How do I cure skinny fat if I have 24% body fat? Should I keep cutting until I hit 18–20% and then bulk, or should I start bulking now?

So you’re skinny-fat and want to overcome this. Understandable, it’s the worst of both worlds. Don’t worry, I was fat-fat. You’re in a better position than I was.

Think of the body like a piece hard clay. That clay has been laying dormant.

What’s this have to do with being skinny-fat?

Everyone’s clay is molded differently. Some people will need more work. Now I can take this answer in a number of directions. Exercise, eating habits, yadda, yadda, which I will get into, but I think I’ll try something different for this answer.

So you have a piece of skinny-fat clay. All good, no worries. You can mold your clay into whatever you’d like using these four tools:

Your first tool is knowledge. You must understand your body in order to manipulate it. Don’t let anyone tell you differently, getting ripped is pure body manipulation! Your body does not want to be lean and buff. It much rather be at 20% body fat than 12% body fat. We must impose our will to mold our bodies into the shape we desire!
Your second tool to get the clay “warmed up” would be exercise.
Your third tool would be strategic fasting.
Strategic fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. Split the day or week into eating periods and fasting periods.
Your fourth tool will be desire and motivation. There’ll be days when you don’t feel like rolling out of bed. There’ll be days you don’t want to workout. You must do it anyway. Do today what benefits tomorrow.