Is "Getting Ripped" Even Healthy? page 8

[magnolia1973]

I think from those photos... men from 15% to 20% looked good. Men don't need a 6 pack to appeal. But the pot belly is always a turn off. I like obvious muscle covered in some fat.

For women, fat distribution is key to looking good- if you carry your fat in your boobs and ass, you can carry more and look appealing.

I think in terms of sex appeal.... it's not worth it for either sex to get ripped, but very worth it to be fit.

[paleo-bunny]

I think from those photos... men from 15% to 20% looked good. Men don't need a 6 pack to appeal. But the pot belly is always a turn off. I like obvious muscle covered in some fat.

For women, fat distribution is key to looking good- if you carry your fat in your boobs and ass, you can carry more and look appealing.

I think in terms of sex appeal.... it's not worth it for either sex to get ripped, but very worth it to be fit.

+1. But I don't mind a little pot belly for a guy with strong muscular legs, arms and shoulders.

[solstice]

I think looking at a picture is FAR different than meeting and interacting with a real person! I think we are all attracted to a much wider range of people than we might realize---since we dont see most of those people in their undies! I've loved my hubby through his super skinny scrawny college days---to his too-much-beer-drinking-because-we-have-little-babies big bellied daddy stage, to his now slim and trim and hotter-than-ever stage!

[paleo-bunny]

I think looking at a picture is FAR different than meeting and interacting with a real person! I think we are all attracted to a much wider range of people than we might realize---since we dont see most of those people in their undies! I've loved my hubby through his super skinny scrawny college days---to his too-much-beer-drinking-because-we-have-little-babies big bellied daddy stage, to his now slim and trim and hotter-than-ever stage!

I agree, it's the person inside who matters.

[Iron Fireling]

Hmm well looking at the various pictures... a guy from 10-15% looks good to me (with muscle of course, not just skinny), but honestly I think a few more % bf doesn't look too bad either, and women of 18-20% seem to look best (again to me... I'm not gay, but I do have aesthetic preferences lol), again I think some women can look good with higher % bf as well (but not apparently me, cause I don't carry my fat in the right places!!!).

How one carries one's fat, and how much muscle there is underlying it I think is a BIG factor. A woman who puts her fat on in the right places can look great at a much higher bf% than one who puts it on mainly around the middle, for example.

[AMonkey]

Of the top of my head something like under 6% body fat is unhealthy. But 10% is perfectly reasonable.

[Ripped]

I know getting ripped is an obsession for lots of guys. I can totally understand where it comes from, as I myself am working to get more muscular, but the concept of "getting ripped" sounds like body engineering to fine tune yourself to 8 to 12 percent body fat.

If you get lean naturally from working out and eating correctly, that's cool. It just seems that aiming to get ripped can leave you gaunt and wiry, which I'm guessing is not very good for you.

Maybe I'm wrong?

Raza

I think no. Coming from a guy from the US, I can say that in this country we have become used to people being fat as the norm. But if you look at people in some other countries, 8-12% is the norm.

Its really crazy if you think about it. Because what seems to be normal for people in other countries is that which is thought to be hard to accomplish for someone in the states. You can't do it because of your genetics, you haven't found the right gimmick or supplement, It's Ronald McDonald's fault, excuses excuses, bla bla bla!!! I think you get my point. And yes, its the culture, not the food; I've known plenty of people who ate fast food every day and they didn't get fat. Why? Because they knew when to stop.

Now is 3% healthy? Possibly not. But my bet is that if you strive to get there you'll be a lot more healthy than those who don't try at all. Ever since I dieted and got away from being obese, I've continued to aim for further improvements every year, now down to around 10%. I made it this far because I didn't stop trying. And yes, I'm a lot healthier than I was when I was about 27% and had trouble just to walk down the street. And I get A LOT more dates too!!!

[Ripped]

I think that some people on here are trying to lose weight/gain muscle for essentially cosmetic or vanity reasons.

Functional strength and fitness is important though. That's what I'm shooting for, along with balanced hormones.

I agree with all. The vanity part is easy and can be taken care of with as little as one workout per week, believe it or not. But for overall health and well being, I believe you need a lot more.

As for the hormones, I believe that dieting too hard for too long can have a negative impact on hormones. That's why its better to have an aim to maintain. That is as opposed to how competitive bodybuilders will walk around heavier most of the year only to drop 50 lbs for a contest, and then they gain it all back again. That's stupid. I'd rather be lean all year long.

[Ripped]

+1.

I find muscular people with a normal amount or moderate excess of body fat the most attractive and healthy-looking. This speaks health and vitality, while being relaxed. Lean muscle mass and functional strength and fitness override everything else as far as I am concerned.

You have a good point there. I noticed I like thin women, and even sometimes leaner women with an athletic build, but never a ripped woman. All of my lady friends told me the same thing. Most like a somewhat muscular man. But they don't like guys who are ripped (fatless).

From an evolutionary standpoint this makes a lot of sense. We are attracted to members of the opposite sex that look healthy, that which will ensure better chances of survival of our offspring. Some fat is healthy because it is essential and indicates nourishment. None means you are sick from starving and too much is a sickness as well. A healthy partner means you will have someone around to help take care of the kids.

[Ripped]

In defense of the lean, I've had a single digit body fat percentage for a couple years now and I think it's great. I eat plenty of healthy foods and I workout five days a week. I feel great and my lifestyle works for me. I'm not saying that you everyone needs to be super lean but what's unhealthy about it?

Now that I think about it, I'm glad that I have always strived to become leaner. Because right now while even being above average in muscularity, my BMI is slightly over 25 which isn't that bad, but my waist is still wider than it should be. And that's an indicater (even more so than BMI) that one needs to try to drop some fat. I probably have more fat than what it seems, because there is visceral fat hiding behind my abs!