Being Skinny Fat Is Confusing. You are not large. But you have that stubborn belly fat with love handles. And the worst part, you don’t know what to do about it. Should you cut the fat first and get leaner, or should you bulk up first and gain more muscle? What if I told you thereis another approach that will work better: A Body Recomposition You see, people with the Skinny Fat body type tend to be beginner to early intermediate trainees. Research shows that these individuals can build muscle while losing fat. But you need the right approach. With your nutrition,n only maintain a small calorie deficit of around 10%. So if you maintain your weight at 2500 calories per day, eat around 2250 calories per day. This will allow you to drop body fat, while still having enough energy in the gym to push yourself hard 3-4 times per week and build muscle mass.