Chubby Skinny Body Type – Skinny Fat Question

Hi There! Why am I chubby skinny? I thought when I got all the way down to my current BMI of 21.4 that I would lose my chubby stomach and love handles. Nope!

Recently, I learned about skinny fat. I do have low muscle and tone, always have. I guess I have high body fat. Although I thought the BMI measures body fat, and once I am at a normal BMI (18.5 and 24.9), I no longer have any excess body fat and am not overweight — right? My doctor has not mentioned that I am overweight.

A Google search informed me that skinny fat is being within normal BMI with too much body fat, normal-weight obesity. Why don’t I have the muscle on my stomach and love handles? I assume that my questionable diet and exercise have caused me to lose muscle. But that does not really add up either. I am sure I never had the muscle on my stomach and love handles, like other places on my body, to begin with. My doctor has never told me I am normal-weight obese. This site says it is genetic. What is going on? Oh, I am 32 years old.

Chubby Skinny Body Type – Skinny Fat Question

Correct. Skinny fat (1, 2, 3, 4) is genetic and influenced by diet, exercise, and lifestyle. However, contrary to the current widespread mainstream spiel, the initial 2016 NIH normal-weight obesity (skinny fat) definition (5, 2, 1) is inaccurate; it is not too much/excess regular white/yellow body fat (common adipose tissue, body fat %) within safe/normal BMI (18.5 to 24.99). That directly violates (6) The Standard BMI (The Standard BMI has not been officially changed since 1998). There is no science, no subsequent scientific studies using real human beings, that supports that initial definition. Skinny fat is a lack of genetic muscle (2, 1, 3, 4). Our MRI Study (7) is working on proving this definitively.

As you have found out through your own personal experimentation and experience, regular white/yellow fat and skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle, IE thin fat, cellulite)(3) are two different things — they are not the same. You can technically lose 100% of your regular body fat, yet your skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle tissue) will remain.

You stated that you have never looked like a standard human body with all 600+ muscles developed (8) — AKA a Standard Body Type One (BT1). From birth, you believe that you have always been a Body Type Two (BT2) (9) with slight to moderate skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle). Although, like 99.9% of human beings, you have never had an MRI scan to accurately verify your total genetic muscle tissue. The fact is, there is no way for science/medicine, at present, to accurately measure or determine specific genetic muscle tissue, structure, or shape. Our MRI Study (7) is working on it.

Diagnosing Skinny Fat (Normal-Weight Obesity) – Chubby Skinny Body Type

The reason that your doctor has never diagnosed you with normal-weight obesity (skinny fat) is, there is no official way, at present, for medical doctors to diagnose skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle). Our MRI Study (7) is working on giving medical doctors the first-ever official way to measure and diagnose lack of genetic muscle (skinny fat).

The best you can do right now is reduce your skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle). Eat a healthy, balanced diet (10). Make sure you are eating enough high-quality protein to maintain any existing genetic muscle and build muscle mass. Along with proper fats, fiber carbs, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Adding muscle mass (and toning) via resistance training (11), especially lifting weights (12, 11)(gold standard), is the best way to reduce skinny fat and optimize metabolism (13). Pilates (14, 11), yoga (15, 11), calisthenics (16, 11), and/or isometrics (11) can also help. How much resistance exercise can help depends on how much skinny fat you are experiencing, and how hard you are willing to work. As well, engage in proper cardio (17) exercise. The Scientific Body Type Quiz accurately determines skinny fat; a free option is available.

Moreover, review your lifestyle (18), including sleep, stress, and environment. Enough quality sleep plays a vital role (4) in no less than maintaining and building muscle mass relative to proper resistance exercise. Wrangle stress and keep it minimal. Avoid toxic people and environments — like social media — to help maintain mental and overall health. Visit your doctor to have them check for any hormone imbalances, at least. Focus on the scientific facts, and remember that human science is young and evolving, especially skinny fat science. Be sure to review our MRI Study (7).

Check out the Scientific Health Quizzes to learn more about what the latest science says about your unique body composition, metabolism, diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below.

References

1. Skinny Fat Science: Is Skinny Fat Genetic?, November 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-skinny-fat-genetic/
2. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat is a Lack of Genetic Muscle – Beyond Normal-Weight Obesity, August 13, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-is-a-lack-of-genetic-muscle-beyond-normal-weight-obesity/
3. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/what-is-skinny-fat/
4. Skinny Fat Science: Is Muscle/Mass Genetic and How Does It Affect Skinny Fat?, November 20, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-muscle-mass-genetic-and-how-does-it-affect-skinny-fat/
5. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Normal-weight obesity syndrome: diagnosis, prevalence, and clinical implications, September 2016 (Epub Jul 29, 2016), Lana P Franco, Carla C Morais, Cristiane Cominetti. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27473199/
6. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat Is More Than Just Normal-Weight Obesity, April 2, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-is-more-than-just-normal-weight-obesity/
7. Skinny Fat Science: Scientific Skinny Fat MRI Study – Proving What Skinny Fat Is, March 26, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/scientific-skinny-fat-mri-study-proving-what-skinny-fat-is/
8. Britannica: human muscle system, Shane W. Cummings and Robin Huw Crompton (Fact-checked by the Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/human-muscle-system
9. Fellow One Research: Body Type Two (BT2). https://www.fellowone.com/category/fellow-one-research/the-four-body-types/body-type-science/body-type-quiz/research-data/body-type-two-bt2/
10. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Diet, According to Science, July 29, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/the-best-skinny-fat-diet-according-to-science/
11. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Resistance Exercises, September 4, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/best-skinny-fat-resistance-exercises/
12. Skinny Fat Science: Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Weight Lifting, 40 Optimal Exercises (with Images), May 7, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/resistance-training-for-skinny-fat-weight-lifting-40-optimal-exercises-with-images/
13. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Metabolism, August 7, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-metabolism/
14. Skinny Fat Science: Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Pilates, July 23, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/resistance-training-for-skinny-fat-pilates/
15. Skinny Fat Science: Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Yoga, August 6, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/resistance-training-for-skinny-fat-yoga/
16. Skinny Fat Science: Resistance Training for Skinny Fat – Calisthenics, August 27, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/resistance-training-for-skinny-fat-calisthenics/
17. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Cardio Exercises, September 11, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/best-skinny-fat-cardio-exercises/
18. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Lifestyle, According to Science, August 14, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/the-best-skinny-fat-lifestyle-according-to-science/