I'm skinny-fat - what to do??

[Roonytunes]

I'm a 31 yr old female, 5ft 5", range between 118-120 lbs and wear a size 2. I look skinny with clothes on and have a nice shape with a small waist, but don't have the bikini body I really want. My fat is focussed heavily on certain areas. I have a gut, love handles and nasty saddlebags/fat on my thighs. But my upper body looks great and everything below mid-thigh is fine too. My bodyfat is around 23%.

I do work out currently with a trainer. I get 2 full body sessions in with him and do a mix of interval training cardio for about 40 mins around 3 to 4 times a week on my own. I eat relatively healthily, but not clean. My diet is about 40/40/20 with carbs, protein and fat. I average 1200 cals over the weekdays and then eat more freely over the weekend. I've been doing this for about a year plus now, but now I'm ready to really make the commitment to get a fab beach body.

What do I need to do? Cut or Bulk? Or just really fine tune my eating and workout habits? Given I don't weigh much, my calorie requirements seem to be rather low too. Can someone please give me some direction?

My plan thus far:
Do HIIT cardio in the morning 3X a week
Eat 6 small "more clean" meals. Any sample ideas on these because my calorie allotment is quite low, around 200-250 cals/meal?
???

 

[Miss24k]

First thing you need to do, is get your diet in order, cause diet is 80% of it. Once you got that in check you'll be surprised at your results just from that. Yes you should be eating 5-6 meals a day.

Here is a list of clean foods:
Carbs: Oatmeal, brown rice, sweet patatos, fruits(green apples, berries, melon, or banana),veggies.
Protein: Egg whites, Chicken breast, turkey, lean red meat, tuna
Fats: Almonds, Flaxseed oil, fish oil, olive oil, avacado

* Stay away from anything made with white flour.
* Do not eat any carbs 4 to 6 hours before bed.

Do cardio on an empty stomach, preferrly HIIT (no more than 3 times a week, for this type of cardio), always have a meal better lifting (you never want to lift on an empty stomach, you won't be able to get the MOST out of your workout)
And you should always have a protein shake after a workout.

Also I'm not sure how much water you drink, but you should be drinking at least a gallon a day.

 

[Roonytunes]

Thanks Miss24K!

Here is a sample of the diet I hope to keep up with. I unfortunately am allergic to eggs, so I'm not sure what protein source to add to my breakfast. I'm trying to keep to about 1300-1400 cals given my body weight.

Meal 1:
Oatmeal
Soy Milk
1 tbsp natural peanut butter

Meal 2:
Protein shake

Meal 3:
Cous Cous
Protein shake

Meal 4:
Protein Shake

Meal 5:
Lean beef or lean pork
Green veggies

Meal 6:
Tuna or salmon or tofu
1 tbsp flax seed oil or olive oil

As you may be able to tell, meals 2, 3 and 4 will be on the road so they have to be fairly portable. Meals 1,5 and 6 can be prepared at home. Is this a good plan for starting out?

I have no fruit here though. It seems very hard to get all the food I need and stay within my calorie allotment.

 

[Miss24k]

No problem

What size are these portions and at what times are you comsuming them?
that's fine that you didn't include fruit, it's just an option.

I don't think it's a good idea, for you to have 3 meals in a row consisting of protein shakes, you need food. Shakes should be a supplement. Is it possible for you to prepare meals the night before to take with you on the road?

Also what times do you plan to do your training at?

 

[Roonytunes]

I plan to do cardio in the morning 3X a week and weight training in the evening 3X a week on alternate days.

Here are more details on time and portions. Can you give me some suggestions for the in between meals if you don't think the protein shakes are a good idea? I can do some prep work at home and carry a couple of items with me, if need be.

Meal 1 at 8am (approx 1 hr after cardio)
1/2 cup oatmilk
1/2 cup soymilk
1 tbsp natural peanut butter

Meal 2 at 11am
protein shake (100 cals, 21 g of Protein, 3 g of fat)

Meal 3 at 1pm
protein shake (100 cals, 21 g of Protein, 3 g of fat)
*I could substitute this protein shake with a can of tuna possibly?*
cous cous (1 cup, 260 cals)

Meal 4 at 3pm
protein shake (100 cals, 21 g of Protein, 3 g of fat)

Meal 5 at 6pm
Lean beef/pork (4-6oz, 160-200 cals)
Green veggies

*when I strength train, it will be from 7 to 8pm or so

Meal 6 at 9pm
salmon (3oz, 120 cals) or can of tuna (90 cals)
1 tbsp flax oil (90 cals or so)

I appreciate your input, Miss24K!

 

[Miss24k]

Yes definiately substitute Meal 3 with a can of tuna or some kind of lean meat. I would also add in some green veggies with meal 6.

I'm not sure if you can change around the times that you're eating, but you should be taking in a protein shake right after you train. Are you having your meal 6 right after you train?

 

[Roonytunes]

I'm not sure if you can change around the times that you're eating, but you should be taking in a protein shake right after you train. Are you having your meal 6 right after you train?

Yep, meal 6 would be after strength training. Should I throw in a protein shake in there then?

 

[Miss24k]

I would throw in a protein shake right away the workout, like before even leaving the gym. And then have meal 6 an hour later. But you can try having your meal 6 right after your workout and see how that works for you, but if you're doing that, you need to take out the flax seed oil and maybe put that with your meal 5. Fats slow down the disgestion of protein, which isn't good post workout.

Also 1 suggestion for your strength training, maybe you should consider a split.
Something like this:
Day 1 - Legs
Day 2 - Back, Bicep, Core
Day 3 - Chest, Shoulders, Tricep

Hope this helps Maybe someone else can give you a few other suggestions.

 

[Griz1]

Sometimes that extra stuff may be more genetic than anything else. You can work your butt off trying to get rid of it, but no matter what, you just are not built like that. If you have lost alot of weight over the last few years, depending on your age it may be "leftover skin" which can be hard to get rid of as well. Younger folks have a much much easier time getting rid of extra skin. Over 40 it becomes more difficult.

If it is genetic, surgery may be your only option. HOWEVER this should of course be treated as a dramatic last choice.

I've seen some pretty svelt and exceptionally fit individuals that have some extra "storage" in some odd places on their bodies when they're not in their street clothes. Mostly they've been that way all their lives.

Hope your able to ID your issue and deal with it.

Luck 2u

 

[bluetwistedsteel67]

I think your diet plan and workout program look pretty good. These things can always be treaked but I'll tell you this. If you just stick to what you have planned out in your posts you'll definitely be ready by summer. You've just got to be consistant and bust your ass in the gym. At 31 you should still have good elasticity in your skin so it should get tight as your body changes shape.

 

[Roonytunes]

Sometimes that extra stuff may be more genetic than anything else. You can work your butt off trying to get rid of it, but no matter what, you just are not built like that.

I've seen some pretty svelt and exceptionally fit individuals that have some extra "storage" in some odd places on their bodies when they're not in their street clothes. Mostly they've been that way all their lives.

Yeah, this is my fear. I come from a family of fleshy women and have always had this extra "storage" of fat in very specific places whereas the rest of my body is in pretty good shape. Even when I have dropped a few more pounds in the past, it seems the weight only falls off the wrong parts and I look even more disproportioned than before.

But I've decided I'm finally going to go all out and see if I can conquer the problem with a very clean diet and a solid strength training program alongside HIIT cardio. I'll report back on my progress.

Thanks to everyone who has given me their input so far!! I really needed the advice.

 

[Miss24k]

Yeah, this is my fear. I come from a family of fleshy women and have always had this extra "storage" of fat in very specific places whereas the rest of my body is in pretty good shape. Even when I have dropped a few more pounds in the past, it seems the weight only falls off the wrong parts and I look even more disproportioned than before.

But I've decided I'm finally going to go all out and see if I can conquer the problem with a very clean diet and a solid strength training program alongside HIIT cardio. I'll report back on my progress.

Thanks to everyone who has given me their input so far!! I really needed the advice.

Good luck to you, and I'm looking forward to seeing your progress

 

[Griz1]

But I've decided I'm finally going to go all out and see if I can conquer the problem with a very clean diet and a solid strength training program alongside HIIT cardio.

Good for you!!!

Everyone on this board is behind you!! (no B.S.)

 

[TheAssholeFomerlyKnownAsDBBT]

I'm a 31 yr old female, 5ft 5", range between 118-120 lbs and wear a size 2. I look skinny with clothes on and have a nice shape with a small waist, but don't have the bikini body I really want. My fat is focussed heavily on certain areas. I have a gut, love handles and nasty saddlebags/fat on my thighs. But my upper body looks great and everything below mid-thigh is fine too. My bodyfat is around 23%.

I do work out currently with a trainer. I get 2 full body sessions in with him and do a mix of interval training cardio for about 40 mins around 3 to 4 times a week on my own. I eat relatively healthily, but not clean. My diet is about 40/40/20 with carbs, protein and fat. I average 1200 cals over the weekdays and then eat more freely over the weekend. I've been doing this for about a year plus now, but now I'm ready to really make the commitment to get a fab beach body.

What do I need to do? Cut or Bulk? Or just really fine tune my eating and workout habits? Given I don't weigh much, my calorie requirements seem to be rather low too. Can someone please give me some direction?

My plan thus far:
Do HIIT cardio in the morning 3X a week
Eat 6 small "more clean" meals. Any sample ideas on these because my calorie allotment is quite low, around 200-250 cals/meal?
???

diet is 90% of it

 

[ashley2212]

Yeah, this is my fear. I come from a family of fleshy women and have always had this extra "storage" of fat in very specific places whereas the rest of my body is in pretty good shape. Even when I have dropped a few more pounds in the past, it seems the weight only falls off the wrong parts and I look even more disproportioned than before.

This sounds like a chapter out of the book of my own life!!! My family is full of skinny/fat women as well (not to mention my 2 aunts have eating disorders, my grandmother is still constantly dieting at 67, and my mom is obsessed with the scale). I was on Weight Watchers with my mom for 4 years. I lost 20 lbs and was "skinny" but still disproportionate. My mom is very pear-shaped and I started to look like her...

Long story short, I started doing some intense weight training and 3 years later I have been able to re-shape my body. I was able to sculpt that lower body fat/flab area into some nice curves as well as build some size on my upper body to balance me out. Though it is mostly diet, perhaps this will inspire you to think about re-shaping your body with weight training. Hit the weights hard, eat well, and build those beautiful curves!

 

[Roonytunes]

Long story short, I started doing some intense weight training and 3 years later I have been able to re-shape my body. I was able to sculpt that lower body fat/flab area into some nice curves as well as build some size on my upper body to balance me out. Though it is mostly diet, perhaps this will inspire you to think about re-shaping your body with weight training. Hit the weights hard, eat well, and build those beautiful curves!

Thanks for the support everyone and it's great to hear your personal story, ashley2212 Can I have some idea about what your intense weight training, i.e. sets/reps etc.? I do have a trainer right now that I work with, but we're fine-tuning my routine right now, so any ideas will be helpful.

Also, did it really take you three full years to see the changes you wanted to happen? I'm also wondering if you had any cellulite issues along the way. That seems to be yet another hinderance to conquer when you're "skinny-fat".

 

[ashley2212]

Thanks for the support everyone and it's great to hear your personal story, ashley2212 Can I have some idea about what your intense weight training, i.e. sets/reps etc.? I do have a trainer right now that I work with, but we're fine-tuning my routine right now, so any ideas will be helpful.
Also, did it really take you three full years to see the changes you wanted to happen? I'm also wondering if you had any cellulite issues along the way. That seems to be yet another hinderance to conquer when you're "skinny-fat".

Did it take me three full years to see what I want? Haha.. I don't think I'll ever get exactly what I want, but that's part of the game, right?
Actually, no. I worked out for 1.5-2 years doing cardio and the "light weight/high rep" bit. I was not eating very much... built up a tiny bit of muscle... got a little stronger... and I was able to fit into smaller pants. I came to realize that in order to maintain this, I would have to eat very little ALL THE TIME. Plus, I slowed down my metabolism, so I gained weight easily.

I then got my certification as a personal trainer and put my new knowledge to use on myself. I decided to toss out this "I wanna be a skinny little lady" attitude and face the weight gain to bulk. It took a few months to fix the way my body used calories (to use them as fuel and not store them as fat) and I did put on a little fat, but I also started lifting heavier than ever before. I did a few cycles over the past year and a half of bulking and leaning and THAT'S what changed my shape. NOT the "low reps/light weight". Another thing I had to do during this process was get rid of the scale and learn to rely on myself to gauge the way my body feels.

Right now I stay between 4-10 reps depending on the exercise. Usually 3 sets... sometimes I'll do drop sets as well. I'm always pushing the weight I lift higher and it feels great.

Cellulite -- YES. It runs in my family. That's another genetic thing. You will see skinny women with cellulite and fat women with skinny legs and none at all. I've finally been able to get it down to the point that you barely notice it. That was from LIFTING HEAVY. Squats, Straight Leg Deads, and especially Lunges (back heel up and squeeze that ass). When I was skinny/fat I did have noticeable cellulite, but the more muscle I built under it, the more it smoothed out.

I hope that helps

 

[JKurz1]

Did it take me three full years to see what I want? Haha.. I don't think I'll ever get exactly what I want, but that's part of the game, right?
Actually, no. I worked out for 1.5-2 years doing cardio and the "light weight/high rep" bit. I was not eating very much... built up a tiny bit of muscle... got a little stronger... and I was able to fit into smaller pants. I came to realize that in order to maintain this, I would have to eat very little ALL THE TIME. Plus, I slowed down my metabolism, so I gained weight easily.

I then got my certification as a personal trainer and put my new knowledge to use on myself. I decided to toss out this "I wanna be a skinny little lady" attitude and face the weight gain to bulk. It took a few months to fix the way my body used calories (to use them as fuel and not store them as fat) and I did put on a little fat, but I also started lifting heavier than ever before. I did a few cycles over the past year and a half of bulking and leaning and THAT'S what changed my shape. NOT the "low reps/light weight". Another thing I had to do during this process was get rid of the scale and learn to rely on myself to gauge the way my body feels.

Right now I stay between 4-10 reps depending on the exercise. Usually 3 sets... sometimes I'll do drop sets as well. I'm always pushing the weight I lift higher and it feels great.

Cellulite -- YES. It runs in my family. That's another genetic thing. You will see skinny women with cellulite and fat women with skinny legs and none at all. I've finally been able to get it down to the point that you barely notice it. That was from LIFTING HEAVY. Squats, Straight Leg Deads, and especially Lunges (back heel up and squeeze that ass). When I was skinny/fat I did have noticeable cellulite, but the more muscle I built under it, the more it smoothed out.

I hope that helps

Your posts are VERY informative and helpfull......Always.....karma to you!

 

[ashley2212]

Your posts are VERY informative and helpfull......Always.....karma to you!

awww... and kisses to you

 

[Roonytunes]

Thanks so much, Ashley2212!! I am going through exactly what you say you did for the first year and a half - scared to gain weight, eating very little and doing high reps/ligher weights. You really changed my perspective. And it's good to know there's some hope for my cellulite too.

 

[ashley2212]

Thanks so much, Ashley2212!! I am going through exactly what you say you did for the first year and a half - scared to gain weight, eating very little and doing high reps/ligher weights. You really changed my perspective. And it's good to know there's some hope for my cellulite too.

There is some hope... but only if you REALLY want it and only if you work REALLY hard... Good luck to you!