I've been lifting for 3 months now (I'm not a newbie, just came back to training after 2 years break). I've succesfully cut from 22-23% bf to about 11%. My waist shrinked from 36 inches to about 31 inches. I've been on a 500-600 calorie deficit but after hitting some plateau i changed it to maintenance and now I'm eating 2650 kcal on resting days and 3000 kcal on training days. I still continue to loose fat and at least spare or gain a little muscle mass. I measure my body fat everyday to track progress and I'm getting pretty consistent results. I'm using calipers and three site method - readings are: chest 6 mm, abdomen 16.5 mm, thigh 12.5 mm. I always try to grab the skinfold widely with fingers 2-3 inches apart.
But here's the problem. While I look at my photo my thoughts are I don't look like 11%. I've seen many photos of 10-12% and there seem to be higher muscle definition. Maybe it's because I'm skinny fat - most and I really mean MOST of the fat is distributed all over my abdomen. I was eating very unreasonably in the past. Now I'm fixing that. I desperately want to loose that flab (it really pisses me off, you know hanging while bending over) and then start clean slow bulk without adding that flab again. I remember when I was 18 years old I was very skinny and had somehow visible six pack even without training. I want to look fit, not too muscular. I train for aesthetics so it would be really great to start building from a nice base. Is it possible I'm really at 11%? What would you suggest? How low should I go, 7%? Carb cycling, intermittent fasting?
My stats are: 5 feet 9,6 inches, body fat 11%, weight 156,5 lbs.
|
|
Results 1 to 12 of 12
-
11-07-2012, 06:10 AM #1
Skinny-fat ectomorph: 11% bf - is it possible with the flab? - PIC
Last edited by p3t3r; 11-07-2012 at 06:18 AM.
-
11-07-2012, 06:30 AM #2Registered User
- Join Date: Jul 2011
- Age: 30
- Posts: 403
- Rep Power: 158
not 11%
maybe 16-17%
-
11-07-2012, 06:39 AM #3Ok, but I thought checking by calipers is really accurate method, so it is very strange to me. I still think it could be 11% - see how much difference there is between chest 6mm and abdomen about 17 mm. So I think because most of the fat is in the midsection it really doesn't look like 11% although it could be - we are talking about the overall body fat percentage. I don't know.Originally Posted by dominicevans
-
11-07-2012, 06:52 AM #4Registered User
- Join Date: Jul 2011
- Age: 30
- Posts: 403
- Rep Power: 158
Last edited by dominicevans; 11-07-2012 at 07:11 AM.
-
-
11-07-2012, 06:56 AM #5Registered User
- Join Date: Nov 2012
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Posts: 81
- Rep Power: 140
I have a little more firmness/muscle than you and about the same flab and i'm 15-17% bf. you're measuring yourself wrong.
...BTW, are you sticking your belly out?! looks really bloated..
-
11-07-2012, 07:09 AM #6Yes, I definitely look like 15-17... I don't know I try to measure it the right way (fingers 2-3 inches apart, pulling the skinfold, measuring halfway between crest and base). I'm not sticking it out - it looks like this because I have so much fat there and I have some bad posture - I think its anterior pelvic tilt.Originally Posted by 30secs
-
11-07-2012, 07:15 AM #7Registered User
- Join Date: Jan 2012
- Location: Iowa, United States
- Posts: 4,361
- Rep Power: 8753
I think you have some muscle under there. Your back/traps look pretty nice. I would go keto if you can handle it.
-
11-07-2012, 07:20 AM #8Registered User
- Join Date: Oct 2012
- Location: Richardson, Texas, United States
- Posts: 9,295
- Rep Power: 57423
To get a better reading. Take your readings from your abdomen, front bicep area (arm hanging flat and relaxed) back of your arm near triceps (arm hanging flat and relaxed) place right arm behind you measure right below shoulder blade area. You can also find this online. You will get a better reading with this. It looks Like you are around 17-18%
-
-
11-08-2012, 12:26 AM #9
Thank you for all responses. With durnin/womersley method I'm getting about 17.5%, with different jackson/pollock methods 11-12%. I assume it would be safe to say I'm somewhere in between, maybe 15%? I'm starting to see some six pack definiction but only under proper lighting from above. Here is another photo. What do you think?
-
11-08-2012, 12:28 AM #10
Think theres mostly water weight............. just bulk
-
11-08-2012, 03:03 AM #11Registered User
- Join Date: Sep 2012
- Location: Ireland
- Posts: 221
- Rep Power: 156
you are more than 11%, I'm not experienced with a calipers so I can't give you advice but you must be doing something wrong. It does look like you have bad posture, quite like myself, and are bloated in the pictures.
5 inches lost on your waist is impressive though, stay patient and kee up teh hard work.
maybe get someone else to do a bodyfat test on you to see if you are making any errors
-
11-08-2012, 05:53 AM #12I have some problems with bloating, my intestines are very sensitive but I hope the posture will look better with slimmer waist and stronger abdominals. And while I'm not an expert, I still believe I have that anterior pelvic tilt so it's necessary to strenghten glutes and abdominals.Originally Posted by Oriainarama
OK, I tried the Parrillo method (9 site) and it gives me 15,73%. I think it's more realistic so I think I'll stick with this method and check once a week and maybe check jackson/pollock 3 site everyday only for monitoring progress. I will continue to do some recomposition (carb cycling), I want to go down to real 11% at least and then bulk seriously.
Thank you for your help, now I know where I am.
Bookmarks