Your tummy’s gotten to be the biggest muscle on your body. It’s not big, but it’s taunting you. It’s a syndrome called “skinny fat.” 

It’s as dangerous as obesity.

Those hindered by the condition don’t face the stigma of being overweight. Thus, they’re never coerced into losing the belly. Having excess fat can lead to life-threatening diseases that plague the larger population. 

Even if heart disease and diabetes don’t scare you, you should always try to look your best. 

Here’s the skinny on shedding those extra pounds and getting your shred on. 

First, Lose That Skinny Fat Belly

You won’t only feel better fitting into your jeans, but it’s the best place to start your journey. 

Trying to lose weight and gain muscle simultaneously is an up-hill battle. It’s tough to do under certain conditions.  

We also don’t suggest the down-hill battle of putting on a lot of bulk and then losing it. This process is “cutting.”

Bulking is the process of gaining weight in hopes of achieving muscle addition. It’s done in a short period of time. But fat accompanies that muscle. 

It sounds worse than it is, but it’s still an advanced approach. Bodybuilders and power-lifters tend to do this. 

We’re gonna start you from the bottom. 

There are two approaches to losing weight: 

• Precise dieting
• Cardiovascular exercise

There’s an adage in the bodybuilding community. It goes something like “abs are made in the kitchen.” 

How to Actually Diet

Weight loss from dieting is wholly dependent on caloric intake. It’s a relationship between how much energy your body needs to operate and lose weight. 

Calories represent this energy. That’s right, you eat units of energy. 

There are two different measures of what amount of calories would sustain you. There is a basal metabolic rate (BMR) and total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).

Sounds pretty complicated, but it’s not. 

BMR is the necessary amount of calories to sustain life when you’re comatose. It’s not a good measure of how much energy you need; the measurement is too low. 

You’re active throughout the day. Brushing your teeth, walking to your cubicle, and getting out of bed expends energy (calories).

TDEE is the appropriate metric. It accounts for your activity and the calories needed to sustain minimal existence. 

Here’s a calculator for your TDEE.

The result will be your maintenance. This is the level you’ll eat at to maintain your current weight.

To lose a pound, you’ll need to cut 3,500 calories from your maintenance. Divide this into seven – the number of days per week – for a 500 caloric deficit each day. This is the healthiest approach to losing weight. 

Sprinkle in some cardiovascular exercise for an additional deficit. It’s not as helpful as dieting, but it is good for your health. 

Get Jacked, Jack

The weight’s finally off!

Great, now you’re skinny. But you’re still missing a component of fitness and health: muscularity. 

This’ll sound wonky, but we’re going to undo what you just did. We’re going to add weight back onto your body. 

This weight is muscle. 

You know how to find your daily TDEE now. Instead of eating a deficit, you’ll eat a surplus. Add 200-300 calories to your daily maintenance while working out to garner muscle. 

We suggest a starter routine, something like Greyskull or Starting Strength. These will solidify your form while giving you a boost of strength. They focus on a mixture of strength building and aesthetic modification. 

When you progress, you’ll want to move onto more difficult routines. Breda CrossFit will put a lot of lean muscle on. 

Goodbye, Belly. Hello, Abs.

To kiss that skinny fat physique goodbye, you’ve got to lose the excess weight. Calculate a deficit between your TDEE and at least 500 calories a day. You’ll drop a pound a week. 

Then, you’ll need to add muscle to those bones. Start slow with a starter routine, then move onto CrossFit. 

It’s a long process, but your body will thank you. Remember to keep those pounds off!