Am I Skinny or Fat? Or Skinny Fat?

If you have “perfect” weight according to your height, gender, age and working habits and you assume that you’re healthy, then think twice. Having perfect weight doesn’t necessarily mean you’re actually carrying a perfect body-here the term “skinny fat” or normal weight obesity comes, and most alarmingly, most Americans having perfect BMI i,e weight according to height have normal weight obesity. Skinny fat is also known as metabolically obese, normal weight (MONW) or thin outside, fat inside (TOFI).

What Does Skinny Fat Mean? 

Skinny fat is when you have normal weight (or even underweight) but more fat inside your body than is healthy, meaning lower muscle definition. It also means not having enough lean muscle mass that’s needed for good health.

Subcutaneous fat lies beneath the skin, while visceral fat surrounds organs in the abdominal cavity. Subcutaneous fat is pinchable and tends to accumulate in areas like thighs and arms, while visceral fat is hidden and can lead to health issues like heart disease. Skinny fat, where someone appears thin but has excess body fat, often stems from visceral fat buildup due to poor diet and lack of exercise. 

Why BMI Can Be Misleading Sometimes?

Sure! Here’s a paragraph for you:

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is often used to determine if someone is underweight, normal weight, or overweight, but it doesn’t always tell the full story. It only considers your height and weight, completely ignoring muscle mass and fat distribution. That’s why it can be misleading—someone who is “skinny fat” might have a normal BMI but still carry a higher percentage of body fat and low muscle mass. On the flip side, a muscular person could be labeled as overweight or even obese by BMI standards, even though they’re in great shape. So, while BMI can give a general idea, it’s not the best measure of overall health or body composition.

By this far, you know that fitness is not just about weight. You can have perfect body weight and BMI but still can be unhealthy due to poor muscle definition and higher fat percentage. For instance, BMI can be misleading during pregnancy and for athletes. For men, a healthy body fat percentage typically ranges from 10% to 20%. For women, it’s generally higher, ranging from 18% to 28%. 

Also Read: Does Sugar Really Make You Fat?

Are Regular Fat and Skinny Fat the Same Thing?

No, regular fat and skinny fat aren’t the same thing, though they’re both related to how our bodies store fat. Let me break it down simply:

What is Regular Fat?

This is what most people think of when someone says they want to lose weight or “burn fat.” It usually refers to people who have a higher body weight and visible fat deposits around the body—like on the belly, thighs, or arms. These individuals often have a higher body fat percentage and might fall into the overweight or obese category on the BMI scale.

In short: Regular fat is when there’s more fat overall on the body, and it’s visible to the eye.

What is Skinny Fat?

Skinny fat is kind of a tricky one. It’s when someone looks slim or has a “normal” weight, but their body composition is off. They might have a high percentage of fat compared to how much muscle they have. So, even though they’re not “overweight,” they might feel soft or flabby because they lack muscle tone.

A lot of the fat in this case could also be visceral fat, which isn’t always obvious—it’s the kind of fat that wraps around your organs and can be more dangerous than fat you can pinch.

In short: Skinny fat means you might look slim, but your body isn’t as healthy or strong as it seems.

Key Differences

How Do You Fix It?

If you’re dealing with regular fat, the goal is to lose fat overall. That usually means eating a balanced diet, doing cardio, and adding strength training to maintain or even build muscle while you lose weight.

For skinny fat, the focus shifts. Instead of just “losing fat,” you need to build muscle. Strength training and eating enough protein are key here. You’ll likely need to eat more calories (in a smart way) to fuel muscle growth, while also improving your body composition.

Health Risks of Being Skinny Fat

Being skinny fat can pose health risks despite a slim appearance. Here’s why:

1. Hidden Health Problems: Skinny fat individuals may appear thin, but they can still have high levels of visceral fat around organs, which increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and other metabolic issues.

2. Reduced Muscle Mass: Skinny fat people often have low muscle mass and poor muscle tone, leading to weaker bones, lower metabolism, and reduced strength and mobility.

3. Poor Metabolic Health: Excess body fat, especially visceral fat, can disrupt hormone balance and metabolism, contributing to insulin resistance, inflammation, and an increased risk of chronic diseases.

4. Aesthetic Concerns: Despite a low body weight, skinny fat individuals may lack muscle definition and have a higher body fat percentage, leading to dissatisfaction with body image and reduced self-confidence.

5. Long-term Health Risks: Ignoring skinny fat status can lead to long-term health complications, including cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, and metabolic disorders, impacting overall well-being and quality of life.

It’s essential to address skinny fat concerns through a balanced diet, regular exercise, and lifestyle changes to improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

How to Tell If You Are Skinny Fat

While a Body Composition Analysis (This involves methods like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), or air displacement plethysmography (BodPod) to measure body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, and bone density) can exactly tell how much skinny fat you might be, there are other easier methods.

1. Calculate your BMI: to tell if you are skinny fat it’s necessary to determine if you are underweight, normal or overweight. That’s why you calculate your BMI first. A BMI in 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal. Anything lower than that is underweight. 25 to 29.9 indicates overweight (Though for bodybuilders or even people having more muscle can seem to be overweight).
2. Look at the mirror: take off your shirt and see yourself in the mirror. Skinny fat men store fat in chest, stomach, lower back whereas women carry fat in belly, lower back, buttocks and thigh. So if you have higher fat at the waistline or muffin top, you may have normal weight obesity.
3. Measure Your Shoulder-to-Waist Ratio: For men, aim for a shoulder width that’s 1.6 times the size of your waist. For instance, if your waist measures 30 inches, your shoulders should be around 48 inches in circumference. Women typically aim for a ratio of 1.4, meaning a 30-inch waist would correspond to 42-inch shoulders. If your shoulders are only slightly broader than your waist and lack muscle tone, you may be considered skinny fat. Likewise, if your waist surpasses your shoulder width and you’re within a normal weight range, you might be at risk for health concerns associated with skinny fatness.
4. Check your eating habits: if you’re

• Not eating enough protein
• Not adding whole grains, fruits and vegetables into your meal
• Taking junk and processed food more often

You’re at risk of being skinny fat. Study shows that people eating ultra processed foods (UPF), that contain any five of the elements

• Added sugar
• Oils
• Fat
• Salt
• Antioxidants
• Stabilizers
• preservatives

Examples of such foods: chocolate, candy, ice-cream, cookies, pastries, 

packaged breads, cakes, chicken nuggets, hot dogs and other fast foods. Smoking or taking alcohol also increases the risk of being skinny fat to a great extent.          

5. Consider your workout type: Even if you are regular in your workout, you can be skinny fat. Usually, cardiovascular workouts like running, walking, jogging don’t involve muscle building that much. If you only do aerobic exercise and skip strength training, you can become skinny fat. On the other hand, strength training works on muscle development by tearing and repairing muscle tissue. A combination of strength training and cardio will be best of all, because it will keep your heart healthy as well as muscle strong.

Well, there are other symptoms that tell you might have skinny fat, including

• You have perfect weight still your skin is not toned
• You have weak immunity that means you fall sick more often
• You often feel weak or don’t get enough strength to work
• You are diagnosed with high cholesterol 

These signs indicate that you should work on getting more muscle definition or lean muscles which have numerous health benefits.

How to Get Rid of Skinny Fat

Some lifestyle changes and focusing on eating habits is a must if you want to stop being skinny fat. These include:

1. Eat well: Remember what you eat is how you will look. Eating more protein, including whole foods and cutting extra carbohydrates is the first step to get rid of skinny fat. Eat more fish, poultry, milk, nuts, yogurt etc. Raw or minimally processed foods are often referred to as whole foods. These include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and unprocessed meats. These foods are in their natural state or undergo minimal processing, retaining most of their nutrients and health benefits.
2. Incorporate NEAT workouts: Sometimes skinny fat is caused by being sedentary for most of the day. To beat a sedentary lifestyle, try adding more NEAT into your day. NEAT means Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, like taking the stairs, playing with kids, or biking to work. Even short walks can add up over the day. To make walks more effective, try marching by lifting your knees higher to work your core muscles. These small movements can make a big difference in your health!
3. Sleep well: Sleep is not only the time you rest, rather your body restores energy, rebuilds muscle tissues and more. Sleeping repairs your torn muscle tissues, gives more muscle mass. With all other factors being same, those who get enough quality sleep are seen to have more muscle mass. So try to get 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night.

• Don’t take tea or coffee before 6 hours of sleep
• Don’t use your screen before 1 hour of going to bed
• Keep your bedroom dark
• Use your bed only for sleeping
• Consider taking a warm bath before sleeping 

4. Try weight lifting or strength training if you only do cardio: if you’re doing NEAT exercises and cardio but still struggle with your skinny fat, consider doing some weight or resistance training 4-5 times a week to get the best result. Bodyweight exercises like push ups, pullups, squats, crunches, planks can also serve the purpose. Aim for two to three 20 minutes cardio a week and replace the rest of your exercise with strength or resistance training.

Summary

In conclusion, achieving a “perfect” weight doesn’t always mean having a perfect body. Skinny fatness, or normal weight obesity, is a condition where individuals may appear thin but have excess body fat, particularly around vital organs. Despite having a healthy BMI, skinny fat individuals face hidden health risks such as heart disease, diabetes, and weakened immunity. To combat skinny fatness, it’s crucial to focus on body composition rather than just weight. Incorporating whole foods, staying active with NEAT exercises, prioritizing quality sleep, and incorporating strength training can help achieve a healthier and more balanced physique.