Is "skinny fit" an unrealistic goal for most women?

[guest569]

No argument, and I agree...

 

I guess my point is that its a lot easier to be a fat slob than a ripped, muscular, low bf person(especially a woman)...SO much harder that its almost not worth mentioning(people that fit that teeeny category of fit/muscular and ripped)..

 

No sense really worrying about an epidemic of these people popping up...It will never happen..

 

TFY

 

Well there is a LOT of room between being a fat slob and being skinny and ripped.. I'm average weight, slim, my goal is to gradually build some strength and eat a reasonable diet. Thats all i want and need. But i really dont think i could achieve or maintain the super skinny and ripped look. Well, maybe I can surprise myself.

[Cherrybombb]

It can be achieved through proper conditioning (strength/resistance training) and proper diet. Girls are naturally prone to be a little softer so most girls body will fight against losing the body fat. You need to supply your body with enough protein, lift heavy, and eat below a maintenance to drop the body fat %. Find out your TDEE, there's plenty of calculators on the web and start from there and adjust the calories accordingly. I suggest finding a strength program you can be consistent with every week. Add cardio either first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (that's the best way to burn fat when your glycogen is low) or right after a strength training program (when your insulin drops so it makes you more prone to losing fat). The best time to have carbs is right after a fasted cardio in the morning, before a work out, and after a strength/cardio session. If you have someone who can test your body fat % (most women are around 25-30%) then you can track how much lean muscle vs body fat you're putting on/losing. The girl in the photo is around 15% body fat (possibly leaner). Good luck!

[Rejected Rosebud]

I just read this whole thread and it's left me confused!! Is there a general feeling here that any women who don't go for that super ripped look, or even who claim they don't think it's attractive, are lazy and dishonest?!?! And fat?! I'm not lazy or dishonest or fat!! I don't look like that either and have zero aspirations to, ever!! My boyfriend would hate it but to be perfectly honest I value eating some pasta or delicious pastries once in a while much more than I value having a body anything like that girl's!! I do think she looks pretty cool though, it's just not my thing. I don't set foot in a gym ever! Yes I am physically fit anyway, how I am living my life requires it, Really I do admire anyone with a passion who really lives it and if it's your passion to have a body like that then go for it! but it has nothing to do with me and I don't compare myself to it.

[newmoon]

i have the second body type. the very thin, but not "fit" by gym/muscle standards. but i work out everyday and do a mix of activities to stay fit and healthy. i don't even think my body is capable of looking like the first girl. the first girl must spend her life in the gym, and imo not every thin girl can be fit like that. you have to have the right frame too - a really petite girl with a small frame (like most Asian gals) would look ridiculous with so much muscle definition and probably couldn't achieve it easily, if at all. typically you see white or african american girls looking like the 1st girl because the american frame is larger than other ethnic groups. she looks great, but that's Ms. Fitness America stuff.

[Ruby Slippers]

Would most women be incapable of achieving this sort of physique or something close to it with hard work in the gym? Is it unrealistic for most women?

I think the figure pictured is definitely unrealistic for most women to achieve, because for most it would require an exceptional level of focus to both diet and exercise. But I don't think most women want to look like that.

 

I agree with some others that the sinewy look of her calves, abs, and clavicle is not as aesthetically pleasing to my eyes as a smoother but still toned look. I respect the level of dedication it takes to achieve such a look, but I personally do not aspire to it. I think my body looks really good when I'm trim and toned, but still have a feminine softness to my curves (= a little more fat).

 

I will say that I'm glad the heroin chic / anorexic look of the 90s and early 2000s has faded out of fashion. It was like women were disappearing.

[BeholdtheMan]

I will say that I'm glad the heroin chic / anorexic look of the 90s and early 2000s has faded out of fashion. It was like women were disappearing.

 

I find that picture of Keira Knightley is be utterly revolting

[guest569]

I find skinny shaming just as bad as fat shaming. Because again, it's all about women's bodies being right or wrong.

 

I dont think those women look too bad. In the top or bottom row.

[ascendotum]

i have the second body type. the very thin, but not "fit" by gym/muscle standards. but i work out everyday and do a mix of activities to stay fit and healthy. i don't even think my body is capable of looking like the first girl. the first girl must spend her life in the gym, and imo not every thin girl can be fit like that. you have to have the right frame too - a really petite girl with a small frame (like most Asian gals) would look ridiculous with so much muscle definition and probably couldn't achieve it easily, if at all. typically you see white or african american girls looking like the 1st girl because the american frame is larger than other ethnic groups. she looks great, but that's Ms. Fitness America stuff.

 

If you are like the girl in the 2nd photo, I think you very easily could be the girl in the 1st pic much more so than it would be for majority of women imo. My sister was once like skinny girl 2 bit is not like girl 1 but is now more average size firm toned, 'bikini body' fit and just does Pilates with a post baby body. As she got older and ate better & more regular she put on weight. If you applied yourself in the weight room and not the cardio/aerobics room and ramped up the protein & calories, I don't doubt you could become the girl in pic 1. That girl will have to go regularly to the gym or swimming as well maybe but she wont have to spend her life in the gym by any means.

 

I dont think a small build Asian women with muscles would look ridiculous. Muscles on a small frame women will look better than it would on a thick framed chunky shot putter woman, because she would still be able to maintain her femininity. You never see it though because Asian girls generally don't like to work up a sweat (except bedroom gymnastics). In my gym there actually is one, an indonesian woman and she looks good but its hard work and she drops weight when she has breaks from the gym (she wants to put on weight). There is another petite build women who trains at my gym with heavy weights and looks a lot like Linda Hamilton in T2 (but bit more muscles) and I think she is hot. I have to admit the veins showing on her arms would put off a lot of guys, but since my arms are the same, it doesn't freak me. I agree with the others on here who say its very much genes determined and most women couldn't do it (doesn't mean its not worth going to the gym tho).

[jenniferjoy]

I'm taking about this type of slim but fit/athletic-looking physique, not this stick figure physique

 

Would most women be incapable of achieving this sort of physique or something close to it with hard work in the gym? Is it unrealistic for most women?

 

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I joined this website specifically so I can respond to this thread. I am a 25 year old female with a NATURAL body like the 2nd picture. As mentioned above in the previous comment before mine, skinny-shaming is just as bad as fat shaming. I have been called very insulting names since childhood. However, I have learned that it takes a healthy diet and exercise to look and be healthy. There is no way around it. Whether you are naturally thin or fat, if you do not take care of your body, you will look like ****.

[CrystalShine2011]

Just be careful! Things like this are attainable, but hopefully in a healthy way. Sometimes our bodies do NOT look best like the photos that were posted. Everyone is different, everyone has a different "healthy".

[EasyHeart]

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I joined this website specifically so I can respond to this thread. I am a 25 year old female with a NATURAL body like the 2nd picture. As mentioned above in the previous comment before mine, skinny-shaming is just as bad as fat shaming. I have been called very insulting names since childhood. However, I have learned that it takes a healthy diet and exercise to look and be healthy. There is no way around it. Whether you are naturally thin or fat, if you do not take care of your body, you will look like ****.

FWIW, "skinny" women usually age really well. When women fill out in their late 20s and 30s, the women who looked great at 20 tend to get chubby, while the women who grew up skinny tend to look fantastic.

 

jsyk

[EasyHeart]

Another point that I think is relevant to this discussion is the sometimes-disconnect with what people look like vs what they think they look like. I think most of us have a certain perception of our bodies that is formed at a very young age and we never really shake that early perception.

 

For instance, I was chubby in elementary and middle school and was always considered one of the fat kids in school. I slimmed down in my teen years and have never been fat since then, but at a core psychological level, I will always think of myself as "the fat kid". In contrast, I have two good friends who both grew up a the skinny kids. (We joke about it because when we were kids, we all had to get our clothes at special stores; I wore "Huskies" and they wore "Slims"). Now in middle age, I have a 32 inch waist, the same as when I was 25. They both have pot bellies and are a good 50 lbs overweight (and one has type 2 diabetes). I still fret about getting fat, but they both think they look great and are hostile to the idea of losing weight.

 

I think a lot of people look different than they think they look. (Which is also why I never put much weight (pun intended) on how people on the internet describe their own appearance!)

[Macattack]

For the majority of women, physique has a lot more to do with diet than 'hard work in the gym'. So technically yes, 'most women' (AND, conversely, 'most men'!) can look like that with an extremely stringent diet and a lot of time in the gym.

 

But is it worth it? Except for a lucky few, the vast majority of people with bodies like what you and I linked, sacrifice a lot to attain it. I've known women who turn down social outings because a good meal and drinks with friends would mess up their diet plans. Women who turn anorexic/bulimic. Men who turn to hormones and steroids for a shortcut.

 

The majority of people will not have those bodies with only a generally healthy diet and the medically recommended amount of exercise for good health. For many of us, for ourselves and for our partners, us/them being at a healthy weight and in good health is good enough.

 

 

I disagree, you can cheat once a while.

Edited February 25, 2015 by a LoveShack.org Moderator

[autumnnight]

I was called stringbean and other such names growing up - I was a tall skinny kid with arms and legs everywhere. When I graduated from college I weighed less than 120 and I was 5'9". But even then I had a little junk in the trunk and "thighs." And I exercised (Jane Fonda and some gym where everything was pink lol) for at least an hour a day.

 

Fast forward to mid 30's and some deep depression and a life that sucked except for my kids and my job, and I had ballooned to a size 14. For several years in a row.

 

I finally had enough, began counting calories, fat, and carbs in a moderate fashion - calories were the bottom line. Walked/ran almost every day. Drank lots of water and cut out the carbonation. I got down to a size 8 but never could break that size 6 barrier again.

 

Now I'm somewhere in between with an eye to get closer to that 8. I have no functioning thyroid anymore, so I don't know if that is why I just couldn't break the "8" barrier. But at 5'9" and 50 knocking on the door, I'm fine with a fit, healthy size 10 body. Because the work I would have to do to stay smaller all the time isn't worth it to me.

 

Funnily enough though, when I was a 120 pound size 4/6, I spent lotsa Saturday nights alone. Now I get hit on (and it actually is hit on, not just my imagination because they smiled 3 seconds in a row) several times a week.

 

I think it all has to do with attitude.

 

And I am so proud of myself. 4 or 5 years ago this thread would have depressed me into a sniffing, teary heap. Tonight I can read it and say "you go girl!" to the gym girls with size 4 gym shorts and 12% body fat while at the same time slipping on my size 12 nightie and feeling FINE.

[Nikki Sahagin]

Well I think it is achievable but it depends on the life you want to lead.

 

I remember watching Scrubs when Turk starts working out every day after work but then decides he'd rather spend that time with his wife than working on his body EVERY day.

 

For me, I'd rather spend quality time with my boyfriend than work out for 1-2 hours every day. I am slim and not overweight but I don't fit 'skinny fit' definition. I do work out too but I'd think you'd need to work out A LOT and VERY consistently to look like that.

 

If you enjoy that lifestyle, then it's achievable. But if you have a career, a family or simply other priorities, then I wouldn't say it's too realistic. Same with very muscly men; unless it's your life/career (i.e. fitness model), you'll be having to sacrifice something to look that great and I'd rather a bf who spent more time with me (maybe with a lil padding), than a muscly stud who saw the gym more than me.

[Nikki Sahagin]

It's not just about muscular women, it's about preferences, it's about options.

 

Most men aren't going to say they want a Victoria Secret model if the reality is they NEVER run into a Victoria Secret model nor would ever have a chance in the world of actually being with her.

 

For men there's a world of preference in the "real world" and then there's that other world, that "fantasy world" or porn and women online that they could never hope to get...they don't adjust their standard to that level, it's impossible for most men to attain..."average" is difficult enough for men to attain, let alone smoking hot gym girl who's so desirable being "skinny-fit" that the majority of men would lick the drops of sweat falling from her @ss.

 

But oh, the guys on "LS" and your husband or boyfriend says this....VERY CONVINCING, said no man ever. And then LS is a place of perverts and losers when they're comments are undesirable but they are suddenly a wonderful representation of the male population (all 5 of them) because they said they like the same preference as me....hmm, I wonder why a man would state his preference as flexible or adjusted to what he feels most women would approve of...hmm, rocket science there.

 

If you want to see what type of women men prefer, then simply go to theChive or to male dominated forums, where men are throwing up pictures left and right of attractive women and commenting on what they like without worrying about being outnumbered by the the hens.

 

You will not see "curvy" unless she's really "thick in the right places"...you don't see many "average" women there...you see the same girls on porn that most men wank over...even your husband and your BF, while at the same time of course...telling you he prefers something else in real life.

 

Men's "preferences" are adjusted by the "real-life-curve" once they're back to reality...I guarantee you most of the guys would not turn down "skinny-fit" girl if she approached him in real life (which she never would), but if she did, you're a damned fool if you think he's going to turn her down because she's too skinny and fit...that's just what they say on here.

 

Your post reeks of nastiness.

IMO, women should NOT be visiting the chive. We don't need to know what secret fantasy women men get off to; what's the point of feeding that insecurity into yourself?

 

I just focus on myself. I don't want to go down that rabbit hole and I don't suggest anyone should. No living person can compete with fantasy and porn and photoshop so the best bet is to stay away and focus on your REAL life and REAL self.