So I just got a Dexa Scan done. Not sure what to think...

Hornsby

I feel like there had to be something wrong with the machine.


I know it's pointless without pics, but I am not ready for too many pics yet. April 9th is my 3 year anniversary and plan on having plenty of pics then.

I have abs, but they aren't ripped like every where else on my body. I literally have veins everywhere except for this little pooch of fat that is just chilling on my lower 4 abs. I have stridations (sp?) on my butt. Veins in my lower ab area, thighs, calves, arms... But...





6.4%? Come on now... Am I reading this wrong?

MonkeyMel21

Oh hey! I'm from Moore! That's all I got out of this post, sorry, lol

Gisel2015

You should have kept your personal data, especially your DOB obscure.

jemhh

Not sure what somebody's going to do with his DOB and bf%.

Not sure what to say, OP. From what I've read DEXA scans are pretty accurate but tend to skew to higher %s due to the inclusion of visceral fat. This is the first you've had done so no comparison is possible?

usmcmp

Maybe that "fat" on your lower abs is skin.

_Waffle_

Hornsby wrote: »

6.4%? Come on now... Am I reading this wrong?

You're very lean. I'm over here thinking that I'd never even try to get below 10% - 12%. I can't tell you why that doesn't work out. Genetics I'm sure. For me it's the lower back that holds on to the most.

DopeItUp

If you really do have glute striations then you might be actually close to 6 percent BF. Without pictures it's hard to judge. As for your abs ,you may have poor genetics for holding fat there, you may not have a ton of ab musculature which won't make them stick out as much. You're also not super young and skin does lose its elasticity with age. You have to remember that all those pics of people with ab separation you can drive a truck through, generally do things like carb and water depletion to really make the abs pop. If you've ever seen a bodybuilder just a few days after competition their abs can be almost totally obscured from all the water retention of just one cheat day after competing.

Just some thoughts without actually seeing what you look like.

zyxst

I barely understand my DEXA scans. I can't really comment on yours until I see some pics. You can send them in a PM.

queenliz99

Have you seen this

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/index.php/free-content/free-content/volume-1-issue-3-the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-parts-1-and-2/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-1/

cwolfman13

@Hornsby you have been looking quite lean these days...glute striations would indicate that you're pretty damn lean...I'm just trying to hit 10% over here and having a *kitten* of a time...LOL.

yusaku02

how much was it?

minizebu

When I had my DEXA scan the tech told me that the figure that I should focus on is the Region (%Fat) Total.

On your scan this figure is 6.1%. (You are getting the 6.4 from the Tissue column.)

Also, I'm not sure I understand your incredulity. Isn't 6.4%, let alone 6.1%, actually a pretty darn lean body fat percentage for a man?

Are you incredulous because you expected it to be lower? Or, did you expect it to be higher?

Hornsby

I expected 11%.

minizebu

Hornsby wrote: »

I expected 11%.

Well, good for you! Congratulations.

(Unless that was sarcasm, and you really did expect it to be lower. In that case, I'm sorry if you are disappointed. In any case, I'm sure that whatever your body fat percentage is, you probably look pretty darn hot.)

Hornsby

No, I'm serious. Under 10 is a dream for me.

minizebu

Hornsby wrote: »

No, I'm serious. Under 10 is a dream for me.

Yay for you! You must have worked very hard to get this result. Bask in the glow of your success.

BalletAndBarbells

good for you - I'm still fighting with 20% - having said that, half of that is boobs and I wouldn't be without them!

Nice work - now you have to keep it up!

If the "fat" you're concerned about is in the lower abdo then it is probably a combination of the lack of abdominal musculature low down and some saggy skin - hey we're no spring chickens and that's just life!

queenliz99

I think you look amazing! There I said it!! Nice work!!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I'm definitely not an expert but I'd believe 6-7% for you.

ClubSilencio

I recall Greg O'Gallagher (Kinobody) doing a video of his DEXA scan visit last year and he was at 8%.

He was right around your weight (178 @ 70 in). Here he was before his visit:



Judging from your avatar it's quite apparent you're leaner than he was.

Congrats on your accomplishment! Put together an eBook and get paid.

Hornsby

Okay....so let's assume I am somewhere around 6.4. Now, knowing that my abs do not "pop" like the examples I see for 6-8 percent. What do I do? How do I get them to pop?

April 9 is my 3 year so I planned on continuing to cut till then, but that was assuming I was around 10-11.

I gotta tag some folks...
@usmcmp @stevencloser @ndj1979 @senecarr @LolBroScience @vismal @ninerbuff @tincanonastring @SideSteel

stevencloser

Maintenance + lots of gym and hoping the recomp takes you where you want to go? It can't be that much left that's covering your abs.
I seriously don't know, I can't say I've ever seen anyone with your problem.

senecarr

Hornsby wrote: »

Okay....so let's assume I am somewhere around 6.4. Now, knowing that my abs do not "pop" like the examples I see for 6-8 percent. What do I do? How do I get them to pop?

April 9 is my 3 year so I planned on continuing to cut till then, but that was assuming I was around 10-11.

I gotta tag some folks...
@usmcmp @stevencloser @senecarr @LolBroScience @vismal @ninerbuff @tincanonastring

I was following the thread already. There was already the suggestion some could be loose skin.
Some could just be limitations of how your abdominal muscles themselves are shaped - I remember people often mention that Jay Culter, for all his Mr Olympia titles, has odd shaped abs.
It might be levels of hydration and other fluids.

Not necessarily a fan of T-Nation, and the following wouldn't be a permanent solution, but something like this would give you a nice picture shoot if you wanted a certain look for your anniversary:
https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/shredded-in-6-days
More along the style of the diet and water manipulation. Not sure how much the specific training would be needed.

stevencloser

Also, while I'm very sceptical of supplements, there's Yohimbine HCL that supposedly manipulates your beta adrenergic receptors that are responsible for giving up fat for lipolysis to make you lose fat more evenly spread out over your body.

ninerbuff

Hornsby wrote: »

Okay....so let's assume I am somewhere around 6.4. Now, knowing that my abs do not "pop" like the examples I see for 6-8 percent. What do I do? How do I get them to pop?

April 9 is my 3 year so I planned on continuing to cut till then, but that was assuming I was around 10-11.

I gotta tag some folks...
@usmcmp @stevencloser @senecarr @LolBroScience @vismal @ninerbuff @tincanonastring @SideSteel

In my experience, I met a couple of guys who got ripped, but certain parts of their bodies (usually around the waistline and low back areas) still seemed to hold fat. A couple had lipo, which when having that low of body fat, produced TREMENDOUS results for them. I've gotta think that it's a genetic thing if it isn't just skin.
Pinch the skin on your forerams, then on your chest, quads then on your abs and see if you feel a difference in thickness.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Hornsby

There is some fat there (lower abdomen). It's like 3 parts skin to 1 part fat if that makes sense. If I am sitting the whole stomach area crumbles up like paper. Like there used to be like 1 big role. Now it's like 10 roles that don't have much fat in them.

I guess I will cut till April 9 and see then. If skin removal or lipo is needed at that point, I will weigh my options.

Freakin' depressing.

tincanonastring

Yeah, I would have gone right to skin elasticity and hydration, too, and then muscle size/shape. It's tough to see in your avi, but I'm not seeing any type of pooch like the one you're describing. Maybe it's just a perception thing.

ETA:

Hornsby wrote: »

There is some fat there (lower abdomen). It's like 3 parts skin to 1 part fat if that makes sense. If I am sitting the whole stomach area crumbles up like paper. Like there used to be like 1 big role. Now it's like 10 roles that don't have much fat in them.

I guess I will cut till April 9 and see then. If skin removal or lipo is needed at that point, I will weigh my options.

Freakin' depressing.

Like on your knuckle?

msf74

If it is actual fat rather than skin you could try the protocols in Lyle McDonald's "Stubborn Fat Solution" which apparently gets good results.

Hornsby

tincanonastring wrote: »

Yeah, I would have gone right to skin elasticity and hydration, too, and then muscle size/shape. It's tough to see in your avi, but I'm not seeing any type of pooch like the one you're describing. Maybe it's just a perception thing.

Naw, just good camera work...

And it's not a pooch I don't guess. There is just this little bit there. Just enough to piss me off, honestly.

I have been making progress since I have been cutting for the last couple months. That turned into a very "light" cut cause well, apparently I suck at cutting... lol. It was easier when it was just losing weight.

aub6689

Hornsby wrote: »

There is some fat there (lower abdomen). It's like 3 parts skin to 1 part fat if that makes sense. If I am sitting the whole stomach area crumbles up like paper. Like there used to be like 1 big role. Now it's like 10 roles that don't have much fat in them.

I guess I will cut till April 9 and see then. If skin removal or lipo is needed at that point, I will weigh my options.

Freakin' depressing.

6.4% is great! If you've recently lost weight, it may take time for skin to tighten. Also do your abs look different first thing in the morning? Have you played with carbs or sodium to see if it could be water retention?

From what I can see you look great (not hitting on you, it's a fact), so don't be depressed!

usmcmp

If your profile photo is current I'd say there are 3 factors at play for your abs:

1. Low abdominal muscle volume.
2. Extra skin (this is my problem).
3. Most of those pictures are water depleted making them look shrink wrapped/shredded.

Following the water/carb manipulation posted above could produce the look you are wanting. It's similar to what bodybuilders do. If you do it and find you have a bit of droopy skin it would show you that there's extra skin and if the rest of you looks grainy except your abs you'll see that your abs hold all the fat.