Attaining your ideal physique and weight is something that a lot of people struggle with, even the people with skinny-fat body types. Jennifer Hudson famously once said that she was prouder about her weight loss than her Oscar.
Every year, over 45 million Americans go on a diet. Each of them has different goals and reasons for doing so. One common thread is that the journey is often transformative and life-changing. Meanwhile, there are others who believe that their particular body type makes weight loss difficult. This particularly refers to those with a skinny-fat body type.
Today, we are going to look at the “skinny-fat” body type and learn how intermittent fasting can help you. So, without further delay, let us dive in.
What Is the Skinny Fat Body Type?
If you have never heard of this term before, it can be a little confusing. How can a person be skinny and fat at the same time? It sounds like a contradiction, but it is very real. Also referred to as “thin, fat obesity,” it is marked by an increased body fat percentage despite a normal BMI.
Muscle mass is also particularly lacking among these individuals, which makes the body look untoned. People with a skinny-fat body type often complain that they are thin everywhere but their belly. They also tend to have considerable amounts of subcutaneous and visceral fat, the latter being stored between your organs.
Visceral fat is particularly dangerous, and studies have shown it to be related to a number of health problems. From type 2 diabetes to heart disease, accumulating visceral fat is something you want to avoid.
A combination of poor dietary habits and a lack of exercise is often the cause of this. Thus, getting rid of the skinny-fat look is important not just for your looks but also for your long-term health.
How Does Intermittent Fasting Help Get Rid of the Skinny-Fat Look?
According to Simple, intermittent fasting is often seen as a magic bullet for all problems. Almost every health website has praised the many benefits of intermittent fasting. As the name suggests, you alternate between periods of eating and fasting. Common methods include the Leangains protocol, 24-hour fasts, and the 5:2 diet.
Intermittent fasting for beginners is surprisingly easy to get into and offers several benefits. You do not need any specialized knowledge to begin, and you can begin right away. These benefits also go beyond the primary goal of weight loss.
Here are five reasons why you should try intermittent fasting if you are skinny-fat:
1. It becomes easy to maintain a calorie deficit
If you have ever tried to lose weight the conventional way, you know how confusing it can be. You have to spend days researching and understanding different diets, what to avoid, and more. Moreover, the number of reputed sources that are vying for views online makes it difficult to know who to follow.
There is so much advice being thrown around, and it can feel overwhelming. In such a situation, intermittent fasting breaks down weight loss to its most basic formula.
“Calorie deficit.”
While all diets have their own unique ways of helping you maintain a calorie deficit, intermittent fasting cuts through the noise.
You know exactly what to do in very obvious terms. There are not too many ways to ‘not eat.’ It is simple, direct, and easy to follow. Of course, you need to push through the hunger pangs, but at least the path to weight loss is clear.
2. Intermittent fasting boosts your metabolism
People with a skinny-fat body type tend to have slower metabolic rates. This means that the body does not burn calories at a fast rate. The result? It might feel like you are putting in a lot of effort to burn away fat but barely making progress.
However, intermittent fasting has been shown to increase metabolic rates. As a result, even if you happen to be someone with a slow metabolism, you can effectively increase it by fasting.
It may not have the same effect on everyone, but if it works, it is a welcome weight-loss aid.
3. It represents a more natural way of living
Human beings did not always have the kind of food security that people in the Western world have today. We take three meals plus snacks for granted, but our bodies still remember when things were different. Not too long ago, there was no guarantee that you would eat every day.
Life as a hunter-gatherer was unpredictable. Fasting was often a normal part of life. When food was found, people would eat heartily and rely on body fat to sustain themselves during scarce times. In some ways, choosing to intermittently fast puts you back into a more natural biological state.
4. It can help improve mental clarity and focus
A number of studies have shown that intermittent fasting can improve a person’s cognitive functions. It also has the potential to mitigate age-related cognitive decline by modulating brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF). Even if one were to put aside these benefits, the very act of successful self-denial can be great for you.
The mind plays a big role in successful weight loss for people with tough-to-lose ‘skinny fat.’ Intermittent fasting is known to help reduce stress, which is an added bonus to your journey.
5. The transformation is dramatic and motivational
Lastly, deciding to fast is one of the most effective weight-loss methods out there. We already looked at how easy it is to maintain a calorie deficit in the first point. The benefits of this are actually far more important than you think.
The weight loss occurs surprisingly fast, which makes the transformation even more impactful. The motivation you gain from losing the skinny-fat look can help you improve other areas of your life. You might get more into fitness in general by becoming a regular at the gym. Who knows? You might even exceed your initial aesthetic goals.
Conclusion
People embark on all sorts of journeys in order to lose weight. They try things like the carnivore diet and experiment with the most complex weight-loss programs out there.
Ironically, the most effective method ends up being the simplest.
Intermittent fasting is hands-down one of the most effective ways to lose weight, be it skinny-fat or ‘any-fat.’ The science backs it up, and you do not run the risk that comes with dangerous diets and workouts.