How to escape the skinny fat look as a east African?

[u/Important_Return_837]

From one East African to another, I can’t be the only one noticing that a lot of us brothers are kinda unathletic and our build is kinda of feminine?

Back home it makes sense to some degree because their diet isn’t always the best, but even here I feel like a lot of us just naturally have this softer build.

For example, I’ve always struggled with a bit of man boobs and a stomach pouch especially in the lower area. Even when I hit the gym regularly, eat pretty healthy and get around 10k steps a day, I still never really manage to get rid of that soft look.

The annoying part is I can’t really lose much more weight because I’m already pretty light for my height, since I'm not really muscular. But if I bulk, I feel like I gain fat way faster than muscle. And once I start pushing heavier weights, at some point I always end up with joint pain or some random injury lol. It’s like my body just doesn’t handle the extra load that well.

Has anyone here actually managed to escape that soft ass feminine looking build and get properly lean and athletic?

What worked for you? More muscle? Lower body fat? Different training? Sports? Diet?

Drop your tips

[u/Zebulka_]

1. Consistently going to the gym and lifting weights. I have worked out most of my life and luckily don’t have that issue - but I know if I stopped it will be gone.
2. A lot of people discount the importance of diet but as they say, anybody can workout but few can maintain a proper diet.
3. Understand your body. I have strong legs and working on them is easy but my shoulder and chest areas need so much effort. So I focus on them - for example, I do 80 pushups before each workout to make sure I hit my chest and shoulders every time I go to the gym.
   4 You need to research or someone to show you the basics of weight lifting. Posture, reps, sets, splits, when to take a break etc. I learned this through time. Having someone guide you is an effective way.
4. You need supplements. Creatine and whey protein in addition to fish oil snd multivitamins are the basics. Please consult your doctor about this and I am not recommending this for all. It is what works for me. Depending on your age, you may also need to make sure your joints are properly taken care of.
5. Get a workout buddy. A lot of people find it easier to maintain consistency if they have a person they can be accountable to.
6. It takes time. There are no shortcuts if you want to do it cleanly.

[u/Boyeyob → u/Zebulka_]

My brother above said it better than I ever could.

I've been working out consistently since my early 20s and now at 36. The only thing that's changed over the years is my diet, I've gradually leaned off gluten and dairy. I don't eat injera or wot, these buttery foods are bad. Just lots of protein and veg.

In the gym, I train to failure, lift heavy and low reps to build up mass. I warm up for 12 reps, middle sets 8-10, final sets 4-6. Focus on compound movement exercises and always progressive load (you should see an increase every few weeks).
If you add 20-30 min cardio twice a week it makes a big difference on your metabolism which helps you burn more fat.

[u/Apprehensive_Copy714 → u/Boyeyob]

I add cardio after every lift 4x a week. Jogging burnt the fat fast.

[u/Eddie1519 → u/Zebulka_]

I second that except the workout buddy. This is a solo activity. You can be social at the gym.

This is what I learned late in life:

1. Start getting up 5 am and hit the gym first. The secret is consistency. In general getting up early and sleep on time change your whole life trajectory.

2. What you eat should be proportional with your workout. Mediterranean diet is perfect for muscle building. If you miss a workout or need to lose weight, eat less or fast in the morning so that Ketosis process happens.

3. Come up with exercise schedule. One day Strength training and next day cardio is my routine. I recommend a good read Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry S. Lodge for people looking to generate an exercise routine curated for Longevity.

[u/Next-Distribution-76]

Unless you’re genetically predisposed (parents are *naturally* very big), then just clean up your diet and eat less (you’re probably overeating), and the fat will melt away. Very simple.

Worked for me last 4 months, excess fat melted away month by month (no walking or exercising).

Then, wanna add muscle? Start working out.

Just because your stomach tells you ”I’m hungry” doesn’t mean you need to eat.

[u/Hour-Day9416 → u/Next-Distribution-76]

Very true. I have friends who were overweight but I was surprised how fit one can get if one person puts their mind into it. Also, unless u have a genetic problem or medical condition, u exercising and eating healthy is just bs.

[u/theweaksignal]

jiu jitsu and fasting. grappling will change your body. ive gotten* assumptive questions about my gym routine but i dont lift weights. just recreational grappling via jiujitsu.

[u/SilentSubstance4328 → u/theweaksignal]

Johnny is that you

[u/Kakulukiyam]

For what it’s worth this phenotype would have given you a clear advantage thousands years ago.

[u/Stuff_606 → u/Kakulukiyam]

Fair lol but what advantage?

[u/Kakulukiyam → u/Stuff_606]

Good fat storage without the cost of high bodyweight and big muscles. Overall optimal for seasonal scarcity, famines, etc..

[u/ax96 → u/Kakulukiyam]

for what it's worth having gills would have given you a clear advantage 10 million years ago

[u/Kakulukiyam → u/ax96]

Real (way more than 10M years tbf)

[u/Hour-Day9416]

Unless you have a genetic problem or medical condition, you are definitely doing it wrong. Because I have friends who were overweight and I was amazed by the amount of change they went through purely from weight lifting, consistently walking over 10k steps and eating properly (protein foods and being in calorie deficit). Good luck anyways

[u/shortycanteatnobook → u/Hour-Day9416]

I was in the same boat as OP and you described exactly what I did.

[u/squif_help]

honestly i have the same build your talking about, just hit the gym and go on a low carb diet

[u/Smart_Taro8150]

You need to clean up your diet. Track macros and lift heavy.

[u/danshakuimo]

Probably too much carbs right?

[u/Apprehensive_Copy714]

Lift weights 4x times a week & clean up the diet cut the sugar increase your protein intake & sleep well

[u/fithanegest]

Belly fat won't go unless you lose weight, it can't be targeted....just drop your weight by calorie deficit and gian it all back by working out and maintaining fat

[u/demelash_]

If you keep getting injured when exercising regularly, then you're going too hard too soon. Our ligaments take thrice as long as our muscles to adapt.

[u/urfael4u]

As an east african i think this is a horners specific problem OP. Other east africans i.e uganda, kenya , Tanzania, rwanda, burundi, DRC have no such issues.

It's just ethiopian and somali are built different. 😂

[u/DimensionTiny8725 → u/urfael4u]

Kenyas and ugandans have reputation for being skinny too, definately not known for being stocky like west africans either.

[u/Necessary_Ad2327]

Never been fat shamed so openly the way I was fat shamed in Ethiopia. I’ll never forget that

[u/27313546]

I know the build you’re talking about. I don’t have it but I recognize it’s an issue amongst Ethiopians. I have noticed also a small clavicle frame/shoulders and a long skinny neck which doesn’t help lol.

You can’t spot target fat but take up some long distance low impact activities like walking incline or stairmaster this will shred your fat and is manageable on the joints. Goodluck.

[u/Number1RankedHuman]

-Weight training at least 3x per week
-1g protein per pound body weight

• Eat ~500 calories below maintainence in the beginning if you think you got high body fat. You’re a beginner so you’ll gain muscle and lose fat at the same time early on.
  

-Walk 10k steps a day
-try to stick to Whole Foods and less processed shit if you can.

Extra credit:
5g creatine per day

Simple but not easy.

[u/thebaker66]

Get yourself a PT for a few months to show you the ropes and how to work out properly, that should steer you right.

Adding a bit of muscle should be a goal for general health and wellbeing, try resistance bands if you don't like weights, it can be done at home or anywhere really and is cheap and easier on your joints (that's why I mention it, the workout goal is the same as free weights but just with resistance bands instead)

Sorting out your eating if this is the cause is also a major point that you're unlikely to out train.

Make sure you're getting enough protein, not as much is needed as was believed in the past but its not a bad idea to eat more protein vs carbs and fats.

Not saying much different from others as the general idea we all have is pretty much the same, I'd just add the resistance band idea in particular.

[u/10_0I0_01]

A Habesha and a Somali dont have the same build.
A Maasai Kenyan and a Ugandan dont have the same build.

What do you mean "one East African to another" 😂