Muscle Mass Percentage Average, Female – Skinny Fat Question

Selam. My age is 29. I lost weight down to 132 pounds, I am 5’4″. My BMI is 22.7. Until I was about 20, I never had any trouble with gaining fat weight.  I thought that losing fat on my upper legs, inner thighs, back thighs, buttocks, abdomen/belly, midriff, lower back, and lower side trunk/love handles would help with my muscle appearance. It did not. I am beginning to think I might have a muscle mass percentage that is below average for a female.

People on social media tell me that I need to lose more fat weight. They say I lost my muscle because of bad diet and not enough exercise. I admit I need to exercise more. I do not see how losing more fat will help the muscle appear. It’s clear to me that the muscle is not there. I think now that it probably never was there. In fact, I am pretty sure I never had the muscle to start with.

I asked my doctor, but they have no way to measure my muscle. They cannot even tell me what an average muscle mass percentage is for my height and gender. Is this common?

Muscle Mass Percentage Average, Female – Skinny Fat Question

Yes, it is common. Currently, science/medicine has no accurate way to measure muscle tissue — genetic muscle, muscle mass added via resistance/exercise, or muscle tissue lost for whatever reason. The only accurate way to measure muscle tissue is with an MRI machine. But there is no protocol to do so at this time. Even if there was a protocol to measure total muscle tissue, there is no accurate average muscle percentage in relation to height or gender to compare it to, so, as a female, you could better understand if your muscle mass percentage is average, above average, or below average. Although our MRI Study (1) is working on things.

All indications are that you are experiencing skinny fat (2, 3, 4, 5), specifically thin fat and cellulite, on no less than your upper legs, inner thighs, back thighs, buttocks/glutes, abdomen/belly, midriff, lower back, and lower side trunk/love handles. Skinny fat is a lack of genetic muscle (3, 4, 5, 2). It is possible that you lost muscle tissue due to poor diet, exercise, and lifestyle, but they did not cause your skinny fat. Lost muscle does not and cannot turn into any kind of fat (6, 2). However, lost muscle tissue can make any existing skinny fat worse.

Typically, losing regular white/yellow fat during safe weight loss can help reduce the appearance of skinny fat. But it really depends on how much skinny fat each person is experiencing and where on their body. Your skinny fat is especially obvious on your upper legs, buttocks, and lower back. When you are young, you have a stronger metabolism, and most people are usually more active. As you age, your metabolism slows (7), plateauing around the age of 20, and remaining steady until roughly the age of 60. This fits your timeline of starting to notice more issues with regular fat weight gain beginning around the age of 20.

How To Fix Skinny Fat – Muscle Mass Percentage Average Female

You are right, losing more fat weight will not make genetic muscle tissue you do not have magically appear. Instead, focus on increasing your overall muscle mass percentage by adding muscle anywhere you are experiencing skinny fat via proper resistance training, particularly weightlifting. Pilates, yoga, calisthenics, and isometrics may also help, but considering the severity of your skinny fat, lifting weights is the best choice. Adding muscle mass is the best way to reduce skinny fat and manage it in the short and long term. “Toning” (lower weight, higher reps) will further improve the appearance of existing and added muscle mass.

To ensure your body recomposition goes well, make sure you are eating a healthy diet, particularly enough quality protein, fats, and fiber carbs (to maintain a healthy gut microbiome and regularity, no less). Avoid ultra-processed foods (UPF), including fast and junk food. Get plenty of high-quality sleep and keep stress minimal while avoiding toxic environments and people. Consistency and regularity are key.

Using the latest science, we have developed the Scientific Health Quizzes to help you better understand your unique genetic body composition (especially skinny fat), metabolism, diet, exercise, lifestyle, and total health. Accounts are free, anonymous, private, and secure. Free options are available.

References

1. 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/
2. Skinny Fat Science: What is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/what-is-skinny-fat/
3. 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/
4. Skinny Fat Science: Is Skinny Fat Genetic?, November 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/is-skinny-fat-genetic/
5. 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/
6. Skinny Fat Science: How To Fix Skinny Fat, July 27, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-to-fix-skinny-fat/
7. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Metabolism, August 7, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-metabolism/