Body Fat Percentage

[Dannyalcatraz]

Or, to put it differently, what is realistic for some may be utterly impossible for others. And I do mean that literally.

I mentioned being able to reach 7" beyond the bottom of my feet if seated, when at my peak of fitness. At the same time, my twiggy Norse roomie had to bounce to touch his toes while standing. It wasn't even close- his fingertips were more than an inch away from the ground with normal effort. (Appropos of nothing, he is a dead ringer for David J, bass player/vocalist for Bauhouse and Love & Rockets.)

Nothing he could do short of skeletal reconstruction surgery would enable him to touch his toes without extra effort.

Meanwhile, even in my current (round) shape,I can still do stunts like clasp my hands behind my back- one hand going over my shoulder, the other coming up from the waist. I can be properly handcuffed, and get my hands to the front, seated or standing*. With ease.

And lets be clear- I am no contortionist.

Similarly, the effort I'd have to go through to actually get a six-pack without surgery would involve a starvation-level caloric intake. And that's not healthy.






* BTW, don't do this if you are arrested. Policemen don't like this, and will often use additional restraints.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

You said, "some people have a harder time than others, but it's not unrealistic,"

I said, "some people will have padding that cannot be removed with reasonable amounts of diet and exercise". (emphasis mine)

Your statement isn't really the same as mine.

Actually, what I said was:

I think there are several possibilities.
1. All 7% of his body fat were was concentrated in his gut.
2. horrific accident that required surgery, and ruined his abs so they didn't show.
3. He is exaggerating about his body fat percent, or the amount of muscle mass he had.
4. He may have made a mistake about his body fat percent.

More than likely, it is possible that the correct answer is the first one. Everyone's body is different. Some guys can show abs while having a bit higher percentage of fat. Some guys require a bit lower body fat to show off their abs.

Also, some people who have been fat, and lose a lot of weight, can have trouble losing fat in certain areas. Even though they are in great shape, they may have areas where they just can't get rid of all the fat, or enough of it.

While not word-for-word, the message is pretty much the same.

This is at the center of unrealistic expectations, and the harm they can do. Some people just are *not* going to get those abs, or super-skinny legs, or whatever particular feature is under discussion. And to lightly say, "this is what you should have, and getting it isn't unrealistic," can be pretty ugly for those for whom it really is unrealistic.

No one has said that in this thread.

While I don't expect anyone where's going to be given a body-image problem from one particular message board post, I think it useful to raise the point that for some, it really is unrealistic.

For some? I'd say for a very small number of people. For the average person, it isn't unrealistic. It is difficult. It may require a change in the person's life style, but they can get their abs to show if they are able to make those changes.
So here is a question for you: Why is it useful to bring up the point that "for some, it really is unrealistic"?

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

Meanwhile, even in my current (round) shape,I can still do stunts like clasp my hands behind my back- one hand going over my shoulder, the other coming up from the waist. I can be properly handcuffed, and get my hands to the front, seated or standing*. With ease.

And lets be clear- I am no contortionist.

* BTW, don't do this if you are arrested. Policemen don't like this, and will often use additional restraints.

Must be a useful skill for a lawyer.

Similarly, the effort I'd have to go through to actually get a six-pack without surgery would involve a starvation-level caloric intake. And that's not healthy.

I'm pretty sure with the right workout regimen, and proper guidance from an experience, and knowledgeable nutritionist, you could get there without surgery, or killing yourself.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm pretty sure with the right workout regimen, and proper guidance from an experience, and knowledgeable nutritionist, you could get there without surgery, or killing yourself.

According to the nutritionists and other MDs I talked to when I was at 7% body fat, to rid myself of the gut without surgery would have required a pro-level diet & exercise regimen, which would not have been feasible with my study schedule. There simply were not enough hours in the day, so it was a binary choice: pro athlete diet & exercise regimen with virtually zero chance of being a pro athlete, or continue my studies and have a good education and all that came with it.

IOW, possible, but not realistic.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

According to the nutritionists and other MDs I talked to when I was at 7% body fat, to rid myself of the gut without surgery would have required a pro-level diet & exercise regimen, which would not have been feasible with my study schedule. There simply were not enough hours in the day, so it was a binary choice: pro athlete diet & exercise regimen with virtually zero chance of being a pro athlete, or continue my studies and have a good education and all that came with it.

I'm going to assume this was years ago. You're no longer a student. You now have the time, and more importantly, the funds to hire a good nutritionist and trainer.

IOW, possible, but not what I wanted.

Fixed that for you.

 

[Bedrockgames]

It's plumage.

Just like the male lyretails and peacocks have ridiculous tailfeathers- which DO impact ability to evade predators- to attract mates, 6-pack abs do attract a certain section of the human female populace.

It also turns some off. My Mom hates the ripped/muscular look. Good thing she married Dad- no chance of THAT!

While I am all for being in shape, i am wary of the notion that six pack abs are desireable or should be encouraged. I used to be pretty involved in sports and new a lot of guys who used dangerous diets to achieve that physique, because it is such a challenging shape to acquire and maintain. It is funny, i trained in martial arts and boxing for years (regularly with road work and weight lifting). It wasn't until i got sick with crohns disease, lost most of my muscle, that i ended up with abs. I always knew some guys with very low body fat percentage who naturally found it easy to achieve, but I am always careful about stuff like this where it is more about heavy dieting than your actual level of health.

in terms of media and body types, i think in the states we have had a very narrow definition of attractive indthe media that simply doesn't match my tastes. It seems like it has been changing in recent years though. Going by that chart, I believe I have historically been attracted to women in the 25-26% range. Buy I also wouldn't use something like that as a basis for who I allow myself to date. Physical looks usually get you to notice someone initially, but charm is what ultimately seals the deal for me, and that is more than just the physical side of attraction.

 

[Umbran]

Actually, what I said was

You also said, in post #17 of this thread: "You just have to dedicate your self, eat right, and exercise properly. Yes, some people have a harder time than others, but it's not unrealistic. Not by far."

So, you said two things, and left a bit of a mixed message. I thought some clarification was in order, is all.

 

[Homicidal_Squirrel]

You also said, in post #17 of this thread: "You just have to dedicate your self, eat right, and exercise properly. Yes, some people have a harder time than others, but it's not unrealistic. Not by far."

So, you said two things, and left a bit of a mixed message. I thought some clarification was in order, is all.

Why would there be any clarification required? I said:

Your a little late to the party, homie.I mentioned that a while ago, and so did Danny.

Which is true since the post I quoted for you was post #13. You were late to the party, homie.

 

[Janx]

I'm pretty sure with the right workout regimen, and proper guidance from an experience, and knowledgeable nutritionist, you could get there without surgery, or killing yourself.

You may not be aware of this, but repeatedly saying variants of the quoted text is exactly why we are perceiving that you are implying it is trivial.

You haven'ted defined what this level of work actually entails, or why you think that's achievable.

For an unemployed MILF or FYLF, spending all day at the gym to get that level of fit is possible,

normal people have jobs, lives, etc, and are not going to radically change their diet to extreme levels (and yes, I've seen the diets fitness trainers suggest to their clients and they are extreme), as well as working out 2+ hours in the gym daily.

None of us deny "it's possible."

What we challenge is that it is practical for anybody who isn't devoting a majority of their time and effort to it.

Most of of us jobs. Regular healthy is the feasible level of expected effort. Hyper-fit is not.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm going to assume this was years ago. You're no longer a student. You now have the time, and more importantly, the funds to hire a good nutritionist and trainer.

I had the funds for the nutritionist- as I said, I actually saw more than one- and a trainer as a student. I didn't have the time.

And none of that has changed in my favor: i still have the $$$, i still consult nutritionists, but the time commitment of a pro-level fitness regimen would require I give up being employed.

Fixed that for you.

Please don't put words in someone's mouth- it is rude and not cute. Especially when it is wrong.

After years of being fat, I would have LOVED to have been able to get rid of the gut. I am not going to undergo surgery to rid myself of it, though, unless medically ordered to do so. (Which is highly unlikely.)