Why Am I Skinny Fat?

My diet, exercise, and lifestyle are healthy, so why am I skinny fat? The latest science reveals (1, 2, 3) that skinny fat is real, genetic tissue that exists where genetic default muscle tissue (4) should be but is not.

For instance, see this PhD scientist and professional trainer’s love handles and lower back…they have no visceral or belly fat, no excess body fat (white/yellow fat/adipose tissue) at a safe BMI of 22.7, and no low muscle mass. All of those are supposed signs of skinny fat according to Google and most people everywhere including medical professionals. Yet, they have obvious “weird fat” tissue on their lower back and love handles.

No process exists (3, 4, 5) in the human body that would cause that person’s muscle tissue on their love handles and lower back — and only their lower back and love handles — to turn into any kind of fat tissue (2).

That “weird fat” is unique genetic skinny fat tissue (thin fat, cellulite)(1). Skinny fat is genetic. Since birth, that person’s unique genetic body composition has included skinny fat tissue (thin fat) on their love handles and lower back where they genetically should have default muscle tissue. There is no other explanation, as muscle tissue does not and cannot (5, 6, 7) turn into any kind of fat tissue, or vice versa. Genetics.

Why Am I Skinny Fat & What Can I Do About It?

If you are experiencing genetic skinny fat tissue, you can thank your unique genetics (1). Metabolism (8), diet (9), exercise (10), and lifestyle (11) most certainly influence things. However, the popular widespread spiel that poor diet and exercise cause skinny fat is wrong. Although it is true that poor diet and exercise can lead to lost muscle tissue, any lost muscle tissue does not magically turn into any kind of fat tissue (2, 5, 6, 7).

If this were true (it is not), then it would apply to 100% all human beings equally. Yet, here is genetically blessed Christian Bale (Standard Body Type One) when he lost a significant amount of weight including obvious muscle tissue. But no skinny fat. Genetics.

See how elite NFL offensive lineman/guard Chance Warmack (30, 31), drafted by the Tennessee Titans as the tenth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, is lacking genetic default muscle mass relative to his love handles and lower stomach, at least, and instead has obvious skinny fat tissue (thin fat) on his love handles and lower stomach, no less, which he has had since birth (4). Genetics.

If you are not genetically blessed like Christian Bale, and instead are experiencing genetic skinny fat tissue like the PhD scientist and professional trainer or elite NFL lineman Chance Warmack above, then there are ways you can reduce thin fat and cellulite tissue to keep its appearance as minimal as possible.

How To Fix It

1 – Safely lose regular white/yellow fat. Following a proper low-carb diet (9) and doing proper exercise (10) can help you sustainably lose regular fat weight. Which typically helps reduce the appearance of skinny fat. Keep in mind, it does depend on how much genetic skinny fat tissue you are experiencing and how much regular fat you lose. Some people who are experiencing a lot of skinny fat tissue and lose a lot of regular fat weight do experience loose skin and saggy skin (types of skinny fat)(1), which will likely require surgery to reduce further.

2 – Add muscle mass. Engaging in proper resistance exercise (12), especially weight lifting, helps add muscle mass where you are experiencing genetic skinny fat tissue to reduce its appearance.

3 – Pay for FDA-approved methods. Endermologie (non-invasive reduction of cellulite)(13), CoolSculpting (cryolipolysis/freezing temperature fat reduction breaks down fat cells)(14, 15, 16), Cellfina (minimally invasive numbing solution and micro-blade device that smooths the fibrous connective bands to minimize the appearance of cellulite dimples)(17), Avéli (a device that uses more precise mechanical subcision than Cellfina to reduce cellulite on the buttocks and thighs)(18), QWO (injectable prescription medication treats cellulite/butt dimples in the buttocks of women, although reportedly no longer available)(19), and surgery, no less.

How To Tell If I Am Skinny Fat?

As of December 2024, no officially approved way exists for doctors to medically diagnose skinny fat. Currently, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine (20, 21) offers the most accurate way (gold standard) to determine body composition. A CT/CAT (computed tomography) (22, 23) scan is also accurate. However, both MRI and CT scans are very expensive and uncommon. And, presently, they cannot discern the difference between skinny fat tissue and regular fat tissue.

Although the gold standard for bone density, the popular DEXA/DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan (24, 25) is known for being inaccurate and unreliable (26, 27, 28) when it comes to muscle tissue. Other technologies like BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis) and ADF (air displacement plethysmography) are less accurate, along with lean body mass and body fat % calculations (including body circumference measurements, hip-to-waist ratio, and body fat percentage formulas) that are inaccurate guesstimates at best, and just wrong at worst.

The Scientific Body Type Quiz (Official)(29) was developed to accurately determine if you are experiencing genetic skinny fat tissue and where on your body. Calculating more than 50 vetted scientific variables, the Quiz requires three appropriate images.

Skinny Fat People – What Does Skinny Fat Look Like?

References

1. Skinny Fat Science: What Is Skinny Fat?, July 26, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/what-is-skinny-fat/
2. Skinny Fat Science: Are Regular Fat and Skinny Fat the Same Thing?, August 28, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/are-regular-fat-and-skinny-fat-the-same-thing/
3. Skinny Fat Science: Is Skinny Fat Genetic?, November 27, 2024, https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/is-skinny-fat-genetic/
4. Skinny Fat Science: Is Muscle/Mass Genetic and How Does It Affect Skinny Fat?, November 20, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/is-muscle-mass-genetic-and-how-does-it-affect-skinny-fat/
5. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Muscle-to-fat interaction: a two-way street?, January 1, 2010, Bente K Pedersen. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2821541/
6. Healthline: Does Fat Turn into Muscle? What to Know, March 2, 2021, Katey Davidson, MScFN, RD, CPT (Medically reviewed by Jake Tipane, CPT). https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-fat-turn-into-muscle
7. The New York Times: The Claim: Muscle Turns to Fat When You Stop Working Out, July 26, 2006, Anahad O’Connor. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/26/health/nutrition/the-claim-muscle-turns-to-fat-when-you-stop-working-out.html
8. Skinny Fat Science: How Skinny Fat Affects Metabolism, August 7, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/how-skinny-fat-affects-metabolism/
9. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Diet, According to Science, July 29, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-diet-according-to-science/
10. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Exercise, According to Science, August 2, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-exercise-according-to-science/
11. Skinny Fat Science: The Best Skinny Fat Lifestyle, According to Science, August 14, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-lifestyle-according-to-science/
12. Skinny Fat Science: Best Skinny Fat Resistance Exercises, September 4, 2024. https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/best-skinny-fat-resistance-exercises/
13. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Treatment of cellulite with LPG endermologie, March 2009, A Tülin Güleç. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19261014/
14. WebMD: CoolSculpting for Fat Loss: Is It Safe?, September 11, 2024, Rachel Reiff Ellis and Deanna Altomara (Medically reviewed by Debra Jaliman, MD). https://www.webmd.com/beauty/coolsculpting
15. Healthline: CoolSculpting: Nonsurgical Fat Reduction, June 15, 2018, Lucie Wisco (Medically reviewed by Catherine Hannan, M.D., Plastic Surgery). https://www.healthline.com/health/coolsculpting
16. Mayo Clinic: What is CoolSculpting and is it safe?, February 12, 2024, Tasmiha Khan (Basel A. Sharaf, M.D.). https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/nutrition-fitness/what-is-coolsculpting-and-is-it-safe/
17. Healthline: Cellfina for Cellulite Reduction, April 21, 2022, Lucie Wisco and S. Srakocic (Medically reviewed by Amanda Caldwell, MSN, APRN-C). https://www.healthline.com/health/cellfina
18. Allure: I Tried the Avéli Cellulite Treatment on My Butt and Thighs — With Before and Afters, January 19, 2024, Beth Shapouri. https://www.allure.com/story/aveli-cellulite-treatment-device
19. American Board of Cosmetic Surgery: What happened to QWO, the cellulite injectable?, April 7, 2023. https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/news/what-happened-to-qwo-the-cellulite-injectable/
20. NIH, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri
21. John Hopkins Medicine: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri
22. NIH, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering: Computed Tomography (CT), https://www.nibib.nih.gov/science-education/science-topics/computed-tomography-ct
23. Mayo Clinic: CT scan. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ct-scan/about/pac-20393675
24. Cleveland Clinic: DXA Scan (Bone Density Test), May 28, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/10683-dexa-dxa-scan-bone-density-test
25. Wikipedia: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-energy_X-ray_absorptiometry
26. UC Davis Health, Sports Medicine: DXA body composition analysis, https://health.ucdavis.edu/sports-medicine/resources/dxa-info
27. Nature, Scientific Reports: Changes in DXA-derived lean mass and MRI-derived cross-sectional area of the thigh are modestly associated, July 11, 2019, Dallin Tavoian, Kwasi Ampomah, Shinichi Amano, Timothy D. Law, and Brian C. Clark. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-46428-w
28. NIH, National Library of Medicine: Comparison of DXA and CT in the Assessment of Body Composition in Premenopausal Women With Obesity and Anorexia Nervosa, March 25, 2013, Miriam A Bredella, Reza Hosseini Ghomi, Bijoy J Thomas, Martin Torriani, Danielle J Brick, Anu V Gerweck, Madhusmita Misra, Anne Klibanski, and Karen K Miller. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3607308/
29. Scientific Health Quizzes: Scientific Body Type Quiz (Official), https://skinnyfat.fellowone.com/the-best-skinny-fat-lifestyle-according-to-science/
30. Sports Illustrated: Weight presents double-edged sword for linemen prospects, April 3, 2023, Austin Murphy. https://www.si.com/nfl/2013/04/03/2013-nfl-draft-chance-warmack
31. Wikipedia: Chance Warmack. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chance_Warmack