Skinnyfat To Ripped: How To Decide If You Should Cut Or Bulk

Summary

In this video, Dr. Mike from Renaissance Periodization discusses the intricate challenge faced by individuals who are skinny fat—a condition where one carries excess fat despite having less muscle mass. He humorously addresses the confusion about whether to cut or bulk for such individuals, highlighting societal misinterpretations and the outdated body type classifications. Dr. Mike suggests focusing on a balanced approach by emphasizing consistent weight training and nutritious dieting to improve body composition over time. The candid conversation also touches on social perceptions and personal confidence related to body image, while encouraging patience and gradual progress.

Highlights

• Dr. Mike humorously defines 'skinny fat' and debunks traditional body type classifications. 😂
• The importance of not stressing over body composition and finding joy in the fitness journey. 😊
• Balancing weight training with a nutritious diet for gradual body composition improvement. 🥦🍗
• The transformative potential of a year-long commitment to training and healthy eating. 🔄
• Addressing social pressures and personal confidence issues in the context of fitness. 🗣️

Key Takeaways

• Being 'skinny fat' means having more fat than muscle, defying traditional body type categories. 🤔
• Dr. Mike recommends a balance of weight training and nutritious eating to tackle the skinny fat condition. 🏋️‍♂️🥗
• Rather than rapid transformation, gradual improvement over a year can significantly alter body composition. ⏳
• After a year of training and dieting, a focused fat loss phase can uncover the muscle built underneath. 💪
• Confidence and social perceptions about body image play crucial roles in this fitness journey. 👀

Overview

In an amusing yet insightful discussion, Dr. Mike addresses the common dilemma faced by those identified as 'skinny fat.' Characterizing this condition as one where there's excess fat despite lacking muscle mass, he points out the shortcomings of popular body type classifications. Dr. Mike emphasizes the importance of weight training and consistent, balanced nutrition as a remedy for this predicament. He encourages viewers to maintain discipline in their fitness pursuits, while factoring in societal perspectives on body image.

The video takes a deeper dive into strategies for overcoming the 'skinny fat' condition—an approach that combines lifting and nutritious eating rather than hastily choosing to either cut or bulk. Dr. Mike suggests that engaging in weight training four times a week coupled with eating a diet rich in protein and whole foods can lead to noticeable body composition changes over a year. This gradual method prioritizes both muscle growth and fat reduction simultaneously, aiming to enhance the individual’s overall physique and confidence.

Dr. Mike humorously addresses the societal pressures and confidence issues that those identifying as 'skinny fat' might encounter. By advocating for a long-term approach to fitness centered around patience and slow, sustainable body reshaping, he reassures viewers that significant transformations are entirely achievable. After a year of devoted exercise and healthy eating, a short-term fat loss phase can reveal the hard-earned gains, further aligning one's body with their fitness goals.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction and Definition of Skinny Fat In the introductory chapter, Dr. Mike from Renaissance Periodization addresses a common concern about being 'skinny fat.' This concept refers to individuals who may appear slim but carry excess body fat, particularly in comparison to their muscle mass. Dr. Mike empathizes with this situation and hints at providing solutions to improve physical appearance, keeping in mind that the reader or listener might be seeking guidance due to possible confusion on whether to bulk up, slim down, or follow another strategy to optimize their body composition. The chapter sets the stage for defining the term 'skinny fat' and exploring potential strategies to address it.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Debunking Body Type Myths The chapter titled 'Debunking Body Type Myths' delves into the concept of being 'skinny fat'. It clarifies this label as more of a spectrum than a clear-cut definition. Individuals described as 'skinny fat' often have less muscle and significant fat stores compared to their peers. The chapter highlights the challenge of describing such a body type to others, much like setting someone up on a blind date, with subtle nuances that are difficult to convey precisely.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Why Body Composition Doesn't Matter The chapter discusses the limitations of the traditional body composition system, highlighting the concept of being 'skinny fat.' This term refers to the idea that someone may appear thin on the outside but may still have a higher percentage of body fat internally. The narrative uses humor and personal anecdotes to emphasize the flawed perception of body types, using a fictional dialogue involving characters like Rebecca to demonstrate how body composition can be misleading. These examples argue the point that the traditional focus on visible body composition might not accurately represent one's health or physical condition.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Common Advice: Bulk or Cut? The chapter 'Common Advice: Bulk or Cut?' challenges traditional body type categories such as mesomorph, endomorph, and ectomorph. The speaker criticizes these categories for neglecting the 'skinny fat' body type, which is a combination of being thin yet carrying excess body fat. The speaker emphasizes that societal perceptions of body types are misleading and suggests that how one looks is inconsequential in most aspects of life, implying that the fitness industry often emphasizes appearance over health.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Recommended Approach for Skinny Fat Individuals The chapter focuses on addressing the concerns of individuals who are considered 'skinny fat'. Initially, it downplays the importance of body composition by citing examples of successful figures like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates, whose success isn't hindered by their body types. It suggests that if one has confidence, success, and good character, body composition should not be a primary concern. However, for those who still wish to address their 'skinny fat' condition, the chapter hints at exploring standard approaches without delving into specifics.
• 05:00 - 07:00: Diet and Nutrition Guidance This chapter addresses the common dilemma faced by individuals who are described as 'skinny fat,' which is feeling overweight but lacking muscle. The discussion centers around the conflicting advice frequently given to those new to lifting: to either 'bulk,' meaning to eat more and gain weight, or to 'cut,' meaning to lose weight. Newcomers often struggle with these options; bulking seems counterintuitive to those who already feel fat, while cutting may not build the desired muscle mass. The chapter emphasizes understanding these challenges in diet and nutrition and the need for tailored guidance based on individual fitness goals.
• 07:00 - 09:00: The One-Year Plan The chapter outlines a personal plan centered on physical transformation, particularly through the use of protein powder and weight management. The protagonist is concerned about societal and personal perceptions, especially from colleagues and a specific female co-worker, about their fitness journey. They express a desire to be noticed positively by this co-worker, Rebecca, while avoiding negative assumptions about their health due to visible physical changes. This reflects the internal and external pressures related to achieving personal fitness goals.
• 09:00 - 10:00: After the One-Year Plan: Fat Loss Phase The chapter discusses the challenges of managing weight and body composition for individuals who are classified as 'skinny fat.' It suggests that the primary approach should be regular and intense weightlifting sessions, around three to four times per week, to improve their physique.
• 10:00 - 12:00: Choosing Your Path After Initial Transformation The chapter emphasizes the importance of choosing a balanced and nutritious diet to support muscle development. It suggests focusing on developing various muscle groups evenly and ensuring a diet rich in protein. The narrative describes a scenario where a bodybuilder might commend someone for having a high-protein meal, indicating dietary choices aligned with muscle growth goals.
• 12:00 - 13:00: Gaining Muscle Without Gaining Fat The chapter titled 'Gaining Muscle Without Gaining Fat' focuses on the importance of a balanced diet in building muscle. It emphasizes the need for consuming a variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, meat, or vegetarian protein sources, and even dairy like milk. The speaker humorously mentions the casual approach to addressing misconceptions about diet, like overeating dessert foods or having an unbalanced plate. It highlights the availability of various nutrition-focused videos for viewers who are interested in learning more about healthy eating habits, though there is a humorous uncertainty about where these videos are available due to a humorous comment on the video editor's decisions.
• 13:00 - 14:00: Conclusion and Encouragement The chapter offers encouragement for individuals striving to eat healthily, emphasizing the importance of balanced nutrition rather than achieving a perfect diet. It suggests focusing on a healthy baseline and ensuring sufficient protein intake for muscle growth. This approach helps to gradually improve health by building muscles and reducing fat as junk food is replaced with healthier options.

Skinnyfat To Ripped: How To Decide If You Should Cut Or Bulk Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 hey folks Dr Mike here for Renaissance periodization answering a super common question that we get all the time is Dr Mike what do I do if I am skinny fat and I feel you 1000 and I think I have some good suggestions in your quest to look the best you came here for some reason made a mistake on your apartment we'll find out very soon so do you balk do you cut what the fuck are you supposed to do if you're skinny fat so first let's Define
• 00:30 - 01:00 skinny fat it's uh you know not a clear definition but it's a spectral definition so it's folks on the end of the spectrum where compared to their peers they don't have a ton of muscle but also they have some pretty significant fat stores like if you had to describe someone's body to someone before a blind date or a setup date that's more that's the kind of body that's a little tough to describe you know like you set up your friend Rob with Rebecca both our names isn't that nice and she's like oh my God like what does Rob look like you know could explain David could shut up we can't
• 01:00 - 01:30 tell you he's like hi just give me like a Clarence yeah oh is it like skinny you know yeah yeah it's like a skinny guy trapped inside a fat person's body and she's like oh like I said that wrong just kidding Rebecca it'll be more than you need or deserve Jesus I hate Rebecca for some reason in any case sorry Rebecca's out there didn't mean to use your name but skinny fat is actually the living proof of the fact that the body type system they used to
• 01:30 - 02:00 use with mesomorph endomorph ectomorph is bullshit because they forgot skinny fat as I remember ectomorph is like you're skinny but lean mesomorph is your fucking Superman jacked and lean endomorph is your fat but fucking jacked underneath skinny Fat's the other one man and they never talk about that one because that's fucking rough right but hey couple things first of all how your body is and how you look doesn't fucking matter hardly anything in life our fucking whole industry is a goddamn like legious
• 02:00 - 02:30 Leisure industry it's the whole thing is a game it's a joke right so first of all you're skinny fat don't worry about it another shit fucking matters anyway what does uh Elon musk's body composition and Jeff Bezos was going to say some shit boy got jacked on me real quick Bill Gates what does he look like doesn't fucking manage he's a goddamn billionaire right so if you're you've got solid game you're handsome you're rich and successful and just not a piece of shit you're gonna be doing just great in your life being skinny fat I wouldn't worry about anything but if you want to not be skinny fat or you want to be less so what is the proper thing to do and a lot of times this is where standard
• 02:30 - 03:00 advice kind of clashes with the predicament of the skinny fat person here it is a lot of people say you go to fuck both bro you got to just fucking start lifting you got to bulk and a lot of these folks are entering Lifting for the first time so they really have a lot of questions well yeah on the one hand like the bulk I feel you on that but they're like well I'm already fat if I'm in a bulk I'm just going to be like a fucking sumo wrestler that's not why I entered the the training and nutrition game is to become that and then the other hand if you say well all right just cut well hold on a second I'm skinny underneath I'm fucking lifting all these weights
• 03:00 - 03:30 you need all this goddamn protein powder so that I look like some kind of something and if I just died a bunch of weight off I don't want my co-workers and the girl of my dreams who also is at work and that's problematic I don't want her to be like oh my God are you okay do you like have like cancer or something like Jesus Christ who the hell just says that to someone no I just started a fitness program you don't want that sort of shit you want her to be like oh my God you're like I'm staring dressed Rebecca and she's like Ah that's Rebecca again it was always Rebecca so
• 03:30 - 04:00 bulking sucks cutting sucks what the fuck are we supposed to do with skinny fat people in order to get them in the kind of shape that they want to be in more than they are in now so I think a really good approach to the skinny fat situation is something like this priority number one if you're a skinny fat and you just entered the fitness space you just started lifting or whatever is to just begin continue to lift hard or begin lifting nice and hard nothing crazy three four sessions a week is good for almost everyone at the stage like an hour each at a time train
• 04:00 - 04:30 whatever muscle groups you want to develop probably all around is good and on the nutritional end just try to make your diet nutritious and feed your muscles which is to say multiple meals a day of mostly healthy foods and keep trying to hit like the decent amount of protein okay for bodybuilder looks down at your meal on his way with his own meal out of the restaurant you're eating at he should be like oh there's some protein on that plate that's nice good for that guy as opposed
• 04:30 - 05:00 to being like what the fuck are you four years old who made your plate for you or like oh are you getting over breakup because there's only dessert foods on that so you want some veggies some fruit some whole grains nice good slab of meat or vegetarian protein source so glass of milk something like that just good nutrition and we have a ton of videos for you guys on just nutrition for healthy eating that we have I don't know where the fuck's got the video guys gonna put it he may put it nowhere he may tell me to go put it somewhere if you know saying he's often rude to me is that a
• 05:00 - 05:30 problem comment below so yes we have tons of ways to eat healthy but basically we just want this person this individual to eat healthy and not 100 healthy but just healthy Baseline and eat plenty of protein this is going to do a few things it is going to supply muscle growth so underneath the skinny fatness the muscles will be growing and in addition to that a lot of times when people cut out a bunch of junk food and try to eat more healthy they lose a lot of fat too often at the same time because they're just beginning the
• 05:30 - 06:00 process so what's your body weight gonna do in you basically shoot for maintenance calories with this whole plan or just eat enough food to where you're not super hungry anymore and just call it there you may lose weight you may gain weight based on how your body responds to the hunger signaling of weight training some people may start weight training even if they eat well they gain weight that's solid they're going to gain mostly muscle anyway or all muscle it's going to be amazing once you cut down later if you just aren't super hungry when you start eating healthy foods you're going to be building a ton of muscle under the hood because of the
• 06:00 - 06:30 high protein and the great health value of the food and because you're training for the first time in your life but you may actually lose a bunch of weight so by the time it comes time to like cut on purpose you're already pretty fucking lean and you're not even skinny fat anymore amazing what I would recommend doing that for is I don't want to put too fine a point in it but like basically here if someone comes to me if you came to me this is the way I I make all these videos as far as like the Powerpoints for them the way I answer questions in these videos is if a human being actually came up to me and like had a
• 06:30 - 07:00 real fucking life situation asked me what to do this isn't like just hypotheticals this is like real shit so I don't ever want to say like it has to be a year but like yeah at least six months and maybe as long as a year and a half to two years so I'd say a year is a good goal so if you just started lifting weights you're kind of skinny fat you don't know what to do eat healthy and at maintenance with plenty of protein train hard or just fucking put the horse blinders on for one year straight is it the most rapid body transformation you can have no but it's the one that'll
• 07:00 - 07:30 make the biggest impact shortly after a year so let's say about a year of this you've done it the prediction is that you are going to be substantially harder I don't know about down there my doctor says that's an intractable problem for me at this point that's neither here nor there what you are going to be is like less mushy you may have a similar overall shape maybe but your shape will probably be better your shoulders will be a little bigger your arms are all tighter at the sleeves and you are physically harder for the touch because more of you
• 07:30 - 08:00 underneath his muscle and less is fat this is already really good news but it's just the beginning after that year of essentially recomping gaining muscle while losing fat and taking advantage of the fact that that's really all you need to make crazy transformation crazy progress after that what I recommend is taking like about a 12-week fat loss phase where you lose like oh a half a pound to a pound and a half per week depending on how large you are but like for your average you know 170 pound 180
• 08:00 - 08:30 pound person maybe just even a pound per week just a little above that you lose maybe 12 15 pounds in the course of three months and remember you have built quite a bit of muscle and now that muscle gets revealed substantially more now you're looking way way way different this is when the people start complimenting you this is when Stacy from accountings like um I'd really like to account for your deck is that too much holy shit Stacy you've been in this job for like four days of
• 08:30 - 09:00 course yes tonight at eight no yes I live with my Grandma she's cool she'll be asleep by 7 30. anyway it's like I practiced this before huh so after this fat loss phase you're gonna look pretty fucking good way better than ever and then depending on sort of which way you want to Zig or zag you can choose your destiny and there are a couple of options you can choose to maintain for a few months to let the diet fatigue cool off before going again and doing another Fat Loss phase because you're like oh I love
• 09:00 - 09:30 this look but I on that it's I'm so close to being actually fucking lean I need a little maintenance and another three month diet and then I'm gonna get a fucking world champion amazing totally fine uh answer if that's you you could get down to this new body fat level and be like oh my fucking God I look unbelievable by social life's night and day my confidence is incredible I'm not a fucking freak bodybuilder weirdo asshole steroid addict say some other words but the current social justice movement prevents that so uh I'm not into that sort of thing so I'm just
• 09:30 - 10:00 going to maintain and keep lifting three or four times a week keep eating fundamentally healthy and just do me for the rest of my life beautifully perfect answer we don't all have to go and like what am I now year 23 of a self-improvement journey that's actually killing your insides and or you could say hey like I love this new look but fuck man I could do with a little more muscle and you start a slow muscle gain phase and then you do maintenance fat loss muscle again Etc and then you're in the life of getting more jacked over time and lean over time which at some point you like the way you look and all the
• 10:00 - 10:30 way up to that point you are better looking than ever I will say one thing before we wrap this up a lot of folks who have been skinny fat before they harden up they diet it off and then they're pretty fucking chiseled they are like I want to be bigger but I feel like if I try to gain weight I'll just get really fat again the answer here is if you're gaining it like half a pound per week for 12 weeks that's like six pounds total there's just no way that let's say you only gain
• 10:30 - 11:00 pure body fat that's not gonna happen you're gonna eat some fucking muscle maybe most of it will mess in your first try if you gain only six pounds of pure body fat you started at like 174 pounds you went to 180. that is barely an impact on your physique that's like three three just over three percent body fat gain if someone goes from 12 to 15 or 15 to 18 you're not like holy shit Jim what happened to you was Japan opening up a new Sumo division that's not even a
• 11:00 - 11:30 thing so you just get like a little pudgier and then here's the deal just a few weeks of hardcore fat loss to heading will wipe that slate clean for you so if you've been skinny fat before if you have a decent control of your appetite regulation situation you're not just going to fall in to a White Castle portal and go through a Taco Bell portal and get shit out of a Burger King portal that's not going to happen to you uh then there's not any way you're gonna make magically back to super fat status so don't worry about it take your time do it right do it calmly do it with mostly healthy foods and a little bit of
• 11:30 - 12:00 junk you absolutely can put on cycles of muscle and go through Mass gains even if you've been fatter before or skinny fat before folks I sure hope I made some sense um you know about all the jokes are funny that's all I'm gonna say see you next time