Women who have tracked body fat % can you post photos of the difference?

Verity1111
Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
I am trying to figure out my goal as far as body fat % and I've noticed when I google images I'd rather look like the 30% women than most of the 20% that are healthy! lol. I feel like they look slightly more delicate, but still thin. Idk. Maybe I am getting the wrong images Lol but the smaller girls seem so flat and curveless lol but anyway can someone encourage me that if I go healthier I won't be frail looking? lol. I'm sorry if I sound harsh it is just google images scared me to thinking I will lose my curves all together, but yeah. Mainly I can't find images of the SAME woman with a change. I figure the difference might be the women in these pictures have naturally different frames (maybe the 30% girl has bigger hips naturally so she looks more like I'd prefer to end up even though she's bigger?) so I'd like to see the change from each level on one person if possible. Thank you for any help! Also I know I sound judgmental maybe with the comments I made but I mean for me its not how I personally want to look. I wont be thinking any negative things about anyone personally, but I prefer to keep some curviness to my body and Id feel weird being thin everywhere. I have wide hips I think so Im hoping not to lose them completely?

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I think you are probably also seeing that the low body fat women tend to have more muscle in the pictures.

    Here's an example of women with different amount of muscle and the same body fat.
    15-percent-body-fat-female1.jpg

    Here's an example of women with similar amounts of muscle and different body fat.
    1450d1324371481-body-fat-body-fat-percentage-pictures-female.jpg

    Here's me at the same body fat two days apart. The only difference is flexing/posing:
    1epndj446mhr.jpg
    bnovwa3ysn0p.jpg
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    I think you are probably also seeing that the low body fat women tend to have more muscle in the pictures.

    Here's an example of women with different amount of muscle and the same body fat.
    15-percent-body-fat-female1.jpg

    Here's an example of women with similar amounts of muscle and different body fat.
    1450d1324371481-body-fat-body-fat-percentage-pictures-female.jpg

    Here's me at the same body fat two days apart. The only difference is flexing/posing:
    1epndj446mhr.jpg
    bnovwa3ysn0p.jpg

    You know I think it is just the waist to hip ratio.
    body-fat-percentage-women.jpg
    The girl in 15-17% doesnt bother me but the ones next to her look so straight to me it bugs me! 30% doesnt look overweight to me at all and I am just like hey I want my shape to be like that lol ijs. Also, yay you still have curves. So mine wont disintegrate. lol. Good to know.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
    & based on the pictures you shared...maybe I prefer higher muscle mass. Because the girl in that picture with 15% who is not muscular is def nothing Id want to look like. Maybe the girl at 30% in my pic has higher muscle mass than usual? idk. and Im confused how that works. Higher muscle mass would = lower % body fat, no? lol confusing
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    & based on the pictures you shared...maybe I prefer higher muscle mass. Because the girl in that picture with 15% who is not muscular is def nothing Id want to look like. Maybe the girl at 30% in my pic has higher muscle mass than usual? idk. and Im confused how that works. Higher muscle mass would = lower % body fat, no? lol confusing

    At the same body weight higher muscle equals lower body fat. When I started out I weigh what I did at the end of this bulk. I had 32% back then, I had 26% now.

    You can build curves with muscle if your bone structure isn't built that way. Most women lose the hour glass type look because they do tons of direct core work, like weighted side bends, and end up building up the muscles. That reduces the hour glass shape and makes them a bit blockier. Forget worrying about your body fat percentage goal and start looking into shaping your body how you want. Those pictures aren't really that accurate to be honest.

    Building glutes, legs and upper body will help with curves. I don't have boobs due to low body fat, but I have pecs and lats which help add curves. Pecs create an illusion of fullness in the chest when wearing tank tops and lats make my waist look smaller (adds a taper). Glutes give a perk to your back side and building quads and hamstrings will help tie into a nice curve with the hips.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    & based on the pictures you shared...maybe I prefer higher muscle mass. Because the girl in that picture with 15% who is not muscular is def nothing Id want to look like. Maybe the girl at 30% in my pic has higher muscle mass than usual? idk. and Im confused how that works. Higher muscle mass would = lower % body fat, no? lol confusing

    At the same body weight higher muscle equals lower body fat. When I started out I weigh what I did at the end of this bulk. I had 32% back then, I had 26% now.

    You can build curves with muscle if your bone structure isn't built that way. Most women lose the hour glass type look because they do tons of direct core work, like weighted side bends, and end up building up the muscles. That reduces the hour glass shape and makes them a bit blockier. Forget worrying about your body fat percentage goal and start looking into shaping your body how you want. Those pictures aren't really that accurate to be honest.

    Building glutes, legs and upper body will help with curves. I don't have boobs due to low body fat, but I have pecs and lats which help add curves. Pecs create an illusion of fullness in the chest when wearing tank tops and lats make my waist look smaller (adds a taper). Glutes give a perk to your back side and building quads and hamstrings will help tie into a nice curve with the hips.
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    & based on the pictures you shared...maybe I prefer higher muscle mass. Because the girl in that picture with 15% who is not muscular is def nothing Id want to look like. Maybe the girl at 30% in my pic has higher muscle mass than usual? idk. and Im confused how that works. Higher muscle mass would = lower % body fat, no? lol confusing

    At the same body weight higher muscle equals lower body fat. When I started out I weigh what I did at the end of this bulk. I had 32% back then, I had 26% now.

    You can build curves with muscle if your bone structure isn't built that way. Most women lose the hour glass type look because they do tons of direct core work, like weighted side bends, and end up building up the muscles. That reduces the hour glass shape and makes them a bit blockier. Forget worrying about your body fat percentage goal and start looking into shaping your body how you want. Those pictures aren't really that accurate to be honest.

    Building glutes, legs and upper body will help with curves. I don't have boobs due to low body fat, but I have pecs and lats which help add curves. Pecs create an illusion of fullness in the chest when wearing tank tops and lats make my waist look smaller (adds a taper). Glutes give a perk to your back side and building quads and hamstrings will help tie into a nice curve with the hips.
    My waist to hip ratio is .78 which is the highest its been usually its around .66-73 when Im thinner so hopefully I keep it that way. I will be doing squats, yoga, dancing, leg presses etc once I start a focused regime. Im still at 185lbs and like 40% body fat Im sure so I have far far to go. Im hoping doing yoga and squats along with planks etc and working on my backbends will help with the glutes and what not as I do cardio on the side. Ill be doing some weight lifting but prob nothing major more like handweights because my apartment is tiny and Im broke lol dancing I use the xbox I have had for a long time to follow and yoga games on that too. Its my exercise system more than a game system now lol
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
    I did not mean to quote twice. Oops. Sorry. Idk what direct core work is. Crunches?
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,305 Member
    I've seen between 16 - 23 % described as good. 24 - 30 % acceptable, the question by whom. Going too low brings health problems in its wake, many fashion models are probably playing with fire. I consider go with where you personally feel good/well.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    edited December 2015
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    I did not mean to quote twice. Oops. Sorry. Idk what direct core work is. Crunches?

    Weighted side bends mostly. It's a favorite exercise by a lot of women who think it's making their waist smaller, but it's more likely to do the opposite. You may have seen people do them with two dumbbells instead of one and that's wrong.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    I did not mean to quote twice. Oops. Sorry. Idk what direct core work is. Crunches?

    Weighted side bends mostly. It's a favorite exercise by a lot of women who think it's making their waist smaller, but it's more likely to do the opposite. You may have seen people do them with two dumbbells instead of one and that's wrong.

    I have no idea what that even is lol I would think crunches for a waistline...and maybe twisting exercises that work the core and waist area. Plus squats even though they mainly work glutes you need to use your core muscles to keep proper posture. Im sure plent of exercises work the waistline well.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
    Maybe also planking to work the muscles at the core. I think that kind of works a wide variety of muscles.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    I did not mean to quote twice. Oops. Sorry. Idk what direct core work is. Crunches?

    Weighted side bends mostly. It's a favorite exercise by a lot of women who think it's making their waist smaller, but it's more likely to do the opposite. You may have seen people do them with two dumbbells instead of one and that's wrong.

    I have no idea what that even is lol I would think crunches for a waistline...and maybe twisting exercises that work the core and waist area. Plus squats even though they mainly work glutes you need to use your core muscles to keep proper posture. Im sure plent of exercises work the waistline well.

    I think you should look into full body body weight training. Like You Are Your Own Gym. They are going to give you a well rounded routine that you can do without weights. The exercises they give force your body to improve stability, which will improve your core without making it thicker. The twisting exercises for core are meant for obliques, which is what often gives the waist a blocky appearance. You can get the same benefits from many of the one arm or one leg exercises (like lunges).
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,307 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Verity1111 wrote: »
    I did not mean to quote twice. Oops. Sorry. Idk what direct core work is. Crunches?

    Weighted side bends mostly. It's a favorite exercise by a lot of women who think it's making their waist smaller, but it's more likely to do the opposite. You may have seen people do them with two dumbbells instead of one and that's wrong.

    I have no idea what that even is lol I would think crunches for a waistline...and maybe twisting exercises that work the core and waist area. Plus squats even though they mainly work glutes you need to use your core muscles to keep proper posture. Im sure plent of exercises work the waistline well.

    I think you should look into full body body weight training. Like You Are Your Own Gym. They are going to give you a well rounded routine that you can do without weights. The exercises they give force your body to improve stability, which will improve your core without making it thicker. The twisting exercises for core are meant for obliques, which is what often gives the waist a blocky appearance. You can get the same benefits from many of the one arm or one leg exercises (like lunges).

    I will have to look into that. I have been recommended that book before, but I am broke lol maybe during tax season or as a Xmas gift.
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