Girls - Why you shouldn't use scales

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It doesn't mean fat as in large, it's a term referring to body fat percentage. If someone is slim, but has a higher body fat percentage than is healthy they are skinny fat. They may look good in clothes, but underneath they have flabby bits and not enough muscle to give that more "toned" look.

That's how I understand it anyway.

Aaaaaaaah. I always thought it was referring to thin people who are unhealthy on the inside (with fat around their hair or summin.)

Reply 41

username156343

Original post by McHumpy92

I made the two good points as per usual. Once again people couldn't accept it.

That's because your point is crude.

Suggesting for people to get a boob job to get a good shape. What is a good size for boobs for 'men'? Answer: It takes all sorts.

And, more importantly, you fail to take into account the differences in body metabolism between men and women. Women hold adipose tissue much more than men. Most men probably know they can work off a bit of podge easily within a couple of weeks. If you have ever trained with women/had a girlfriend you would know it's different for them.

Reply 42

username156343

Original post by Nutty_Psychologist

Personally I just don't think it's about the underwear, it's about her general shape and I'm unhappy mine looks like that
what underwear would you suggest for that person in order for her to not look like that

If you are unhappy with it, that's perfectly fine. As long as you are not too unhappy/really affecting your confidence. It's good to have healthy goals. I would suggest taking up a sport or taking up going to the gym and doing weights which work your hips/glutes/upper thighs (all on google).

First of all, guys boxer short style underwear for women only look good on the skinniest of girls.

Other than that, i'm a guy so can't help much. Just get well fitting underwear (she's probably wearing 6 and should be wearing 8)

Reply 43

McHumpy92

Original post by Rizzletastic

This excuse is nonsense, it is basically saying women have naturally higher bodyfat % blah blah blah....which is true. But a 15% bodyfat on a male and a 15% bodtfat on a female look totally different...for a women she would have a 6 pac, for a male they wouldn't. So for men and women to get down to a 6 pac level it takes about the same amount of effort. To get to equal bodyfat % it is much easier for blokes, but that isn't the point, we are judging on how they look.

So many excuses all the time. The poster Christsnsen or something like that is a great example of what can be achieved with training and diet and basically doing it like a bloke rather than faffing around like most females do, while making loads of excuses.

Reply 44

bethany18

Original post by Converse Rocker

All the OP pointed out was that being light or slim doesn't mean you are healthy.

People are assuming that the person on the left isn't healthy :rolleyes:

the problem is we don't know what she eats & how much she exercises but because she doesn't have a visibly muscular body people assume she's unhealthy :s-smilie:

Reply 45

username728604

Original post by bethany18

People are assuming that the person on the left isn't healthy :rolleyes:

the problem is we don't know what she eats & how much she exercises but because she doesn't have a visibly muscular body people assume she's unhealthy :s-smilie:

Agreed. Yes she has a higher percentage of fat but that percentage doesn't put her in the unhealthy category, she is nowhere near overweight. And her underwear is fine, the elastic just cuts into her love handles...I'd say they were too small if they were tight around her bum and legs too which they are not.

Personally though I'd rather look like the one on the right.

Reply 46

rlw31

Original post by silent ninja

This thread just proves again how much more sensitive about their bodies women are. Fine, everyone would agree there's a lot more pressure on women to look good, but some of them are so hypocritical -- look at the recent thread about muscular men and how critical and dismissive they are. It seems acceptable to criticise a guy physically "ugh look at that" but when the tables are turned they're singing the "be proud of the way you are" speech.

Lol, have any of the girls who posted in that thread even commented here? And even if they did, how is it hypocritical to give an opinion on what you find attractive, but preach "be proud of the way you are"? Not that anyone has said anything like that at all :rolleyes:

Reply 47

bethany18

Original post by Nomes89

Yeah underwear is not meant to be baggy haha, body fat is easily manipulated with material like elastic so it looks like shes wearing them a size small & that they're cutting into her when they aren't :rolleyes:

It's all about personal preference really, I'd prefer to look like the woman on the left as her body looks more feminine & curvy than the other.

Reply 48

boba

the point that you can weigh the same but have a completely different body composition is fair within a sensible range but it doesn't really hold true for people who are extremely light or overly heavy.

Reply 49

username728604

Original post by bethany18

It's all about personal preference really, I'd prefer to look like the woman on the left as her body looks more feminine & curvy than the other.

Don't get me wrong, I ideally wouldn't want to be that muscular but I'd rather some definition instead of none and big love handles :tongue:

Plus apart from the lower body fat the girl on the left isn't particularly curvy - I think the one on the right has a better hip/waist ratio.

Reply 50

Ronove

Original post by bethany18

People are assuming that the person on the left isn't healthy :rolleyes:

the problem is we don't know what she eats & how much she exercises but because she doesn't have a visibly muscular body people assume she's unhealthy :s-smilie:

The point is that most of the reason she has an entirely unmuscular appearance is because there is a giant layer of fat over everything. That would suggest to some that she's holding on to a little more insulation than is necessary, and those people would view her as more attractive if she lost an inch or two of it. I tend to agree, but again it's personal preference, to a degree. However we are way too used to flab in this country so we rush to the front of debates with comments about it being a 'softer' look and using circular logic about it being ok because it's less fat than average... so people don't exercise or control their diets so the average doesn't come down and we all continue to be content with being inactive, not to mention podgy and thus self-conscious when naked.

Reply 51

McHumpy92

tbf the girl on the right is too lean really and water manipulation is in there. She won't have periods at that low of a bodyfat which shows something isn't right. So she isn't that healthy, I don't think blokes going that lean is healthy either.

Reply 52

RandomMedic

Yeah, they seem to have misinterpreted 'healthy' for 'lean'.
The girl on the left is healthy. If they measured her body fat percentage, I doubt she'd be above 26%, therefore she would be put in the fit/average category. I bet that the other girl would be in the essential/athlete category, and you DON'T have to be an athlete to be healthy. In fact, I'd be wary of if the girl on the right has enough body fat, at that fat % she might not get periods.

Reply 53

EffieFlowers

Perhaps someone could explain to me why having high amounts muscle is better than having little muscle toning but some fat when you are as little as 55kg?

I don't see what's wrong with the girl on the left? She's not stick thin, she's not full of muscle, yet she's not obese so what does that leave us, a slim girl who carries some fat? That's perfectly natural...

Reply 54

EffieFlowers

Original post by McHumpy92

Agreed. I personally don't think health ever comes into it for young people. Young people don't care about health, it is something you worry about when you hit your 40's.

I eat too much which supposedly shortens life expectancy, both my ankles are screwed, so will my back be in the future, I am sure my knees will be at some point, my shoulders aren't great, I plan on taking steroids in the future, I still drink alcohol regular, I use sunbeds to look more aesthetic. The list goes on. Virtually no young person trains for health, it is purely for vanity.

Then you are a ridiculous person. And by the sound of it you'll have a lot to worry about when you hit 40.
If you prioritise health then you'll always be more attractive because health and attractiveness comes hand in hand. That's probably why most girls are turned off my men who pump themselves with steroids. It's not natural or healthy.
I'm sorry but I can't believe you're so vain! Do you have any respect for your body and well being?
Why do you care so much about looking good? Insecure?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 55

LittleDD

Original post by Holz888

I've always been below what the BMI chart says what is healthy, always been underweight my how life. But from the age of 12 have had periods every month.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 56

lilabs

Original post by McHumpy92

Agreed. I personally don't think health ever comes into it for young people. Young people don't care about health, it is something you worry about when you hit your 40's.

SOME Young people don't care ahout their health, your right there. But an increasing number of us do. Health is a big thing for me. I see It as, if my body is as healthy as I can make It, then my physical appearance is whatever it happens to be. If I was unhappy with the appearance Id try to do more exercise and strength and things, but I wouldn't put my health at risk.

Reply 57

WelshBluebird

Original post by Ronove

The point is that most of the reason she has an entirely unmuscular appearance is because there is a giant layer of fat over everything.

Errr are we looking at the same picture?
There certainly isn't a "giant later of fat over everything". Yes she has a little bit more fat on her body, but to say what you did is totally exaggerating it and makes me think there is no wonder why many girls feel so much pressure to be unhealthily thin.

Reply 58

cid

OP i understand your point fully, and it goes for men too, a colleague of mine was struggling to pass his personal fitness test and all he ever went on about was loosing weight.

Oh i can't do weights I'm trying to lose weight
Oh i can only eat 1000 calories a day I'm trying to lose weight
Oh I will only workout in the fat burning zone I'm trying to lose weight

Then he wondered why he did a 12 minute PFT and nearly collapsed when he crossed the finish line, 10.30 being the pass mark, anything over 10 minutes not really being considered respectable.

Your body shape size and weight is not always the best indication of your health.

Also ... the woman of the right has a rockin body in my opinion, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that to me is a beautiful body. Nothing wrong with the woman on the left, but unlike the woman on the right, left lady's body wouldn't turn my head on the street.

In b4 feminists hunt me down and shoot me on my doorstep ... Yes i know its not the goal of every woman to turn my head on the street ...

should be though :frown:

Reply 59

Riku

I think that while bf% is a much better predictor of health in general (especially for those folks who regularly exercise), BMI’s useful for the extremities. For example, if someone was extremely underweight but relatively lean due to a massive deficit I'd still feel it were a good idea for them to gain weight despite some inevitable gaining fat. Then they could reduce that by gaining muscle once they’d reached a healthier BMI.

In terms of fitness and body composition, your best guide is the mirror, hell no to the scales. In terms of health, not so sure. It's possible to be lean (as opposed to skinny) from a crappy diet that leaves you malnourished if it keeps you at a deficit and is still high-protein, but I wouldn't call that healthy. Likewise someone could eat well but not exercise, they'd be healthy by getting all their necessary macros but not physically fit and thus still have a higher bf%. Also you can be fit but not healthy due to high levels of stress etc.
I definitely feel there’s more to a healthy lifestyle in adolescents and young adults than pure vanity. No good fitting into a size 8 if you’ve failed to respect your body and it’s left you feeling lethargic and so unfit you can’t enjoy it to its full potential-as so many young women end up doing with crash-diets, sadly. At the same time I think there's still a lot of body fascism going on which give people distorted ideas of what is actually good health and fitness. Being healthy and in pretty good shape, and being in athletic condition, are two entirely different kettles of fish.