As someone who used to be fat and is currently at the "Are those abs?" phase, I can assure anyone struggling with fat loss that the emotional rollercoaster of seeing aesthetic changes in the body is well worth it; keep pushing.
I feel ya, I am not to the are those abs, but the oh he has muscles in his arms. But seeing the fat get the hint its not welcome really helps with the diet fatigue.
Im a guy and used to be anorexic. Im up to 140lbs around 10% body fat. Im still trying to gain weight, but im very happy with my progress. Your channel has been a big help.
I have always ran around 140lbs from highschool onwards with Bf between 13-22% I kind of just stopped eating much after a bad divorce and dropped to 127lbs. Exactly as the man says my face looked like death itself. I have no idea what my bf was but i physically felt bad even though people kept complimenting me. Its a journey not a destination and if we don't see the scenery along the way we missed the point of it all. Good luck with your journey.
The Athlean X video title was a little bit of click bait. In the actual video, he talks about how difficult and unrealistic it is to maintain that body fat percentage for most people, and generally lets folks know that 10-15% is a much more realistic goal for most people. His videos are often very realistic and reasonable
Yeah, most of his thumbnails and titles are misconceptions he then addresses in the video. I think it's smart, because people who believe in misconceptions will often watch videos that seem to agree with them as confirmation bias (as do we all). So the videos are more likely to reach people who need to have them addressed.
Yeah, Athean X gets a lot of flack for clickbait, and often going a little bit too deep into minute details that ultimately don't realistically matter. But he is usually right. He lost a lot of reputation due to the fake plates controversy, which is a shame. Since as far as fitness information goes his content is up there.
The way he described being able to see Chicago from a distance was perfect and relatable for me 😂😂 I'm at around 17% body fat and you can kinda start to see my upper abs, he nailed the description
As a woman, I got down to about 18% body fat and enjoyed my body there. Then I tried getting pregnant. For 10 months I could not get pregnant. Then I allowed myself to gain 3 lbs and got pregnant instantly. This experience taught me how much fat I needed for healthy hormone balance. For me, 15-20% wasn’t ideal, so I try to live in the 20-22% body fat range. It seems to work well for my long term health.
This is true! The ideal sweet spot for women is 20-30% so don’t feel bad you’re leaner than most, I’m sure you look great & I’m glad you were able to conceive! Even as men, we are supposed to be like 10-20% so when we get under 10% it’s nothing but constant fatigue & of course low libido, even if it “looks better” there’s no getting around the fact fat has multiple legitimate physiological functions & is a necessary part of life lol
My ideal spot is around 18% I've sat lean my whole life. I've been around 14 and felt like shit, 22% also didn't feel great. I'm not the norm but I know other women like this.
Jeff from AthleanX said 6% is ideal for him, he's consistent and happy at that he did say most people won't be and that's ok, whatever you are comfortable with and can maintain
Am 60 years old and have been lifting for decades now; this is one of the best body fat percentage visual signs explanation and delivery I've seen. Thank you, great video!!
i would say over 95% of people under estimate how much bodyfat they actually carry. Dave Palumbo once said he has a whole lot of clients claiming they are losing leg muscle when they really start to diet. He explains to them that the legs often carry a lot more fat than people think and now you are actually seeing how much real muscle you actually had in your legs.
Yep 100% i was overweight last year (200 lbs at 5"11) and i thought i was around 20-25% body fat, now im down to 172 lbs, im stronger than before and after learning more i would say NOW im 20-25% and not before haha...
@Ftreptp I'm also 5'11 and I was up to 215 in May. I cut down to no more than one soda a day(some days I don't have any, which is a huge departure) changed how I eat, I still eat the same things, I just cut back. I'm now down to 183-185, going for 175. My BF is around 25%, I bike and skate and push-ups and I work in restaurants so 15,000 steps a day is average when we're busy. At almost 41 years old to be almost able to fit into my pants from college is kinda crazy
This episode of Dr. Mike drops knowledge was really inspirational. I've never had abs. More like the La Croix version of abs. And understanding the concepts shared in this episode is a freaking serious inspiration to what's on the horizon. I'm more excited than i have been in the past.
As someone who used to be 290 pounds, got down to 160 (over many years) and now sitting at 175 and massing, it is so hard to tell my body fat percentage due to loose skin and just general body shape from being fat back in the day. Body dysmorphia to the next level
Went from 290 to 190 over the past year. Mid section looks 29 percents and everything else looks 12 percent. Hoping when I actually hit around 10% it will at least look better. I'm happy everywhere else lol.
Went from 365lb to 230lb at 6'2" in 3(ish) years and definitely have the same problem with loose skin. Really hard to tell "am I still fat (relatively) or is the loose skin throwing me off?"
@bigb67676 definitely. I know I still have a ways to go because it is still mushy. When lean, it will just be things skin hanging and pulling skin tight would show abs. Just frustrating because I have been leaner looking when I was younger, even though I am leaner fat wise now. The overhang really makes it look worse too. I am 6'1 and about 200 now. Hopefully in a few weeks I will be lean enough to do a good bulk and fill out some. Coach Greg, Dr Mike and Wyke have really made the process entertaining and I have learned a ton from them. Best progress ever in gains while on a year long cut. Crazy.
@@bigb676766’2 and went from 375 to 220. Big jump visibly from 240 to 230. Bigger change from 230 to 220. Based on what I’ve seen if you really want your physique to pop you’ll have to get to around 200 or less if you’re going for aesthetics. I’m probably still 22% at 220 so there’s a ways to go.
I feel this... Went from 260 to 130, then put on some muscle (not a ton yet), and I still look pear shaped with a loose hanging gut and love handles. And when I've fluctuated up a little in weight during a bulk, I just look straight up fat again, as it all goes to my midsection. Ngl, kinda fucks with me mentally when people tell me I look skinny lol. I get that it's because they never see me without a shirt on, but still.
@@tyv1383I used my degree to cross over into an accelerated nursing program that required we have degrees already, but yeah it’s definitely hard to keep track of everything lol.
I'm actually happy you said you like it when there is a pinch from bras and such. It's something I'm super insecure about and I had no idea it was okay to some people :)
I heard a dating coach say that really tall lanky guys and that bodybuilders like that too but I never believed it until I heard this. Heck, I'm still incredulous because there's so much hatred towards anything greater than 20% body fat.. at least here on the internet
@@namaste348 Many of us men can appreciate a bit of junk in the trunk etc. so to speak 😁- I really think it is down to the person, on both sides. Just like I've met many women who really don't like when guys get too lean.
i was 31 percent body fat, i did nothing more than just cardio and strenght workouts at home using ur guides. and now im 15 percent body fat 😭 and yes the happiness is TRULY real when u realise that abs are slowly appearing its actually so satisfying knowing uve came this far
Ifbb pro womens physique here- I've never done a dexa or any other fat test, but the eyeball test by my coach and a judge said I was around 6%. I looked like death. My face was scary. My eyes looked crazy. It paid off, I guess, got 4th place in my last competiton, only my 3rd pro show. I was the smallest on stage, but my shape and conditioning put me in the top 5 against seasoned Olympians. Hoping next year I will qualify for olympia with a first place. My body is most comfortable at around 12-15%- I look good, I feel good.
@@ericanderson2685how overly dramatic. Being around 5% as a woman is actively ruining your health. Hell, even for men it's pretty bad, your hormones go wack unless you somehow genetical anomaly. Your day job is not "dying doing something you don't enjoy", we ain't working the mines here. I think the whole bodybuilding scene is a lot of people with body dysmorphia circle jerking each other and somehow we already "got over it" with professional models, who get to actually way higher body fat (10-15%) for modelling and we say how fucked up and damaging it is, how bad that culture is, but if someone lifts and gets to look like holocaust victim with muscles people do "yeah follow your dreams, great aesthethics bro".
How about you bulk to 20% gain muscle and drop back down. How do you expect to make noticeable gains at such a low body fat percentage? Especially as a woman.
I got a DEXA this past weekend and came in at 19%. My arms were around 15%, trunk 21%, and legs 18%. I store a lot of my fat in my lower back and glutes, so my limbs look lean in gym clothes. I have some separation in my quads, separation in my upper torso, visible upper abs, but my low back is just a blur. I'm roughly 50/50 android to gynoid storage. I asked all my knowledgeable gym friends what they estimated I was, and everyone said 14-15%.
I got a DEXA back in may to verify some numbers I was using for my fat loss plan to undo all this covid/sympathy pregnancy weight. I thought I was in the low 20s, and that shit came back just shy of 30%, lol. No bigs, I just adjusted my numbers and am 30lbs down with another 10lbs to go this cycle. I'll get another DEXA to confirm where stuff is at before committing to the next cut cycle though.
They have a DEXA scan at my med school. I was anxious to get one done to see how close I am to my 12% body fat goal. If I thought I am about 13-14% now, I'm probably underestimating myself then! I don't know how much more I can cut though. I'm plateauing at about 165 right now.
@@aplive58 Just increase heavy weight exercise and protein intake. You will look more buffed but at the same time more liner, because of larger amount of muscles. But if that was me, i would not bother to go under 15% that much, 15% is really good enough, so its not worth burdening myself/yourself with numbers or look, just regular exercise and more protein.
I am aware that 15% is considered the optimum. I am doing this for aesthetic purposes! But those are good tips that I have been imitating to the best of my ability. I'm doing more cardio and NEAT to stay lean too. @@milosstojanovic4623
Damn, I always tended to Overestimate my body fat%. All throughout my fitness journey, I'd always been pretty lean, but after my most recent massing phase, I thought that I'd hit at least 20%, but all of the information presented here indicates the 10-15% range. Honestly, that made me really happy. I cannot stand excess fat on my body, it makes me feel awful and lethargic, so I always went on feel for when to stop a bulk, but looking back, that was most likely because I was simply eating too much immediately after the diet without doing a maintenance phase. Now I'm more aware of my limits and boundaries for subsequent mass gaining phases. This is super helpful information, thanks Dr. Mike!
@@yipperdeyipluckily losing fat is like 70% diet and nutrition, and 30% cardio and exercise, so losing weight doesn't require that much effort besides switching your nutrition around
I gotta stick up for Mr. Cavalier. He never said you should be 6%. He's doesn't live at 6%. In that video, he brought up various percentages that would be ideal depending on your particular goal(s). The biggest takeaway was being at the body fat percentage that feels best for you. To stay at the lowest, but healthiest but comfortable, percentage that you can. It has to be at a level you can live with forever.
Love the video. As always, excellent content. I will mention that in the Athlean-X video the thumbnail is a bit different than the content. He talks about that low of body fat not being for everyone and talks about the importance of finding your own comfortable set point.
AthleanX said that 6% is something that he wouldn't recommend to everyone and then said 10% is probably the best for the aesthetics. He also said there is no a single body fat percentage that works for everyone.
I really wish people would actually watch the video before they bash him for it. Yeah, it's a click bait title, but his actually position is nuanced and reasonable.
There's a 3 years old AthleanX video that states ~10-12% is recommended for Men and 20 something for women. I'd any day pick AthleanX over this guy, who doesn't even do his research before bashing other people who are more reputed than him.
@@vikramjadhav3631'more reputed' among the scientific lifting people like Greg Nuckols and well-respected people in the fitness sphere such as Dave Tate and lots of others, Mike has a much better reputation - and also a more appropriate scientific background than Jeff Cavaliere. Jeff Cavaliere has more subscribers, but they aren't really a measure of a person's credibility. Also Jeff faked his 500lbs deadlift and lost all credibility then and there.
@@TheJipino Greg is great for people who juice and won't make diet changes anyway to avoid sugar spikes. Its understandable for his career, but he just needs to admit it since people doing it natural need a different approach to dieting to successfully do strength training and body building.
20:00 - just to clear this up as I'm familiar with the Athlean X video, but it was debunking some myths about body fat and not advocating for a body fat that low. Jeff/Athlean X talks about how body fat percentage is dependent on you, your health, your preference, your ability to maintain it, or your sport (if applicable), with there obviously being healthier ranges to exist in than others. The main point being that there's no ideal "low" body fat for anyone, but the key is health and consistency.
Yeah, this seems to be a case of Scott/Dr. Mike reading the video title only, and engaging with the clickbait nature of Athlean-X videos. I think recall from that video that Jeff's point was (paraphrasing): more people are going to find 6% body fat attractive than 15% body fat for men. But it certainly wasn't him actually saying that 6% is ideal.
it's definitely not true that people are more attracted to 6% than 15%. In the bodybuilding world, yeah sure. But 99% of people are not in that world and for them 10-20% is probably most attractive (for man)@@thecoolestkyle
@@phoenix6235 wouldnt be to sure about it, studies indicate, that attractiveness directly correlate to fitness and health, meaning if you still look healthy sub 10 can be attractive if you are the right type for it.
Yes; just to further support what others are saying here - the title of Jeff's Cavaliere's 6% video is facetious; similar to some of Dr. Mike's titles. Jeff advocates in that video being anywhere from 6% to 15%, depending on the person's individual set point and preferences. He himself seems happy and comfortable around 7-8 % year-round without any of the negatives generally associated with doing so. Jeff does have some silly videos worthy of ridicule, but that isn't one of them. Either way, Dr. Mike is the best fitness content provider on UA-cam. Great content, great advice, hilarious editing and humor.
Body fat is killing your gains!! Athlean X did that to himself. Nobody takes him seriously because of clickbait shit like that. It doesn't matter if it's how the UA-cam business works. It's just killing your gains
My hubby and I have a blast watching your commentaries. Thank god that the first one I found was on V-Shred, whew saved me a lot of grief. Hubby gets obsessive when he focuses on a new hobby. He was up until midnight last night putting an assisted DIP machine together last night and OMG he loves it, on your recommendations; and now we are looking for a squat machine. Just go easy on telling him how women have that extra one or two in the tank, he increased my weights and reps on me the other day anyhow Thank you for being you and putting good information out there for us Geriatric "60ish" old guys/gals. PS: He has a man crush on Jason Momoa too. I can recite Aqua Man in my sleep. :)
I love this channel, its done so smart and well, ive been training for about 6 years, and i took a 3 year gap due to a bad shoulder injury (ego lifting) and then i was too embarresed to lift low weights once i recovered, so i didnt workout or diet for 3 years and lost everything, i am now starting my 5th week of gyming 6x a week and dieting really well and enjoying life again, this channel has aided me with returning to the gym confidently, thank you
This is a Great video! I am nearly 62, but a Lifetime lifter/competitor , with competition experience, which is constantly in your head when you're no in that world any longer! I just did a 12wk transformation challenge, which for me turned into 9lbs and 9.25"lost . What a difference, and this video was so helpful to me, being female. Thanks so much for your humor, it's hilarious, as well as your advice and hard work! I love your videos.
61yrs old. Started working out again in June 2023 203lbs and 32% body fat. Fast forward to Sept 2023 177lbs and 20% body fat. Size 38 jeans to 36 jeans a little lose. 3x week full body workout with 4 sets/15/10etc reps. Trying to eat right and I have some fat in the chest and sides but working on that now that I dropped weight. Now while maintaining my workout listed above, I have incorporated Tuesday/Thursday (started Oct 3rd 2023) to focus on my cardio and focus more on abdominal core training. Thinking about next month (November) in helping get the fat off, to try to do at least 15min at the end of each workout session. Old school from the 70's era of lifting and cardio wasn't a thing back then as far as I remember. Not a big frame (5' 10"), but want to get cut up just to see if I can do it again. So my goal from October 2023-December 2023 is to get the fat off and somewhat cut up to move into the new year with about 15-12% body fat hopefully so we will see. I was thinking (and I don't know) that if I drop a little more, I could get rid of some fat and then I can maybe bulk up a little and keep it off but at a higher weight.??, that is where I'm wanting to achieve. A lot of things have changed seems like (knowledge) from the old era of lifting but I'm trying, not sure I'm doing it 100% right, but I'm feeling great and really motivated as you have seen above. Great video and really appreciate your videos etc. Supplements: (Body Force Super Advanced) Whey Isloate 2 scoops (one before and one after workout) and one late in the evening, HMB 1kmg per tablet x2 daily, Legion Pulse pre-workout (usually one scoop unless I need two that day), Creatine 2 pills before and two after workout (KRE-Alkalyne by EFXsports).
As a trainer and coach I love these videos have learned a ton from watching your videos, but as an Endurance athlete it's always interesting to me to watch these because they are all within the lens of either bodybuilding or weight lifting, I feel like its super important to make the point that what a body builder looks like at 5% body fat and what a runner or cyclist looks like at 5% body fat is actually quite different, sure you have the veins but the striations are not nearly as crazy because your muscles are much smaller than someone who does resistance training everyday.
I've just spent 3 months implementing stuff i've learned from this channel in a weight loss phase. Dropped from 193 to 173lb. For the first time in over 10 years i've got visible abs, still a little chub, i'd guess i'm somewhere between 13 and 15%. Two things: yes, you're probably fatter than you think (when i started i was like "oh i'll be lean at 180" - yeah, no), and weight loss and changes will come in phases, especially the further into the diet you get - once i got under 180 I might go 5-6 days with no weight loss, then drop 1.5lb in 2 days and keep it off. Same goes for visual changes: "wow i look like crap" "wow i look great!" "wow i look like crap" literally every couple of weeks. Just keep going. If the gym is going well and the weight is moving down, it's happening. And huge thanks to Dr Mike and the gang for the content they put out. Absolutely the best i've ever managed to implement a strategy and get the result i wanted, and it's 100% due to the content i've watched on this channel.
Exact same situation for me. Once I hit that 180 mark I could go a week + with no weight change. Next day I'm 1-2 lbs sometimes more down, then that becomes the next static weight for a while. It's a trip.
@@richardgosselin95486ft exactly. I lost a bunch of weight (muscle and fat) earlier this year due to injuries and some other personal stuff, so I dropped from ~207 to 193 just through lack of gym/diet, but took it as an opportunity to focus on getting over those injuries while actually looking decent for the first time in ages when I got back into it. Probably the best I’ve ever looked, but looking forward to seeing what some improved consistency can do over the next 12 months. If I was this lean at 185 I think I’d look great, still on the skinny side at the moment, but much better than the sort of “maybe that guy goes to the gym?” look I had previously.
@@richardgosselin9548 I'm 5" 10, was 280 lbs at my highest before I started to lose the weight. Currently 160, guessing I'm probably around 18% bf after watching this video. Or it's just loose skin throwing me off
Hands down best fitness stuff on UA-cam thanks both to the quality and depth of information AND the glorious comedy stylings of Dr. Mike; can't get enough
I was 250lbs+ at my heaviest 4 years ago, and I've never looked back since I made the decision to get in shape. I'm now down to 185lbs at 19% body fat, up from my lightest at 173lbs. My current goal is to get stronger at the gym, and to keep myself in the 12-15% range.
Dr. Mike man thank you for all that you do in terms of this free content for us. I've legit gotten like 90% of my diet and training knowledge from the Renaissance Periodization youtube channel and the rest from Greg Doucette LOL. Loved that little talk at the end there about getting to a bf percentage where you are simply just "happy". I've gotten sub 10 before and tbh it's nothing more than overrated, nobody really cares other than you at that level of leanness. Best of luck to anyone on their weight loss journey, the results take time but as long as you're happy it's worth it.
First, thanks Mike for this video, it’s important to realistically know how much shit we have in our bodies, cuz google photos and videos usually shows different examples, specially percentages under 20%-15%
Great video Dr Mike! Speaking from experience above about 19,000 ft totally feels like garbage but you can acclimate to it and be alright for a pretty long time. Also thanks for the advice you gave on the livestream last year on periodizing cardio/weights. So you know, I didn't get kidnapped climbing Kilimanjaro, managed to summit and the nat geo documentary is cancelled haha.
This is a timely video for me. I've just finished an 8 week cut losing 15lbs from 230 -> 215. Based on this guide, I'm probably like 18% - 21% bodyfat, so 195 might put me at a pretty lean place for just walkin around
Thank you for sharing your wisdom! I often laugh too much while I watching your videos that don’t hear everything . As a 40yr old, 5’3” women my weight has ranged from 115-140. (155lbs at the end of my pregnancy, 3kids, years ago). I can’t tell you how many doctors would tell me lower your BMI! I would get so frustrated! I run marathons, train in MMA, and love lifting weights! These are all hobbies for me, but I found over the years, I love having curves and being at 18% BMI with a resting heart rate of 52. I wish more doctors understood there’s more numbers than a BMI measured by height and my weight on a scale 🤨 Thank you for the reassurance I needed! PS. I’m in a car rider line waiting to pick up my kids from school using the microphone. Don’t judge my grammar or auto corrections..
I know people dream of hitting low % body fat but it's not all great. I was around 5% while training for the SF and had to eat all day just to fatten up as I couldn't regulate my core temperature properly sub 12%. If we were in the surf, I would start freezing immediately no matter what I did to stay warm. 12% was about the limit of normal functioning for me.
I'm not defending Athlean X here, but that 6% body fat thing is just the thumbnail for clickbait. In the video he goes into detail about what different body fat percentages look like and lands on around 15% being the ideal for males who aren't competitive body builders. Jeff loves his clickbait thumbnails.
Yeah everyone uses clickbait on UA-cam, so you have to actually watch the video to judge the content, or just ignore the video. You can't take the thumbnail and title at face value.
The hard part is judging body fat after losing 100 pounds. Can see detail in forearms and lower legs like 6%, arms and shoulders details with quad and hamstring separation like 11%, upper and middle back like 12% and a midsection with overhang like 29%. I am between 12% and 30% lol.
@kingofrunes5291 i did one as well. Thought i stalled for 4 weeks at the sake weight, very puzzling. Dropped sodium a bit (was very high) and dropped 10 pounds over the next week. 8 weeks to 10%, then sa well planned out strict bulk. Excited, leanest right now than I have been since 1998 and getting leaner.
A few things I would humbly and randomly add as a pharmacist who tries to keep up with research “on the frontiers” that hasn’t trickled down into the common understanding of how things work by folks in the healthcare or nutrition/fat loss research field: 1) Emerging research continues to link processed foods with a number of negative health outcomes, chronic disease, higher body weight. Quality of food matters. Calories in/calories out is often right enough, but still too simplistic. Especially in the setting of metabolic dysfunction. 2) Emerging research is beginning to unravel more of the specific ways that the gut microbiota heavily influences overall health, more specifically, it affects nutrient absorption/utilization, chronic inflammation, integrity of gut barrier, potentially your atherosclerotic risk, among many other things. This is influenced by probiotic intake (fermented foods), but also prebiotics (foods that feed/encourage gut bacteria proliferation). Processed foods also generally have a negative impact on gut health in the long term, all else being equal.
Have learned a lot from your videos and athlenx. The AthlenX video about 6% body fat pretty much mirrors the info here. You guys both put out the new style thumbnails... looks like the click bait didn't work just the anger at titles lol. In one of his, how lean should you be, videos he even calls himself Skeletor because of what you are talking about at the lower body fat.
Thanks for this video. It's really hard for me to tell where I'm at. My upper body is very lean (especially my back) and people who see me in a sports bra, immediately know I workout. I have the outer shape of my abs pretty visible too but my lower body is much "softer" so I don't know if I'm between 15-20 or 20-25.
I would be so interested to get a dexa scan! My scale says I’m 29% fat, but I have great muscle shape at this point. I have delt, tricep and bicep separations and some veins that pop out at this point, and 2quad separations, obvious muscle separation in my back. I’m BEGINNING to see abs peek through and I’ve almost lost the lower belly dip. I’ve lost 40lbs the past year. And I lift weights 4-5 days a week. It’s amazing what our body gives us when we put in the work! I love it!
I’m 6’0”, 155 lbs, 10.5% body fat. I try to stay around these figures year round. I love to run 5ks, lift weights, and be outside. Numbers, times, one rep maxes don’t matter in the end. Just have fun and be active!
I love to be outside too, but 8 months of the year it's cold, wet, and miserable where I live. For 4 months of the year, fitness can be a lifestyle. For the other 8 months, it's a bit more of a chore. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness, unfortunately. Every body is different.
They don't matter to you.. just like having a set BW and BF % don't matter to me... I'm happier knowing that when I look at most guys I know I can strict press them...
Love Mike, love this channel! You are a God send. I think a collaboration with you and Jeff Cavalier at Athlean-X would be great. You and him both talk about specifics and in context to each of your areas of expertise. Jeff uses click bate, and that video you reference he answers a comment that inspires the topic and video title. Thanks for the great content and the comedy that always has me laughing 🤣...
Also JM was a person I confided in when my wife was doing her 1st show during medical residency- my point I don’t follow lots of folks - John was my dude. I do enjoy your content- so that’s my compliment to sir!!! Carry on brother! Thk you.
This is so helpful as I've been on a weightlifting program for a month. I've gained 3 lbs, but my body looks different, so the charts helped me understand what range I was in and am likely to be in now.
Very interesting to see and hear this and how much it varies between people. Im in the 20-25% but have clear seperation in my delts, triceps and traps. Can see muscles throughout my upper back and can see lats beginning to pop through but have love handles for days still. Only just began lifting a few months ago. Down from 110kgs to 83.5. Weight loss is slowing down but I'm beginning to add a fair bit more carbs back into the diet so my fatigue isn't destroying my sleep and lifting is actually enjoyable.
I lost 200 pounds and then started lifting six months ago. I am in the belly overhang but veiny calves arms separated back and delts. Substantial weight loss really affects this but great video overall!
I think there's a reason he stopped the comparisons at 30%+ body fat. Once you trend into that morbid obesity plus area, and/or are no longer 20-something years old, the skin just can't retract back to it's pre-stretched condition. Fortunately, cosmetic surgery exists if it's something that matters to you.
I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and even then there were significant differences between my legs (I normally have veins and muscle separation even on my shins while being on the heavier side - genetics, I guess) and my mid-section (even at my lowest weight I didn't have much abs showing up). At some point I decided that the sacrifices of the caloric deficit just to have a slightly flatter belly weren't worth it, the belly fat is the last one to go and the first one to come back so be it, I lift kettlebells alone in my room with my shirt on and nobody cares.
My fat distribution is pretty similar. I’d say I’m around 20% rn and I have veins around the shins/calves, and have a vein starting to show in my bicep with a pump. I have extremely boney/skinny wrists. Luckily my shoulder to waist size ratio is decent now. I’m curious to see if I have visible abs around 12-15% as I haven’t gone through a cutting phase yet since lifting consistently the past 2yrs.
This is amazing cause all the stupid scans and BMI things say I’m 30+ but yet I have zero fat overhang and lots of muscle. Hourglass shape. No love handles etc. thank you for this video. Looks like i’m more 20-25% 🎉
This is always my problem too. I do inbody scans and I'm down at a personal best of just north of 35% but I do not look like the pictures for that percentage. I guess it's better to just use pictures to estimate if we don't have access to a DEXA?
First time seeing this channel and man that was an interesting opening haha. Appreciate all the detailed descriptions you provide with the pictures. I think I am in the 15%-17% BF range, being tall it's difficult to tell, but I am getting my first Dexascan on Monday so I will know for sure.
Great video! Question...how mich dies hydration factor into appearance? For instance, I imagine 10% well-hydrated looks FAR different than 10% dehydrated... So, still at 10%, but far different in appearance.
As a 42 year old woman who recently took up lifting weights again, it’s incredibly frustrating that the majority of my body fat is concentrated in my abdomen. Subcutaneous and visceral fat. Everywhere else my muscles are clearly visible, as are my ribs (to a healthy degree). I hate being visibly in shape everywhere except for this one particular area of my body. And I never even had a baby! I don’t wanna lose any more of my boobs and butt. Is this just the way it goes at my age?
I would get my hormones checked if I was you. I am at your age and when I started getting fat in those areas even though I was lifting, my hormones were out of balance.
I just don’t think it goes away. I’m still fighting mine & it’s been hanging around since high school when I was 115lbs soaking wet and around 18% body fat. It’s just part of me. If I can’t get rid of it by the time I’m 50, I’m just going to give it a name & move on!
I was at 25% body fat (from my watch). Then i bought a scale on amazon that does body fat % instantly lost 7% body fat. I dieted 1% down to 17%.. life came in the way of my fat loss so i maintained there and now back to trying to cut down. Your description of 17% matched how I look and what the scale says.
4:22 I feel this xD, most of my fats are in my belly and chest, but the chest is developing quite nicely. I still consider myself to be just fat, but when I put on a tank top for work, I ALWAYS get the "Heey, were you a bouncer before?" or the "What are you doing in an office work, you should be a bouncer" etc.. my arm are big, but biceps not quite develop, tricep is clearly visible though. BUT THAT BELLY FAT IS STUBBORN, AND I HAVE A LOT.
Got a body impedance test that said 9%, which I considered unbelievable. Then I got a DEXA and it said 12%. I still don't have visible abs *at all*. The rest of my upper body looks pretty lean (arms and chest), but my whole mid-section looks really bad. I lost ~90lbs half a year ago, so I think it's all just loose skin (doesn't exactly look like fat either). But I even have some very loose love-handles still. So if you lost a lot of weight and can't find/afford a DEXA, don't rely on the criteria presented in the video too much. And personally I just take collagen and hope it tightens up in the next few years. I'm almost afraid of going lower in BF and ending up looking all fucked up, because I'll have a tummy while being super veiny above my chest.
Yes, the loose skin effect is almost never mentioned in body fat % videos including not mentioned in this one. It is a big issue that fitness people rarely consider because they never lost that much weight or if they did they were so young, that the collagen levels in their skin took care of the issue. As for taking collagen, I have not seen any research supporting that. There does seem to be some research support (for MODEST skin reduction) with radiofrequency devices and a little research support for autophagy-induced skin repair. You may get lucky with genetic support, but in any case, it is a long-term game. Also, of course, building more muscle may convert extra skin into needed skin.
This is cause you do cosmetics of numbers. People want to have a certain look, and with looking for numbers, they want to measure how far they are away from this look. But there is no general relation, on such a such measurement, you will look soandso. It works for a set of people, but it's nothing like a natural law. So your mistake is, to measure at all. What should it be good for ? To impress somebody with numbers ?
I'm AFAB and according to this I think I'm 25-30% range but my abs are starting to show a lot, I can see them almost as well as in the 12% pictures, they're more bulgy because they're covered in fat but they're as defined. As you said, it varies a lot from one person to the next! I do have a lot more fat below my belly-button, and an overhang so I'm clearly not lean, my abs are going to look amazing when I get to my goal (which is around 20% body fat).
Im 54, male, 5'8". I have no idea what my body fat was as a teen but looking at these pics i would say easily 8%. I lifted, gymnastics, football, tennis, extremely active. In my 20's I hovered in the 15-20% range and was somewhat active mountain biking 4-6 times a month. Started lifting again at 31 and bf% was around 25. By 34 I was around 12 and started to look pretty jacked. An old back injury caught up to me, fractured L4 the surgeon said had enough cortication to indicate at 20 year old injury. I dont when or how it happened. I was stupid active and bulletproof when young. Needless to say, my late 30's and entire 40's were very sedentary. Now Im back to lifting and a few days a week of steady state for 45-60 minutes. BF% is 19. My arms and upper back look like 10-12%, my legs look like 16-18% and my waist looks like 30! Its so so frustrating. Im living in a constant caloric deficit, supplement with whey and EAA's, muscle is coming back quickly, but man, this belly fat is stubborn! Im only 8 weeks in, I guess patience and consistency will be key, and I suppose I should cut myself some slack for being 54....but its hard. Now that my back is better, after 2 surgeries, i want my life back and my body!
I love to train but i do it mostly for overall size and strength. Ive been pretty lean before at probably close to 12% but i like the way i look (and FEEL) alot more in the 20% range. I have arm veins visible and hints of abs. Its just the place im most comfortable.
100% the same way i feel. I ALWAYS have visible arm veins. But i have only minimal ab definition. I was hoping this video might clear up my current position but it only made me more confused.
Oooo content idea!!! Doc you should do a segment where you guess the bf% from member submissions. Imagine it! Just a bunch of overweight hairy guys slamming those dms with topless pics! You would love it!
I definately got to about 7%. I had the striations, and my calves were getting veins. That's when I knew I was getting toward lower single digit fat. I looked pumped all day and people thought I got bigger when I actually lost 10 lbs. It was excellent!
I'm not used to being able to build muscle consistently, I've always been thin. I did a workout challenge where they measure bodyfat and muscle over 3 months. I went from 15%, which is where I naturally hover, but will go to 20 if I'm lazy for a long period of time, down to 8.5% and gained 8 lbs of muscle over my body. I felt great. I'm the body type that probably can maintain less than 10 percent without being deprived of energy, but holding muscle is difficult for me, I lose it fast after I stop a program. But I noticed I don't really start to see my abs until I'm under or around 12%, probably since my muscles aren't big. I'm trying to get to that point again because it's the only time i've had defined abs. Actually, I want to put on 15 lbs. of muscle. I think any more than that feels like shooting for the stars. I'm 6'2 and only weigh around 180 normally.
My Withing scale was showing my BF at 21% -- which I knew was bullshit, because these scales are bullshit, at least for BF estimates. Did a Dexa and was shocked to see my BF is really 28% (I looked slightly less fat than the white guy in Mike's 25% fat slide). I immediately went on a cut, and have dropped from 180 lbs to 170 lbs in the last 8 weeks -- and the Fing scale shows the exact same 21% BF percentage! Meanwhile, simply based on lifting metrics and measuring muscles with a tape measure, I haven't (apparently) lost any muscle mass. My daily calories deficit has been modest and my workouts have been progressively harder. Moral of story: "smart scales" that estimate BF are even worse than I thought. Gonna start doing Dexa 3-4 times a year.
Strange, when I did a body composition test it was within 10% of my smart scale in terms of lean mass and body fat. But being measured by electrical impedance, I could see how a lot of factors (hydration, fat distribution, salt intake, etc) could affect the accuracy of the readings. I feel like it's not useful to get an exact number, but very useful for looking at overall trends in body composition.
Getting a Dexa is still best. I've been fit my whole life and watched these videos and read up on this and thought I knew my body fat to be between 10-16% through eyeballing and daily weigh-ins on a scale with body fat scanning (even knowing these things are way off, I still didn't realize how much). After a bulking phase followed by a light cut, with arm veins and abs visible when I flex, I got my first dexa and was 19.7%. I was blown away. I've been doing a high protein cut and dropped another 5% body fat and am back around my pre-bulk size Moral of the story: it's easy to get fooled for how much muscle you think you're putting on and easy to not grasp how much fat you've actually got
Best advice I can give for someone trying to get abs...don't let yourself get hella fat in the first place. (I know, hindsight's 20/20) My body naturally stores a lot of fat right in the belly already and I got pretty fat in my twenties and got a solid Dunlops gut. Eventually I got quite lean and had a DEXA scan of 9% but you still couldn't really see my lower abs at all. Veins in my legs and arms and chest and some upper abs, but never a full 6 pack. That hyperplasia in the belly is a biatch.
15-20% for me i reckon. I hold all my fat love handles and lower abs to the extent they protrude further than waist line but I've got bicep veins, defined legs. Basically need to diet hard to have a good body shape😢 As soon as my wife is no longer heavily pregnant and my toddler is in nursery I'm getting my damn abs back Shout out to all my homies earning their dad bods sacrificing for their family
The death zone or lethal zone in mountaineering exists at 26,000ft or 8,000m. The problem with altitude is not with oxygen saturation, but atmospheric pressure; oxygen saturation is stable up to about 53mi or 85km above sea level. When atmospheric pressure goes down the amount of oxygen your body can process at any given point also goes down.
Having a body wasn't ideal, let alone body fat. I am now a celestial being.
Are you Safer Sephiroth?
How are your gains coming along as a celestial being?
@@incurableromantic4006YOU FOOL! I don't need gains! You mortals cannot comprehend our ways!
@@ordinarryalien Wow. *That* jacked huh?
Writing this comment from cloud storage
As someone who used to be fat and is currently at the "Are those abs?" phase, I can assure anyone struggling with fat loss that the emotional rollercoaster of seeing aesthetic changes in the body is well worth it; keep pushing.
I feel ya, I am not to the are those abs, but the oh he has muscles in his arms. But seeing the fat get the hint its not welcome really helps with the diet fatigue.
As someone who's currently fat and working out and doing cardio on a daily basis with one rest day I salute you my good sir 🫡🫡
That's awesome bro!!
@dilfaro how do you deal with the excess skin?
Amen. The first time you see your abs in a mirror is amazing. Then I binge for a couple days and they disappear but that's a whole other discussion.
Im a guy and used to be anorexic. Im up to 140lbs around 10% body fat. Im still trying to gain weight, but im very happy with my progress. Your channel has been a big help.
That is so interesting, would you mind sharing your story?
I feel your struggle man. I used to be super overweight but then I went too far ... but now I'm a healthy weight. You got this 💪🏼
I have always ran around 140lbs from highschool onwards with Bf between 13-22% I kind of just stopped eating much after a bad divorce and dropped to 127lbs. Exactly as the man says my face looked like death itself. I have no idea what my bf was but i physically felt bad even though people kept complimenting me. Its a journey not a destination and if we don't see the scenery along the way we missed the point of it all. Good luck with your journey.
Don’t try to gain weight, try to gain muscle 💪
naw just gain both and then do a cut@@lonelylama5222
The Athlean X video title was a little bit of click bait. In the actual video, he talks about how difficult and unrealistic it is to maintain that body fat percentage for most people, and generally lets folks know that 10-15% is a much more realistic goal for most people. His videos are often very realistic and reasonable
People = men. It’s higher for women
Yeah, most of his thumbnails and titles are misconceptions he then addresses in the video. I think it's smart, because people who believe in misconceptions will often watch videos that seem to agree with them as confirmation bias (as do we all). So the videos are more likely to reach people who need to have them addressed.
Agree! I follow Athlean X as well. Both Mike and Jeff are good influencers.
Yeah, Athean X gets a lot of flack for clickbait, and often going a little bit too deep into minute details that ultimately don't realistically matter. But he is usually right.
He lost a lot of reputation due to the fake plates controversy, which is a shame. Since as far as fitness information goes his content is up there.
Im surprised athlean x is still around. Damn shame, has his content caught up to being useful or is it still trash
The way he described being able to see Chicago from a distance was perfect and relatable for me 😂😂 I'm at around 17% body fat and you can kinda start to see my upper abs, he nailed the description
Maybe the sensor on my scale isnt wrong then. I'm at 17 too.
You forgot about Coach Greg’s laser eyes being ranked slightly below the MRI but definitely ahead of the DEXA scan
Naturally 😭
More accurate than last time
I was sure you'd comment on the lower % for females
More BBCed than last time!
Exactly the comment I was going to make. But I see you beat me to it😅
As a woman, I got down to about 18% body fat and enjoyed my body there. Then I tried getting pregnant. For 10 months I could not get pregnant. Then I allowed myself to gain 3 lbs and got pregnant instantly. This experience taught me how much fat I needed for healthy hormone balance. For me, 15-20% wasn’t ideal, so I try to live in the 20-22% body fat range. It seems to work well for my long term health.
This is true! The ideal sweet spot for women is 20-30% so don’t feel bad you’re leaner than most, I’m sure you look great & I’m glad you were able to conceive! Even as men, we are supposed to be like 10-20% so when we get under 10% it’s nothing but constant fatigue & of course low libido, even if it “looks better” there’s no getting around the fact fat has multiple legitimate physiological functions & is a necessary part of life lol
Yes. Below 20% almost always negatively impacts hormones.
Agree I think 20-25 is more ideal… I lose my period at 20%
The female endocrine system needs a baseline amount of body fat to operate properly.
My ideal spot is around 18% I've sat lean my whole life. I've been around 14 and felt like shit, 22% also didn't feel great. I'm not the norm but I know other women like this.
Came for the thumbnail, came for the thumbnail.
And i came in the thumbnail
@@ricardoge96 and came all over the thumbnail
Lmaooo
Ayyyy yooooo!
it was so damn good.
Jeff from AthleanX said 6% is ideal for him, he's consistent and happy at that he did say most people won't be and that's ok, whatever you are comfortable with and can maintain
He was closer to 8% but yeah he was comfortable there. Its rare that people are comfortable at 6-8% especially that have decent muscle mass
It's ideal for him because he needs it to sell supplements and workout programs.
Am 60 years old and have been lifting for decades now; this is one of the best body fat percentage visual signs explanation and delivery I've seen. Thank you, great video!!
i would say over 95% of people under estimate how much bodyfat they actually carry. Dave Palumbo once said he has a whole lot of clients claiming they are losing leg muscle when they really start to diet. He explains to them that the legs often carry a lot more fat than people think and now you are actually seeing how much real muscle you actually had in your legs.
Yep my legs shrivel up on a diet
It depends on the person. Some people get enormous legs and butt when they get fat, but I just get an enormous belly and my legs stay almost the same🤣
Yep 100% i was overweight last year (200 lbs at 5"11) and i thought i was around 20-25% body fat, now im down to 172 lbs, im stronger than before and after learning more i would say NOW im 20-25% and not before haha...
@Ftreptp I'm also 5'11 and I was up to 215 in May. I cut down to no more than one soda a day(some days I don't have any, which is a huge departure) changed how I eat, I still eat the same things, I just cut back. I'm now down to 183-185, going for 175. My BF is around 25%, I bike and skate and push-ups and I work in restaurants so 15,000 steps a day is average when we're busy.
At almost 41 years old to be almost able to fit into my pants from college is kinda crazy
I'm in tears. My legs were my pride. Was it all a lie🗿
Dr Mike is an encyclopedia. Even his humour is pretty intelligent.
Keep it up doc !
His humour is intelligent. Also a bit pervy. And often very surreal. . . . . . .
especially regarding vaccines, hes like triple dr. ther
@@incurableromantic4006 his humor not a bit pervy. It's super pervy.
Hes a douchebag who calls himself a fing doctor wtf?! did you see the thumbnail?
This episode of Dr. Mike drops knowledge was really inspirational. I've never had abs. More like the La Croix version of abs. And understanding the concepts shared in this episode is a freaking serious inspiration to what's on the horizon. I'm more excited than i have been in the past.
Your analogy of the 5% and under male and female bodybuilders in a room together had me in fits! As Whitney would say: “it ain’t right, but it’s ok”!
As someone who used to be 290 pounds, got down to 160 (over many years) and now sitting at 175 and massing, it is so hard to tell my body fat percentage due to loose skin and just general body shape from being fat back in the day. Body dysmorphia to the next level
Went from 290 to 190 over the past year. Mid section looks 29 percents and everything else looks 12 percent. Hoping when I actually hit around 10% it will at least look better. I'm happy everywhere else lol.
Went from 365lb to 230lb at 6'2" in 3(ish) years and definitely have the same problem with loose skin. Really hard to tell "am I still fat (relatively) or is the loose skin throwing me off?"
@bigb67676 definitely. I know I still have a ways to go because it is still mushy. When lean, it will just be things skin hanging and pulling skin tight would show abs.
Just frustrating because I have been leaner looking when I was younger, even though I am leaner fat wise now. The overhang really makes it look worse too. I am 6'1 and about 200 now. Hopefully in a few weeks I will be lean enough to do a good bulk and fill out some.
Coach Greg, Dr Mike and Wyke have really made the process entertaining and I have learned a ton from them. Best progress ever in gains while on a year long cut. Crazy.
@@bigb676766’2 and went from 375 to 220. Big jump visibly from 240 to 230. Bigger change from 230 to 220. Based on what I’ve seen if you really want your physique to pop you’ll have to get to around 200 or less if you’re going for aesthetics. I’m probably still 22% at 220 so there’s a ways to go.
I feel this... Went from 260 to 130, then put on some muscle (not a ton yet), and I still look pear shaped with a loose hanging gut and love handles. And when I've fluctuated up a little in weight during a bulk, I just look straight up fat again, as it all goes to my midsection.
Ngl, kinda fucks with me mentally when people tell me I look skinny lol. I get that it's because they never see me without a shirt on, but still.
There’s literally no channel at this level. Such great scientific approach to all the posts you’re super awesome thank you.
Your entire channel has prevented me from forgetting what I learned during my kinesiology degree lol. Thanks for all you do, Dr. Mike.
I’m definitely learning more then what I did in my B.S. in Kinesiology 😂
@@tyv1383I used my degree to cross over into an accelerated nursing program that required we have degrees already, but yeah it’s definitely hard to keep track of everything lol.
I got an anatomy and phys degree and it just makes me wanna sack tap him every 2 an half minutes.
The exact reason why I didn't waste my money on a BA degree 😅
@@Jake_RFdon't waste your money on any degree, this isn't the early 2000s anymore, college is becoming more and more obsolete
I'm actually happy you said you like it when there is a pinch from bras and such. It's something I'm super insecure about and I had no idea it was okay to some people :)
I heard a dating coach say that really tall lanky guys and that bodybuilders like that too but I never believed it until I heard this. Heck, I'm still incredulous because there's so much hatred towards anything greater than 20% body fat.. at least here on the internet
@@namaste348 Many of us men can appreciate a bit of junk in the trunk etc. so to speak 😁- I really think it is down to the person, on both sides. Just like I've met many women who really don't like when guys get too lean.
i was 31 percent body fat, i did nothing more than just cardio and strenght workouts at home using ur guides. and now im 15 percent body fat 😭 and yes the happiness is TRULY real when u realise that abs are slowly appearing its actually so satisfying knowing uve came this far
Ifbb pro womens physique here- I've never done a dexa or any other fat test, but the eyeball test by my coach and a judge said I was around 6%. I looked like death. My face was scary. My eyes looked crazy. It paid off, I guess, got 4th place in my last competiton, only my 3rd pro show. I was the smallest on stage, but my shape and conditioning put me in the top 5 against seasoned Olympians. Hoping next year I will qualify for olympia with a first place. My body is most comfortable at around 12-15%- I look good, I feel good.
I believe you, but that's nutty. 12-15 for women is already so lean, it's hard to imagine feeling comfortable there.
I always wonder why people wanna die for a plastic trophy
@@MeesterJ better than dying for nothing, or something you dont enjoy
@@ericanderson2685how overly dramatic. Being around 5% as a woman is actively ruining your health. Hell, even for men it's pretty bad, your hormones go wack unless you somehow genetical anomaly. Your day job is not "dying doing something you don't enjoy", we ain't working the mines here.
I think the whole bodybuilding scene is a lot of people with body dysmorphia circle jerking each other and somehow we already "got over it" with professional models, who get to actually way higher body fat (10-15%) for modelling and we say how fucked up and damaging it is, how bad that culture is, but if someone lifts and gets to look like holocaust victim with muscles people do "yeah follow your dreams, great aesthethics bro".
How about you bulk to 20% gain muscle and drop back down. How do you expect to make noticeable gains at such a low body fat percentage? Especially as a woman.
I got a DEXA this past weekend and came in at 19%. My arms were around 15%, trunk 21%, and legs 18%. I store a lot of my fat in my lower back and glutes, so my limbs look lean in gym clothes. I have some separation in my quads, separation in my upper torso, visible upper abs, but my low back is just a blur. I'm roughly 50/50 android to gynoid storage.
I asked all my knowledgeable gym friends what they estimated I was, and everyone said 14-15%.
I got a DEXA back in may to verify some numbers I was using for my fat loss plan to undo all this covid/sympathy pregnancy weight. I thought I was in the low 20s, and that shit came back just shy of 30%, lol. No bigs, I just adjusted my numbers and am 30lbs down with another 10lbs to go this cycle. I'll get another DEXA to confirm where stuff is at before committing to the next cut cycle though.
They have a DEXA scan at my med school. I was anxious to get one done to see how close I am to my 12% body fat goal. If I thought I am about 13-14% now, I'm probably underestimating myself then! I don't know how much more I can cut though. I'm plateauing at about 165 right now.
Do you think DEXA scans are accurate?
@@aplive58 Just increase heavy weight exercise and protein intake. You will look more buffed but at the same time more liner, because of larger amount of muscles. But if that was me, i would not bother to go under 15% that much, 15% is really good enough, so its not worth burdening myself/yourself with numbers or look, just regular exercise and more protein.
I am aware that 15% is considered the optimum. I am doing this for aesthetic purposes! But those are good tips that I have been imitating to the best of my ability. I'm doing more cardio and NEAT to stay lean too. @@milosstojanovic4623
Damn, I always tended to Overestimate my body fat%. All throughout my fitness journey, I'd always been pretty lean, but after my most recent massing phase, I thought that I'd hit at least 20%, but all of the information presented here indicates the 10-15% range. Honestly, that made me really happy. I cannot stand excess fat on my body, it makes me feel awful and lethargic, so I always went on feel for when to stop a bulk, but looking back, that was most likely because I was simply eating too much immediately after the diet without doing a maintenance phase. Now I'm more aware of my limits and boundaries for subsequent mass gaining phases. This is super helpful information, thanks Dr. Mike!
Lethargic from fat lol?
God I need to lose fat as I've never been below 20%... :(
@@yipperdeyip yeah if you are a man and above 20 especially 25 you lose motivation and hard things become harder mentally
@@yipperdeyipluckily losing fat is like 70% diet and nutrition, and 30% cardio and exercise, so losing weight doesn't require that much effort besides switching your nutrition around
I gotta stick up for Mr. Cavalier. He never said you should be 6%. He's doesn't live at 6%. In that video, he brought up various percentages that would be ideal depending on your particular goal(s). The biggest takeaway was being at the body fat percentage that feels best for you. To stay at the lowest, but healthiest but comfortable, percentage that you can. It has to be at a level you can live with forever.
Love the video. As always, excellent content. I will mention that in the Athlean-X video the thumbnail is a bit different than the content. He talks about that low of body fat not being for everyone and talks about the importance of finding your own comfortable set point.
AthleanX said that 6% is something that he wouldn't recommend to everyone and then said 10% is probably the best for the aesthetics. He also said there is no a single body fat percentage that works for everyone.
I really wish people would actually watch the video before they bash him for it. Yeah, it's a click bait title, but his actually position is nuanced and reasonable.
There's a 3 years old AthleanX video that states ~10-12% is recommended for Men and 20 something for women. I'd any day pick AthleanX over this guy, who doesn't even do his research before bashing other people who are more reputed than him.
@@vikramjadhav3631'more reputed' among the scientific lifting people like Greg Nuckols and well-respected people in the fitness sphere such as Dave Tate and lots of others, Mike has a much better reputation - and also a more appropriate scientific background than Jeff Cavaliere. Jeff Cavaliere has more subscribers, but they aren't really a measure of a person's credibility. Also Jeff faked his 500lbs deadlift and lost all credibility then and there.
@@TheJipino Greg is great for people who juice and won't make diet changes anyway to avoid sugar spikes. Its understandable for his career, but he just needs to admit it since people doing it natural need a different approach to dieting to successfully do strength training and body building.
@@user-ly3li3ex8c you're thinking of Greg Doucette, I think?
20:00 - just to clear this up as I'm familiar with the Athlean X video, but it was debunking some myths about body fat and not advocating for a body fat that low. Jeff/Athlean X talks about how body fat percentage is dependent on you, your health, your preference, your ability to maintain it, or your sport (if applicable), with there obviously being healthier ranges to exist in than others. The main point being that there's no ideal "low" body fat for anyone, but the key is health and consistency.
Yeah, this seems to be a case of Scott/Dr. Mike reading the video title only, and engaging with the clickbait nature of Athlean-X videos.
I think recall from that video that Jeff's point was (paraphrasing): more people are going to find 6% body fat attractive than 15% body fat for men. But it certainly wasn't him actually saying that 6% is ideal.
it's definitely not true that people are more attracted to 6% than 15%. In the bodybuilding world, yeah sure. But 99% of people are not in that world and for them 10-20% is probably most attractive (for man)@@thecoolestkyle
@@phoenix6235 wouldnt be to sure about it, studies indicate, that attractiveness directly correlate to fitness and health, meaning if you still look healthy sub 10 can be attractive if you are the right type for it.
Yes; just to further support what others are saying here - the title of Jeff's Cavaliere's 6% video is facetious; similar to some of Dr. Mike's titles.
Jeff advocates in that video being anywhere from 6% to 15%, depending on the person's individual set point and preferences. He himself seems happy and comfortable around 7-8 % year-round without any of the negatives generally associated with doing so.
Jeff does have some silly videos worthy of ridicule, but that isn't one of them.
Either way, Dr. Mike is the best fitness content provider on UA-cam. Great content, great advice, hilarious editing and humor.
Body fat is killing your gains!! Athlean X did that to himself. Nobody takes him seriously because of clickbait shit like that. It doesn't matter if it's how the UA-cam business works. It's just killing your gains
My hubby and I have a blast watching your commentaries. Thank god that the first one I found was on V-Shred, whew saved me a lot of grief. Hubby gets obsessive when he focuses on a new hobby. He was up until midnight last night putting an assisted DIP machine together last night and OMG he loves it, on your recommendations; and now we are looking for a squat machine. Just go easy on telling him how women have that extra one or two in the tank, he increased my weights and reps on me the other day anyhow Thank you for being you and putting good information out there for us Geriatric "60ish" old guys/gals. PS: He has a man crush on Jason Momoa too. I can recite Aqua Man in my sleep. :)
I love this channel, its done so smart and well, ive been training for about 6 years, and i took a 3 year gap due to a bad shoulder injury (ego lifting) and then i was too embarresed to lift low weights once i recovered, so i didnt workout or diet for 3 years and lost everything, i am now starting my 5th week of gyming 6x a week and dieting really well and enjoying life again, this channel has aided me with returning to the gym confidently, thank you
Progress?
This is a Great video! I am nearly 62, but a Lifetime lifter/competitor , with competition experience, which is constantly in your head when you're no in that world any longer! I just did a 12wk transformation challenge, which for me turned into 9lbs and 9.25"lost . What a difference, and this video was so helpful to me, being female. Thanks so much for your humor, it's hilarious, as well as your advice and hard work! I love your videos.
62 is the new 50
61yrs old. Started working out again in June 2023 203lbs and 32% body fat. Fast forward to Sept 2023 177lbs and 20% body fat. Size 38 jeans to 36 jeans a little lose. 3x week full body workout with 4 sets/15/10etc reps.
Trying to eat right and I have some fat in the chest and sides but working on that now that I dropped weight.
Now while maintaining my workout listed above, I have incorporated Tuesday/Thursday (started Oct 3rd 2023) to focus on my cardio and focus more on abdominal core training.
Thinking about next month (November) in helping get the fat off, to try to do at least 15min at the end of each workout session.
Old school from the 70's era of lifting and cardio wasn't a thing back then as far as I remember.
Not a big frame (5' 10"), but want to get cut up just to see if I can do it again.
So my goal from October 2023-December 2023 is to get the fat off and somewhat cut up to move into the new year with about 15-12% body fat hopefully so we will see. I was thinking (and I don't know) that if I drop a little more, I could get rid of some fat and then I can maybe bulk up a little and keep it off but at a higher weight.??, that is where I'm wanting to achieve.
A lot of things have changed seems like (knowledge) from the old era of lifting but I'm trying, not sure I'm doing it 100% right, but I'm feeling great and really motivated as you have seen above.
Great video and really appreciate your videos etc.
Supplements: (Body Force Super Advanced) Whey Isloate 2 scoops (one before and one after workout) and one late in the evening, HMB 1kmg per tablet x2 daily, Legion Pulse pre-workout (usually one scoop unless I need two that day), Creatine 2 pills before and two after workout (KRE-Alkalyne by EFXsports).
That thumbnail was a pure thirst trap
Very good video, puts bodyfat into great context, makes it far easier to understand what those bodyfat levels actually look like.
Worked my way down to 20%, pretty happy with it.
If i can get down to 15% and maintain it id be a happy man.
How the hell did that thumbnail make it past the UA-cam police 😆
Trial and error
Dick root is the knew side boob for UA-cam thumbnails
As a trainer and coach I love these videos have learned a ton from watching your videos, but as an Endurance athlete it's always interesting to me to watch these because they are all within the lens of either bodybuilding or weight lifting, I feel like its super important to make the point that what a body builder looks like at 5% body fat and what a runner or cyclist looks like at 5% body fat is actually quite different, sure you have the veins but the striations are not nearly as crazy because your muscles are much smaller than someone who does resistance training everyday.
I've just spent 3 months implementing stuff i've learned from this channel in a weight loss phase. Dropped from 193 to 173lb. For the first time in over 10 years i've got visible abs, still a little chub, i'd guess i'm somewhere between 13 and 15%. Two things: yes, you're probably fatter than you think (when i started i was like "oh i'll be lean at 180" - yeah, no), and weight loss and changes will come in phases, especially the further into the diet you get - once i got under 180 I might go 5-6 days with no weight loss, then drop 1.5lb in 2 days and keep it off. Same goes for visual changes: "wow i look like crap" "wow i look great!" "wow i look like crap" literally every couple of weeks. Just keep going. If the gym is going well and the weight is moving down, it's happening.
And huge thanks to Dr Mike and the gang for the content they put out. Absolutely the best i've ever managed to implement a strategy and get the result i wanted, and it's 100% due to the content i've watched on this channel.
Exact same situation for me. Once I hit that 180 mark I could go a week + with no weight change. Next day I'm 1-2 lbs sometimes more down, then that becomes the next static weight for a while. It's a trip.
How tall are you? If under 6 feet, I bet you look really good.
Sound like you at 17%. Exactly what I’m at
@@richardgosselin95486ft exactly. I lost a bunch of weight (muscle and fat) earlier this year due to injuries and some other personal stuff, so I dropped from ~207 to 193 just through lack of gym/diet, but took it as an opportunity to focus on getting over those injuries while actually looking decent for the first time in ages when I got back into it.
Probably the best I’ve ever looked, but looking forward to seeing what some improved consistency can do over the next 12 months. If I was this lean at 185 I think I’d look great, still on the skinny side at the moment, but much better than the sort of “maybe that guy goes to the gym?” look I had previously.
@@richardgosselin9548 I'm 5" 10, was 280 lbs at my highest before I started to lose the weight. Currently 160, guessing I'm probably around 18% bf after watching this video. Or it's just loose skin throwing me off
Hands down best fitness stuff on UA-cam thanks both to the quality and depth of information AND the glorious comedy stylings of Dr. Mike; can't get enough
I was 250lbs+ at my heaviest 4 years ago, and I've never looked back since I made the decision to get in shape. I'm now down to 185lbs at 19% body fat, up from my lightest at 173lbs. My current goal is to get stronger at the gym, and to keep myself in the 12-15% range.
Keep going 🤝🏽!
Absolutely loved the video and learned plenty. I really wanted a video from Dr. Mike on this topic so this is quite amazing. Thank you! 💪👍🙏
LMAO my favorite opening so far! You better HOPE we meet in person Mike. Keep up the great work my friend!
I came as soon as I saw the thumbnail.
Dr. Mike man thank you for all that you do in terms of this free content for us. I've legit gotten like 90% of my diet and training knowledge from the Renaissance Periodization youtube channel and the rest from Greg Doucette LOL. Loved that little talk at the end there about getting to a bf percentage where you are simply just "happy". I've gotten sub 10 before and tbh it's nothing more than overrated, nobody really cares other than you at that level of leanness. Best of luck to anyone on their weight loss journey, the results take time but as long as you're happy it's worth it.
Love the VShred ad for fat loss supplements on a RP video. Always good for a laugh.
Nice presentation, really interesting content, it's nice that you added your personal thought's on some of it as well.
First, thanks Mike for this video, it’s important to realistically know how much shit we have in our bodies, cuz google photos and videos usually shows different examples, specially percentages under 20%-15%
yep, im confused, some parts of my body looks 10% fat, others like 25% fat 🤣
Great video Dr Mike! Speaking from experience above about 19,000 ft totally feels like garbage but you can acclimate to it and be alright for a pretty long time. Also thanks for the advice you gave on the livestream last year on periodizing cardio/weights. So you know, I didn't get kidnapped climbing Kilimanjaro, managed to summit and the nat geo documentary is cancelled haha.
Awesome stuff making the summit 💪
This is a timely video for me. I've just finished an 8 week cut losing 15lbs from 230 -> 215. Based on this guide, I'm probably like 18% - 21% bodyfat, so 195 might put me at a pretty lean place for just walkin around
whats your height?
More like 180-185
215 at 18% means 185 stage ready lean. That’s right at the classic physique weight cap for 5’8 pros lol.
@@themonsoon117 yeah man I don't mean stage ready lean, I mean like healthy maintainable walking around lean
18-20% nothing compatible in girls body fat.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom! I often laugh too much while I watching your videos that don’t hear everything . As a 40yr old, 5’3” women my weight has ranged from 115-140. (155lbs at the end of my pregnancy, 3kids, years ago). I can’t tell you how many doctors would tell me lower your BMI! I would get so frustrated! I run marathons, train in MMA, and love lifting weights! These are all hobbies for me, but I found over the years, I love having curves and being at 18% BMI with a resting heart rate of 52. I wish more doctors understood there’s more numbers than a BMI measured by height and my weight on a scale 🤨 Thank you for the reassurance I needed! PS. I’m in a car rider line waiting to pick up my kids from school using the microphone. Don’t judge my grammar or auto corrections..
I know people dream of hitting low % body fat but it's not all great. I was around 5% while training for the SF and had to eat all day just to fatten up as I couldn't regulate my core temperature properly sub 12%. If we were in the surf, I would start freezing immediately no matter what I did to stay warm. 12% was about the limit of normal functioning for me.
I'm not defending Athlean X here, but that 6% body fat thing is just the thumbnail for clickbait. In the video he goes into detail about what different body fat percentages look like and lands on around 15% being the ideal for males who aren't competitive body builders. Jeff loves his clickbait thumbnails.
Yeah everyone uses clickbait on UA-cam, so you have to actually watch the video to judge the content, or just ignore the video. You can't take the thumbnail and title at face value.
The hard part is judging body fat after losing 100 pounds. Can see detail in forearms and lower legs like 6%, arms and shoulders details with quad and hamstring separation like 11%, upper and middle back like 12% and a midsection with overhang like 29%.
I am between 12% and 30% lol.
I didn't lose as much (only something like 30 pounds), but it is nearly the same distribution for me.
@@kingofrunes5291 great job. Keep at it. I'm hoping adding muscle and losing fat will help me out long term. Either way, I feel amazingly better.
@@bradlillie1494 I'm right now starting again after a needed diet pause^^ I'm sure it will help you (and me) out in the long run!
@kingofrunes5291 i did one as well. Thought i stalled for 4 weeks at the sake weight, very puzzling. Dropped sodium a bit (was very high) and dropped 10 pounds over the next week. 8 weeks to 10%, then sa well planned out strict bulk. Excited, leanest right now than I have been since 1998 and getting leaner.
Proudly in the 10-15% range after about 2 years of work
A few things I would humbly and randomly add as a pharmacist who tries to keep up with research “on the frontiers” that hasn’t trickled down into the common understanding of how things work by folks in the healthcare or nutrition/fat loss research field:
1) Emerging research continues to link processed foods with a number of negative health outcomes, chronic disease, higher body weight. Quality of food matters. Calories in/calories out is often right enough, but still too simplistic. Especially in the setting of metabolic dysfunction.
2) Emerging research is beginning to unravel more of the specific ways that the gut microbiota heavily influences overall health, more specifically, it affects nutrient absorption/utilization, chronic inflammation, integrity of gut barrier, potentially your atherosclerotic risk, among many other things. This is influenced by probiotic intake (fermented foods), but also prebiotics (foods that feed/encourage gut bacteria proliferation). Processed foods also generally have a negative impact on gut health in the long term, all else being equal.
Have learned a lot from your videos and athlenx. The AthlenX video about 6% body fat pretty much mirrors the info here. You guys both put out the new style thumbnails... looks like the click bait didn't work just the anger at titles lol. In one of his, how lean should you be, videos he even calls himself Skeletor because of what you are talking about at the lower body fat.
Dr Mike leaning into the weird humour harder than last time
Thanks for this video. It's really hard for me to tell where I'm at. My upper body is very lean (especially my back) and people who see me in a sports bra, immediately know I workout. I have the outer shape of my abs pretty visible too but my lower body is much "softer" so I don't know if I'm between 15-20 or 20-25.
Dr. Mike, you keep it REAL! This should be required watching for all those suffering from body dysmorphic disorder.
I would be so interested to get a dexa scan! My scale says I’m 29% fat, but I have great muscle shape at this point. I have delt, tricep and bicep separations and some veins that pop out at this point, and 2quad separations, obvious muscle separation in my back. I’m BEGINNING to see abs peek through and I’ve almost lost the lower belly dip. I’ve lost 40lbs the past year. And I lift weights 4-5 days a week. It’s amazing what our body gives us when we put in the work! I love it!
I’m 6’0”, 155 lbs, 10.5% body fat. I try to stay around these figures year round. I love to run 5ks, lift weights, and be outside. Numbers, times, one rep maxes don’t matter in the end. Just have fun and be active!
I love to be outside too, but 8 months of the year it's cold, wet, and miserable where I live. For 4 months of the year, fitness can be a lifestyle. For the other 8 months, it's a bit more of a chore. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness, unfortunately. Every body is different.
They don't matter to you.. just like having a set BW and BF % don't matter to me...
I'm happier knowing that when I look at most guys I know I can strict press them...
you don't lookk 10 in that profile picture
Love Mike, love this channel! You are a God send. I think a collaboration with you and Jeff Cavalier at Athlean-X would be great. You and him both talk about specifics and in context to each of your areas of expertise. Jeff uses click bate, and that video you reference he answers a comment that inspires the topic and video title. Thanks for the great content and the comedy that always has me laughing 🤣...
Thumbnail triggered my covenant eyes 👀👀
💀
Also JM was a person I confided in when my wife was doing her 1st show during medical residency- my point I don’t follow lots of folks - John was my dude. I do enjoy your content- so that’s my compliment to sir!!! Carry on brother! Thk you.
Playing with glucose and hydration is crazy. I can look 12% or 22% within 5 days.
This is so helpful as I've been on a weightlifting program for a month. I've gained 3 lbs, but my body looks different, so the charts helped me understand what range I was in and am likely to be in now.
Very interesting to see and hear this and how much it varies between people. Im in the 20-25% but have clear seperation in my delts, triceps and traps. Can see muscles throughout my upper back and can see lats beginning to pop through but have love handles for days still.
Only just began lifting a few months ago. Down from 110kgs to 83.5. Weight loss is slowing down but I'm beginning to add a fair bit more carbs back into the diet so my fatigue isn't destroying my sleep and lifting is actually enjoyable.
Holy fuck, pregnant Dr. Mike 😂❤
I lost 200 pounds and then started lifting six months ago. I am in the belly overhang but veiny calves arms separated back and delts. Substantial weight loss really affects this but great video overall!
Probably just loose skin?
I think there's a reason he stopped the comparisons at 30%+ body fat. Once you trend into that morbid obesity plus area, and/or are no longer 20-something years old, the skin just can't retract back to it's pre-stretched condition. Fortunately, cosmetic surgery exists if it's something that matters to you.
Love seeing Dr Mike dancing around his words every time he talking about women, fat and body shape
Your sense of humor is somethinng else, and I love it!
That thumbnail is horrifying
Yes, Dr. Mike does look very weird in the left, like a toodler with beer gut.
I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and even then there were significant differences between my legs (I normally have veins and muscle separation even on my shins while being on the heavier side - genetics, I guess) and my mid-section (even at my lowest weight I didn't have much abs showing up). At some point I decided that the sacrifices of the caloric deficit just to have a slightly flatter belly weren't worth it, the belly fat is the last one to go and the first one to come back so be it, I lift kettlebells alone in my room with my shirt on and nobody cares.
My fat distribution is pretty similar. I’d say I’m around 20% rn and I have veins around the shins/calves, and have a vein starting to show in my bicep with a pump. I have extremely boney/skinny wrists. Luckily my shoulder to waist size ratio is decent now. I’m curious to see if I have visible abs around 12-15% as I haven’t gone through a cutting phase yet since lifting consistently the past 2yrs.
I'm so pale that i can have blue veins at 25% lol
This is amazing cause all the stupid scans and BMI things say I’m 30+ but yet I have zero fat overhang and lots of muscle. Hourglass shape. No love handles etc. thank you for this video. Looks like i’m more 20-25% 🎉
This is always my problem too. I do inbody scans and I'm down at a personal best of just north of 35% but I do not look like the pictures for that percentage. I guess it's better to just use pictures to estimate if we don't have access to a DEXA?
First time seeing this channel and man that was an interesting opening haha. Appreciate all the detailed descriptions you provide with the pictures. I think I am in the 15%-17% BF range, being tall it's difficult to tell, but I am getting my first Dexascan on Monday so I will know for sure.
I need those thumbnails pics
DANGEROUSLY close
Great video! Question...how mich dies hydration factor into appearance? For instance, I imagine 10% well-hydrated looks FAR different than 10% dehydrated... So, still at 10%, but far different in appearance.
A lot. Just look at wrestlers/MMA fighters.
As a 42 year old woman who recently took up lifting weights again, it’s incredibly frustrating that the majority of my body fat is concentrated in my abdomen. Subcutaneous and visceral fat. Everywhere else my muscles are clearly visible, as are my ribs (to a healthy degree). I hate being visibly in shape everywhere except for this one particular area of my body. And I never even had a baby! I don’t wanna lose any more of my boobs and butt. Is this just the way it goes at my age?
I would get my hormones checked if I was you. I am at your age and when I started getting fat in those areas even though I was lifting, my hormones were out of balance.
I just don’t think it goes away. I’m still fighting mine & it’s been hanging around since high school when I was 115lbs soaking wet and around 18% body fat. It’s just part of me. If I can’t get rid of it by the time I’m 50, I’m just going to give it a name & move on!
Its just hormones. High cortisol levels.
@@miltkarr5109cortisol is the freaking worst!
I was at 25% body fat (from my watch). Then i bought a scale on amazon that does body fat % instantly lost 7% body fat. I dieted 1% down to 17%.. life came in the way of my fat loss so i maintained there and now back to trying to cut down.
Your description of 17% matched how I look and what the scale says.
4:22 I feel this xD, most of my fats are in my belly and chest, but the chest is developing quite nicely. I still consider myself to be just fat, but when I put on a tank top for work, I ALWAYS get the "Heey, were you a bouncer before?" or the "What are you doing in an office work, you should be a bouncer" etc.. my arm are big, but biceps not quite develop, tricep is clearly visible though. BUT THAT BELLY FAT IS STUBBORN, AND I HAVE A LOT.
Got a body impedance test that said 9%, which I considered unbelievable. Then I got a DEXA and it said 12%. I still don't have visible abs *at all*. The rest of my upper body looks pretty lean (arms and chest), but my whole mid-section looks really bad. I lost ~90lbs half a year ago, so I think it's all just loose skin (doesn't exactly look like fat either). But I even have some very loose love-handles still. So if you lost a lot of weight and can't find/afford a DEXA, don't rely on the criteria presented in the video too much. And personally I just take collagen and hope it tightens up in the next few years. I'm almost afraid of going lower in BF and ending up looking all fucked up, because I'll have a tummy while being super veiny above my chest.
I heard lotsa cardio will help. And I heard that low weights and high reps helps.
Yes, the loose skin effect is almost never mentioned in body fat % videos including not mentioned in this one. It is a big issue that fitness people rarely consider because they never lost that much weight or if they did they were so young, that the collagen levels in their skin took care of the issue.
As for taking collagen, I have not seen any research supporting that. There does seem to be some research support (for MODEST skin reduction) with radiofrequency devices and a little research support for autophagy-induced skin repair. You may get lucky with genetic support, but in any case, it is a long-term game. Also, of course, building more muscle may convert extra skin into needed skin.
Glycine + NAC supplementation and multi day fasting could solve the issue, but generally difficult
This is cause you do cosmetics of numbers. People want to have a certain look, and with looking for numbers, they want to measure how far they are away from this look. But there is no general relation, on such a such measurement, you will look soandso. It works for a set of people, but it's nothing like a natural law.
So your mistake is, to measure at all. What should it be good for ? To impress somebody with numbers ?
"could"=It might help some people and not others.
I'm AFAB and according to this I think I'm 25-30% range but my abs are starting to show a lot, I can see them almost as well as in the 12% pictures, they're more bulgy because they're covered in fat but they're as defined. As you said, it varies a lot from one person to the next! I do have a lot more fat below my belly-button, and an overhang so I'm clearly not lean, my abs are going to look amazing when I get to my goal (which is around 20% body fat).
Great Channel "Dr Mike" we'll continue to watch faithfully🧐
Im 54, male, 5'8". I have no idea what my body fat was as a teen but looking at these pics i would say easily 8%. I lifted, gymnastics, football, tennis, extremely active. In my 20's I hovered in the 15-20% range and was somewhat active mountain biking 4-6 times a month. Started lifting again at 31 and bf% was around 25. By 34 I was around 12 and started to look pretty jacked. An old back injury caught up to me, fractured L4 the surgeon said had enough cortication to indicate at 20 year old injury. I dont when or how it happened. I was stupid active and bulletproof when young. Needless to say, my late 30's and entire 40's were very sedentary. Now Im back to lifting and a few days a week of steady state for 45-60 minutes. BF% is 19. My arms and upper back look like 10-12%, my legs look like 16-18% and my waist looks like 30! Its so so frustrating. Im living in a constant caloric deficit, supplement with whey and EAA's, muscle is coming back quickly, but man, this belly fat is stubborn! Im only 8 weeks in, I guess patience and consistency will be key, and I suppose I should cut myself some slack for being 54....but its hard. Now that my back is better, after 2 surgeries, i want my life back and my body!
Getting a bod pod test was an eye opener
I love to train but i do it mostly for overall size and strength. Ive been pretty lean before at probably close to 12% but i like the way i look (and FEEL) alot more in the 20% range. I have arm veins visible and hints of abs. Its just the place im most comfortable.
100% the same way i feel. I ALWAYS have visible arm veins. But i have only minimal ab definition. I was hoping this video might clear up my current position but it only made me more confused.
Oooo content idea!!! Doc you should do a segment where you guess the bf% from member submissions. Imagine it! Just a bunch of overweight hairy guys slamming those dms with topless pics! You would love it!
I definately got to about 7%. I had the striations, and my calves were getting veins. That's when I knew I was getting toward lower single digit fat. I looked pumped all day and people thought I got bigger when I actually lost 10 lbs. It was excellent!
Did you feel good? like were your energy levels during the day optimal?
@@jt-mx4onhe definitely felt like shit
I'm not used to being able to build muscle consistently, I've always been thin. I did a workout challenge where they measure bodyfat and muscle over 3 months. I went from 15%, which is where I naturally hover, but will go to 20 if I'm lazy for a long period of time, down to 8.5% and gained 8 lbs of muscle over my body. I felt great. I'm the body type that probably can maintain less than 10 percent without being deprived of energy, but holding muscle is difficult for me, I lose it fast after I stop a program. But I noticed I don't really start to see my abs until I'm under or around 12%, probably since my muscles aren't big. I'm trying to get to that point again because it's the only time i've had defined abs. Actually, I want to put on 15 lbs. of muscle. I think any more than that feels like shooting for the stars. I'm 6'2 and only weigh around 180 normally.
😂 I had to stop the video I was laughing so hard! You could seriously be a comedian! You got me, I'll subscribe
My Withing scale was showing my BF at 21% -- which I knew was bullshit, because these scales are bullshit, at least for BF estimates. Did a Dexa and was shocked to see my BF is really 28% (I looked slightly less fat than the white guy in Mike's 25% fat slide). I immediately went on a cut, and have dropped from 180 lbs to 170 lbs in the last 8 weeks -- and the Fing scale shows the exact same 21% BF percentage! Meanwhile, simply based on lifting metrics and measuring muscles with a tape measure, I haven't (apparently) lost any muscle mass. My daily calories deficit has been modest and my workouts have been progressively harder. Moral of story: "smart scales" that estimate BF are even worse than I thought. Gonna start doing Dexa 3-4 times a year.
Strange, when I did a body composition test it was within 10% of my smart scale in terms of lean mass and body fat. But being measured by electrical impedance, I could see how a lot of factors (hydration, fat distribution, salt intake, etc) could affect the accuracy of the readings. I feel like it's not useful to get an exact number, but very useful for looking at overall trends in body composition.
Getting a Dexa is still best. I've been fit my whole life and watched these videos and read up on this and thought I knew my body fat to be between 10-16% through eyeballing and daily weigh-ins on a scale with body fat scanning (even knowing these things are way off, I still didn't realize how much). After a bulking phase followed by a light cut, with arm veins and abs visible when I flex, I got my first dexa and was 19.7%. I was blown away. I've been doing a high protein cut and dropped another 5% body fat and am back around my pre-bulk size
Moral of the story: it's easy to get fooled for how much muscle you think you're putting on and easy to not grasp how much fat you've actually got
Dr Mike makes me question my heterosexuality
i am 6'4 and went from 320 down to 232 atm and still going. I can't explain seeing my ribcage for the first time. Mind blowing.
I'm definitely feeling this guy. Love your personality. ❤
Best advice I can give for someone trying to get abs...don't let yourself get hella fat in the first place. (I know, hindsight's 20/20) My body naturally stores a lot of fat right in the belly already and I got pretty fat in my twenties and got a solid Dunlops gut. Eventually I got quite lean and had a DEXA scan of 9% but you still couldn't really see my lower abs at all. Veins in my legs and arms and chest and some upper abs, but never a full 6 pack. That hyperplasia in the belly is a biatch.
15-20% for me i reckon. I hold all my fat love handles and lower abs to the extent they protrude further than waist line but I've got bicep veins, defined legs.
Basically need to diet hard to have a good body shape😢
As soon as my wife is no longer heavily pregnant and my toddler is in nursery I'm getting my damn abs back
Shout out to all my homies earning their dad bods sacrificing for their family
We appreciate dads that lost their shape for their family!
The death zone or lethal zone in mountaineering exists at 26,000ft or 8,000m. The problem with altitude is not with oxygen saturation, but atmospheric pressure; oxygen saturation is stable up to about 53mi or 85km above sea level. When atmospheric pressure goes down the amount of oxygen your body can process at any given point also goes down.
Is no one gonna discuss how scary the thumbnail was he almost showed us the one day he does skip
Mike, you are a trip. I will make sure I'm not stone when I watch your program.
Dr. Mike is not only scholared and wis, he's also ludicrously funny and outright hilarious sometimes! Love it! 😄👍
That was one hell of an intro for a first time viewer . . .