Body Fat % and Reality

[mattwc]

I have always wanted to ask this question, so now I am finally taking the time to do so.

Is is possible to go through a cutting phase, all the way down to say 5-7% BF, then adjust your eating plan so that you are now on a maintenance eating plan, and therefore stay around the level of BF?

I've noticed that even some of the fitness models drop back to a higher percentage after a photo shoot, although not too far from that 5-7% range.

I was thinking that it might be practically impossible to hold that BF level for an extended period of time?

Would like to hear other members view on the subject.

Cheers!

Matt

[IronHyde]

i guess it depends on what you want to do. The reason some people adjust there eating plan is so they can get back in the gym and push weights and grow for the next cut. During the cutting phase you can loose muscle as well as the BF also.

I would say that if you wanted to be huge and cut then you have to go through the "bulking" and "cutting" phases. But if you just always want to be ripped and don't care about size or how much you can lift then sure, you might be able to maintain a low BF%. Wouldn't be easy by any stretch however!

[mattwc]

Yea, I am coming from a non-bodybuilding point of view, in that, I don't have a desire to get really big, but do have a desire to get to the level of muscular build that someone like a fitness model would have, BUT, I was wondering that if I got there, would it be realistic of me to think I could actually maintain that shredded look on a long-term basis.

Having said that though, I good muscular build at 10-12% BF is pretty awesome too, comparatively speaking.

[Grego]

Yea, I am coming from a non-bodybuilding point of view, in that, I don't have a desire to get really big, but do have a desire to get to the level of muscular build that someone like a fitness model would have, BUT, I was wondering that if I got there, would it be realistic of me to think I could actually maintain that shredded look on a long-term basis.

Having said that though, I good muscular build at 10-12% BF is pretty awesome too, comparatively speaking.

It is possible but bloody hard if it's not a natural thing for you to be that lean. Firstly, you are what you eat. You'd need to work out what calories you would need in a day to maintain it and I am sure you'd baulk. You can look at it from a "non bodybuilder" type view all you like, but to maintain a level of muscularity vs fat, you'd need a bit of knowledge in the nutrition side of it. I don't particularly count calories more the carbs I take in (as it's easier for me), but you'd still need to keep it on a similar level. The body never forgets if it's been big before.....

Cheers

Grego

[musclenz]

Pretty good article by Tom Venuto the Fat Loss Guru (if you can stand the advertising) about the subject of maintaining extremely low BF levels -

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Low-Body- ... &id=519406

[Grego]

Pretty good article by Tom Venuto the Fat Loss Guru (if you can stand the advertising) about the subject of maintaining extremely low BF levels -

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Low-Body- ... &id=519406

Thanks for that, I even enjoyed that. So true.....

[gminors]

Pretty good article by Tom Venuto the Fat Loss Guru (if you can stand the advertising) about the subject of maintaining extremely low BF levels -

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Low-Body- ... &id=519406

Good article that. Worth the money for sure