Should I increase my bodyfat???

Chris P Duck

Hi, I posted last week saying I was going to join my local gym. Well I did. They done all the measurements on me and it turns out I have 3% body fat. I should point out that I am very skinny, weighing only 9 stone and with a height of 5'8".

Anyway, my goals for joining the gym are to reach an acceptable fitness level, and gain more strength.

I eat healthy during the week but tend to let it slip at the weekend. Im not sure if I am eating enough during the week though. Breakfast is usually a bowl of weetabix, porridge or all bran, Lunch is usually a chicken salad or turkey sandwich on wholemeal bread. Dinner is can be anything from lamb, pork,breaded chicken, fish, casserole, with lots of veg. My dinner portion is usually huge. Dinner is usually cooked for me as I dont get home from work till late. I snack very little.

My weekend diet is poor and contains things from lots of bread, chocolate, ice cream, etc.

Im sorry if this question has been asked over and over again but do you think I should increase my body fat, when trying to build myself up? I dont want to be too big but I dont want to be scrawny(is this a word) either. Should I base my diet on carbs or protein? How do you think I should change my diet?

Dragan

To be honest dude, 3%is very, very low. As in, cold on a warm day low. I have know several bodybuilders who would drop to 3 or 4% and they would be wearing as much as they could to keep warm, the body needs fat for insulation and to protect organs, so to be this low all the time would be a health issue also.

You can very acceptably be anywhere from 7% to 10% and still be very, very lean, so i would suggest that just for health reasons you go up to about that level.

Also, to add muscle, you will need to be ingesting quite a few good calories so could expect to but on some not so lean mass anyway. It will make it easier for you to gain muscle if you don't need to worry about adding some fat as well, which you obviously do not.

Chris P Duck

Yeah, I find I am cold alot. Whats the best way to ge the extra calories?

Dragan

Just up the ammount you are eating, i would not recommend you just eat garbage like some people will, as this will lead to other health problems that just gaining weight, just eat a lot of good healthy foods dude, you will know when you begin to add weight and when to slow things down.

A quick tip is to add some nuts to your diet, there are niceand calorie dense.

Chris P Duck

Thanks Dragan. So going to the chippers after the pub is still out

Dragan

To be honest in you case, nope, just make sure it doesn't happen to often is all!!!!

poobum

dude if ur dat low...dunno how ur so low if u drink reguraly and go to the chipper alot....if ur dat low well it prob wudnt be to bad! but try eat loads of pasta and rice and wholemeal bread! and milk! and eat every about 3 hours and if u dont put on weight up you meals! u shud eat about 6 times a day every 2-3 hours! about 7-10 would be a much healthier bodyfat and ud still be ripped! most people couldnt maintain 3% without getting sick i have a friend who dropped to 4%(healthily) and get very sick and the doctor said he had to go back up a bit for health reasons! its bad to be over weight! but just as unhealthy to be underweight...are you sure your bf was accurate? because like if ur 3...well dats odd! especially if u drink and eat loads etc...do u skip meals often? are you an athlethe or anything? highly active?

Chris P Duck

poobum wrote:

dude if ur dat low...dunno how ur so low if u drink reguraly and go to the chipper alot....if ur dat low well it prob wudnt be to bad! but try eat loads of pasta and rice and wholemeal bread! and milk! and eat every about 3 hours and if u dont put on weight up you meals! u shud eat about 6 times a day every 2-3 hours! about 7-10 would be a much healthier bodyfat and ud still be ripped! most people couldnt maintain 3% without getting sick i have a friend who dropped to 4%(healthily) and get very sick and the doctor said he had to go back up a bit for health reasons! its bad to be over weight! but just as unhealthy to be underweight...are you sure your bf was accurate? because like if ur 3...well dats odd! especially if u drink and eat loads etc...do u skip meals often? are you an athlethe or anything? highly active?

I had my BF measured by one of the instructors in the gym so I presume it was accurate. My bmi was 18.5%, which I know is the border line of underweight to normal weight.

I always eat 3 healthy meal a day on weekdays. My dinner would usually be some sort of meat with a huge portion of vegtables. I have to say I like my veg. I never snack during the week though. On the weekends I would binge eat alot, eating alot of bread. I wouldnt say i drink alot, 4 - 6 pints on a saturday night. I dont really consider that to be alot when its only once a week. Also I dont go to the chippers that often. I like to have a chinese every 2 weeks or so.

Im not athletic. I use to soccer train 2 nights a week and play a match on a sunday up to a year ago. I was reasonably fit. I gave that up a year ago and have gotten little or no exercise since then, apart from a 15 minute walk each day. I have a sedetary job, so I try not to overeat on crap. I have started eating more now since I joined the gym because I know I cant afford to loose anymore weight.

I lost about 2 stone about 2 years ago and I lost alot of muscle when I did. Id now like to get that muscle and strength back

Transform

Eat more calorie dense foods e.g. nuts, natural peanut butter on oatcakes with butter, more good fats- avocadoes, fish, etc.

In general your body will adjust as you cnsume more. Ensure you are eating lots after your workout and up to 6 times per day