How Do I Permanently Fix Skinny Fat?

Greetings, Dr. Skinny. I took the Free Scientific Body Type Quiz and it helped me better understand my skinny fat (I am a Body Type Two), along with the articles about diet and exercise on this site. After months of hard work, my body recomposition efforts got rid of my skinny fat — I thought I had permanently fixed it. I was finally happy with my body for the first time. Then my mother got sick and I had to help her, and I did not have time to lift weights for a while. But my healthy diet remained consistent.

I was only away from the gym for a few months. But the skinny fat is back. I am so frustrated.  Why has it returned?  I thought lifting weights was considered the gold standard to fix skinny fat. Is there no way to permanently fix skinny fat?

How Do I Permanently Fix Skinny Fat?

You have witnessed the truth first-hand. Adding muscle mass is, indeed, the best way to fix — reduce — skinny fat. But as you now know, adding muscle mass is not permanent. For people who are experiencing it, skinny fat is unique genetic tissue (thin fat, cellulite)(1) that exists where genetic muscle tissue should be, but is not. It’s permanent.

Most people begin to see the loss of added muscle mass within the first month (2, 3) of stopping the resistance/exercise that built it. The longer you are away from the gym, the more added muscle mass you gradually lose. Until, eventually, you return to your original genetic body composition, including any skinny fat (for those people who are experiencing it). Currently, this biological fact cannot be changed.

Thus, if you are experiencing skinny fat, to whatever degree, no way exists at this time to permanently fix it. No matter what anyone tells you on social media — anywhere — it does not change this indisputable fact. You finally know how to reduce your skinny fat to achieve the body you want. What you have to figure out now is, how much weightlifting you are willing to do for the rest of your life to maintain your body as you want.

Genetic Science – Permanently Fixing Skinny Fat

That being said, the steady evolution of genetic science will likely, someday in the near future, offer a real solution to permanently fix skinny fat. CRISPR (4, 5, 6) shows real promise, along with other possible methods. Although the cost will probably be so high that it will be prohibitive for most people, at least early on.

In the meantime, take comfort in what you now know. Most people don’t understand what skinny fat is, let alone how to fix it. You have already used the Free Quiz, which is complemented by the Official Scientific Body Type Quiz, but be sure to check out the other Scientific Health Quizzes. In particular, the Scientific Metabolism Quiz accurately calculates your unique metrics, giving you vital insights into how many calories your body burns, whether your metabolism is slow, average, or fast, and whether your metabolic rate is decreased, steady, or increased. The Scientific Diet Quiz can help you fine-tune things, as can the Scientific Exercise Quiz and Scientific Lifestyle Quiz.

As you know, accounts are free. private, secure, and anonymous. Free coupons are available for all Quizzes. You can track your progress over time by taking as many Quizzes as you want.

References

1. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/what-is-skinny-fat/
2. Skinny Fat Science: How To Fix Skinny Fat, July 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-to-fix-skinny-fat/
3. 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/
4. NIH, National Library of Medicine: CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated miR-29b Editing as a Treatment of Different Types of Muscle Atrophy in Mice, March 10, 2020, Jin Li, Lijun Wang, Xuejiao Hua, Haifei Tang, Rui Chen, Tingting Yang, Saumya Das, and Junjie Xiao. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7210721/
5. Science: A new ‘mini-CRISPR’ flexes its editing power in monkey muscles, January 31, 2025, Jennifer Couzin-Frankel. https://www.science.org/content/article/new-mini-crispr-flexes-its-editing-power-monkey-muscles/
6. MedicalXpress: CRISPR therapy corrects muscular dystrophy mutations and regrows muscles in mice, January 7, 2025, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-crispr-therapy-muscular-dystrophy-mutations.html