I’m currently trying to get my head around body composition-- mine, specifically. I’ve been training consistently for 2.5-3 years, and have done a few cut/bulk cycles. Depending on the method of body fat calculation I use, I come up somewhere between 13-15 percent. My waist is currently between 32.5-33 inches. At 6’1" and 197-198 pounds, my current BMI is about 25.
So by waist circumference, I’d say I’m in good territory. BMI is a bit spotty-- I know BMI can be tricky for folks carrying lots of muscle, but I’m not remarkably muscular by anyone’s standards. Furthermore, I carry a noticeable amount of subcutaneous fat around the stomach and the ol’ love handles; I wouldn’t say I have a “spare tire” or anything, but it’s a bit, well, flabby.
I suppose the TLDR here is: good waist circumference, still dealing with stubborn midsection flab. Is that sort of thing what is considered “skinny fat?” Is it a genetic thing that will likely persist even with consistent training and good nutrition? If I refrain from cutting and bulking but simply operate at maintenance for the foreseeable future while following a program with appropriate volume and reasonable progressive overload, might I expect body comp to gradually sort itself out? It may also be relevant to mention that I was pretty overweight as a kid (I think something like 250 at 15 years old) and lost most of that excess weight in my late teens and early twenties, weighing as little as 175 in my mid-twenties (currently thirty). Perhaps some loose flab might just be a thing to expect as a result of that?
Thanks for your help. I tremendously appreciate the work ya’ll do here. I hope this wasn’t too rambling a post.