The Best Meal Plan for Skinny Fat People to Lose Fat & Gain Muscle
If you're what people call “skinny fat”, chances are you’ve tried cutting calories, doing more cardio, and maybe even eating clean — but your belly’s still there and your arms still look soft. It’s frustrating, right?
You might also be wondering whether are you even skinny fat in the first place? I wrote about it in a previous article.
The thing is, skinny fat people need a different approach. You’re not just trying to lose weight. You’re trying to lose fat and build muscle at the same time — what we call body recomposition.
And your meal plan has to support your training, not work against it.
In this post, I’ll show you how to:
Eat the right macros (especially protein)
Choose real food — not just Western “clean” meals
Calculate your needs based on your body
Measure food without weighing scales using hand or plate guides
Let’s get into it.
Why Typical Diets Fail for Skinny Fat Bodies
Most diets focus on cutting calories and doing more cardio. And yeah, that can make the scale go down — but you’ll lose muscle too, especially if your protein is low.
When muscle goes down, your body looks even softer... not tighter.
Instead of just eating less, skinny fat people need to eat smarter — especially higher protein and structured meals.
Get Your Macros Right (Especially Protein)
Macronutrients are Protein, Carbs, and Fats. These are crucial nutrients your body needs to function well.
Each one plays a role:
Protein = builds and protects muscle
Carbs = give you energy to train and recover
Fats = support hormones and brain function
🔑 If you're skinny fat, protein is the game-changer.
Protein: Your Muscle-Building Foundation (Don’t Skip This)
Protein sources:
Daily Total Protein Intake Is More Crucial Than Individual Meal
Some studies suggest around 20–40g of protein per meal and spreading your meal througout the day is ideal for stimulating muscle protein synthesis (MPS) — that’s the process your body uses to build muscle.
But, upon further research, I found that we don’t have to worry about eating lots of protein in one seating.
Accoding to a research paper that states that The anabolic response to protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has no upper limit, I am now confident that those doing intermittent fasting can still maximise their muscle growth even while within a small eating window.
You don’t have to worry about the side effects of eating high protein meals, unless you already have kidney issues.
Don’t Fear Carbs or Fats — Use Them Smartly
Carbs are your body’s primary energy source, especially when it comes to training. They fuel your workouts, ensuring you have the strength and endurance to push through sets and reps.
Going low-carb isn't necessary unless you're looking for a specific goal, like extreme fat loss. For most people, especially those trying to build muscle and lose fat, carbs should be included in the diet.
Carbohydrate sources.
Fats: Keep Them in Check, But Don’t Cut Them Out
Fats are crucial for hormone health (especially testosterone and metabolism), brain function, and energy. But because fats are more calorie-dense than protein and carbs (9 kcal per gram compared to 4 kcal), it’s easy to overdo them — especially from fried or oily food.
Fats sources:
Don’t Forget Fibre
Fibre helps digestion, keeps you full longer, and supports fat loss by preventing overeating. It also helps keep your blood sugar stable and supports gut health — which affects everything from energy levels to mood.
Fiber sources:
First Of All, Figure Our How Much Food You Need
Before jumping into the template, you need to know how much to eat.
Use this to estimate your macronutrient needs. You can use either of the methods above to measure your food and choose your preferred macronutrient sources (protein, carbs, fats) to prepare your meals.
Protein:
1.6 – 2.2g per kg of bodyweight
Eg. 60kg person → ~100–130g protein daily
Eg. 70kg person → ~110–150g protein daily
Carbs:
Aim to get 3 – 5g per kg, depending on training volume
More carbs on heavy training days
Eg. 60kg person:180g - 300g carbs daily
Lower (2–3g/kg) on rest days and non-physically active days, if goal is fat loss
Eg. 60kg person: 120g - 180g carbs daily
Fats:
Aim to get 0.8 – 1g per kg
Eg. 60kg person → ~48–60g fats/day
Fibre:
Aim to get 20–35g/day
From veg, fruits, whole grains, beans
Once you know the total amount of each macro nutrients, you can divide them by the number of meals you eat per day.
For example, I eat 2 main and 2 small meals a day. 2 of the main meals are higher in carbohydrates and fats while the other 2 are most protein and other supplements.
You have to decide how many meals you need in a day to get the best results without feeling too hungry or too full.
Ways To Measure & Track Food Intake
If you’re serious about changing your body, using an app like MyFitnessPal and a simple kitchen scale can really help. Tracking your food shows you exactly how much you’re eating — not just guessing. It helps you spot sneaky calories and stay consistent.
Credit: MyFitnessPal/PCMag
But it’s not perfect. It can feel a bit tedious at first, and sometimes the numbers aren’t 100% accurate (especially for cooked foods). Don’t stress about being perfect — aim for good enough. Over time, you’ll build a better understanding of your food portions without needing to track forever.
Use Hand Portion or Plate Method
If you hate tracking with apps or food scales, no worries. Use your hand as a guide. As a nutrition coach certified by Precision Nutrition, I like how they have simplified calorie counting.
You can really see good results just by being consistent using the hand portion guide below.
Its easier to adjust if you can immediately gauge how much portion you are eating without the need for apps and measuring equipment.
Of course, you must choose the types of food that you can measure using this guide.
Another Alternative, Plate method (easy visual):
Whenever you are eating, always start with:
½ plate veggies
¼ plate protein
¼ plate carbs
Add healthy fats with thumb-sized portions
This works great for lunch and dinner.
For breakfast and snacks, go with combinations like:
Protein + fruit
Protein + oats
Eggs + toast + some fruit
Sample Daily Meal Plan Template (60–70kg, Active Person)
You can adjust portion sizes (add/remove a palm, thumb, etc) based on your body size and training day.
Breakfast
2 eggs (1 palm protein + 2 thumbs fat)
2 slices wholemeal toast (2 cupped hands carbs)
1 orange or banana (1 cupped hand carbs + fibre)
Optional: Coffee/tea with little or no sugar
💡 On rest days, you can reduce the toast to 1 slice.
Lunch
Grilled chicken thigh (1–1.5 palms protein)
1–1.5 cups rice (1.5–2 cupped hands carbs)
Stir-fried mixed veg (1–2 fists veg)
Drizzle of olive oil or sesame oil (1 thumb fat)
💡 Swap chicken with tempeh, fish, lean beef, or tofu.
Pre-Workout Snack (1–2 hrs before training)
1 banana (1 cupped hand carbs)
1 boiled egg or ½ scoop whey shake (½ palm protein + 1 thumb fat)
💡 Quick, light, easy to digest. Add more carbs if you train longer or lift heavy.
Post-Workout Meal / Dinner
Steamed or grilled fish (1.5 palms protein)
1 medium sweet potato or 1 bowl rice (1.5–2 cupped hands carbs)
Cucumber salad or sautéed spinach (1–2 fists veg)
💡 Post-workout meals need both protein + carbs to help muscle recovery.
Optional Night Snack (if hungry or need more protein)
Low-fat Greek yoghurt + berries (1 palm protein + 1 fist fibre)
ORProtein shake + small apple (1 palm + 1 cupped hand)
Daily Meal Plan Template (90–100kg Male, Active, Fat Loss Target)
Aim: Create a daily 500 kcal deficit through food. Combine with light to moderate training for best results.
You can scale portions slightly depending on your exact weight, training intensity, and hunger. Use this as a flexible guide.
Breakfast
3 whole eggs (1.5 palms protein + 3 thumbs fat)
2–3 slices wholemeal toast (2.5 cupped hands carbs)
1 banana or large orange (1 cupped hand carbs + fibre)
Optional: Black coffee or tea, no sugar
💡 Rest day? You can reduce to 2 eggs and 2 slices toast.
Lunch
Grilled chicken thigh or lean beef (1.5–2 palms protein)
1.5–2 cups cooked rice (2 cupped hands carbs)
Stir-fried or steamed mixed veg (2 fists veg)
Olive oil or sesame oil for cooking or drizzle (1–1.5 thumbs fat)
💡 Alternate protein sources: fish, tofu, tempeh.
Pre-Workout Snack (1–2 hrs before)
1 banana or 1 slice bread (1 cupped hand carbs)
1 boiled egg or 1 scoop whey (½–1 palm protein + 1 thumb fat)
💡 Training hard or long? Add 1 more cupped hand of carbs.
Post-Workout / Dinner
Grilled or steamed fish/chicken (1.5–2 palms protein)
1 bowl rice or 1 medium sweet potato (1.5–2 cupped hands carbs)
Mixed salad or sautéed leafy greens (2 fists veg)
Light drizzle of oil (½–1 thumb fat)
💡 Your most important meal for muscle recovery. Don't skip carbs here.
Optional Night Snack (if needed)
Low-fat Greek yoghurt + berries (1 palm protein + 1 fist fibre)
ORProtein shake + small apple (1 palm protein + 1 cupped hand carbs)
💡 Skip this if you had a big dinner and feel satisfied.
General Tips:
Portion control is key — you’re aiming for a slight calorie deficit, not starvation.
Drink plenty of water (at least 2–3 litres daily).
Keep sauces minimal or homemade — avoid sugary, creamy dressings.
Limit processed snacks, sugary drinks, and alcohol.
Skip the pre workout meal if you are not working out that day.
Tips for Adjustments
Summary: Eat to Recomp, Not to Shrink
You're not just trying to weigh less — you want to look better and feel stronger.
Prioritise high protein
Include good carbs and healthy fats
Time meals around workouts for better recovery
Use hand portions or plate method — no need to stress over weighing food
Eat foods you actually enjoy — nasi campur, mee hoon, soups, stir-fry — all can work
You’re not starving yourself skinny. You’re fueling a leaner, stronger you.
I’ve Got A Free Guide For You
I put together a free guide for skinny fat guys who want to lose belly fat and build muscle without long workouts. Just fill up the form below to download the guide!
