How to Get Abs If You’re ‘Skinny-Fat’

Getting six packs abs as a skinny fat guys is an uphill battle. You can and will emerge victorious with the right mindset and weapons for combat. This post will make sure you are well equipped.

We’ve got two major tasks at hand if you want visible washboard abdominal muscle:

1. Building up your abs
2. Reducing your body fat percentage

Unfortunately you can’t just magically melt fat from a specific area like just your belly. And while you can concentrate on developing your ab muscles, a holistic approach will give you better and faster results on both fronts.

How to Get Abs if You’re Skinny Fat (3 Key Factors)

Let’s break it down further into the three key areas that will get you to well defined abdominals:

1. Your mindset
2. Your diet
3. And your physical workouts

Mindset Matters

Before you even start sweating it out, let’s prepare your mind for this journey. Getting visible abs isn’t a walk in the park – it’s more like a hike up a steep mountain. And that mountain is covered in crags, cliffs and boulders, and wild bears. Hungry bears.

Here’s how to mentally gear up:

Time and Patience: How long will it take? Can I even do it? These questions will pop up, guaranteed. Know that it’s a gradual process and embrace the journey from day one. Give yourself time to succeed.

Manage Expectations: Be realistic about the timeline. You can’t go from dad bod to cover model in a week. Set achievable milestones. Measure your progress so you make incremental improvements over time.

Full-Body Effort: Yes, you’ll work your core, but remember that spot-reducing fat isn’t really a thing. (Okay, it is but we’re not ready for that conversation yet.) Focus on overall muscle training to support abdominal visibility. Training your full body also ensures you KEEP your abs once they pop.

Consistency: Like any endeavor, consistency is key. Expect challenges and plateaus, but keep moving forward. Everyone hits a wall. Sometimes the only way out is through.

The Right Diet

Abs are made in the kitchen, they say. This is mostly true. Your diet is crucial in revealing those abdominals and shedding unwanted belly fat.

Meal Planning and Macros: Plan your meals to avoid spontaneous snacking. Prioritize protein intake for muscle growth and cut down on carbs. Take it a step farther and meal prep healthy meals for the week. Get a nice protein supplement to ensure you get enough muscle sculpting material.

Smart Fat Choices: Opt for healthy fats from sources like meat, eggs, and avocadoes. Say goodbye to processed junk.

Farewell to Visceral Fat: Cut down on visceral fat, the sneaky stuff around your organs. Eat less sugar and more veggies.

Fasting: Try intermittent fasting (IF) – like a 16/8 schedule (16 hours fasting, 8 hours feeding). For extra oomph, give the “One Meal a Day” (OMAD) approach a whirl.Fasting takes time for your body to adjust but fasting does burn more belly fat and has an astounding list of benefits.

Creating Your Ideal Workout Routine

A critical step in your journey to rock-hard abs is to establish a workout routine that suits your goals and lifestyle. Keep in mind that getting abs isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about improving your overall health and well-being. Reducing the extra weight around the gut can improve health by almost every metric.

Morning Boost with Bodyweight Training

Starting your day with a burst of energy is crucial, and that’s where bodyweight training comes into play. These exercises not only wake up your muscles but also prepare your mind for the challenges ahead.

Knocking out squats, pushups, burpees, and planks right in your bedroom jump starts your day – You’re already ahead of the game before even brushing your teeth.

Some bodyweight exercises I recommend for your daily morning routine include:

• Squats (Great for lower-body strength)
• Pushups (Great for upper-body strength)
• Burpees (great for fat burning)
• Planks (great for core strength)
• Side Planks (great for your obliques)
• Leg lifts (great for your lower abs)

Resistance Training: Circuit Style

The real game-changer in any skinny-fat-to-fit transformation is resistance training. For our skinny-fat friends looking to get diced, circuit training is the golden ticket. It’s efficient, effective, and perfect for anyone with a busy schedule.

Circuit training combines full-body workouts with targeted core exercises. By alternating between compound movements and core isolation exercises, you’re not only building muscle but also accelerating fat burn. Check out this sample circuit training routine to get you started:

1. Squats: 3 sets of 12-15 reps (15-20 seconds rest)
2. Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-12 reps (15-20 seconds rest)
3. Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 8-12 reps (10-20 seconds rest)
4. Pull-ups: 3 sets of 1-10 reps (15-20 seconds rest)
5. Military Press: 3 sets of 5-12 reps (15-20 seconds rest)
6. Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 5-12 reps (15-20 seconds rest)
7. Bench Press: 3 sets of 5-12 reps (15-20 seconds rest)

Steady State Training for Cardio

Cardio is great for overall cardiovascular and respiratory health. Keeping the blood circulating has an amazing effect on overall health and well being. Engage in activities like walking, swimming, cycling, or hiking.

Walking, in particular, is great for several reasons – it’s low impact, sustainable, greatly reduces your cortisol (stress hormones) levels, and can be done almost anywhere.

Make it a habit to walk regularly, and watch as the fat starts to melt away. It can be as simple as walking your dog every evening or ditching the car to walk to and from work. Walk at least 10,000 steps per day. I personally feel my mental health begin to deteriorate when I don’t walk much. As soon as I start moving again I immediately start to feel better.

Supercharge with HIIT

Kick things up a notch and supercharge your fat-burning with High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT sessions turbo boost for your metabolism. They not only torch calories but also improve muscle tone, stamina, and overall fitness. Plus, the endorphin rush is pretty sweet too.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy we use when we are not exercising. This just means you need to keep moving even when you’re not exercising.

Do regular activities such as cleaning your home, doing some yard work, mowing your lawn, washing your car, or walking from your office desk to the printer.

Putting It All Together

Here’s a simple yet effective workout routine that incorporates all the elements we’ve discussed:

Morning Routine: Start your day with bodyweight exercises to wake up your body and mind. Add a few minutes of meditation to get your head in the right place and reset your mindset daily.

Circuit Training: Hit the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for your circuit workout. Practice weight training with progressive overload to challenge your muscles for optimal growth.

Steady State Training: Enjoy a daily evening walk to keep your metabolism fired up and your cortisol levels low.

HIIT Sessions: Crush a HIIT workout on Saturday mornings to accelerate fat loss.

NEAT: Keep moving and avoid sitting for prolonged periods. You’ll get your chores done, accomplish more per day, and supercharge fat burning.

In your quest for visible rock-hard abs, patience and consistency are your best friends. Getting those coveted abs requires dedication and time, but the results will be worth it. So, lace up those sneakers, blast some motivating tunes, and let’s embark on this exciting transformation together. Your future abs are waiting – go get ’em!

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The Ultimate ‘Skinny-Fat’ Workout and Diet Guide (2024 Edition) Body Fat Percentage Demystified: My Journey from 15 to 7% Body Fat (with photo proof) Intermittent Fasting: Unlock Fast Fat Loss and Muscle Gains The Skinny Guy’s Guide to Gaining Weight, Size, and Building Muscle