Skinny fat. What can I do and where do I start ?

OK guys, long time Jow Forums user here, but new to this /fit board, other than the occasional lurking.
please go easy on me.

Here is my problem.
I've always been a normal built guy, pretty much all my life.
I'm 32 now and the last few years, I' had this bad habit of having a couple of beers with colleagues after work. I now have a beer belly.

I am still not looking fat when I am dressed. I can even say that most people think i'm fit.

I wear the same sizes of clothes as any other normal/fit built guy would wear. (I am in Europe and I mostly wear sizes S and sometimes M)

My stats are :

32 M
5.10 (178 cms)
175 lbs (79kgs)
my crappy chinese electronic balance says :
body water : 58%
fat percentage : 22%
BMI : 24.8

I have to say that I used to weight 72 kgs

So Im just wondering if any of you have any experience with this, and if you have a solution.

I basically always was pretty normal all of my life, even fit I would say, but in the last 2 years, I haven't exercised at all, not a single pushup or anything. just working, drinking and sleeping.

I have researched a bit on the internet, and it appears the consensus is that I should first, workout, and then either :

- bulk
- cut

however, I am wondering if that's the right thing to do before starting to workout.
Wouldn't it be better to maybe start a diet instead ?

I have noticed my BMI is almost 25, and they say that once it reaches 25, you are considered overweight. So maybe I should go back to my original 72 kgs before starting to workout.

What do Jow Forums think ?

Thanks a lot

I will attach some pics and you can tell me. it shows my problem (I'm a skinny fat guy with a fucking beer belly).

Attached: img_22.jpg (706x941, 85K)

and here is me dressed (my t shirt is tucked in on this photo, i know, i did it on purpose for this thread because I want to show exactly what I mean)

Attached: IMG_11.jpg (706x941, 79K)

I think you should read the sticky you dumb fucking european

Hey man, I dont know shit, so don't listen to me, but I was in the same boat as you were about a week ago, and instead of overthinking it like I did for weeks while browsing here, I downloaded couch to 5k and started running, and downloaded myfitnesspal to track my calories, and I already feel a lot better.
Once again, not really physical fitness advice, but it definitely did a number on my mental fitness.

>So maybe I should go back to my original 72 kgs before starting to workout.
You can diet and exercise at the same time.
Personally, I find the fitter I get, the better my diet gets because you start to naturally detest shitty food in general.
I'd start with a simple routine based around compound lifts (squats, DL's, bench, OHP and rows), and do interval training a few times per week to shred the fat.
Also, don't believe the sticky that you don't need to do ab work - do your leg raises and situps.

thanks user, I will do it. (as a matter of fact I had downloaded mfp and c25k, like a month ago, but never even ran them one time, by lack of motivation. I will start doing that, much appreciated advise)

thanks user, much appreciated advise.
I was wondering about dieting and working out at the same time, but it would appear (and I might be wrong) that it is much faster to lose weight when you are on a diet alone. but I think you're right anyways because from my research, it would seem that I will never get rid of the skinny fat look if I dont put on muscle so I might as well start from now.

Calculate your TDEE and start to count calories, eat 500 calories less than what your maintenance TDEE is. And eat GOOD FOOD, that means minimal processed crap, you are going to struggle to cut if you eat processed calorie dense food that doesn't fill you up. Start exercising NOW. Whether that be lifting or running or whatever the hell you want. That's all you need to do for now, this isn't a complicated process, EAT LESS AND MOVE MORE. Also read the sticky.

thanks user

This so much.
Every time I go back to eating shit food, I immediately feel both guilt and physical disgust. Fucking poison.
It might just be because I'm a yank, but I went out and bought a pair of wireless headphones for like $200 that also act as a bluetooth set, and I just jam music while I run, really helps with the anxiety associated with starting out.
Also downloaded an app called "200 pushups daily", it's the same concept, you build yourself up slowly.