Bodyfat estimate + Filling out frame

[DannyLake]

Hi.

Im 16, 155lbs and 6"2. I don't know how to figure out my body fat so I figured the best thing would be an estimate from the knowledgeable pros, you guys.

I also want to fill out my tall guy frame. Im going to join my college gym and work out regularly after my exams finish on 12/01/2012.

This is my most recent picture taken on 03/01/2012; as were my stats.

Please me critical of where I need to focus myself to become aesthetic and what sort of diet I should undertake; sugarcoating doesn't get anyone jacked - especially if I just eat it c:

img577(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img577/8348/startoftheyearbefore(dot)png - As my post count is too low, but I'm very serious about a new start for new year. Alternatively look at my profile, its the same picture.

Thank you.

[DorianJ]

10%
if you don't have much muscle even a thin layer of fat looks like it's a lot so you think you're fat where you're actually undermuscles
it's like wrapping a thin layer of cotton (representing your fat) around either a solid cylinder or a cup of cottage cheese. Wrapped around the cottage cheese the layer looks like it's a blob and it's thicker than it actually is

[DannyLake]

Thanks. I'm not part of any sports teams so I dont have to build myself any particular way; i just want to look good. I started to go to the gym as a joke and laugh with some friends. Then I noticed the first gains and it became a friendly competition between friends. I don't go to the same school as them anymore unfortunately but I want to continue purely to please myself (not in a weird way :l). What areas would you think I need to hit the most first?

[HateKraZe]

Ya dude, your good for bodyfat. Just bulk up untill you cant see abs anymore (or whatever you think is the "too much" point). Then cut. Then bulk. Quite simple actually, as long as your either gaining or losing that lb a week your making improvments towards whatever your goal physique is. The hard part is your diet to be able to do this. Do you know anything about how to bulk or cut yet?

[DannyLake]

Well Im assuming bulking is porking out so you can turn fat -> muscle and cutting is salads and lettuce all the way. But I'm not exactly clued up on much about gym and fitness. Is there not a way to stay mildy defined and build muscle? I've been skinny all my life and the prospect of trying to get 'fat' is a little bit...daunting.

[DorianJ]

Well Im assuming bulking is porking out so you can turn fat -> muscle and cutting is salads and lettuce all the way. But I'm not exactly clued up on much about gym and fitness. Is there not a way to stay mildy defined and build muscle? I've been skinny all my life and the prospect of trying to get 'fat' is a little bit...daunting.

When you bulk you eat 250-500 calories above maintenance
That keeps fat gains to a minimum and even if you gain fat, you will be able to lose it in as little as two weeks as long as your BF% never exceed 15%. When you will have more muscle you will look a lot better, more proportionated, more well-shaped and with a better posture too and even if you gain 2-3 pounds of fat in the process, you will look leaner anyway because of what I explained to you before. It's what under the fat that makes it look like either an even thin layer or a flabby blob



As you can see muscles makes you look leaner, even though these guys have the same BF% the skinny ones looks like has more fat and flabbiness.

[DannyLake]

Thanks that helps ^_^ I'd particularly self concious about my chest because there just seems to be so little mass towards the centre line vertically or in the upper regions. What exercises can I do to improve my chest? My college gym doesn't even have a barbell because amateurs go and hurt themselves trying to press/deadlift more than they can. Thanks.

[HateKraZe]

When you bulk you eat 250-500 calories above maintenance
That keeps fat gains to a minimum and even if you gain fat, you will be able to lose it in as little as two weeks as long as your BF% never exceed 15%. When you will have more muscle you will look a lot better, more proportionated, more well-shaped and with a better posture too and even if you gain 2-3 pounds of fat in the process, you will look leaner anyway because of what I explained to you before. It's what under the fat that makes it look like either an even thin layer or a flabby blob

Yes, 250-500 caleries above/below your Maitnence level to gain/lose around 1lb a week. To find what your maitnence level would be, you can get a rough guess by multiplying your body weight (in lbs) by 15. But theres no way to know for sure so if you are 155lbs, your maitnence should be around 2325 caleries a day. Maitnence is when you eat just enough of what your body needs. Eating just at maitnence, you will "maintain", neither gaining or loosing anything. So to bulk you could try eating 2800 caleries a day and tweak that up/down based on how much you gained next week. If you only gained .5lb, add another 250 caleries per day. etc etc

Another thing to note is how/when to weigh yourself. You should weigh yourself weekly and in the morning before you eat and get dressed (wearing boxers or whatever). This will give you a more acurate reading of what you actually weight without the variables or food/etc. I weight a good 5 or so lbs less when i actually weigh myself in the morning than if i were to jump on the scale now.

[DannyLake]

I'll weigh myself first thing when I wake up and post the result I can't see myself getting a chest so big I'd need a bra but I'd really like more mass in my chest for sure . On a sidenote :

- What do you think about me using protein shakes?

- Is bodybuilding.com connectable to my mobile so that Im notified when I recieve an update on my threads?

EDIT : Disregard the second question, I figured that out.

[DorianJ]

For the chest I would go with incline db press as your main compound exercise, also decline push-ups with added weight if you want and incline push-press

[DannyLake]

Thanks. Would you recommend taking shakes? Also I remember feeling the muscles which I worked ache for a couple days after I worked them out, is this normal? Although the last time I actually had the chance to step in a gym was like...early december.

[DannyLake]

bump