Rib cage visible at a high bodyfat percentage?

Mellouk89
Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
edited February 2021 in Health and Weight Loss
How common it is to have visible ribs at a fairly high body fat percentage like 15-17%? Only when I get really fat that I don't see my rib cage.

What does it say? Skinny fat syndrome?

Replies

  • Mellouk89
    Mellouk89 Posts: 469 Member
    edited February 2021
    I don't know for sure what is my body fat %, I have a 34 inch waist at 5'9. I'm carrying body fat mostly in the lower back region.

    My brother for example is more thin but doesn't have visible ribs.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
    People's fat is distributed differently. Some it's in the legs. Some in the abs. Some in the arms. You just happen to not have it distribute a lot in your rib area.

    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
    9285851.png
  • scarlett_k
    scarlett_k Posts: 812 Member
    I'm still overweight according to BMI but my ribs have started showing since I was about 10 kg off my initial goal weight (high end of a healthy BMI). I have a healthy hip to waist ratio so I think it's just because of where I store most of my remaining excess fat, which is on my hips and thighs.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Mellouk89 wrote: »
    I don't know for sure what is my body fat %, I have a 34 inch waist at 5'9. I'm carrying body fat mostly in the lower back region.

    My brother for example is more thin but doesn't have visible ribs.

    No-one is really sure of their BF%. In the end I assume you are aiming for a physique rather than a number that is only an estimate. Those estimates (if reliable, many aren't) are really just a guide to progress and become less useful the closer you get when muscle definition, separation and increased vascularity emerge more clearly.

    My abs and love handles are the first place I gain fat and last place I lose it. Sounds like if you had a profile picture you would take a front view rather than a rear view like me! ;)

    When you are appraoching your physique goal progress pictures, measurements and re-assessment of goal weight helps.
  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
    I can see my ribs too and its weird when I have so much body fat to lose 😂
  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
    Fflpnari wrote: »
    I can see my ribs too and its weird when I have so much body fat to lose 😂

    So can I. One one side, if I lean over and suck my belly in really hard. Not bad for over 30% BF ;-)

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Depends a lot on fat distribution...also, 15%-17% is actually fairly lean for a gen pop male...it's well within a healthy range of BF...seeing ribs at that BF% doesn't particularly surprise me. When I'm around 15%, I have a flat stomach and no love handles and I can faintly start to see the outlines of abdominal muscles in the right light...so ribs would be a no brainer.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    Also it depends what OP means by "seeing rib cage". Some people think it means.....
    0kdy31pz9afb.png
    hrc3692ajsev.png


    And others think.....

    ygz9cwvaxp4m.png
  • tariqari
    tariqari Posts: 38 Member
    I’m somewhere between 15-17% and my rib cage is visible among other bones. It varies person to person.

Categories