Skinny Fat – Imagine the following scenario: It’s summer, the temperatures are rising steadily and the annual pilgrimage to the local swimming pool or lake is in full swing. Flawless-looking bodies are spread across the lawn, the man sporting six-pack abs, massive quads, and a beautiful tan. The lady also presents her body as well-tanned and crisp. And then you take off your shirt and the hated skinny fat is visible…
No man should ever be exposed to the embarrassing effects of skinny fat. This is that area where the unwanted owner isn’t actually fat, but he’s also not muscular enough to have any muscle to speak of. You probably have images of man bellies, a male torso in the shape of a muffin, and wiggly arms in mind. Luckily, whatever the skinny-fat type, there’s a way to ditch the dreaded skinny fat look just in time for the topless season.
What Causes the Skinny Fat Phenomenon?
In order to find a good solution, one should first investigate the causes of the problem. According to fitness and nutrition experts, the skinny fat phenomenon is primarily, but not exclusively, due to diet.
People who are both thin and wearing a fat belt often do not allow themselves enough rest and their weekends are made up of nights of partying and excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Typically, skinny fat types often work long, hard weekdays and experience high levels of stress, leaving little time and even less energy for regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet.
So, skinny fat is the result of a very busy week and weekend indulgence combined with an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. Consequently, this means incorporating more rest periods during the week and more restraint on the weekends when it comes to alcohol and nights out.
A lack of general fitness and insufficient muscle mass also contributes to the unloved skinny fat body shape gradually appearing. Men are particularly affected. Skinny fat wearers often have a poorly trained upper body and cannot do pull-ups, for example. Therefore, the main focus should be on building lean muscle mass in the core area.
How To Get Rid Of Skinny Fat
There are several ways to combat the effects of skinny fat. It all starts with changing your mindset about the way you live. You should also replace your cardio training with strength training with weights or bodyweight to build as much lean muscle mass as possible. It is important to focus exclusively on body fat percentage and not on weight, as this is largely responsible for the skinny fat appearance.
An average skinny fat body is around 16%-25% body fat. Ideally, you’re trying to get that percentage down to 9%-12%. With appropriate weight training with a focus on the chest and abdominal muscles, you can give your body more definition, which will make you feel good again.
Run Less, Lift More
While endurance training is good for the cardiovascular system and general fitness, it won’t do you any favors if you want to have a defined upper body and make a lasting impression on the ladies on the lawn. Lifting weights and exercising with your body weight is the quickest way to replace fat with muscle if skinny fat is your problem.
Push/pull exercises such as B. Twenty push-ups is a good start. Then move on to core strength exercises like pull-ups, deadlifts, burpees, and other hybrid moves that will help you get a muscular look in the fastest possible time. The goal is to create a solid base, whether the exercises are pull-ups or sit-ups.
Once the strength training is in full swing, make sure to keep changing exercises or increasing the weights and repetitions so you can continue to build muscle. It is often enough to switch from the barbell to the dumbbell to give the muscle new stimuli. If you feel broken and sore afterward, you’re doing it right.
Reconsider Your Eating Habits
Getting rid of your skinny fat requires a consistent combination of exercise and healthy eating. In other words: reduce your alcohol consumption, avoid smoking and try to eat a healthy and balanced diet.
Nutrition experts agree that three to five meals a day in small portions go a long way to avoiding skinny fat. Ideally, you divide your food into five small portions and thus ensure that you never slip into hypoglycemia. As a rule, this diet clashes with your original eating habits: most men skip breakfast, drink coffee in the morning, maybe eat a piece of fruit, and then have a sumptuous, greasy lunch in the canteen. In the evening there is something quick to take away or dinner is left out completely and replaced with a drink.
These eating habits prove extremely unhealthy in the long run, as experts say skinny fat can prove to be a ticking time bomb. From the middle age segment, there are only a few people with skinny fat – either their obesity is getting worse or they are working on themselves and changing their lifestyle habits in the long term.
Overcome Your Inner Critic
Skinny fat is quite easy to get rid of in a relatively short amount of time (about 10 weeks) if you stick to a consistent exercise and exercise program. The problem is more that you first have to overcome your weaker self, otherwise, you will not be able to define your body shape in the long term.
So, poor and under-eating is the real culprit, while drinking and smoking compound it. But the good news is, if you’re disciplined, results will come super fast. The muscle build-up sets in within 3 months and you will usually notice a change in your body after 6 weeks. So summer can come!
