How To Gain Muscle When Skinny – Skinny Fat Question

Greetings, Dr. Skinny Fat. I am a skinny male and want to know how to gain muscle. I have been lifting weights for the past three months, four days per week, ninety minutes per day. Along with cardio (jogging) for fifteen minutes, four days per week. My diet is evenly mixed omnivore, four meals per day — mostly whole, organic food with a focus on protein — that are all nutritionally balanced. I never drink alcohol and am very hydrated. My sleep is very good and consistent, but my stress has been very high.

I have always experienced low muscle on my stomach, love handles, and lower back. And I easily gain fat in those areas. A friend told me I am skinny fat with too much fat on those areas, even within normal BMI. I focused on losing more fat weight, getting down to a lower BMI of 21.2. But it did not fix my skinny fat. After learning on this site that skinny fat means my muscles in those areas are underdeveloped genetically, I understand that I need to add more muscle mass.

Why is it so hard for me to add muscle mass and get defined abs? Why is it so hard to add muscle mass to my love handles and lower back? I have friends who do nothing and have defined abs, and do not have any skinny fat. I spoke with a professional trainer and they recommended a regime of weightlifting exercises. But, after three months, I have made less progress than I had hoped. Everyone tells me I need more protein and to work harder. However, I am eating around 110 grams of protein (about 1.6 grams per kilogram) daily, and lifting intensely for ninety minutes on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, rotating upper and lower body. What am I doing wrong?

How To Gain Muscle When Skinny – Skinny Fat Question

It does not sound like you are doing anything wrong. Your diet is healthy, along with your exercise — maybe increase cardio to 30-40 minutes per day, four days per week — and lifestyle (sleep), although wrangle your very high stress. Your body, like all human bodies, is genetic and uniquely yours. This includes body composition, particularly muscle tissue and any lack of/skinny fat (1, 2, 3, 4), and metabolism (BMR/TDEE).

The skinny fat on your abdomen, love handles, and lower back can be reduced by adding muscle mass. However, how easy or how hard it is to add muscle mass and maintain it depends on your genetic muscle fiber ratio (2), which is determined at or around birth. A muscle biopsy is the gold standard to determine muscle fiber ratio, although MRI scans are becoming more reliable. Of course, the weightlifting exercises you choose matter, as does how diligent, consistent, and regular you are with doing those exercises.

As well, remember that adding muscle mass is not permanent and does not permanently get rid of skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle). It only reduces skinny fat. Any muscle mass you add, you will have to maintain forever. Keep this in mind and find a sustainable routine that you are willing to do forever.

Exercises to Reduce Skinny Fat – How To Gain Muscle When Skinny

You did not mention what resistance exercises you are doing to build muscle mass specifically relative to your abs, love handles, and lower back to reduce your skinny fat. Here are some recommendations (5) that can help:

Weighted Crunches

Seated Cable Crunches

Weighted Russian Twists

Weighted Plank

Close-Grip Lat Pulldowns (Cables)

Cable Twists

Cable Side Crunch

Cable Kneeling Crunches

There are other options (5), but those are a good start. To build muscle, focus on 8 to 15 reps per set, depending on how heavy the weight. Three sets are typical. Once you add the muscle mass, you can “tone” by increasing muscular endurance via lower weight and higher reps.

Furthermore, 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is on target. But if you still notice that you are failing to add the muscle mass you want, try increasing protein to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Be careful, too much protein may cause kidney issues, at least. As always, consult your doctor to be sure. Feel free to ask any additional questions in the comments below.

The Scientific Exercise Quiz (Scientific Health Quizzes) can help you track your progress and assist with keeping your routines healthy. There is a free option, and accounts are free, private, and secure.

References

1. 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/
2. Skinny Fat Science: Is Skinny Fat Genetic?, November 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-skinny-fat-genetic/
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: 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/
5. 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/