The Best Skinny Fat Diet, According to Science

Having scientifically clarified how to fix skinny fat, what is the best skinny fat diet, according to the latest science?

The latest scientific research indicates that a low-carb diet (1, 2, 3, 4) — properly executed by focusing on clean, whole foods rich in high-quality calories (energy) including high-quality protein, fats, and fiber-focused carbs (adult males need 28 to 38 grams (5, 6, 7, 8) of fiber daily and females 21 to 28 grams (5, 6, 7, 8); 6 to 8 grams should be soluble)  — is the best skinny fat diet.

Why? Because safely, sustainably, and successfully losing regular white/yellow body fat/adipose tissue (visceral and subcutaneous) has proven to be one of the top three most effective solutions to reduce and manage skinny fat (subcutaneous).

Regular Fat Weight Loss – The Best Skinny Fat Diet, According to Science

For acute regular fat weight loss, the bullseye is 37 grams (3) of mostly fiber carbs to safely, sustainably, and successfully lose regular fat weight for most people. And, religiously counting calories (9, 10, 11, 3) is not required (but be aware of your Standard BMR and TDEE calories) nor is a calorie deficit (12, 13, 3, 10) (which can lead to a slow metabolism/survival mode, hinder/plateau regular fat weight loss, cause muscle tissue loss, and damage health, if done incorrectly, like with starvation diets).

The unfortunate truth is, the vast majority of people (85+%) on a calorie deficit diet (like Eat Less Move More/ELMM) gain most if not all the regular fat weight back (96, 97, 98, 99, 12), if not more. This is because the body adjusts/slows metabolism to meet the new calorie deficit, leading to a plateau. Lower calories further, and the body adjusts again (including hormones like insulin, leptin, ghrelin, etc.); plateau. And so on. Once you start eating normally again, the body immediately starts to store regular fat (calories) to recover from the last starvation event and prepare for the next starving event (survival), while for many people (body composition matters) maintaining a slower metabolism (less energy/fewer BMR calories burned)(96) going forward.

With a properly executed low-carb diet, you don’t even have to exercise. Although exercise is very important for overall health and managing fitness, not just weight loss. And proper exercise (60) can speed up regular fat weight loss.

This video (3) explains the latest science from the leading experts:

Remember, a calorie is NOT a calorie (14, 15, 16); food type, quality, and quantity matter. Once you successfully lose the regular white/yellow fat weight, increase your daily carb intake to 50 to 150 grams of fiber-focused carbs from well-chosen, clean, high-quality calorie whole food. How many carbs is best for your specific body depends on your unique genetics including body composition and metabolism.

The more skinny fat tissue (cellulite, thin fat) you have, the more diligent you will have to be with your diet, exercise, and lifestyle consistently throughout your life.

Best Skinny Fat Diet – What Does Low Carb Mean?

Generally, a safe low carb diet is defined as 37 to 150 grams of carbs (roughly <26% of total daily calories)(1, 2, 3, 4). Carbohydrates (17) (4 calories per gram) are sugars, starches, and fiber (soluble and insoluble). Carbs, particularly sugar carbs, are turned into glucose (blood sugar) by your body to give you the energy (calories) needed to function. Insulin (101, 102, 103), a hormone produced by the pancreas, regulates blood sugar levels and helps the body convert food (calories) into energy, including controlling calorie storage as white/yellow fat/adipose tissue (regular body fat).

The more refined and processed the carb, the worse it is, in general, and too much can lead to insulin resistance (18, 19, 20) — which directly, intimately affects regular white/yellow body fat/adipose tissue weight loss and gain — and subsequently type-2 diabetes (inability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin) and obesity, no less.

Your body turns to the gluconeogenesis (21, 22, 23) metabolic pathway to break down lipids (fats) and/or proteins (amino acids) in the absence or deficiency of sugar (carbs). In terms of sugar consumption, no more than 24 grams (6 teaspoons) for women and 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men; avoid added sugar/refined sugar. Whole fruit is best, but high-quality honey or blackstrap molasses, in strict moderation.

Types of Low Carb Diets

Some people tolerate a high-fat diet and might be good candidates for the ketogenic (keto) low-carb diet (ketosis – usually 20 to 50 grams of carbs daily). While other people, not so much. There is debate about the sustainability of the keto diet which can lead to or exacerbate gallbladder, digestive, and other health issues (24, 25), no less.

Some people tolerate a high-protein diet and might be good candidates for the Atkins low-carb diet (typically 20 to 40 grams of carbs). However, there is some debate (26, 27) about how much high protein affects digestion, organs — especially the kidneys — and overall health.

And, it is a fact that the body requires fiber for proper digestion, no less. Fiber is typically deficient in more extreme versions (0-19 grams of carbs per day) of the Atkins and keto diets (carnivore diet, etc.).

Glycemic Index (GI)

The Glycemic Index (GI) (28) diet allows for all types of food (even empty-calorie and low-quality calorie and poor-quality fast, junk, and processed food) and is judged by the low, medium, and high GI chart (29) — the lower the GI, the better. This diet may appeal more to people who are genetically blessed with the ALK skinny gene (30, 31, 32, 33) and/or Standard Body Type One (BT1), especially the younger they are, as they likely will get away with eating low-quality fast, junk, and processed food regularly and consistently. Although your body is keeping score and even though you might not gain weight eating such low-quality food, cancer and other diseases thrive on aggregate unhealthiness (you are what you eat/assimilate).

The GI chart can compliment any low carb diet. Just exclude all low-quality fast, junk, and processed foods and the like, as needed. Well, except maybe on cheat days.

The Best Overall Low-Carb Diet – According to Science

But, the best scientific low carb diet for sustainable long-term regular fat maintenance and skinny fat reduction is 50 to 150 grams of fiber-focused carbs. Clean, whole food is common and abundant. Depending on age and activity, no less, eat 0.8 to 1.6 grams (34, 35, 36) of lean, quality protein (4 calories per gram) per kg of body weight. Bodybuilders, amateur/pro athletes, etc. will likely require more.

For fat, the typical adult needs 20–40% (37, 38, 39) of high-quality fat (9 calories per gram) per day or roughly 44 to 89 grams if your Standard BMR is 2000 calories. Saturated fat should make up no more than 20 grams (or less than 10% of the total calories you consume each day, closer to 5-6% is likely best) to keep high-density (HDL/good) and low-density (LDL/bad) cholesterol levels healthy, no less. Avoid fast, junk, and processed foods.

Low Carb Meals, Snacks, and Hydration – Best Scientific Skinny Fat Diet

Popular science-based diets that can be low-carb include the consistent U.S. News and World Report #1-rated Mediterranean Diet (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45), best for insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, LDL and HDL cholesterol, heart health, bone and joint health, healthy eating in general, aging, longevity, being the easiest to follow, and the most family-friendly. As well as the Pesco-Mediterranean Diet (46). These (and others) can be healthily executed as a vegan-leaning omnivore diet (if sensitive to dairy, carefully managing calcium and other nutrients) or vegetarian-leaning omnivore diet.

There are many low-carb meal (47) and recipe (48) options. Not to mention plenty of snacks (49) including fruits (50) and vegetables (veggies) (51). Stay hydrated with enough clean water, no less than four to six cups (52) of plain water each day, depending on activity levels, weather, and overall health. You can also choose tea, coffee, milk, kombucha, and such, along with food, to get a total of about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters)(53) of fluids a day for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters)(53) for women.

Keep in mind, your unique genetic body composition (54), food and hydration choices, gut microbiome/flora/good bacteria (55, 56, 57, 58), exercise (59), and lifestyle (sleep, stress, etc.)(60) all affect your metabolism (61), which directly influences your regular fat weight loss and management efforts. The Scientific Diet Quiz Health Score (62) and Scientific Metabolism Quiz Health Score (63), two of the Scientific Health Quizzes, utilize the latest scientific data and formulas in proprietary algorithms to accurately calculate your unique metrics. 

Is a Low-Carb Diet Better Than Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Drugs (Semaglutides like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus, and the Like)?

According to clinical trials, it takes roughly 4 to 5 weeks (64, 65) to reach a steady level of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug (semaglutide, dulaglutide, exenatide, liraglutide, lixisenatide) in your system, with full effects likely not seen until at least week 8 of treatment. Typical regular fat weight loss is around 2.2 pounds (1 kg) or about 1.1% of body weight after one month. After two months, it’s around 4.5 pounds (2 kg) or 2.2% of body weight. Then, roughly 15 pounds after three months and about 27 pounds after six months (66, 67, 68), which translates to approximately 5 pounds of weight loss per month.

Not really that impressive, all things considered.

If you can afford GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus out of pocket (insurance does not cover it for most people for weight loss), find a doctor to prescribe it for weight loss (it is usually for type-2 diabetes), find it in stock, are willing to tolerate the stout list of severe side effects, and are willing to take it forever (as soon as you stop taking it you gain all the weight back and likely more), then this regular fat weight loss strategy might be for you. But it most certainly is not a miracle solution.

Low Carb Done Right

Whereas, if you follow the latest science and execute a low-carb diet properly, you can wrangle (69, 70, 90, 100) type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance while safely, sustainably, and successfully turning your body into a regular fat-burning machine to lose regular fat weight, keep being overweight or obese at bay, and manage things in the short and long term without the side effects, risks, or high costs. Throw in consistent, regular exercise like walking, and you can lose 1–2 pounds (71, 72, 73) on average of regular fat per week — 4–8 pounds per month on average.

Proper short-term fasting (74) can also be beneficial. So can intermittent fasting (75, 76, 77, 78), done right, as when you eat matters and affects insulin hormone activity, no less. For some people (but not all (79, 96, 97, 98, 99)), a safe, short-term, proper calorie deficit (typically 300 to 500 calories below Standard BMR/TDEE)(80, 81) done right may also help speed things up.

As mentioned, your unique genetic body composition (82) directly affects your regular fat weight loss and management endeavors, no less, including skinny fat reduction and management, if you are experiencing it.

Maintaining Default Genetic Muscle Mass – Best Skinny Fat Diet

The human body will always burn calories consumed from food and calories from stored regular white/yellow fat first (83, 84). It does not casually and arbitrarily burn priceless genetic default muscle/mass. It will only do so if you are starving it/denying it the nutrients it requires, which is all too common in antiquated calorie-deficit CICO (calorie in, calorie out) calorie-is-a-calorie diets.

Type of diet matters, and there is not one single weight loss study with data that knows the specific muscle/mass tissue levels (MRI or better) of each participant BEFORE weight loss. Muscle mass levels were estimated with inaccurate (at best) body fat percentage (%) calculations or the like. Please comment below with a study that proves otherwise.

A properly executed low-carb diet (85) does not require a calorie deficit, which helps maintain genetic default muscle/mass while reducing skinny fat (if you are genetically experiencing it) and avoiding eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulemia nervosa, binge eating disorder (BED), etc.) (86, 87, 88, 89). It is also more conducive to healthy (90, 91, 92) aging and longevity, especially vegetarian/vegan-omnivore versions in terms of centenarians (people who live to 100 years or older)(93, 94, 95).

What is the Best Skinny Fat Exercise, According to Science?

References 

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