Thread: Perplexed...
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Old Sat, May-13-06, 10:30
kaypeeoh kaypeeoh is offline
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Posts: 1,216
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 185/180/165
BF:
Progress: 25%
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In the short term, weights swell the muscles with fluid. So they may look a bit bigger in the mirror. Long term, as subcutaneous body fat shrinks the muscles have more definition. But real "bulking up" requires testosterone. Some women produce more testosterone than others but almost never produce enough to rival a male's level.

Few women can drive their body fat levels so low that the muscles stand out. Elite male marathon runners will have body fat below 5%. Female elite runners will still have 10-12% body fat. At that degree of body fat, some women stop menstruating. I'm looking at Runners World Magazine. The woman on the cover is lean enough that I can see her ribs but I don't see muscle definition. Certainly no 6-pack.

Real body fat percentage can be estimated with a skin fold caliper. The only truly accurate method involves weighing yourself while submerged in water. But the caliper is reasonably accurate and can monitor progress.

Women should to weights because it increases the calcium amount in their bones. Cardio is the best way to shrink the body fat percentage.
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