fat stomach, sorta flabby upper arms, fat thighs, and a fat butt. The rest of me is thin. My cheeks are kinda chubby, but they were chubby when I weighed 90 pounds too, so that doesn't mean much. Genetics. I battle with this fat gain all the time, end up losing it the wrong way, or not sticking with my program, and in the end, it either comes back or gets worse. I'm trying to do this the right way and lift weights again, but I'm still debating on whether I should add some cardio. I love swimming, I always shape up quickly when I swim. I should mention that I do plenty of walking at work, far more than an average person. I would say I probably walk AT LEAST 20 miles per week. Sometimes more. (That is something I cannot change unless I quit my job.)

I'd like to just focus on lifting weights, but I'm a bit scared that I will just get fatter if I eat more and don't do cardio along with it. This fear usually pushes me to diet more, and I end up losing more muscle and then gaining back more fat. I want to do it right this time, but I'm just not sure if I should do both weights and cardio. I keep telling myself that lifting weights couldn't possibly make me look WORSE, but I WILL get fat if I eat more calories than I use. Such a delicate balance, it's hard to know how much your body is going to use, and how much it's going to store as fat. My self-esteem can't take getting fatter.

I know I've gone through this over & over the last few years, but I can't ever find anything that I want to stick with. Sorry to be redundant. I've gotten advice in the past, but everyone says something different in reference to the cardio. I know my body responds very quickly to cardio, I lose weight fast. I can usually get to my target weight in 6 weeks. But maybe I'm doing this all wrong. I don't have a "target weight" right now, I just want to be lean, fit, and strong. I want to hire a personal trainer and do this the right way, but I wanted some opinions first. If YOU were "too thin" with clothes on, but kind of "fat" with clothes off, how would YOU go about fixing that? (If you were female, of course. Whatever men do probably won't apply.) Is cardio going to "take away" from building muscle, or is it necessary if I want to lose those flabby areas? My thinking is that if I build muscle, it will slowly burn away on its own. Right?

A visual might help. I'm attaching a pic of me from a last week. Notice I have absolutely NO definition to my arms whatsoever. You can see my little belly roll. Might be hard to tell since my legs are crossed, but I have fat thighs, yet my lower legs look like bird legs. I have the worse body composition ever.

I know I couldn't look athletic if I tried.... but I'd just like to have a leaner, stronger, healthier look. So what's the verdict? Add cardio to lose the fat, or just lift weights and the shape I want will follow?
 

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First off, damn, that's you? I'm starting to regret getting married

Regarding your problem though, cardio is vital no matter what your goal, it has great health benefits. And cardio in itself will not make you lose weight, that comes from a calorie deficit.

The best way to turn from skinny fat into a slim, strong and healthy person is to carry on eating a healthy amount but eat a balanced diet and do both cardio and weight training.
 
I agree with Typhon in everyway :D (apart from im not married)

Your attractive, your also probably not as 'skinny fat' as you think you are. But definately weight training and cardio with a diet to suit will help bring out the toned, tight look.
 
personally I always do cardio. It's great for your endurance. If you like to swim, that is a *great* way to workout! I look at it this way...fat is fat and muscle is muscle and if you want to get rid of the fat, and gain muscle, then that is what you are going to have to do.

Maybe a professional trainer is the way to go for you. Someone who is there and can help you adjust your routine to best fit your goals :)
 
To me, it seems you may have hit on something in your health history write-up...
"...not sticking with my program.." and "...I love swimming, I always shape up quickly when I swim." If it's workin' for you - stay with it. Maybe I misunderstood?

~JD
 
You're not skinny fat

At least you dont seem to be when seated and in that outfit. Maybe you just need to tighten up a bit. Good diet and cardio will get you there.
 
I agree with the first 2 posters. Why not do both cadio and resistance exercise? That way you can burn fat and build muscle, without having to have a very strick diet, just eating relatively clean most of the time. 3 days of swimming and 3 days of TBT and a day of rest a week should do very nicely for you. As someone else also pointed out this needs to become a life style not just a short term goal producer that you then abandon once you reach your goal.
 
Ride_On said:
I wasn't joking.
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Hey, get the stick out of your a$$ and stop harping on Typhon. He was paying the girl a compliment, and made a joke, you don't like it, oh well, but don't run this thread off topic because you can't get over a joke...... :action13:
 
Ok, I wasn't sure if I could do both and get good results. I thought cardio would make me lose too much weight. I think I'm just gonna do some weight lifting and swim, since I enjoy it so much. Maybe it won't feel so much like "work." I started lifting today for the first time in several months. I only lasted about 20 minutes, partly because I was so tired and my legs were shaking, and partly because it was too crowded. I just hate when people deliberately stare. I never know what they're thinking, am I hogging the equipment and they want to use it?? It's not like I go there looking attractive, I don't wear makeup and I don't do my hair. It's so annoying. (Sorry, I know that's a frequent rant of mine, but I was just reminded why I stopped going!) I'm gonna try to go back about 6am when it's less crowded.

Oh, and thank you for the compliments. I HOPE that I'm not as bad as I think. I'll post "after" pics in about 6 weeks. I turn 33 on Sept 30th, trying to get in decent shape for my party dress! :)
 
tic said:
I agree with Tek, you are HOT. Now to address your problem of the tummy roll but I am a guy giving advice to a gal.

Losing that part is tough, that tummy roll is tough to get rid off. First thing off, do some weight training: try light weight with lots of reps and sets at a FAST pace. You may build some muscle but not a whole lot. Like a book that I am reading, don't worry about building up freakishly large muscle, because it's not easy to get that. Think about how many of us guys been trying to gain ONE inch on our arms and it takes forever. With that said, you may see some muscle gain b/c you are already very lean. Next step, do tons and tons of cardio; keep pounding the cardio. Finally, some weight training excercises to focus on especially: lunges, squat, crunches, and seated twists.

In summary:
1) do light weight with fast pace, lots of reps + set
2) lots of cardio (try for 1 hour, 3-4 times a week)
3) focus on shaping excercise.
4) eat at least 1g of protein per bodyweight; so for you like 100g or so.

I am assuming that your diet is good or clean at least. Good luck with fining tuning but honestly, you look beautiful the way you are as is.
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First of all, thank you for the compliments! I'll have to respectfully disagree with "pounding the cardio." As I previously stated, I walk 20-30 miles per week already. I'm constantly on my feet at work, sometimes for 12-14 hrs straight. Sometimes I don't get to eat, and I'm lucky if I have 2 minutes to use the restroom! The other night, for instance, I worked 15 hours straight without sitting down, and without having a break to eat. That's not uncommon, we're always understaffed. Nursing is not a desk job-- it is constant, on-the-go, adrenalin-pumping work. I am 5' 6" and 112 pounds, I just don't think I need a TON of cardio, as I'm not trying to lose a large amount of weight. When I've done cardio in the past, I dropped too much weight and lost muscle along with it. (Then gained back the lovely fat you see now.) That's the exact opposite of what I'm trying to achieve. I like swimming because it's still resistance training. I think cardio is important in any healthy lifestyle, I'm just thinking too much cardio is going to be counterproductive.

As for gaining muscle, I'm not worried about getting freakishly large muscles. As I said in my first post, I couldn't look athletic if I tried. It's not in my genetic makeup. My goal is to just look lean and tighter. As for the tummy roll being hard to lose -- no it's not. Not for me. If I just wanted to lose the fat, I wouldn't be here right now. I already know how to lose weight, it's very easy. Eat clean, cut calories, and excercise -- it drops right off. I can lose weight in a very short period of time, but it will come back when I stop watching my diet. The problem with that is, I'm not just losing fat, I'm losing muscle. So when the weight comes back, it's all FAT weight. I've done nothing to restore the muscle. I'd kind of like to GAIN some weight this time, in muscle that is. Less fat, more muscle.

I think I am going to stick with weightlifting and swimming for now, and I'll check back with you all in 6-8 weeks. Wish me luck!
 
Good luck, I hope you achieve your goal. Like Evo said, HIITs might work for you. It seems like you are a very knowledgeable person and just struggling with transitioning from weight lost diet to just maintaince diet. Due to your stressful workload and hours, your cortisol level may be slightly elevated and that maybe the cause of your body retaining fat. That and the lack of sleep will screw with your ghrelin, which causes you to be hungry when your not. If you start munching on fatty food during this time period, you will most likely put on fat weight which will accumulate in around the belly and inner thigh for woman first.

I did not realized that you are 5'6'' and 112 lbs, in which case skip on tons of cardio part; your work already does that for you. Swimming and weight lifting will do wonders for you. Good luck again; maybe hit up the beach!!!
 
NeuroRN76 said:
First of all, thank you for the compliments! I'll have to respectfully disagree with "pounding the cardio." As I previously stated, I walk 20-30 miles per week already. I'm constantly on my feet at work, sometimes for 12-14 hrs straight. Sometimes I don't get to eat, and I'm lucky if I have 2 minutes to use the restroom! The other night, for instance, I worked 15 hours straight without sitting down, and without having a break to eat. That's not uncommon, we're always understaffed. Nursing is not a desk job-- it is constant, on-the-go, adrenalin-pumping work. I am 5' 6" and 112 pounds, I just don't think I need a TON of cardio, as I'm not trying to lose a large amount of weight. When I've done cardio in the past, I dropped too much weight and lost muscle along with it. (Then gained back the lovely fat you see now.) That's the exact opposite of what I'm trying to achieve. I like swimming because it's still resistance training. I think cardio is important in any healthy lifestyle, I'm just thinking too much cardio is going to be counterproductive.

As for gaining muscle, I'm not worried about getting freakishly large muscles. As I said in my first post, I couldn't look athletic if I tried. It's not in my genetic makeup. My goal is to just look lean and tighter. As for the tummy roll being hard to lose -- no it's not. Not for me. If I just wanted to lose the fat, I wouldn't be here right now. I already know how to lose weight, it's very easy. Eat clean, cut calories, and excercise -- it drops right off. I can lose weight in a very short period of time, but it will come back when I stop watching my diet. The problem with that is, I'm not just losing fat, I'm losing muscle. So when the weight comes back, it's all FAT weight. I've done nothing to restore the muscle. I'd kind of like to GAIN some weight this time, in muscle that is. Less fat, more muscle.

I think I am going to stick with weightlifting and swimming for now, and I'll check back with you all in 6-8 weeks. Wish me luck!
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How is 5'6" 112 lbs skinny fat. Neurotic is what you are love. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're crazy not fat. My wife is too.
 
Littlea said:
How is 5'6" 112 lbs skinny fat. Neurotic is what you are love. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're crazy not fat. My wife is too.
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You could be 70lbs and skinny-fat, just look at Kate Moss. It refers to body composition, not weight

But Neuro, you're not as bad as you think, you probably just have high standards which isn't such a bad thing
 
hey neuro,,

I have known you for awhile. And though the single pic you have here really shows nothing to go on, it does look like you are thinner.

and you know me so I will say this

eat more protiens and lift heavy for 60 days. Try a 3 times a week full body, simple routine. Just try it. With your fitness, I'll bet you see muscle show up fast.

Sweat Daily
FF
 
tic said:
I agree with Tek, you are HOT. Now to address your problem of the tummy roll but I am a guy giving advice to a gal.

Losing that part is tough, that tummy roll is tough to get rid off. First thing off, do some weight training: try light weight with lots of reps and sets at a FAST pace. You may build some muscle but not a whole lot. Like a book that I am reading, don't worry about building up freakishly large muscle, because it's not easy to get that. Think about how many of us guys been trying to gain ONE inch on our arms and it takes forever. With that said, you may see some muscle gain b/c you are already very lean. Next step, do tons and tons of cardio; keep pounding the cardio. Finally, some weight training excercises to focus on especially: lunges, squat, crunches, and seated twists.

In summary:
1) do light weight with fast pace, lots of reps + set
2) lots of cardio (try for 1 hour, 3-4 times a week)
3) focus on shaping excercise.
4) eat at least 1g of protein per bodyweight; so for you like 100g or so.

I am assuming that your diet is good or clean at least. Good luck with fining tuning but honestly, you look beautiful the way you are as is.
Click to expand...

why is light weight with fast pace and lots of reps + sets best for this?
and what exactly are shaping exercises?
 
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