maintainable body fat %

[Gladiola]

Whether or not it is reasonable to maintain 11-12% for 5 months depends on how much you are willing to put up with the hunger and cravings

Wouldn't you also not be able to ADD any muscle at that low bodyfat? Unless you are on AS... that's the connection I meant wrt low body fat being more maintainable on AS.

 

[wilson6]

"low body fat being more maintainable on AS"

more muscle is maintainable on AS with low body fat.

MS, I assure you, if you were 18% with very little muscle, you'd look far worse than 18% with muscle even though the absolute numbers are different.

I'd like to use an example here, but Ms Wilson would have my nuts in a jar of formaldehyde by morning if I used it. Let's just say that even higher amounts of body fat look better with more muscle under it than less fat with much less muscle.

W6

 

[spatts]

Does Mrs. Wilson participate on the boards?

 

[Cheetarah]

...Let's just say that even higher amounts of body fat look better with more muscle under it than less fat with much less muscle.

W6 [/B]

Yep, I agree. I've noticed the same since being in this sport. I am a perfect example. I was absolutely SHOCKED and dismayed the first time I ever got my bodyfat checked. Cause I had decent abs, the 3 vertical lines, solid everywhere, but yet I was at 22% bodyfat!!! So I was thinking, "how the heck am I THAT fat with the kind of definition I have"?!! And then when I dropped to 19% bodyfat, when I flexed my abs, I had a serratus muscles and a 4 pack showing! At 15% I have a full six pack just barely visible without flexing. Currently, at 16%, I have to flex to show the 6 pack. I'd love to see what I'd look like at 12%. Ah, to dream...

 

[NorwayFitness]

2) What are your contest and off-season BF%

My offseason BF% would be around 18% i guess and I'm at 8% right now 'cause I'm entering my first competition this saturday !
I've been ready for sometimes and I haven't had much problem keeping my BF under 10%. I'm 5'7" and now weigh 136 lb. I'm blessed with a high metabolism I guess because I never go under 1800 cal/day and about 150 g of carbs and not that much cardio

 

[Daisy_Girl]

Re: Re: maintainable body fat %

I'm at 8% right now 'cause I'm entering my first competition this saturday !
I've been ready for sometimes and I haven't had much problem keeping my BF under 10%.

GOOD LUCK THIS SATURDAY! What type of comp?

 

[Nonerz]

Whether or not it is reasonable to maintain 11-12% for 5 months depends on how much you are willing to put up with the hunger and cravings that go along with staying well below your setpoint. It takes discipline and sacrifice.

resonable maybe...healthy???? putting up with hunger and cravings...something that is extremely difficult to do when "Auntie Flow" is visiting. I admire those who have the discipline and sacrifice to do it!

 

[NorwayFitness]

Re: Re: Re: maintainable body fat %

GOOD LUCK THIS SATURDAY! What type of comp?

THANKS !!
It's called Athletic Fitness and is like a figure competition with chins and dips max out and some kind of obstacle course ( sp ? ).
I'm carbloading right now and beginning to get tired of white rice...

NF

 

[bignate73]

resonable maybe...healthy???? putting up with hunger and cravings...something that is extremely difficult to do when "Auntie Flow" is visiting.

auntie flow doesnt tend to visit at that low of bodyfat......

 

[Sassy69]

"Healthy bodyfat level" depends first on what your body can support and second, on what your goals are. If you are a seasonal competitor, you probably need to maintain a lower avg bodyfat because its just as hard on your body to do massive weight swings repeatedly (I can attest to this...). It just gets harder & harder and I think later your body will enact its revenge. So keeping the on-season & off-season difference to around 15 lbs is probably a good approach. If you are NOT a seasonal competitor, then something that is "liveable" (i.e. fits your lifestyle & doesn't make you a constant bitch) shoudl be the goal. The biggest thing to understand is that the pix of competitors you see at show time is absolutely NOT what they look like year round, so dont' set goals like that. Just as you adjust your diet to achieve the cut phase, you should adjust to allow recovery, etc.

I think one of the bigger challenges in BB is AFTER achievign your goal, maintaining it or finding that maintenance point. If you rebound after you do hit your goal, then it seems like you spend the rest of your time trying to get back to that original goal, even though it may not be the appropriate goal anymore.