Great female bodies, lifestyle or genes?

[major_merrick]

Take a typical flat chested and wiry 110/120 lb woman, get her to squat some to get her glutes to pop, add a boob job, and its like a miraculous transformation..

 

Genetics sure are important, no doubt, but don't discount the impact of a good boob job on the right type of woman...

 

TFY

 

Or just keep the flatchested, slender woman the way she is because she looks good that way!

 

Lots of people simply need a partner who appreciates them for who they are. At least I think I've got that....I know I'm harder on myself than my partners are.

[basil67]

One of my female friends is a P/T and also did competitive bodybuilding for a time. Her clients wanted to get fit but not have visible muscles. My friend assured the women that her muscles took mountains of work and she also required a restrictive diet (which at the peak of her training left her with no energy). Naturally, as soon as as she went back to non-body building workout, her visible muscles disappeared. She's now looking simply like a very fit woman.

 

I'm trying to correlate the men telling women to build up muscle to make body shape vs the experience of a female P/T and body builder. Are men thinking that women build muscle like men?

 

I'm assuming we're not talking 'roids for women.

[thefooloftheyear]

One of my female friends is a P/T and also did competitive bodybuilding for a time. Her clients wanted to get fit but not have visible muscles. My friend assured the women that her muscles took mountains of work and she also required a restrictive diet (which at the peak of her training left her with no energy). Naturally, as soon as as she went back to non-body building workout, her visible muscles disappeared. She's now looking simply like a very fit woman.

 

I'm trying to correlate the men telling women to build up muscle to make body shape vs the experience of a female P/T and body builder. Are men thinking that women build muscle like men?

I'm assuming we're not talking 'roids for women.

 

I'm not really seeing too many guys looking to direct women to go and look like Cris Cyborg or Gina Davis(the bodybuilder)...Most are keenly aware that these types aren't typical and are often a result of PED's and/or one in a million genetics..

 

Yes, I am aware that women lack the amount of testosterone needed to build a fraction of the type of muscle men can....

 

But.....(and this is my opinion and I am not alone), a woman that incorporates a weight training regimen and does it properly will.....

 

-build/tone the muscle she has

-"shape" the body in a very appealing(to most) form...

-avoid/improve the usual female trouble areas(flabby loose upper arms/flat and shapeless ass. shapeless legs/calves etc..

-maintain and build interconnective tissue/cartilage/bone density..

-Increase libido....no...this is NOT bs...Resistance training raises natural testosterone levels in women ,,and you will perform better in the sack as well...

-This may be the most important benefit...True for men and women...People that are lifters will often avoid the typically common injuries the rest suffer...especially as they age...When you have a strong body, you are less prone to back, knee, hip and other injuries...Your muscles do the work and save the joints from injury..

 

I realize everyone's personal tastes vary, and that's ok...But there is no denying it, the benefits for women are well worth the time investment....

 

TFY

[nospam99]

I'm trying to correlate the men telling women to build up muscle to make body shape vs the experience of a female P/T and body builder. Are men thinking that women build muscle like men?

 

OP here. I started this little 'party' intending and thinking my questions focused on whether, how much, and for how long women could keep their bodies attractive. FWIW same questions could be asked about men.

 

I don't tell the women I meet to build up muscle or to exercise. However I live what I think is a healthy lifestyle (exercise AND diet) and I try to meet women who also live a healthy lifestyle. As we get to know each other the details of our lifestyles is a topic of conversation. My generalization from those conversations is that rather than building muscle, these women do all sorts of exercise and sports. I'd say the most common activities are walking, hiking (distinguished from walking by variable and difficult terrain), biking, swimming and yoga. What may make a difference is we're talking about 3-7 days per week and one way or another aggregating a minimum of 3 hours per week and usually a lot more. All these women can pretty much go off and easily take a four hour hike over hilly, rocky forest terrain.

[Ruby Slippers]

I think it's possible to be relatively fit and lean at any age, provided you eat fairly clean and get some kind of regular activity.

 

I can stay in decent shape just by watching my diet and getting light workouts. If I want to get more trim and toned, I just add more workouts - longer and more intense, at least 4 times a week.

 

I'm increasing my workouts right now, feeling good. I think this week I might do some form of a fresh juice cleanse

[MaleIntuition]

One of my female friends is a P/T and also did competitive bodybuilding for a time. Her clients wanted to get fit but not have visible muscles. My friend assured the women that her muscles took mountains of work and she also required a restrictive diet (which at the peak of her training left her with no energy). Naturally, as soon as as she went back to non-body building workout, her visible muscles disappeared. She's now looking simply like a very fit woman.

 

I'm trying to correlate the men telling women to build up muscle to make body shape vs the experience of a female P/T and body builder. Are men thinking that women build muscle like men?

 

I'm assuming we're not talking 'roids for women.

 

Men and women build muscle in the same way and the relative (percentage) expected increase is similar.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/2183330/

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/1988/08000/Muscle_hypertrophy_in_men_and_women.3.aspx

 

Muscle visibility has to do with body fat percentage.

Edited August 5, 2018 by MaleIntuition

[guest569]

Definitely the jeans.

[brigit87]

Having a great body for a female happens naturally. All they have to do is not screw it up by having a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. Sure, there might be some women with nicer hips, butt, or whatever, but the natural female shape is absolutely great. Again, just don't screw it up.

 

 

But age does effect how your body works. And what was easy in your 20's is difficult in your 40's.

[nospam99]

But age does effect how your body works. And what was easy in your 20's is difficult in your 40's.

 

Personal experience: no more difficult for me in my 60s than it was in my 40s. I hit a 'wall' in my late 20's - one spring I went out to take my first seasonal jog and my wind didn't just magically 'come back' as it had every year before then. Since then it has been a long, slow decline. Through my mid 50s I ate whatever I wanted. BUT after I changed my diet, it actually became much easier to 'stay in shape' and gave me back my 40s body. 'Best' diet is most likely going to vary from person to person. For me it was a significant reduction (NOT elimination - I have too much of a sweet tooth) in carbs: no bread (used to inhale bagels, too - today a 'sandwich' is an onion slice wrapped in a slice of turkey or chicken), cereal, pasta, cookies, cake, raisins (chiropractor said grapes are okay but raisins have too much sugar), soda, or fruit juice in the house.

Edited August 6, 2018 by nospam99

[lana-banana]

Men's metabolisms decline gradually over time, while women experience three drop-offs: one in the early 20s, then your early 30s, then finally after menopause. While each drop-off isn't as drastic as it sounds (I think the research I saw suggested it averaged about 200 calories worth of difference?) it can all add up over time.

 

My mother is 72 years old, 4'9" tall, and 90 pounds. Her daily routine is as follows:

 

- Morning workout of treadmill jogging and weights, or an exercise video with weights.

- Breakfast is orange juice, a bowl of oatmeal and a slice of toast with jam or butter.

- Lunch is half a sandwich, some carrots, and half an apple.

- Dinner is whatever she wants. My mom is a hugely creative and talented cook and will make incredibly delicious meals, often with multiple courses and sides. She also gives herself a small slice of whatever amazing dessert she's made, or just a cookie or two. If we go out to eat she eats a half portion and takes the rest home.

 

This type of morning routine would bore a lot of people to death, but it works for her. I grew up observing her and she's still at it even now. Even when she struggled with Hashimoto's disease before her diagnosis, she never gained more than about five pounds. Genetics matter, but strength training and proper portions is 95% of the game.

[hotpotato]

women are insecure about their bodies because other women make them so

 

As someone who was bullied for my shape, yes, sometimes women tear each other down. It wasn't just the bullying for me though. It was hard growing up with an unusual body shape while other girls blossomed.

 

******

 

I think it's genetics and lifestyle. Elvira looks great for her age, and she's almost 70! I've noticed that women of higher socioeconomic status are more likely to have a healthy weight.

 

A lot of women naturally have sexy shapes. I see plenty of curvy women, although some could drop a few lbs. Some of the things that make a woman's body sexy are genetic like breast size and waist to hip ratio.

 

There are fit women in my gym with skinny legs, skinny arms, and fat stomachs. There are obese women with hourglass figures. Luck of the draw.

[major_merrick]

I think it's genetics and lifestyle. Elvira looks great for her age, and she's almost 70! I've noticed that women of higher socioeconomic status are more likely to have a healthy weight.

 

Socioeconomic status is definitely a factor. Poor people have less access to healthy food choices - junk food is cheap and high quality organic produce is expensive, unless you grow it yourself. Better earnings and better jobs also yields more leisure time, which can impact stress. A stressed person puts on more weight. Also, people with more time away from work have more time to work on themselves, which can lead to greater commitment to diet and exercise.

[brigit87]

Socioeconomic status is definitely a factor. Poor people have less access to healthy food choices - junk food is cheap and high quality organic produce is expensive, unless you grow it yourself.

 

Ever shop at Whole Foods? It's like a mortgage payment.

[major_merrick]

Ever shop at Whole Foods? It's like a mortgage payment.

 

I've been there...didn't buy anything. I went there with my GFs a couple of years ago and it was like going into another world. Nice, bright, and clean...but total sticker shock.

 

We grow our own vegetables here. My husband grew up gardening, canning, preserving, and doing things the old-fashioned way. I lived in a commune setting for a while so I learned some of that too. I feel sorry for apartment-dwellers that have no access to a patch of dirt to work in. It seems impossible to pay for a healthy diet on a less-than-wealthy income.

 

Since I've been pregnant I have been crazy for healthy food. No sugar, minimal salt, nothing processed.... I have to know where everything comes from and exactly what's in it. Without a garden and animals, I couldn't do it.

[brigit87]

I've been there...didn't buy anything. I went there with my GFs a couple of years ago and it was like going into another world. Nice, bright, and clean...but total sticker shock.

 

We grow our own vegetables here. My husband grew up gardening, canning, preserving, and doing things the old-fashioned way. I lived in a commune setting for a while so I learned some of that too. I feel sorry for apartment-dwellers that have no access to a patch of dirt to work in. It seems impossible to pay for a healthy diet on a less-than-wealthy income.

 

Since I've been pregnant I have been crazy for healthy food. No sugar, minimal salt, nothing processed.... I have to know where everything comes from and exactly what's in it. Without a garden and animals, I couldn't do it.

 

I want to learn how to grow vegetables. I'm great with flowers, trees, shrubs but not food. I grew cucumbers and they were tasteless.

[nospam99]

I want to learn how to grow vegetables. I'm great with flowers, trees, shrubs but not food. I grew cucumbers and they were tasteless.

 

Blueberries (8 plants of various varieties), corn, and tomatoes here. Asparagus, too, but I don't harvest or eat it. I suggest starting with tomatoes (next year if you're in the northern hemisphere) because they take up less space than corn. I also grew zucchini, yellow squash, snow peas, brussel sprouts, carrots, rhubarb, and onions in the past. But I'm alone now so only grow what I'll eat a lot of myself. The blueberries are pretty nice to bring a bag of as a simple 'gift' for a date. I've also got plenty of strawberries growing out of control in the vegetable plot. But they need to be weeded and regenerated before they'll bear a good crop again.

[major_merrick]

I want to learn how to grow vegetables. I'm great with flowers, trees, shrubs but not food. I grew cucumbers and they were tasteless.

 

I think that might have to do with the soil. I've noticed that different areas have better soil for some crops than others. Cucumbers and squashes do very well where I live...we get so many that we can't use them all. Potatoes are another matter...it takes tons of work to get the few that are usable. Corn has also not worked well for us, but I was never very fond of that anyway.

 

I've learned to eat more swiss chard and spinach than I ever thought possible - high folic acid content. We also have tons of eggs from our free range chickens. I was never into eating a bunch of eggs, but I've learned.

 

I think one of the hardest things about adjusting to eating from the garden is to eat what's in season. When beans are ready, there's lots of beans on the table. When squash is ready, you eat lots of that. It is less about choice and more about availability. You end up eating stuff until you're tired of it. My husband does a good job of staggering the planting to even out the seasons, and he's an expert with making things new and different in the kitchen. It is a skill that was passed down in his family for several generations.

 

I credit having organic, healthy food for what health I've got, and for being able to be pregnant. While I'm still limited by my genes, I think a decent diet has maximized my health within those limitations. If I at Pizza Hut or McDonalds or junk from a box, I'm pretty sure I would be sicker.

[Poutrew]

I want to learn how to grow vegetables. I'm great with flowers, trees, shrubs but not food. I grew cucumbers and they were tasteless.

 

Well, one big lesson I learned is to fertilize before you plant, or after you pull out the old plants, but to never fertilize while they are growing. Unless you want to eat horrible tasting vegetables. Also, for cukes, pick 'em young. One surprising crop I've learned to grow is Gourmet French Dandelions... they grow like weeds (because they are considered weeds by most), but the young leaves make a good tasty and nutritious salad - just pick everything before they go to seed or you will have angry neighbors to deal with... And to keep this thread on track, I still harbor the fantasy that one of those young female neighbors with the fantastic bods will see me slaving over my garden one day and come over to 'help' me out...

Edited August 12, 2018 by Poutrew

[major_merrick]

And to keep this thread on track, I still harbor the fantasy that one of those young female neighbors with the fantastic bods will see me slaving over my garden one day and come over to 'help' me out...

 

HAHAHA well gardening is actually good for a woman's body. All that weed pulling and sun tanning keeps a person somewhat in shape. Wife #2 is always out in the garden...usually wearing very little. She likes the sun and thinks it is good for her, while I tend to be a creature of the night and I stay indoors when it gets too hot out.

[hotpotato]

^ This.

 

Having a great body (or even a good body) is 90% genetics and 10% fine tuning, considering that you're at normal weight and good health.

 

Yeah, you can shape your muscles and stay skinny, but that's pretty much all you can do against your genetics. The thing is it gives people 'sense of accomplishment' that they can shape a bit, that's why we are 'conditioned' to pretend great bodies are work not genetic gift.

 

In the end of the day what makes a body great is proportions & shape - and that comes big time from your genetic make up. You can't make short legs appear gracious, and you can keep as skinny as you want and still not have a defined waist.

 

True that. No matter how much I dieted and lost weight, I never had a defined waist. I do all kinds of physical activities, but genetics is king. Fat waists run in my family on my mom's side. I am basically an active person but also obese because of my waist to hip ratio.

Yet there are plenty of women who are overweight who have fantastic curves, never worked out a day in their lives.

[No_Go]

HAHAHA well gardening is actually good for a woman's body. All that weed pulling and sun tanning keeps a person somewhat in shape. Wife #2 is always out in the garden...usually wearing very little. She likes the sun and thinks it is good for her, while I tend to be a creature of the night and I stay indoors when it gets too hot out.

 

Love gardening, although I'm terrible at it LOL. And it is indeed a full body workout and enjoyable too.

 

I know people say sun is bad for you but gosh, vit D makes you feel so much better

[No_Go]

Yeah that's the thing low weight doesn't translate to good body. Also high weight doesn't mean curvy, curvy and big are very different things. It is more about the shape and this is mostly genetic... of course certain workouts or plastic surgery can help.

 

I've been talking about women to my BF and guy friends to get an idea what men see. It is very different than what women see E.g. natural tones full face make up they consider to be clean no make up face And woman with a decent hourglass shape is considered slim even if she's carrying a lot of weight at her hips or boobs. Go figure...

 

True that. No matter how much I dieted and lost weight, I never had a defined waist. I do all kinds of physical activities, but genetics is king. Fat waists run in my family on my mom's side. I am basically an active person but also obese because of my waist to hip ratio.

Yet there are plenty of women who are overweight who have fantastic curves, never worked out a day in their lives.

[hotpotato]

Yeah that's the thing low weight doesn't translate to good body. Also high weight doesn't mean curvy, curvy and big are very different things. It is more about the shape and this is mostly genetic... of course certain workouts or plastic surgery can help.

 

I've been talking about women to my BF and guy friends to get an idea what men see. It is very different than what women see E.g. natural tones full face make up they consider to be clean no make up face :rolleyes: And woman with a decent hourglass shape is considered slim even if she's carrying a lot of weight at her hips or boobs. Go figure...

 

I think a lot of people think that way. People are quicker to label someone fat if they hold fat around the middle as opposed to holding fat in the sexy areas. Trust me, this has been a recurring theme in my life! I've known girls who were thin with big boobs or big butts and were never called fat as far as I know.

[No_Go]

I think a lot of people think that way. People are quicker to label someone fat if they hold fat around the middle as opposed to holding fat in the sexy areas. Trust me, this has been a recurring theme in my life! I've known girls who were thin with big boobs or big butts and were never called fat as far as I know.

 

The good news is knowing that, you can actively trick the eye to make people think you're thinner than you are. All it takes is the right clothing. Not going to turn an obese person into a supermodel, but IMO any woman would look better in high heels and using right undergarments. And even a supermodel would look bad with baggy clothing around her waistline...

[hotpotato]

The good news is knowing that, you can actively trick the eye to make people think you're thinner than you are. All it takes is the right clothing. Not going to turn an obese person into a supermodel, but IMO any woman would look better in high heels and using right undergarments. And even a supermodel would look bad with baggy clothing around her waistline...

 

I'm not obese in the way most people think. I'm actually very active and my weight now is ok considering my muscle mass.

My issues are my naturally high waist to hip ratio. I've been labeled fat as child. I wasn't, I just held it around the middle. As a teen and adult, I've been called "no shape" amongst other things and confused for a child. The trick I learned was wear light bottoms and dark tops. I won't lie, surgery helped a lot...