Why is 3,500 calories = 1 lb of fat so hard for many to understand?

[Gathina]

Interesting comment..did you ever notice that when they stop working out all that muscle becomes fat?

 

Unless a special tool (caliper?) is used to measure BMI, the "formula" in extremely inaccurate. According to the "formula" most football players and bodybuilders would be obese!

 

Lynn

[Odoyal Rulez]

Muscle does not "become" fat. Just like fat doesnt "become muscle". The reason they look so bad when they stop working out is because they lose muscle mass from no weightlifting, and continue to eat at the same rate they do when they are exercising, causing a caloric surplus which is stored as fat.

 

Sorry thats a big pet peeve of mine heh, people saying muscle becomes fat and vica versa...

[Gathina]

I know that. To clarify, I was tryign to make the point that do you ever notice how when they lose the muscle you can see how fat they are or became.

 

Muscle does not "become" fat. Just like fat doesnt "become muscle". The reason they look so bad when they stop working out is because they lose muscle mass from no weightlifting, and continue to eat at the same rate they do when they are exercising, causing a caloric surplus which is stored as fat.

 

Sorry thats a big pet peeve of mine heh, people saying muscle becomes fat and vica versa...

[Odoyal Rulez]

One notable exception and one of my heros: Frank Zane. Anyone remember him from the 1970's? one of the greatest body builders of all time, he never competed very big..usually 175-185ish..yet his body was chiseled and perfect. It was his lifestyle. Recently they did a magazine article on him...check out his picture..not bad for being 60+ years old huh?

 

[Odoyal Rulez]

Also Dave Draper: If i look half this good in 30 years id thank god everyday.

 

[happysinglemom]

The hip-to-waist measurement is a much better indicator of being overweight, than the BMI. I posted something about this a while back I think...but here is an article explaining it.

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14483512/

[perkyblue]

One notable exception and one of my heros: Frank Zane. Anyone remember him from the 1970's? one of the greatest body builders of all time, he never competed very big..usually 175-185ish..yet his body was chiseled and perfect. It was his lifestyle. Recently they did a magazine article on him...check out his picture..not bad for being 60+ years old huh?

 

 

Okay, this looks kind of freaky to me. It looks like someone photoshopped that head onto someone else's body! :eek:

[Gathina]

What do you mean by your quote "5 9 , 250 and growing". I hope you are referring to your muscle mass because if it's fat that's not good at all.

 

Also Dave Draper: If i look half this good in 30 years id thank god everyday.

 

[happysinglemom]

While I admire the discipline to develop that type of physique, it's a bit too much muscle for me. Plus with all the rumor mills lately, I always wonder if these folks are on steroids. I hope not.

[Salsa Dancer]

I just had to ask a question and make a comment, after seeing the photos. My husband lifts, but not a lot. His best friend, (now deceased) was REALLY into it. His best friend's brother-in-law was a body-builder, but died because he was lifting alone without a spotter and broke his neck (dropped the bar). My son is into it and has ever piece of equipment managable. There are various reasons for lifting, so I'm not making any assumptions. All men don't lift to grab the attention/eye of women; but having said that, I've been asked about what I think of as attractive (by my husband). My guys have been disappointed or surprised with my response. They thought all women liked LOTS of muscle. I find a LITTLE muscle attractive, but do not find the bulked-up look to my liking. (slim waist and strong arms are fine) I notice that some men can't put their arms down to their sides due to lots of bulk, and I personally think popping veins look like stress. The photos Odoyal posted....not physically attractive to me. So I'm curious about other's opinions on this. I know a few females who do like somewhat bulked-up physiques but not many.

 

My 20 year-old daughter just saw the photos and commented..."Ewwwwwww!" "That guy looks like he is into himself," and "You want a guy who is strong because he works hard, not because he spends all of his spare time weight-lifting; because if he spends all of his spare time weight-lifting, you know he won't be spending that much time with you." Bingo. That's what I've always thought too, but didn't verbalize it.

 

Odoyal...you obviously love what you do so please don't take this in a negative way toward your goals and interests. I know that with many lifters, this is a real hobby and a science. This is just a commentary on personal taste and I'm curious about how other women feel.

[perkyblue]

I just had to ask a question and make a comment, after seeing the photos. My husband lifts, but not a lot. His best friend, (now deceased) was REALLY into it. His best friend's brother-in-law was a body-builder, but died because he was lifting alone without a spotter and broke his neck (dropped the bar). My son is into it and has ever piece of equipment managable. There are various reasons for lifting, so I'm not making any assumptions. All men don't lift to grab the attention/eye of women; but having said that, I've been asked about what I think of as attractive (by my husband). My guys have been disappointed or surprised with my response. They thought all women liked LOTS of muscle. I find a LITTLE muscle attractive, but do not find the bulked-up look to my liking. (slim waist and strong arms are fine) I notice that some men can't put their arms down to their sides due to lots of bulk, and I personally think popping veins look like stress. The photos Odoyal posted....not physically attractive to me. So I'm curious about other's opinions on this. I know a few females who do like somewhat bulked-up physiques but not many.

 

My 20 year-old daughter just saw the photos and commented..."Ewwwwwww!" "That guy looks like he is into himself," and "You want a guy who is strong because he works hard, not because he spends all of his spare time weight-lifting; because if he spends all of his spare time weight-lifting, you know he won't be spending that much time with you." Bingo. That's what I've always thought too, but didn't verbalize it.

 

Odoyal...you obviously love what you do so please don't take this in a negative way toward your goals and interests. I know that with many lifters, this is a real hobby and a science. This is just a commentary on personal taste and I'm curious about how other women feel.

 

No offense to Odoyal here either (It's not like he's weightlifting to impress me anyway, so who cares what I think, right?), but since you're curious about other women's opinions, I'll speak up and say that I completely agree with you. The look of the guys in those pictures is not attractive to me at all. Bulging veins gross me out!

[Odoyal Rulez]

My GF is not into muscles and veins either. As a matter of fact I do not know of any women I have met who are into bulky veiny guys. There's actually an old BB adage that goes, "you know your doing something right if the girls go "ewwww".

 

I'm actually down to 245 now...but still around 20-25% bf, its impossible for me to put on LBM and strip fat at teh same time..so i have to spend months getting bigger..then months dieting to take off the fat and try to retain as much muscle as possible. I'd like to be into the 230's by the end of this year at around 15-20% bf if possible. I know that seems crazy but over time it works out. Regardless its much better than being 350+lbs with and 45-60% BF, which i was 3 years ago. For those keeping count Im down about 120-135 pounds of just fat, I have no way of really knowing how much because the scale stopped working at 350 and i red lined it.

 

Draper and Zane are defintely on Testosterone, theres no way to retain that kind of mass at that vasularity at that age, however after you're 40ish Test is perfectly legal pharmaceutical drug when prescribed by a physician, its just like the woman taking estrogen during menopause.

 

As a male, we are constantly barraged by pictures of these good looking guys with 6 pack abs on beaches and told we are supposed to look like that, which is why when you hit the gym everyones doing crunches on swiss balls. It's just as bad for a man as a woman trust me, when it comes to body insecurity.

 

I always wanted to be a BBer, and i was always naturally strong, I just had my kids when I was 17 years old, had to work 3 jobs to stay afloat..eating junk when i could and all that over the years added up.

 

Luckily, if you can call it that, my wife had an affair, we got divorced and I crashed into depression hardcore for months. I looked at myself and realized I needed to change my life for good. So i took to weights to ease my aggression. I cant tell you how much rage was pent up inside from being betrayed, although im sure a few of you have been in similar situations. All that anger helped not only to transform my body..but it also helped me heal emotionally.

 

For me the gym is a therapist and the door to a new life. And lifting weights is my p r o z a c.

[BuilderMan]

I just had to ask a question and make a comment, after seeing the photos. My husband lifts, but not a lot. His best friend, (now deceased) was REALLY into it. His best friend's brother-in-law was a body-builder, but died because he was lifting alone without a spotter and broke his neck (dropped the bar). My son is into it and has ever piece of equipment managable. There are various reasons for lifting, so I'm not making any assumptions. All men don't lift to grab the attention/eye of women; but having said that, I've been asked about what I think of as attractive (by my husband). My guys have been disappointed or surprised with my response. They thought all women liked LOTS of muscle. I find a LITTLE muscle attractive, but do not find the bulked-up look to my liking. (slim waist and strong arms are fine) I notice that some men can't put their arms down to their sides due to lots of bulk, and I personally think popping veins look like stress. The photos Odoyal posted....not physically attractive to me. So I'm curious about other's opinions on this. I know a few females who do like somewhat bulked-up physiques but not many.

 

I find a well toned body to be very sexy on a guy or a woman. Not the bulging muscle types that are loaded with roids, but just nicely toned and healthy looking.

 

Lynn

[Salsa Dancer]

My GF is not into muscles and veins either. As a matter of fact I do not know of any women I have met who are into bulky veiny guys. There's actually an old BB adage that goes, "you know your doing something right if the girls go "ewwww".

 

That made me laugh out loud. It's good that you are doing the workout for yourself and not just to please anyone else.

 

"Regardless its much better than being 350+lbs with and 45-60% BF, which i was 3 years ago. For those keeping count Im down about 120-135 pounds of just fat, I have no way of really knowing how much because the scale stopped working at 350 and i red lined it."

 

Your loss total is really encouraging. If you can lose that much, surely people like me with 40-50 to go can stick with it. Other people's losses help me to keep going!

 

"As a male, we are constantly barraged by pictures of these good looking guys with 6 pack abs on beaches and told we are supposed to look like that, which is why when you hit the gym everyones doing crunches on swiss balls. It's just as bad for a man as a woman trust me, when it comes to body insecurity."

 

I have 4 grown sons...this I know to be true (insecurities). Good-looking sons...and they have their own insecurities. I spent a lot of time, last year, encouraging a friend of theirs who couldn't see his own self as he was, as well. Too bad we all couldn't get past the images that are advertised and just work on what matters to our own selves, huh? That's one thing I admired about the folks on Biggest Loser--they were real, and set aside their pride to expose so much of themselves to the public.

 

 

"All that anger helped not only to transform my body..but it also helped me heal emotionally.

 

For me the gym is a therapist and the door to a new life. And lifting weights is my p r o z a c.

 

I had a gut feeling that there was something like that driving you (betrayal). I tend to be a bit intuitive when it comes to emotions. Good for you that you took the anger and did something positive with it. We all get driven by one thing or another...a force that motivates us. I've had several. One was an insult. It wasn't deliberate, but it became a part of what moved me to do something about the 50+ pounds of fat that is dragging me down. I could have sat and cried about it, complained about it, raged about it, or insulted the woman back. Instead, I let it propel me forward. Its a matter of choice.

If we all admitted it, we've all, most likely, suffered some hurts along the way, for being overweight. Just mentioning this gets me going as little memories come back. Better for me to let this stuff stay dead and buried and focus on who I am, what I'd like to be in regard to my physical condition, and work toward the goals.

[happysinglemom]

I find a well toned body to be very sexy on a guy or a woman. Not the bulging muscle types that are loaded with roids, but just nicely toned and healthy looking.

Lynn

 

I agree...I find muscles to be very sexy - on both genders. I probably like a bit more muscle than "nicely toned", but yeah, the huge bulging arms and legs? No - not attractive to me, but I admire the effort it took. I lift myself, and it's noticeable in sleeveless or racer-back styled tops. But no way am I what I would call a body-builder.

 

But, as far as being "attractive", when you can't put your arms down at your sides, that is too much for me. :o

[Gathina]

I'm with the ladies. It's nice to have muscles, I just don't want to be repulsed by them. The big body thing for me doesn't scream health, although I know it is healthy. To me it screams something else and if I post it they will toss me off the boards for good.

 

To Odoyal, if this works for you, that's great. The only bad thing I can see is if you don't keep up with it over your lifetime you're going to look awful. Nonetheless, that's quite an accomplishment you've mastered.

[Gathina]

Your comment about not being able to put your arms down your sides..reminds me of that scene in the movie "The Christmas Story" (about the kid who wanted the red rider bb gun). There was a scene where the brother was so bundled up with winter clothes he couldn't put his arms down and when he fell down he couldn't get up! :)

 

I agree...I find muscles to be very sexy - on both genders. I probably like a bit more muscle than "nicely toned", but yeah, the huge bulging arms and legs? No - not attractive to me, but I admire the effort it took. I lift myself, and it's noticeable in sleeveless or racer-back styled tops. But no way am I what I would call a body-builder.

 

But, as far as being "attractive", when you can't put your arms down at your sides, that is too much for me. :o

[WeirdEyes]

Surely they will use some common sense when applying this rule. Although we are talking about Alabama, so probably not! (I lived there for 8 years, so it's okay for me to make fun of it! ;) ) But there's an obvious difference between someone who's obese and someone who's got a lot of muscle mass. I would hope that even in Alabama, they could tell the difference!

Darci, you know I think you're great, but not everyone that lives in Alabama is stupid. I've lived here all of my life and I just get tired of everyone thinking that Alabamians are "stupid rednecks." I promise if you were to meet me in person, you would definitely not think that about me, my family, or my friends (well, maybe a few of them, LOL).

 

I do agree with you that there is an obvious difference between muscle mass and fat and they won't be able to accurately go by a person's BMI. I'm going to do some research when I get a minute to see exactly what the State's plans are. My best friend works for the State so I can ask her about it also. She's VERY healthy and a perfect size 6. ;)

 

I find a well toned body to be very sexy on a guy or a woman. Not the bulging muscle types that are loaded with roids, but just nicely toned and healthy looking.

 

Lynn

Amen to that, sister! ;)

[Promise]

Thanks