Is anyone else skinny-fat?

[labamba23]

I am a size 14, weigh about 11.5 stone at 5’6/7. I don’t think walking down the street anyone would look at me and think I look noticeably ‘fat’ but I also know that I am technically overweight and I am carrying excess fat around my belly and thighs. Compared to my size 8 friends I feel huge, compared to my size 20 friends I feel smaller.

I think there’s a whole group of people like me who are overweight but at the lower end. I think of myself as a skinny fat person if that makes sense.

I am finding it hard to lose weight, mostly because I’m not very good at tracking calories and I do have a few vices (mostly wine, chocolate and carbs) that I struggle to give up. I know people who have been very overweight who have managed to drop a lot of weight very quickly but it doesn’t happen like that for me even when I try.

Im not desperately unhappy with my appearance but I think if I could lose between 1-2 stone I’d feel a lot better. Health wise I am more worried as I’m 40 soon and know I need to look after myself better. It’s almost harder when you don’t have as much to lose, or is it just me?

Similar to me. I just consider myself a bit chubby or a bit wobbly.

Skinny fat doesn’t describe someone who is a size 14. It’s more an untoned 10/12.

I think skinny fat is something else or was used a few years ago to describe people who were slim in size eg size 8 but not toned or low body fat.

Do you mean they you're possibly just slightly overweight and if so does it bother you? If not and you're healthy then don't worry about it

At 40 (I am 65)you need to sort this now, increase weight bearing exercise and cut down on the wine and carbs. No more than 10 units a week. It creeps up and metabolism slows.

I feel this too. I was always a size 8/10 and 8.5 to 9 stone..then post menopause i went up to 10.5 stone and have since got back to 9st 9lbs.
Everyone still thinks I am slim, but now I am 10/12 and all the weight is on my stomach. And I cannot seem to shift those last few pounds. I feel too big for me... and I am at the upper end of health BMI but my waist to height ratio is too high.
I do exercise and mostly eat well, but I just can't shift them. I am almost decided not to keep bothering.
I am not really happy with my body but maybe need to reconcile myself to the tummy. Hard after a life time of a flat stomach. Any extra weight used to go on my hips.
Menopause is a bitch!!!

I thought that would be fat skinny.

Second the poster who said sort it out now, while time is on your side. I've always been thin, put on weight after baby number 3 in my 40s and waited until 48 to get serious about shifting it. Only to realise it is now so, so difficult and it feels like everything is working against me. Just going by my legs and arms I'd now be an 8/10 but around my tummy is a disaster!

Was just joining to say I’m skinny fat or a TOFI.
I weigh 9st but I probably have the same visceral fat as someone who weighs 19st.
Im a disgrace but just can’t find the motivation to exercise properly.

I thought skinny fat meant someone with a lot of abdominal fat and thin limbs. So they might not be OW but the fat they do have is dangerous because its round their organs. So a slimmer apple, may be 'fatter' than a heavier pear in health terms.

I'm skinny fat.

9st and 5ft 3" but aged 56 with an underactive thyroid and raging menopause.

If I stand tall and pull my stomach right in, I'm slim again but with a disturbingly blue tinge to my face 🤣

I don’t think anyone who is a size 10 could be classed as fat at all. Just my opinion.

For me I suppose it means that yeah I am a bit fat but not hugely so. I’m at the skinnier end of fat. But I agree I’m not happy with myself and need to make some changes because I already know that the older I get the harder it will be to shift.

I think it’s sometimes harder to shift smaller amounts of weight sometimes but that’s maybe a mental thing. I know from attending SW groups in the past that larger ladies could easily drop a stone in one week, perhaps because they have more to lose.

Yeah to me skinny fat doesn't mean overweight.

Just slim all over but with a large stomach.

Yes definitely don’t be complacent. I am 5’ 1” 8.5 stone and can’t shift the half stone/stone gained in menopause that means that a lot of my clothes feel wrong. My health is fine, textbook diet, walking, yoga etc.

I don’t think anyone who is a size 10 could be classed as fat at all. Just my opinion.

Of course they can, that's the whole point of the label skinny fat.

I'm size 8/10 but with a large, flabby stomach.

Skinny fat is commonly used to describe someone who is slim, but has higher percentage of body fat (yes it would make more sense to call it fat skinny), generally this term would not be used to describe overweight people.
Agree with others that losing weight won't get any easier, so if you do feel that you want to do something, rather sooner than later. And losing weight when you're still a size 14 is not harder than waiting til you're size 24.

I didn’t actually know skinny fat was a phrase by the way (if it is?) it’s just something I’ve made up because it’s how I feel. I’m fat. I have literal rolls of fat around my belly. But I’m not obese and I don’t think I stand out in public as being fat.

I do t see where the word skinny fits in to this description tbh

From Google...

"Skinny fat" refers to having a higher percentage of body fat and a lower amount of muscle mass than is considered healthy, despite having a normal or even underweight BMI (Body Mass Index). Essentially, it means someone can look lean or thin on the outside but have an unhealthy body composition with more fat than muscle.

of course you don't stand out, average woman in the UK is now size 16

That’s very kind of you 🙄
Im certainly not skinny, but it’s a made up phrase I used to quickly say I’m overweight but at the lower end of overweight. HTH.

Oooh you’re just like me! 40 in 6 months, 5ft 8, 11stone 3lb. Not overweight, but upper end of normal and want to lose 1.5 stone by… well, as soon as I can manage it!! By 40 I want to be much healthier and toned!

Ok well this is news to me haha. Apologies if I’ve caused confusion.

But if you’re overweight, surely you’re not skinny in any way.

Also, why 🙄 ? you’ve said yourself you’re not skinny!

I’m the skinny legs, arms, normal bmi but huge stomach type. I look pregnant most of the time, I had surgery a while back and in the pre check thing the dr made a comment that he essentially didn’t expect my stomach to look like that considering my weight/bmi. I have pcos and just hold it all there, hate it!

Oh thats definitely me then! I always thought it meant that body type mainly seen on older men with fragile looking arms and legs and a big round belly.