Skinny Fat Meal Plan

Following a proper diet (1) and meal plan is vital to fixing skinny fat (2). If you are experiencing skinny fat, then you have below-average genetic muscle (3, 4). Where genetic muscle should be, but is not, you have thin fat tissue and/or cellulite tissue (3). This directly affects your metabolism (5) and glucose uptake. Muscle is the body’s primary glucose uptake tissue (4). The more muscle you have, the stronger your metabolism and the less sensitive you are to insulin resistance (8) and unwanted regular white/yellow fat weight gain.

The less muscle you have (the more skinny fat you have), the weaker your metabolism (5) and the more prone you are to insulin resistance (8) and type 2 diabetes, at least. This hinders glucose uptake and leads to unwanted regular fat weight gain, which makes any existing skinny fat worse and negatively affects health. One of the main keys to reducing your skinny fat as much as possible is eating a proper, healthy, balanced diet.

Skinny Fat Meal Plan

Ultra-processed foods (UPF)(7, 8, 9), particularly fast and junk foods, are the enemy of the human body. They are specifically engineered to taste delicious and make you desire more. But, they lack vital nutrients while being loaded with refined carbohydrates (carbs) — sugar — that spikes blood glucose. The more your glucose spikes, the more insulin your body needs to balance it and return to homeostasis. The longer you abuse your body with such foods, the more likely you are to develop insulin resistance (8) and type 2 diabetes, along with becoming overweight or obese.

The more skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle) you are experiencing, the less efficient your body naturally/genetically is at returning to homeostasis. And the more glucose that remains in your bloodstream, the more likely it is that your body will store it as regular white/yellow body fat. Thus, the more weight you gain. The more fat weight you gain, the worse your skinny fat gets.

Starving only makes things worse (10). The human body has evolved through countless starvation events, and it is programmed to survive. Denying your body the calories AND nutrients it requires to function daily and survive will activate starvation mode. Your body will begin to hoard calories (energy) via regular white/yellow fat storage (energy). Sooner than later, your body will begin to break down priceless muscle tissue to meet its daily energy needs. The more muscle tissue you lose, the worse your skinny fat (lack of genetic muscle) gets. You cannot starve away skinny fat. The longer you abuse your body, the more likely it is that you will permanently damage your metabolism.

How To Fix Skinny Fat – Low Carb Skinny Fat Meal Plan

Along with proper lifestyle (11) and resistance exercise (12, 13), especially weightlifting (14), to properly add muscle mass and “tone” existing and added muscle, following a proper skinny fat meal plan is the best way to manage and reduce it in the short and long term. To wrangle insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and even safely and successfully lose regular white/yellow fat weight, a proper low carb diet (2) is the solution. Low carb (1) is typically between 50 and 150 or so grams of FIBER-focused carbs. Extreme low-carb is not necessary or recommended. For acute weight loss, you can reduce carbs down to around 37 grams in the short term, so long as you are getting 100% of your daily fiber (type of carb).

Proper fiber is vital to a healthy gut (microbiome/good bacteria)(1), including digestion, assimilation, and evacuation, while helping mitigate blood glucose spikes, reducing the insulin response (and stress). Remove all refined carbs and sugar from your diet.

Moreover, proper amounts of high-quality protein and fats are vital to successfully managing skinny fat and overall health. Choose whole foods — preferably organic, if possible. The Mediterranean Diet (1) is the gold standard. Of course, there are many options from which to choose, but here are a few ideas to get you started.

Breakfast

Oatmeal cooked with whole rolled oats, preferably thick rolled oats (but most certainly not quick rolled oats, which are technically refined). Oats are high in carbs, particularly starch (broken down into sugar) and fiber, so keep this in mind if you choose to follow a low-carb diet. Oats are rich in beta-gluten fiber (which helps clean your intestines) along with protein, fats (unsaturated polyunsaturated fats/linoleic acid and monounsaturated/oleic acid), vitamins (B1, B5, B6, B3, and E), and minerals (manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium).

The best oats are overnight oats — IE let them soak in high-quality yogurt (no added sugar or other nonsense, probiotic). Add fruit to your liking, such as blueberries, cherries, raspberries, etc. If you are dairy intolerant, boil the properly measured water, stir in the oats to the right consistency, add a teaspoon of unsulfured blackstrap molasses (high in calcium), a tablespoon of extra virgin (EV) olive oil, and a dash of salt to taste, along with fruit and maybe even some nuts for additional protein. As well, some older people like to add collagen powder or protein powder for a boost.

Lunch

Broiled chicken or turkey breast with vegetables. Cover with organic salsa and spices (maybe hot chili pepper) to your liking. The easiest is ground turkey or chicken breast, sloppy joe style. Add to a bed of mixed vegetables, such as steamed broccoli, Brussel sprouts, green beans, and corn — or whatever veggies you prefer. Drizzle a tablespoon of EV olive oil and maybe a dash of salt (although the salsa typically has plenty of salt).

Dinner

Quinoa spiced with cayenne, black pepper, turmeric, and salt, combined with roasted almonds and one hard-boiled egg. Compliment with a side salad of mixed kale, chopped cabbage (perhaps kimchi, probiotic), carrots, peas, and spinach. Drizzle on a tablespoon of EV olive oil, maybe some high-quality vinegar (or choose a clean, no sugar-added salad dressing to your liking). You can also mix all that in one pot, if desired.

Snacks

Banana, figs, strawberries, pineapple, or other fruit that you enjoy. Just watch the sugar levels if you choose a low-carb diet.

Hydration

Drink plenty of clean water throughout the day. Tea, coffee, kombucha (probiotic), or any other kind of non-processed, sugar-free drink (no, diet soda does not count) — do not add sugar of any kind.

Monitoring Your Progress and Health

If you are transitioning from the Standard American Diet (SAD)(15, 16), give yourself time. Your body and digestion (microbiome/positive gut bacteria) will need time to adjust. A high-quality daily probiotic can be helpful. Feel free to ask questions in the comments below.

Furthermore, the Scientific Health Quizzes were developed using the latest science to help you better understand your unique genetic body composition, particularly skinny fat. Along with the Scientific Metabolism, Diet, Exercise, and Lifestyle Quizzes, you can track your progress over time and get a real sense of your health according to the latest scientific data, evidence, and facts. Accounts are free, private, secure, and anonymous (depending on what info you choose to give). Free options are available.

References

1. 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/
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: 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. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Metabolism, August 7, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/how-skinny-fat-affects-metabolism/
6. Skinny Fat Science: Skinny Fat & Insulin Resistance, June 4, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/skinny-fat-insulin-resistance/
7. Wikipedia: Ultra-processed foods. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-processed_food
8. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Ultra-Processed Foods: Definitions and Policy Issues, September 14, 2018, Michael J Gibney. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6389637/
9. Johns Hopkins, Bloomberg School of Health: Most of the Foods We Eat Are Ultra-Processed. Are They All Unhealthy?, November 10, 2025, Morgan Coulson. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/what-are-ultra-processed-foods
10. Skinny Fat Science: Does Starving Fix Skinny Fat?, October 1, 2025. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/does-starving-fix-skinny-fat/
11. 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/
12. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Resistance Exercises, September 4, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/best-skinny-fat-resistance-exercises/
13. 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/
14. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Exercise, According to Science, August 2, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/skinny-fat-science/the-best-skinny-fat-exercise-according-to-science/
15. MedicalNewsToday: Western diet: How does it impact health?, October 27, 2023, Hannah Nichols (Medically reviewed by Kathy W. Warwick, RDN, CDCES). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/western-diet
16. NIH, National Library of Medicine: The Standard American Diet and its relationship to the health status of Americans, December 2010. David Grotto and Elisa Zied. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21139124/