Who are the skinny fakes? False skinny people are actually, or apparently, thin people, that is, with a low body weight or an average BMI.
But what distinguishes the fake skinny from the real skinny?
Simple. Body composition.

Lean fakes have less muscle mass, thin arms and legs (often a sign of metabolic problems), but mostly have abdominal fat, and visceral fat in particular.

It is therefore not the weight that unmasks the skinny fakes . But the abdominal circumference, the relationship between the latter and the hips, a simple skin test conducted by a professional.

Skinny fakes are a double risk category.
On the one hand, they have a higher than normal risk of developing metabolic syndrome and diseases related to visceral fat.
On the other hand, having a normal weight, they often do not take care of their diet and do not do the right physical activity.
Which is, of course, very wrong.

But how to go from fake skinny to skinny in a healthy way?
Here are the dietary and non-dietary guidelines that skinny fakes should adopt to improve their body composition.

THE DIET OF THE FALSE LEAN

In the daily diet, it is necessary to favor more proteins , for the maintenance of muscle mass, trying to add a protein food, preferably lean, of your choice, per meal.
This is to stimulate insulin and balance the glycemic load of meals.

For example, skimmed Greek yogurt, quark, a protein shake (vegan or non-vegan), egg whites for breakfast; meat or fish or skimmed dairy products or eggs in main meals.

At the same time, foods too rich in fats and sugars and industrial foods must be reduced , in favor of a more natural diet that includes at least (if not more) 5-6 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

Meals with more carbohydrates must contain less fat and vice versa. 

Finally, it is necessary to correct incorrect dietary habits , such as high-calorie or unbalanced meals (too fat or rich in carbohydrates), excessive consumption of unhealthy snacks (pretzels, chips, sweets) and alcohol.

In short, following these 4 simple guidelines there would be no need to count calories or make a specific diet.

At the same time, physical activity is necessary to discourage the accumulation of visceral fat and reduce it over time , in favor of an increase in muscle mass.

In this case, exercises that include weights are essential for toning the muscles and building lean mass.

Go to the gym 3 times a week or follow these rules of thumb to create a home gym without spending money on subscriptions and without taking up too much space.

In general, the best activities are bodybuilding, crossfit, weight lifting.

False skinny women should also do these activities. It is absolutely a false myth that a woman can get too big and lose her femininity if she works on her muscle mass.

For those with limited time , HIIT-style bodyweight exercises or with small weights can increase metabolism and reduce fat deposits, also acting on insulin sensitivity.

In this case, a typical session never lasts more than half an hour, and can be done two to three times a week.

On the other hand, intense sessions of only cardio or only aerobic activity should be discouraged: they increase stress and often worsen body composition rather than tone the muscles.