Dilemma; bodyfat too low but want more definition

xEmeraldx · 01-31-2008, 07:04 AM

Hiya,

I have a problem. My body fat is 8,4% which is of course much too low and I have all the problems that come with that. You can guess.

I'm very thin, I weigh about 101lbs at the moment but I don't even have a proper six pack.

I don't know how to go about this. I really want to be healthier so get my body fat up to at least 12% but I want muscle definition as well. I'm afraid I'll end up looking flabby or something since I don't have that much definition at the present with such low body fat.

I could really do with some advice.

freebirdmac · 01-31-2008, 07:18 AM

You already know the answer. Do a clean bulk. Eat 100-200 over maintenance to gain muscle and to also add in some bodyfat. You may even need to go over 200. The lack of definintion tells you that you do not have enough muscle built up and you know your bodyfat needs to double. Just adjust your cals slowly upwards. Don't rush your body. It's kind of like a recovery from a contest. You work backwards from how you got your bodyfat so low. If you are doing tons of cardio, back off that as well.

Miranda · 01-31-2008, 07:42 AM

you look very thin but not sub 10%.
at that level your muscles (everyone has them) would show, no matter what.
you'd look very sinewy and drained.

Euqinom · 01-31-2008, 07:53 AM

I totally agree with freebirdmac.

Tiffany_P · 01-31-2008, 08:03 AM

I agree that you're too skinny, but your bodyfat does not look too low. Focus on eating more and lifting hard, and you should get where you want to be. Maybe try creatine if you've never taken any before.

Euqinom · 01-31-2008, 08:23 AM

Post your diet, and your work out programme if you can, because that might help too in getting more useful advice.

I read that you do a 'massive amount of working out', and that will not help. You do not gain muscle through 'massive amounts of working out'. It's a bit more complicated than that.

Bronwyn · 01-31-2008, 08:35 AM

I agree with above mentioned... and I would like to add: Abs are mucles as each others on our body, when they are not developed well, they are not visible. Some people have deep intermuscular gaps so their abs seems to be deeper (even they have some bodyfat on), some have not (including me) - so in the second case abs have to be loaded as any other muscle to addapt and grow - what means combine weighted and non weighted exercises and not to do thousands of reps as some people do... that will not create abs.

Try to add more muscles - than you will burn more fat, and you will not gain it. Muscles are metabolic active tissue.

And finally - too low bodyfat is not healthy for women at all. Healthy is more than 10%. Only competitors have to go under and they have to go against some troubles - including higher risk of osteoporosis and sterility... but it is the fee you have to pay for the sport. In 15% of bodyfat body still looks lean and when you have solid muscles, you have also shape. And shape is what makes body attractive.

dvsness · 01-31-2008, 09:43 AM

Low bodyfat will not reveal the definition you desire if there isn't the muscle mass to be defined. Eat more and train heavier!

someday · 01-31-2008, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvsness

Low bodyfat will not reveal the definition you desire if there isn't the muscle mass to be defined. Eat more and train heavier!

exactly!

trainwithrae · 01-31-2008, 10:11 AM

just want to give you some positive reinforcement, if you eat the right amount of cals/macros and lift heavy you will not put on an abundance of bodyfat, it will take you time to build but it's the same for all of us. Patience, consistence and dedication.

you can do it

xEmeraldx · 01-31-2008, 06:25 PM

Thanks a lot for all the info.

Well my body fat is that low. Even if it may not look like it. I got it checked at several places to be sure, I was rather shocked myself.

As for what I meant by "massive amounts of working out". I meant cardio, I'm an instructor ( group fitness) and all the classes I teach burn a lot of calories which already makes it really hard for me to maintain. I'm naturally thin and this of course isn't helping, I can't give up my job though. I enjoy it and I need the money.

I split my full body workout (weight lifting) over 3 days so I can get sufficient rest.

I didn't mean to sound condescending. I realise that it doesn't come easy.

My maintenance level is probably different every day so I guess I will just have to strap on a heart monitor to see how many calories I have to compensate.

At the moment my meal plan is as follows:

09:00 50 grams of oatmeal with a cup of soy milk. And a bowl of sweetened cottage cheese. approx. 200 grams

11:00 hand full of nuts a some fat free yoghurt

13:00 Dinner: usually about 100 grams of chicken, fish or lean beef. 150 grams of cooked rice or pasta and veg.

15:00 couple of egg whites, or some deli meat (turkey slices or something along those lines) and 3 whole grain crackers

17:00 oatmeal with soy milk (again)

18:00 banana

Then I usually start my work out. I drink Aquarius or something similar for some extra carbs during all that cardio since I don't have any chance to eat for 2 hours or so.

21:00 piece of fruit.

21:30 mixed salad, some nuts, 100 grams of meat or an omelette

23:30 I like to have some cottage cheese or quark before bed about 200 grams

Sambakitten · 01-31-2008, 09:49 PM

You are eating very clean, but I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say that in your case you need to eat more! Try to graze all day. Always have a snack with you that you can munch on constantly, for example when you're in the car. I make my own trail mix out of a low-sugar whole-grain cereal, dried fruit and raw almonds.

Beefcake Girl · 02-01-2008, 04:21 AM

You might be so lean you have gone flat and soft. That happened to me last year before my pro debut. You get down so far that your muscles are not full anymore, they are so depleted you look soft! I kept training really hard, which I had to do in order to keep my muscles hard and tight, but my trainer added LOTS of clean foods back into my diet. I ate lots of oats, yams, flank steak, chicken, etc. Within a few days, I looked like a different person, I had cuts and definition and lots more energy

You can still do lots of activity but your nutrition must support it, otherwise you will waste away the hard work you put into lifting. Eat clean, whole foods and lift heavy to preserve muscle. That will make you look more defined...

darkangel · 02-01-2008, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xEmeraldx

As for what I meant by "massive amounts of working out". I meant cardio, I'm an instructor ( group fitness) and all the classes I teach burn a lot of calories which already makes it really hard for me to maintain.

There's your problem. If you're an ecto - and it sounds like you are - it's going to be very difficult for you to build muscle with that much cardio. If you can't cut back, you'll have to increase your caloric intake to compensate.

Your weight training workouts should be a three day split, as you're doing, with plenty of rest in between. You should concentrate on compound, free weight exercises with high weight and low reps. Keep your weight training sessions to an hour. Endless time spent in the gym is counterproductive for ectos.

I'd suggest adding some healthy fats to your diet, too: Udo's, olive, flax and fish oils.