I'm so glad to hear someone actually touch on how mental issues, past trauma can cause negative relationships with food. I've seen people suffer in this way, but I've seen many people overcome this by getting into fitness. I hear very few in the fitness community address mindset; instead, many just tell you how to lift weights and what not to eat. You got a new subscriber. 👍
There are a couple of problems: "body positivity" which picks on a healthy lifestyle preventing any discussion on this subject. Any will of losing fat is perceived as "internalised shame". Fitness hustle culture - which puts pressure in people that anyone who isn't disciplined is weak.
I personally have been in a great routine with exercise and food for the last 6 months and made great results. Watching your vids helps top up my motivation to keep going! You provide great information for new and veteran healthy living humans.
This was really helpful to hear. What you hit on at the end on identity and your relationship with food is spot on. too many people look at losing weight (or gaining) but doesn't do the work to see why they eat, and why they eat so much. Thanks for posting this!
The identity change is a huge one, it helped me a lot. For those that are also overweight or struggle consistently going to the gym, try forcing yourself to "see" yourself as someone who's "normal" or "lean", and someone who "goes to the gym". If you do this enough while acting out these new identities (I'm talking months at the minimum), it will feel weird to skip a day at the gym (according to your gym schedule), it will feel weird to stuff yourself; your brain will subconsciously say "I can't skip the gym today! I'm a gym-goer!" or "I'm a healthy eater! I won't overindulge in X", "I'm a normal weight person! I'm only gonna eat 2-4 slices of pizza instead of 7" (even if you're not a "normal weight" yet!!) It's an important change to do, especially if you've lost weight drastically and want to keep that weight off long-term. CONVINCE your brain that you are where your goals are. I'm sure the opposite would apply to underweight people as well.
This is how I have been going about it, I’ve only barely started being determined to lose weight and workout. I was super into gaming and it took most of my time and made me make easy decisions that would ultimately lead to me gaining weight and now I’m in the skinny fat stage. Been running miles and eating less, doing push-ups for the past 2 weeks and having the mindset that you mentioned has helped me stay motivated, disciplined, and overall just happier with myself even though I still have a lot of work to do. I will reach my goal of being healthy and fit!
This is SO REAL. I didn't get up early enough today to go to the gym in the morning like I usually do, and in the past I'd have just waited until tomorrow but I actively felt driven to go immediately after work
@@jerrodshack7610 totally agree, it's awesome when you get into a mindset like this because it honestly makes the process so much easier. It just becomes a duty you have to carry out, you don't really think twice about it.
As someone who struggles to gain weight and sustain muscle mass it’s nice to hear about health (eating, fitness and lifestyle) from a more philosophical perspective. Thanks for the content 👍
the last bit was so inspiring and important. it feels rare to see a guy shedding light on topics such as traumas and mental health when discussing training, especially to mostly other guys. it isnt just the weight on your body that needs to drop, its the weight in your mind.
Fascinating Been working out lifting weights for years I could only get so far Too much cardio & not eating enough at all So i changed things up I added more weight to my dumbells to start I haven't been on the treadmill for quite awhile now Im watching this video & it just confirms im on the right track Let's hope i transform and live happily ever after....blah blah blah.. Thank you for being so transparent Like seriously Nobody has ever said it sooo clear Thank you!
Typically speaking you have skinny limbs but carry a lot of fat comparatively in your belly, chest, and back. It’s basically when you are “skinny” but carry a lot of excess fat. So even though you’re skinny you may qualify body fat wise as being obese.
I love your content. Not necessarily following your advise cuz I’m doing a different program but I’ve decided to subscribe to a bunch of fitness dudes to keep me motivated. I was at 185 lbs on November and am currently at 165. I’ve been slowly gaining small amounts of muscle and my back feels wider and more straight, ppl have been giving me compliments and it feels really good :) I am actually on a slight deficit and lift 4x per week. Next month will be my last month on a deficit and then I’ll start helping on a slight surplus. This experience is truly changing the way I view myself and I know that I have the power to change my body. Thank you for your content ❤
Thanks for this, Im a 13 year old boy who has not been bullied but mad at my self for getting to this skinny fat stage, but these tips will help me acheive my goal!
I can vouch this works, while i've not been to the gym in years when I did go I was far too afraid of one simple thing. Getting fat. I was instructed to essentially eat healthy as I have been but to double my portion sizes and not to look at weighing scales but to see the changes in the mirror and not be obsessed with calories. (went through an eating disorder) My mom, my trainer; (a friend who I spent more time getting my emotional support from than exercising, that was for me to do with the right mindset.) I was complimented on not just my appearance of look far healthier but also on my attitude to life itself and having the energy to stay back in my college to help others in my field of Digital Art. Cut when you feel the times right but please do give yourself the time to repair and feel the changes this does. Don't be afraid of "flab" or a little gut, that'll all go in the cutting stages, get the strength first. You can't build a house without enough concrete.
I thought as a starter skinny fat person the best idea would be to be in a caloric deficit while building muscle (recompositioning) and then once in the 12-14% (under 20 is good for most people but I really like the 14%) then you can start having a caloric surplus of 200 and lean bulk forever... However I really didn't think about the raising maintenance level thingy. That was indeed something that can become an important factor for many people. Cutting at below 2000 kcals will make you hungry. And you may end up failing your diet.
I needed this video so much. I've lost 25+ kilo's years ago and I'm by no means fat anymore but always still have that bit of belly fat. Whenever I get rid of the last bit I look like so skinny. Combined with all the pain I have I was scared to work out but I realise now I actually need to get bigger and stronger. Stop looking at weight as being scary. I didn't want to get back above 80kg but I can't get strong and lean without gainihg weight
Having watched a few of your videos, I really love the chill vibe of your content compared to a lot of usual health and wellbeing videos. Also I'm really liking the ideas that you've picked up from Atomic Habits in context to identity change and designing your environment for enforcing certain habits, it's really an amazing book!
7:16 This is true. It happened to me personally. I was really skinny back when I was in high school, I'm actually underweight. I was bullied when I entered college, been called names, etc etc. I decided to start getting fat by just about eating anything, it did work, but the mean comments didn't stop (ex: He looks bloated! Thin to fat really quick!) so I ended up eating more. Although I didn't turn obese, eating stuck to me, like something that comforts me. So instead of getting fat the healthy way (eating different kinds of healthy food, exercising, etc), I turned to snacks, carb overload, etc. This resulted to me having belly fats. Now that I'm older, I started doing intermittent fasting (20:4) and exercising. It's a long way to go but glad I was able to overcome my emotional problems and came out of it wiser.
Enjoyed this vid.. no matter how fit you are or how much muscle you have...having a flabby belly completely destroys your appearance and still turns you into a slob even if you're in the gym 7x a week... abs are a gamechanger...they take your body and how people see you to the next level.
I was skinny fat when I started lifting 16 months ago or so. I initially bulked for couple months but when I looked in the mirror I just looked like a pregnant man (especially naked as you can hide lot of fat with pants on). This was just not acceptable. So I went into an extended cut aiming for 1600-2000 calories a day. I wen't from 25% bodyfat down to 7-8% while gaining moderate amounts of muscle. Being lean makes you stand out immediately. 99% of people in the gym are not anywhere near that level of leanness. You can stand next to a guy who weighs 20-50 kg more than you, been lifting for years and still be confident enough to take off your shirt and look better. You have veins, definition and yes you're skinny and dont have much muscle, but you are far better able to show what muscle you do have, than 99% of people in the gym. In other words, leanness in my opinion is the best compensation for lack of size. I ate 2 meals a day, 1 before gym and a bigger dinner before sleep. Saving the bulk of your calories for later in the day is a great motivation to handle the hunger you might feel, because you have sumin to look forward to. In between meals, what helped me mentally was just increasing my self-awareness about what it means to be hungry. "You're hungry? so what. It's a feeling It's natural. Hunger is part of life in nature. Just accept it". This kinda mindset reduced my feeling of hunger. Fasting is also really helpful. The less you eat, the less hungry you get. The more you eat, the more your body craves even more food because it thinks food is readily available and wants to binge before the next starvation (in nature). So my personal advice for TRULY skinny fat guys (the pic of you in the beginning of the video is NOT skinny fat but just average unfit male) is to cut first, you'll like your body much faster and only bulk once you're low enough in bodyfat.
Agreed. I think it's important to walk before you run. I've noticed a lot of people in fitness these days have a hard time conceptualizing what square one looks like for an overweight and out of shape person with a terrible diet looks like. The first step to should always be to cut and start taking walks or doing some light cardio everyday. Once the habit is there then I'd recommend branching out into weight training. Taking on weight training out of the gate when you're out of shape is a surefire way to burn yourself out fast!
Skinny fat is more often than not just people with small bone structure who is also fat therefore appearing both skinny and fat. As you said the best thing to do is to lose weight, not gain fat
@@jakemaxwell2800 Thin bones is def part of it. But it's also about fat distribution. Skinny fats almost exclusively store fat around stomach area. Rest of body is skinny regardless of bones.
@@sollywhirl I personally didn't do any cardio at any point. I tried a few times to pick up the habbit but it was too fatiguing and time consuming. The amount of calories you burn in an average cardio session is very little and for me was not worth the fatigue and time. I do believe beginners should always lift weights though. It takes little energy, is often quite fun and increases your calorie maintenance level since muscle tissue consumes more energy. Muscle building takes a very long time so you can never start too early.
If you're skinnyfat, you lack muscularity big time. Meaning, you can easily also be in a slight caloric deficit and still gain muscle. Newbie gains are real. Especially when you have no muscle to begin with. I ate about 1800 to 2000 calories when i started tackling my skinnyfat issue. I did a full body workout 3 days a week with isolating excercises for every musclegroup. I had to either increase the amount of reps per set or increase the weight for all excercises every week for almost 3 months before progress started to diminish. After that 3 months i weighed practically the same as when i started. But looked like a total different person. I mean, clearly i wasnt the next Mr.Olympia. But all that flab was gone and for the first time in 35 years i noticed that i actually do have abs. ^^
59 people disliked the end of of the video were u got deep and related them to their trauma, thankyou for the advice, ive been going 5 days a week for a year now thank you for everything youve done
Over the last three years my body recomp has been insanely out of wack. 2020 presented with a lot of health issues, dropped 38 pounds in 6 weeks due to not being able to eat properly. 2021 improved but I wasnt going to the gym, so I gained 15 pounds just in fat. Started back 2022 going to the gym and gained about 15 more pounds. I was holding way too much fat so I started cutting in 2022 September till now, which end of March will be the end of my cut. Currently eating at 1550-1450 calories per day and it is indeed very hard. Im 5"10 currently 149 pounds, still holding a bit of fat on my abdomen but I decided it's time to do a clean bulk. I can say this cut was much necessary, still not satisfied with my abdomen section but that will sort itself out after I fill this body with some more muscles and do another short cut afterwards.
@@ibiza1290 Agreed! Last week cutting, which makes me extremely happy. Will be eating in maintenance for about 2-4 weeks to give my body a proper reset after 7 months cutting, then slowly bulk from there
Brother, I am 6'3 205lbs but I'm skinny fat. I was so lost on what I should be doing. Should I bulk? Should I cut? This video couldn't have come at a better time. I will follow your advice and come back and give an update. Thanks my man!
All about your goals. I’m the same build. I decided to cut not bulk first. My main reason was my current body fat % is ~25 with a bmi that is considered overweight. Even if I did a body recomp I’d still be too heavy for the sports I enjoy (mtn biking, snowboarding). I’m down about 9lbs and while I have sacrificed some strength I am not looking like a smaller skinny fat version of myself and me and my joints are feeling a lot better.
When I started my workout journey I started off as skinny fat. It’s been about 4 months of hard training & bulking, and my body already looks a lot more evened out. It’ll always get better.
Thx for being one of the only ppl I follow that talks about the mental health side of fitness. So many ppl talk about just having the drive and wanting it bad enough but no one talks about the inner thought process that it takes to change the perspective on your own body image, relationship with food, and life itself in order to gain that drive and maintain it 🫶
Wtf you literally f solved my current dilemma. I thought I have eating disorder bcs Im having this skinny fat problem so I really messed up with my diets (some days I eat a lot, some did not at all - just drink water). Im so happy I found this video. Thank you so muchh for helping people out this way!
I’m the definition of Skinny fat. I’m 84kg and 6’1. My legs are quite lean and my arms, especially my forearms, are very skinny. However I got belly that’s a bit flabby and gets bloated when I eat a lot for a couple hours and I got a chubby face. This video is so informative. I really wanna get in the gym now.
I'm enjoying these videos bro, you're doing a great job of keeping, what's usually quite an emotionally charged subject, realistic, calm and objective. Only thing i noticed is I'm not into the whole 'turning fat into muscle' myth. I'd say it's more building muscle to give your body 'structure'. For example someone who is 14% body fat with a lot of muscle would look totally different to someone who's 14% body fat with very little muscle. Anyway, great video keep them coming :)
here’s how i stay in a surplus daily. every day is different but i eat different small things from breakfast until lunch and i usually am around 700-1000 before lunch, by lunch time i’m hungryy so i try to get around 1800-2000 calories, then by dinner i’m very hungry again so whatever i eat here usually gets me to 2500-2800 for the day which is a good surplus for me. i’m 140lbs. it takes time, your stomach will grow the more you train it. be consistent, you got this. find what works for you and take the time to figure that out
Two years ago i lost 30 pounds and almost hit my goal of what i wanted my body to look like. And then i got a gf last year and kinda stopped working out, started going out to eat at restaurants more, and ate wayyy too much icecream. Now it feels like I'm back to where I was 2 years ago. This video is very helpful, what you said about dirty bulking makes total sense to me because over the winter while i was eating unhealthy foods i never felt like working out and i never understood why i was so tired all the time. Thank you for the video!
I'm a skinny fat guy with major fat in tummy My height is 5ft 9inch.. My Weight was 77 kg 2 months back. After rigorous workout my weight has come down to 72 kg. Now i have lost considerable belly fat bt overal I'm looking thin. I hope going am going in the right direction
I’ve always told new gym goers that the sculptors approach to muscle mass is the best. Build a base of muscle like a block of marble and once you have the strong base start chiseling away at the excess until you’re left with a masterpiece.
I’m really skinny fat I’ve good arms and back but my belly 💀 and if i build a lot of muscle and obviously I’m gonna get more fat too so after i gain if i go on a cut will I really look aesthetic and will this plan really gonna help me to first bulk and then cut?
@@Homiram yeah bro, sometimes it’s gonna feel like it’s not working, it’s gonna feel like shit, you’re gonna want to give up i get it it is very tough but trust the process and remember nothing comes easy, it will be worth it in the end trust me! good luck bro🙏🏻
@@rafefeatherstone4279 I’m stuck I can’t gain weight neither i can lose any at this point I’m skinny fat af and fed up i do calesthenics I’ve okayish amount of muscle but my weight never lose or even increase no matter the dietary changes specially while losing weight 😞
Summary: Bulk and then cut. Resistance training with progressive overload. Keep it consistence. Pretty much what everyone been saying (Jeremy Ethier, Jeff Nippard, etc..) Same info that been passing around for years.
thanks you for the last two steps of the video, is not my case but i really apreciate you care about the ones who doesnt have had a good experiencie with food. good video fella, im going to see some more of yours now
Yo thx for this vid, wanted to shred now but you talking about maintanance levels helped me understand that i should prob bulk for an additional month before I start cutting, to basically make it easier cuz I can eat more whilst shredding after the bigger bulk.
Great video. A few notes. You recommended 100 pounds of protein, but I would also consider eating a gram of protein per body weight. You also didn’t mention how to calculate the maintenance level. (LB x 15). I also love how you mentioned how dirty bulking affects you mentally!! I don’t eat sugar and when I do I instantly feel terrible, especially the next day!
I eat sugar regularly and I feel no different. Not even energy wise, it feels like I ate potatoes. I have around 10-20 g of pure sugar a day + all the added sugar in foods I eat both natural sugars and not. Yesterday before sleeping I had 25 g of chocolate and 12 dates. No problem.
@@mab5710 Sugar and highly processed, simple carbs definitely have a negative affect on me when I ingest them. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t feel the difference. Maybe you’re young so it doesn’t affect you as much. Maybe you’re not as in tune with the signals your body is sending you. Either way, sugar and processed foods aren’t the best options for fuel for the body. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy an occasional sweet treat, but sugar and processed foods are not a regular part of my life.
@@mab5710 Sugar and highly processed, simple carbs definitely have a negative affect on me when I ingest them. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t feel the difference. Maybe you’re young so it doesn’t affect you as much. Maybe you’re not as in tune with the signals your body is sending you. My best guess is that you don’t realize how much that sugar is affecting you because you consume it regularly. It wasn’t until I started limiting my sugar intake that I started to notice how sugar actually made me feel. Either way, sugar and processed foods aren’t the best options for fuel for the body. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy an occasional sweet treat, but sugar and processed foods are not a regular part of my life.
This is next level. For me the bottom line is the 8th point. In my case, it is not the skinny guy. However the principle of the last point, I belive can apply for any case. Thank you Wanhee.
Thanks man I actually really appreciate this I’ve just started working out after years of unhealthy living in all forms and I had no clue wat to do about this skinny fat pouch and I’ve been told so many different things about caloric deficit and other things but I did a BMI test and I only have 6.8% body fat and it was a weird moment of what do I do I have no clue what I’m doing and now I’ve got a bit more understanding so thank you so much for giving me more direction in what I need to do
it would also be interesting to see maybe casual vlogss or some content non related to training sometimes. but anyways, i always love your videos and thanks for the info
There is also 3 different types of skinny fat but generally speaking I also agree as a skinny fat myself that you need to focus on caloric surplus and bulk and after that you cut and you repeat this process and each time it becomes easier.
I think it's always best to cut and lose all that fat, even if that means looking smaller. Once you have low body fat, your muscle gains will be more noticeable and you will feel more confident. What's the point of having a lot of muscle if it's under a layer of fat?
Been a struggling skinny fat guy since my teens. There were points were I got pretty fit, but never managed to get my abs to show and always slipped back into skinny fat again. It’s been like a bad cycle where if I stop working out the muscles become fat and then my muffin top and man boobs get worse. Somehow I’ve maintained my weight within 2-3kg for the past 3 years but built more muscle and added fat in the wrong places too. Fuck me im heading to the gym
I've also seen some fitness channels say that having a higher body fat means it's more difficult to gain muscle. So they recommend cutting first. I like your approach better though.
my biggest struggle is diet, meeting or keeping my calories near a certain amount. Some days i eat like chips and other things, but get alot of protein and fats, and on other days, i dont even want to eat.
I think it will take a while but one of the best things you can do is bulk for a while and then cut once you think that your body is big and strong you can then cut and it will show the muscle you've trained for you will need to continue working out when you finish this to keep your physique don't take my advice to heart but this is what is working for me
6:25 dirty bulking and its effect on the mental is very interesting. This is valuable even for large mammals like me. I still eat many more calories than I should but I have notice immense difference in my life and training since cleaning up my diet
Dear Wanhee, I wanted to express my appreciation for your amazing video! It would mean a lot to me if you could read this comment and share your thoughts because your input is incredibly valuable to me. Currently, I would describe myself as "fat" rather than "skinny fat." I am overweight. My body fat percentage is high, and I have low muscle mass, which results in a chubby appearance all over my body, including my face and belly. Would you recommend that I start by creating a calorie deficit to lose some weight before hitting the gym and eating at a slight bulk, as you suggested in your video? Alternatively, should I begin going to the gym while in a calorie deficit before bulking up? I'm concerned that if I lose weight first, I will end up becoming skinny fat, and I will simply regain the weight. Is there a way to avoid this problem? Thank you so much in advance for your advice.
I have a hard time eating enough… I think if I did more protein my issues would be fixed. I’m gonna try getting a blender and making some stuff. I’m good at keeping sugar and soda out of my diet but I just can’t eat all the calories I need most of the time… I think it’s cuz I grew up very poor and we never had lots of food. So I’m just used to making every bit of food last as long as possible.
Hey Man I have a few questions if you end up seeing this, what does your split look like? Chest shoulders, back, legs for the 3 day? Then also how often do you hit abs or core in general and do you integrate that into your regular workouts?
He has links to his minimalist workout routines in the description of the video. It's a pdf file with all the information you need. Good luck and have fun :)
I'm skinny fat, 5'7 168lbs and my maintenance is about 2500 calories so going by what you said I should be cutting. I've never been able to put muscle on. Even though I'm lifting heavy. My waist is 38 inches. Its really frustrating.!
Im 5’7 as well went from 190 to currently 152 and guess what, I still have the same damn belly literally lost fat from everywhere else except the belly so disappointed
@jessie_ortega8095 if you can make your shoulders and back wider. I just got down to 156lbs. Waist at almost 34 but still got some love handles. I'm going to bulk slowly when I get down to my ideal weight.
Not a 100g protein per day. More like 150-200g. 4 meals a day, 3-4 hours apart, 37.5-50g of protein per meal for men. You really want to aim for 1.6-2g per kg of wanted final fit weight. So if you are like 120kg person, you dont go for 240grams (2g per kg), you go for your aim weight, let say 90kg, that would be 180g of protein (45g of protein per meal). 1.6g per kg should be minimal for gaining muscle mass. If you skinny of 70kg, and want to be at 85kg fit, you dont go with 140g of protein (70kgx2g), you go for 170g (85kg x 2g). The rest of info provided in this video is good.
I am 1.68m and 68.5kg. I have been careful with eating. I have 3 eggs a day, little carbs lunch. Protein drink and fruits for dinner. I have done a year of gym and walking cardio, could do 10 pullups. Age 51. I just couldn't get rid of the little bit of love handles. What can be done?
Im 190 used to be 170. I started OMAD with fasted workouts, interesting results but its still 3 weeks in. Dropped about 6 lbs and strength has somewhat staying the same.
I love your content first and foremost. Just as a point of correction, fat does not turn into muscle. You lose the fat, and what then begins to happen is the muscles that were hidden show out.
You cannot turn fat into muscle by the way, you lose the fat and then build the muscle, or you can do both simultaneously if you are in a state of body recomposition
As a female in my forties who is currently skinny fat I’ve started going to the gym consistently to gain muscle so this was super useful thank you!
good luck, ma'am. 💯
Hi! happy to see there's other women here :)
what did u do maam .did u bulk or eat on ur maintenance
High protein and don’t eat junk food or you’ll look bad
@@aizamahinay5710 I’m eating about 200 over maintenance
I'm so glad to hear someone actually touch on how mental issues, past trauma can cause negative relationships with food. I've seen people suffer in this way, but I've seen many people overcome this by getting into fitness. I hear very few in the fitness community address mindset; instead, many just tell you how to lift weights and what not to eat. You got a new subscriber. 👍
There are a couple of problems: "body positivity" which picks on a healthy lifestyle preventing any discussion on this subject. Any will of losing fat is perceived as "internalised shame". Fitness hustle culture - which puts pressure in people that anyone who isn't disciplined is weak.
I personally have been in a great routine with exercise and food for the last 6 months and made great results. Watching your vids helps top up my motivation to keep going! You provide great information for new and veteran healthy living humans.
How it's going
This was really helpful to hear. What you hit on at the end on identity and your relationship with food is spot on. too many people look at losing weight (or gaining) but doesn't do the work to see why they eat, and why they eat so much. Thanks for posting this!
The identity change is a huge one, it helped me a lot. For those that are also overweight or struggle consistently going to the gym, try forcing yourself to "see" yourself as someone who's "normal" or "lean", and someone who "goes to the gym".
If you do this enough while acting out these new identities (I'm talking months at the minimum), it will feel weird to skip a day at the gym (according to your gym schedule), it will feel weird to stuff yourself; your brain will subconsciously say "I can't skip the gym today! I'm a gym-goer!" or "I'm a healthy eater! I won't overindulge in X", "I'm a normal weight person! I'm only gonna eat 2-4 slices of pizza instead of 7" (even if you're not a "normal weight" yet!!)
It's an important change to do, especially if you've lost weight drastically and want to keep that weight off long-term. CONVINCE your brain that you are where your goals are.
I'm sure the opposite would apply to underweight people as well.
This is how I have been going about it, I’ve only barely started being determined to lose weight and workout. I was super into gaming and it took most of my time and made me make easy decisions that would ultimately lead to me gaining weight and now I’m in the skinny fat stage. Been running miles and eating less, doing push-ups for the past 2 weeks and having the mindset that you mentioned has helped me stay motivated, disciplined, and overall just happier with myself even though I still have a lot of work to do. I will reach my goal of being healthy and fit!
This is SO REAL. I didn't get up early enough today to go to the gym in the morning like I usually do, and in the past I'd have just waited until tomorrow but I actively felt driven to go immediately after work
@@jerrodshack7610 totally agree, it's awesome when you get into a mindset like this because it honestly makes the process so much easier. It just becomes a duty you have to carry out, you don't really think twice about it.
As someone who struggles to gain weight and sustain muscle mass it’s nice to hear about health (eating, fitness and lifestyle) from a more philosophical perspective. Thanks for the content 👍
the last bit was so inspiring and important. it feels rare to see a guy shedding light on topics such as traumas and mental health when discussing training, especially to mostly other guys. it isnt just the weight on your body that needs to drop, its the weight in your mind.
Man you are the first person who has made this clear for me. Especially on the raising maintenance calories. Thank you, loving your videos.
really appreciate your take of asking deeper questions about body image. a caring technique is refreshing
I feel scammed, the title said it would only take 3 steps but it surely seems like i have to do a lot more than walk a couple steps...
lol
there’s nothing easy.
LOL u rly think there is an easy way to get stronger it takes a lot of dedication
@@LamarBurke-c5x joke went right over ur head lmao
@@LamarBurke-c5xyou're slow
Fascinating
Been working out lifting weights for years
I could only get so far
Too much cardio & not eating enough at all
So i changed things up
I added more weight to my dumbells to start
I haven't been on the treadmill for quite awhile now
Im watching this video & it just confirms im on the right track
Let's hope i transform and live happily ever after....blah blah blah..
Thank you for being so transparent
Like seriously
Nobody has ever said it sooo clear
Thank you!
What do normal people usually consider skinnyfat? Cause me personally I tend to look down on myself a lot, so I might be being over zealous.
What do you mean you are being overzealous? That word means “over-enthusiastic”
Skinnyfat is when u cant see your p..nis in the shower due to belly
@@richardlong5928 enthusiasm isn't necessarily a positive feeling
Typically speaking you have skinny limbs but carry a lot of fat comparatively in your belly, chest, and back.
It’s basically when you are “skinny” but carry a lot of excess fat. So even though you’re skinny you may qualify body fat wise as being obese.
@@stephen1503 hm ok thanks
i cant believe there is such content on the internet for free thanks bro for this content you really summarized the whole thing
I love your content. Not necessarily following your advise cuz I’m doing a different program but I’ve decided to subscribe to a bunch of fitness dudes to keep me motivated. I was at 185 lbs on November and am currently at 165. I’ve been slowly gaining small amounts of muscle and my back feels wider and more straight, ppl have been giving me compliments and it feels really good :) I am actually on a slight deficit and lift 4x per week. Next month will be my last month on a deficit and then I’ll start helping on a slight surplus. This experience is truly changing the way I view myself and I know that I have the power to change my body. Thank you for your content ❤
Thanks so much this was super helpful
Body recomposition?
@@vaibhavreddyvaka9014 He explains th-cam.com/video/Y-aTyt53aqg/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for this, Im a 13 year old boy who has not been bullied but mad at my self for getting to this skinny fat stage, but these tips will help me acheive my goal!
I can vouch this works, while i've not been to the gym in years when I did go I was far too afraid of one simple thing. Getting fat. I was instructed to essentially eat healthy as I have been but to double my portion sizes and not to look at weighing scales but to see the changes in the mirror and not be obsessed with calories. (went through an eating disorder) My mom, my trainer; (a friend who I spent more time getting my emotional support from than exercising, that was for me to do with the right mindset.) I was complimented on not just my appearance of look far healthier but also on my attitude to life itself and having the energy to stay back in my college to help others in my field of Digital Art. Cut when you feel the times right but please do give yourself the time to repair and feel the changes this does. Don't be afraid of "flab" or a little gut, that'll all go in the cutting stages, get the strength first. You can't build a house without enough concrete.
Honestly one of the best/comprehensive vids I’ve seen on this subject, much love ❤️
I thought as a starter skinny fat person the best idea would be to be in a caloric deficit while building muscle (recompositioning) and then once in the 12-14% (under 20 is good for most people but I really like the 14%) then you can start having a caloric surplus of 200 and lean bulk forever...
However I really didn't think about the raising maintenance level thingy. That was indeed something that can become an important factor for many people. Cutting at below 2000 kcals will make you hungry. And you may end up failing your diet.
I needed this video so much. I've lost 25+ kilo's years ago and I'm by no means fat anymore but always still have that bit of belly fat. Whenever I get rid of the last bit I look like so skinny. Combined with all the pain I have I was scared to work out but I realise now I actually need to get bigger and stronger. Stop looking at weight as being scary. I didn't want to get back above 80kg but I can't get strong and lean without gainihg weight
Having watched a few of your videos, I really love the chill vibe of your content compared to a lot of usual health and wellbeing videos. Also I'm really liking the ideas that you've picked up from Atomic Habits in context to identity change and designing your environment for enforcing certain habits, it's really an amazing book!
7:16 This is true. It happened to me personally. I was really skinny back when I was in high school, I'm actually underweight. I was bullied when I entered college, been called names, etc etc. I decided to start getting fat by just about eating anything, it did work, but the mean comments didn't stop (ex: He looks bloated! Thin to fat really quick!) so I ended up eating more. Although I didn't turn obese, eating stuck to me, like something that comforts me. So instead of getting fat the healthy way (eating different kinds of healthy food, exercising, etc), I turned to snacks, carb overload, etc. This resulted to me having belly fats.
Now that I'm older, I started doing intermittent fasting (20:4) and exercising. It's a long way to go but glad I was able to overcome my emotional problems and came out of it wiser.
I’d love to see a video on the problems with dirty bulking and expanding on the stuff you mentioned at around 6:30
Enjoyed this vid.. no matter how fit you are or how much muscle you have...having a flabby belly completely destroys your appearance and still turns you into a slob even if you're in the gym 7x a week... abs are a gamechanger...they take your body and how people see you to the next level.
I was skinny fat when I started lifting 16 months ago or so. I initially bulked for couple months but when I looked in the mirror I just looked like a pregnant man (especially naked as you can hide lot of fat with pants on). This was just not acceptable. So I went into an extended cut aiming for 1600-2000 calories a day. I wen't from 25% bodyfat down to 7-8% while gaining moderate amounts of muscle. Being lean makes you stand out immediately. 99% of people in the gym are not anywhere near that level of leanness. You can stand next to a guy who weighs 20-50 kg more than you, been lifting for years and still be confident enough to take off your shirt and look better. You have veins, definition and yes you're skinny and dont have much muscle, but you are far better able to show what muscle you do have, than 99% of people in the gym. In other words, leanness in my opinion is the best compensation for lack of size. I ate 2 meals a day, 1 before gym and a bigger dinner before sleep. Saving the bulk of your calories for later in the day is a great motivation to handle the hunger you might feel, because you have sumin to look forward to. In between meals, what helped me mentally was just increasing my self-awareness about what it means to be hungry. "You're hungry? so what. It's a feeling It's natural. Hunger is part of life in nature. Just accept it". This kinda mindset reduced my feeling of hunger. Fasting is also really helpful. The less you eat, the less hungry you get. The more you eat, the more your body craves even more food because it thinks food is readily available and wants to binge before the next starvation (in nature). So my personal advice for TRULY skinny fat guys (the pic of you in the beginning of the video is NOT skinny fat but just average unfit male) is to cut first, you'll like your body much faster and only bulk once you're low enough in bodyfat.
Agreed. I think it's important to walk before you run. I've noticed a lot of people in fitness these days have a hard time conceptualizing what square one looks like for an overweight and out of shape person with a terrible diet looks like. The first step to should always be to cut and start taking walks or doing some light cardio everyday. Once the habit is there then I'd recommend branching out into weight training. Taking on weight training out of the gate when you're out of shape is a surefire way to burn yourself out fast!
True
Skinny fat is more often than not just people with small bone structure who is also fat therefore appearing both skinny and fat.
As you said the best thing to do is to lose weight, not gain fat
@@jakemaxwell2800 Thin bones is def part of it. But it's also about fat distribution. Skinny fats almost exclusively store fat around stomach area. Rest of body is skinny regardless of bones.
@@sollywhirl I personally didn't do any cardio at any point. I tried a few times to pick up the habbit but it was too fatiguing and time consuming. The amount of calories you burn in an average cardio session is very little and for me was not worth the fatigue and time. I do believe beginners should always lift weights though. It takes little energy, is often quite fun and increases your calorie maintenance level since muscle tissue consumes more energy. Muscle building takes a very long time so you can never start too early.
If you're skinnyfat, you lack muscularity big time.
Meaning, you can easily also be in a slight caloric deficit and still gain muscle.
Newbie gains are real. Especially when you have no muscle to begin with.
I ate about 1800 to 2000 calories when i started tackling my skinnyfat issue. I did a full body workout 3 days a week with isolating excercises for every musclegroup. I had to either increase the amount of reps per set or increase the weight for all excercises every week for almost 3 months before progress started to diminish.
After that 3 months i weighed practically the same as when i started. But looked like a total different person.
I mean, clearly i wasnt the next Mr.Olympia. But all that flab was gone and for the first time in 35 years i noticed that i actually do have abs. ^^
My calfoic intake is around 2000 so just eat as normal and exercise 3 days a week?
Been skinny fat my whole life. Gonna put this advice into practice and change that! Thanks for the info :)
What changes have you made in these 2 weeks so far dawg ?
update bro
Update broski
59 people disliked the end of of the video were u got deep and related them to their trauma, thankyou for the advice, ive been going 5 days a week for a year now thank you for everything youve done
I have been doing this for 5+ years and I’m already there but I still watch these types of videos when they pop up
So deep, i love it. this is so far beyond what anyone else is doing.
Keep up the great work. The deeper internal work around body transformation is most important
I hope everyone in here has a good day stays consistent and meets there goals. Good luck to everyone
Over the last three years my body recomp has been insanely out of wack. 2020 presented with a lot of health issues, dropped 38 pounds in 6 weeks due to not being able to eat properly. 2021 improved but I wasnt going to the gym, so I gained 15 pounds just in fat. Started back 2022 going to the gym and gained about 15 more pounds. I was holding way too much fat so I started cutting in 2022 September till now, which end of March will be the end of my cut.
Currently eating at 1550-1450 calories per day and it is indeed very hard. Im 5"10 currently 149 pounds, still holding a bit of fat on my abdomen but I decided it's time to do a clean bulk. I can say this cut was much necessary, still not satisfied with my abdomen section but that will sort itself out after I fill this body with some more muscles and do another short cut afterwards.
You 100% need to bulk.
@@ibiza1290 Agreed! Last week cutting, which makes me extremely happy. Will be eating in maintenance for about 2-4 weeks to give my body a proper reset after 7 months cutting, then slowly bulk from there
@@daehrren I wish you well in your progress. Remember any excess weight from eating at maintenance will be from sodium and water.
@@daehrrenhow’s your bulk going
Brother, I am 6'3 205lbs but I'm skinny fat. I was so lost on what I should be doing. Should I bulk? Should I cut? This video couldn't have come at a better time. I will follow your advice and come back and give an update. Thanks my man!
Tell me your calorie maintenance?
Bro. We literally have the same build and issue. Couldn’t agree more his videos are super informative and helpful.
Bulk your skinny fat
How has it been going man we want an update
All about your goals. I’m the same build. I decided to cut not bulk first. My main reason was my current body fat % is ~25 with a bmi that is considered overweight. Even if I did a body recomp I’d still be too heavy for the sports I enjoy (mtn biking, snowboarding). I’m down about 9lbs and while I have sacrificed some strength I am not looking like a smaller skinny fat version of myself and me and my joints are feeling a lot better.
When I started my workout journey I started off as skinny fat. It’s been about 4 months of hard training & bulking, and my body already looks a lot more evened out. It’ll always get better.
My guy! This is exactly what I am going through ! Thank you, I am so motivated again
Thx for being one of the only ppl I follow that talks about the mental health side of fitness. So many ppl talk about just having the drive and wanting it bad enough but no one talks about the inner thought process that it takes to change the perspective on your own body image, relationship with food, and life itself in order to gain that drive and maintain it 🫶
Your video's have been super helpful and packed with tons of valuable info. Thank you Wanhee!
Loved this indepth breakdown covering all the factors and aspects!
Last tip is the most important one. Mindset is everything
Im a 55yr old male and I find your videos really helpful. Thank you
yay new wanhee upload!
Wtf you literally f solved my current dilemma. I thought I have eating disorder bcs Im having this skinny fat problem so I really messed up with my diets (some days I eat a lot, some did not at all - just drink water).
Im so happy I found this video. Thank you so muchh for helping people out this way!
It’s always a good day when Wanhee uploads
I’m the definition of Skinny fat. I’m 84kg and 6’1. My legs are quite lean and my arms, especially my forearms, are very skinny. However I got belly that’s a bit flabby and gets bloated when I eat a lot for a couple hours and I got a chubby face. This video is so informative. I really wanna get in the gym now.
I'm enjoying these videos bro, you're doing a great job of keeping, what's usually quite an emotionally charged subject, realistic, calm and objective. Only thing i noticed is I'm not into the whole 'turning fat into muscle' myth. I'd say it's more building muscle to give your body 'structure'. For example someone who is 14% body fat with a lot of muscle would look totally different to someone who's 14% body fat with very little muscle. Anyway, great video keep them coming :)
here’s how i stay in a surplus daily. every day is different but i eat different small things from breakfast until lunch and i usually am around 700-1000 before lunch, by lunch time i’m hungryy so i try to get around 1800-2000 calories, then by dinner i’m very hungry again so whatever i eat here usually gets me to 2500-2800 for the day which is a good surplus for me. i’m 140lbs. it takes time, your stomach will grow the more you train it. be consistent, you got this. find what works for you and take the time to figure that out
and yes, chocolate milk can help greatly. aldi has it for like $1.50 or something and it’s 230 calories a CUP, easy to drink morning and night
Two years ago i lost 30 pounds and almost hit my goal of what i wanted my body to look like. And then i got a gf last year and kinda stopped working out, started going out to eat at restaurants more, and ate wayyy too much icecream. Now it feels like I'm back to where I was 2 years ago. This video is very helpful, what you said about dirty bulking makes total sense to me because over the winter while i was eating unhealthy foods i never felt like working out and i never understood why i was so tired all the time. Thank you for the video!
Thanks for this video. I watch a lot of similar content on TH-cam and this was very clear and helpful.
Wanhee is honestly a godsend
I clicked this video to learn about when to bulk or cut, but ended receiving treatment for my traumas. Good work tho!
I'm a skinny fat guy with major fat in tummy My height is 5ft 9inch.. My Weight was 77 kg 2 months back. After rigorous workout my weight has come down to 72 kg. Now i have lost considerable belly fat bt overal I'm looking thin. I hope going am going in the right direction
I’ve always told new gym goers that the sculptors approach to muscle mass is the best. Build a base of muscle like a block of marble and once you have the strong base start chiseling away at the excess until you’re left with a masterpiece.
I’m really skinny fat I’ve good arms and back but my belly 💀 and if i build a lot of muscle and obviously I’m gonna get more fat too so after i gain if i go on a cut will I really look aesthetic and will this plan really gonna help me to first bulk and then cut?
@@Homiram yeah bro, sometimes it’s gonna feel like it’s not working, it’s gonna feel like shit, you’re gonna want to give up i get it it is very tough but trust the process and remember nothing comes easy, it will be worth it in the end trust me! good luck bro🙏🏻
@@rafefeatherstone4279 I’m stuck I can’t gain weight neither i can lose any at this point I’m skinny fat af and fed up i do calesthenics I’ve okayish amount of muscle but my weight never lose or even increase no matter the dietary changes specially while losing weight 😞
Summary: Bulk and then cut. Resistance training with progressive overload. Keep it consistence. Pretty much what everyone been saying (Jeremy Ethier, Jeff Nippard, etc..) Same info that been passing around for years.
Been waiting for this! 😊
thank you wanhee for constantly making videos and reminder^^
thanks you for the last two steps of the video, is not my case but i really apreciate you care about the ones who doesnt have had a good experiencie with food.
good video fella, im going to see some more of yours now
Love the videos man.. just binged all of your videos and you had me motivated to get that aesthetic physique..subscribed!👍🏻👍🏻
I’m gunna try to start this. I’ll try to check in every other month
this is truly well explained!
Best explanation i've seen on the topic
you inspire me, thank you for making these videos
I just found your channel recently, and I love it because your so relatable so thank you for the tips!
Yo thx for this vid, wanted to shred now but you talking about maintanance levels helped me understand that i should prob bulk for an additional month before I start cutting, to basically make it easier cuz I can eat more whilst shredding after the bigger bulk.
I like this guy, everything he said are facts
Cheers bro
Great video. A few notes. You recommended 100 pounds of protein, but I would also consider eating a gram of protein per body weight. You also didn’t mention how to calculate the maintenance level. (LB x 15). I also love how you mentioned how dirty bulking affects you mentally!! I don’t eat sugar and when I do I instantly feel terrible, especially the next day!
I eat sugar regularly and I feel no different. Not even energy wise, it feels like I ate potatoes. I have around 10-20 g of pure sugar a day + all the added sugar in foods I eat both natural sugars and not. Yesterday before sleeping I had 25 g of chocolate and 12 dates. No problem.
@@mab5710 Sugar and highly processed, simple carbs definitely have a negative affect on me when I ingest them. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t feel the difference. Maybe you’re young so it doesn’t affect you as much. Maybe you’re not as in tune with the signals your body is sending you. Either way, sugar and processed foods aren’t the best options for fuel for the body. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy an occasional sweet treat, but sugar and processed foods are not a regular part of my life.
@@mab5710 Sugar and highly processed, simple carbs definitely have a negative affect on me when I ingest them. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who doesn’t feel the difference. Maybe you’re young so it doesn’t affect you as much. Maybe you’re not as in tune with the signals your body is sending you. My best guess is that you don’t realize how much that sugar is affecting you because you consume it regularly. It wasn’t until I started limiting my sugar intake that I started to notice how sugar actually made me feel. Either way, sugar and processed foods aren’t the best options for fuel for the body. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy an occasional sweet treat, but sugar and processed foods are not a regular part of my life.
Great advice and motivation bro keep up the good work man!❤
This is next level.
For me the bottom line is the 8th point.
In my case, it is not the skinny guy. However the principle of the last point, I belive can apply for any case.
Thank you Wanhee.
Thanks man I actually really appreciate this I’ve just started working out after years of unhealthy living in all forms and I had no clue wat to do about this skinny fat pouch and I’ve been told so many different things about caloric deficit and other things but I did a BMI test and I only have 6.8% body fat and it was a weird moment of what do I do I have no clue what I’m doing and now I’ve got a bit more understanding so thank you so much for giving me more direction in what I need to do
it would also be interesting to see maybe casual vlogss or some content non related to training sometimes. but anyways, i always love your videos and thanks for the info
Can you do more videos on changing from unhealthy to healthy food relationships and the mindset around food
I was looking for explanation and trying to find my self in some video and finnaly dude tnx for explaining
This video came at a perfect time, yesterday I decided to up my calo from 2100-2400 because I’m skinny fat and wanna grow more muscles
There is also 3 different types of skinny fat but generally speaking I also agree as a skinny fat myself that you need to focus on caloric surplus and bulk and after that you cut and you repeat this process and each time it becomes easier.
I think it's always best to cut and lose all that fat, even if that means looking smaller. Once you have low body fat, your muscle gains will be more noticeable and you will feel more confident. What's the point of having a lot of muscle if it's under a layer of fat?
Been a struggling skinny fat guy since my teens. There were points were I got pretty fit, but never managed to get my abs to show and always slipped back into skinny fat again. It’s been like a bad cycle where if I stop working out the muscles become fat and then my muffin top and man boobs get worse. Somehow I’ve maintained my weight within 2-3kg for the past 3 years but built more muscle and added fat in the wrong places too. Fuck me im heading to the gym
Please make a video about daily workout and diet schedules.
I've also seen some fitness channels say that having a higher body fat means it's more difficult to gain muscle. So they recommend cutting first. I like your approach better though.
my biggest struggle is diet, meeting or keeping my calories near a certain amount. Some days i eat like chips and other things, but get alot of protein and fats, and on other days, i dont even want to eat.
I think it will take a while but one of the best things you can do is bulk for a while and then cut once you think that your body is big and strong you can then cut and it will show the muscle you've trained for you will need to continue working out when you finish this to keep your physique don't take my advice to heart but this is what is working for me
6:25 dirty bulking and its effect on the mental is very interesting. This is valuable even for large mammals like me. I still eat many more calories than I should but I have notice immense difference in my life and training since cleaning up my diet
Revival fitness's quote "purgatory".
Dear Wanhee, I wanted to express my appreciation for your amazing video! It would mean a lot to me if you could read this comment and share your thoughts because your input is incredibly valuable to me.
Currently, I would describe myself as "fat" rather than "skinny fat." I am overweight. My body fat percentage is high, and I have low muscle mass, which results in a chubby appearance all over my body, including my face and belly.
Would you recommend that I start by creating a calorie deficit to lose some weight before hitting the gym and eating at a slight bulk, as you suggested in your video? Alternatively, should I begin going to the gym while in a calorie deficit before bulking up? I'm concerned that if I lose weight first, I will end up becoming skinny fat, and I will simply regain the weight. Is there a way to avoid this problem?
Thank you so much in advance for your advice.
Yes do a deficit and work out, good easy way to burn calories is stairs or going on walks
8:24 idk i started crying but thanks man… ❤
thank you so much for making this
Thank you for this incredible video
I have a hard time eating enough… I think if I did more protein my issues would be fixed. I’m gonna try getting a blender and making some stuff. I’m good at keeping sugar and soda out of my diet but I just can’t eat all the calories I need most of the time… I think it’s cuz I grew up very poor and we never had lots of food. So I’m just used to making every bit of food last as long as possible.
Hey Man I have a few questions if you end up seeing this, what does your split look like? Chest shoulders, back, legs for the 3 day? Then also how often do you hit abs or core in general and do you integrate that into your regular workouts?
He has links to his minimalist workout routines in the description of the video. It's a pdf file with all the information you need. Good luck and have fun :)
I'm skinny fat, 5'7 168lbs and my maintenance is about 2500 calories so going by what you said I should be cutting. I've never been able to put muscle on. Even though I'm lifting heavy. My waist is 38 inches. Its really frustrating.!
Im 5’7 as well went from 190 to currently 152 and guess what, I still have the same damn belly literally lost fat from everywhere else except the belly so disappointed
@jessie_ortega8095 if you can make your shoulders and back wider. I just got down to 156lbs. Waist at almost 34 but still got some love handles. I'm going to bulk slowly when I get down to my ideal weight.
@@rambo7135 yea I’m tryna get to 135 and bulk after
Not a 100g protein per day. More like 150-200g. 4 meals a day, 3-4 hours apart, 37.5-50g of protein per meal for men. You really want to aim for 1.6-2g per kg of wanted final fit weight. So if you are like 120kg person, you dont go for 240grams (2g per kg), you go for your aim weight, let say 90kg, that would be 180g of protein (45g of protein per meal). 1.6g per kg should be minimal for gaining muscle mass. If you skinny of 70kg, and want to be at 85kg fit, you dont go with 140g of protein (70kgx2g), you go for 170g (85kg x 2g). The rest of info provided in this video is good.
I am 1.68m and 68.5kg. I have been careful with eating. I have 3 eggs a day, little carbs lunch. Protein drink and fruits for dinner. I have done a year of gym and walking cardio, could do 10 pullups. Age 51. I just couldn't get rid of the little bit of love handles. What can be done?
Im 190 used to be 170. I started OMAD with fasted workouts, interesting results but its still 3 weeks in. Dropped about 6 lbs and strength has somewhat staying the same.
Update?!
I love your content first and foremost. Just as a point of correction, fat does not turn into muscle. You lose the fat, and what then begins to happen is the muscles that were hidden show out.
Hello Thanks for your tips😊. how was your macros?
Always amazing content. For someone training mental state is the most important.
Really helped man, thanks
ty idk why people say cut when you can obv build muscle while burning the fat at the same weightclass
Thanks a lot for this video.
this is actually a great video this helped me a lot
You cannot turn fat into muscle by the way, you lose the fat and then build the muscle, or you can do both simultaneously if you are in a state of body recomposition
This is very relatable