Skinny fat" is a person who looks lean in clothing or has low body weight but also high body fat percentage and low muscle mass.
Why Skinny Fat May Be Confusing:
You don't have to lose a lot of weight, but you must lose fat and gain muscle.
If you diet or do cardio alone, you can get even thinner and lose muscle, which makes the issue worse.
The aim is to reconstruct body composition—not merely reduce weight on the scale.
So no, it’s not hard— just different. Most people fail because they treat it like weight loss instead of body recomposition. It is very important to health.
Is it difficult to lose?
It's not difficult, but you need a different strategy than just weight loss:
Here's why:
Calorie restriction only won't do the trick well — it might make you lose more muscle instead of fat.
You require strength training — for lean muscle growth and body composition improvement.
Protein consumption is important — strive for sufficient protein to facilitate muscle growth (about 1.6–2.2g per kg body weight).
Avoid excessive cardio — too much burns muscle if not adequately fueled.
Optimal approach:
Perform resistance training 3–5x/week
Consume moderate calories with high protein
Monitor body measurements or body fat %, not merely scale weight.
should I do cadio if an skinny
Yes, you can do cardio even if you're skinny — but it depends on your goals.
If you're skinny and want to:
1. Build Muscle / Fix "Skinny Fat"
Emphasize more strength training (weights or resistance exercises).
Do light cardio only 1–2 times a week, such as walking, cycling, or brief HIIT — just enough for heart health.
Too much cardio can burn calories you need to build muscle.
2. Be Healthy & Active
Cardio is excellent for heart, lungs, and mind.
Do moderate cardio 3–4x/week (20–30 mins/session), such as brisk walking, dancing, or cycling.
3. Burn Belly Fat (as a skinny fat individual)
Pair cardio + weight training with a balanced, high-protein diet.
Cardio burns calories, but strength training builds your body.
Key Tip:
If you're thin, consume sufficient calories and protein to support workouts. Cardio won't harm you
if you pair it with recovery and nutrition.