Can it be done?
Yea
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With proper nutrition, protein is it possible to be at 9% continuously?
Yes for a European but probably not for a North American;)
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I’m 4.9% +/- 0.5%. Yes it can be done.
Yes, but if you are like me, once you get that thin you can get colds and sinus infections very easily.
Yes – depending upon your body.
I was ~5% body fat from when I was 18 - 28 (business school + consulting killed that) – I was tested (calipers) about 15 times in that interval, and all came out between 5% - 5.5%, and my weight stayed constant at 140 +/- 2lbs the entire time.
I just got tested (hydrostatic), and I’m not at 9.7% and 153lbs
Yes – depending upon your body.
I was ~5% body fat from when I was 18 - 28 (business school + consulting killed that) – I was tested (calipers) about 15 times in that interval, and all came out between 5% - 5.5%, and my weight stayed constant at 140 +/- 2lbs the entire time.
I just got tested (hydrostatic), and I’m not at 9.7% and 153lbs
+1. Totally depends on your body. A really good nutritionist or doctor who specializes in this area can help you know. If you try to do it and you’re not built for it, you’ll just get sick a lot and it will be really hard.
I prefer 5%
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I like to float around 7-8% during training and cut back before a race. I feel really good around the 7-8% and great around 5% but staying that low is incredibly hard with ice cream in the fridge.
Can it be done?
Yes it can be done. And no it is not too low to maintain.
Been hanging around 5-8% for over 15yrs. Down around 4-5%, I get nose bleeds and can feel out of breath easily, but 7-8% is super easy to maintain.
Getting there is the hard part, as I understand it. Year 'round wrestling programs were how I got there.
Yeah! I don’t like to though. I stay around 12% in the offseason and drop to 9% a month or so before races. I train so much, it’s just a matter of eating a lower fat diet for a little bit to drop the weight. When I’m at 12%, that’s me eating McDonalds weekly and drinking a lot with friends and meals out. 9% is more eating oatmeal for breakfast at home and sensible lunches/dinners. I very much prefer what I get to eat at 12%.
Is 9% body fat too low to maintain most of the year?
No
Can it be done?
Yes.
Source: Me. I’m pretty much < 9% all year. I cook/prepare most of my meals during the week, and have a beer just about every night.
I will just point out that callipers are grossly inaccurate - even when used by an “experienced” person. Immersion tests, dexascans etc are the only accurate way of determining true body fat levels.
Always funny to see a “Yeah I iz ripped, I have 5% body fat!” guy test about 12% on a dexa.
I will just point out that callipers are grossly inaccurate - even when used by an “experienced” person. Immersion tests, dexascans etc are the only accurate way of determining true body fat levels.
Always funny to see a “Yeah I iz ripped, I have 5% body fat!” guy test about 12% on a dexa.
I wasn’t going to say it. Anybody saying they are sitting at 5% needs a dose of reality. I spent 3yrs doing DEXA scans at U Houston’s human performance lab, mostly with athletes, and never saw anybody that lean. The leaner someone gets, the more inaccurate calipers are.
Even immersion tests and dexa aren’t perfect. It is sort of a bs number to worry about in the first place.
get as light as you can till you get swine flu or break a hip, then add a pound.
I will just point out that callipers are
grossly inaccurate - even when used by an “experienced” person. Immersion tests, dexascans etc are the only accurate way of determining true body fat levels.
Always funny to see a “Yeah I iz ripped, I have 5% body fat!” guy test about 12% on a dexa.
9% would be a dream for me but I’m happy at 20%…crazy job, wife, kids and family dont let it go much lower
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get as light as you can till you break a hip, then add a pound.
I can’t stop laughing.
I just did a dunk test this morning. I am 56 and was 9.6% body fat. 173 pounds. One of the things that the tech noted was that it was unhealthy for me to drop below 8.8%. I am curious how old you guys are that you can be a 5 to 6%. I cant imagine being there but I am trying.