How many so called steps are there really to determine body fat % visually ?

I have read so many diffrent and today I stumbled across this :

20% Body Fat

If you’re at 20% body fat, you have no visible definition and separation between muscle groups.

15% Body Fat

If you’re at 15% body fat, visible separation begins to appear in the chest, shoulders, and back. Six-pack abs don’t show even when flexed.

12% Body Fat

This is where abs begin to show when flexed. Also, much more separation is seen in the chest, shoulders, and back. The face begins to thin out also.

10% Body Fat

Muscles begin to take a fuller appearance. Abs are a lot more visible but still not seen when unflexed. Also, deeper separation is visible in the chest and back. Shoulders begin to take on a lot more definition, especially in the front portion of the shoulder.

7% Body Fat

Abs are clearly seen all the time, even when not flexed. They seem to be permanently flexed at this point. Shoulders start looking pretty crazy and your back definitely looks like a map of the Rocky Mountains.

5% Body Fat

Striations appear throughout the entire body. Veins begin to show everywhere, including your lower abs. If you reach this body fat percentage, you are at the top point 1 percent of the US population, in terms of leanness. You’re crazy and more ripped than Spiderman.

It must be one hundred variations or exceptions if you prefer that term to visual deviations on this?

Now since I know caliper can differ x amount of % depending on whos doing it how they are doing it and how you have been eating sleeping etc days before and so forth . But when I got measured first time he said 18,9% this was in June last year and by then I had even though perhaps not the most separated but still fully visible 6 pack and later on in August when I got measured again he said 15,x % and Abs was present as well as veins on shoulders and that separation on upper lower chest etc. By that 15 % marker my face looked thinner in my own and others opionion and my narrowest part of waist was 82 cm across compared to the 110+ when I started training in January .

Good summary of what bf% should and do look like. Post your pics so we can see what percent you may be.

I have some pictures in photos on my profile page both front and back and legs . I will see if I can take some new ones soon. Right now I´m at work and all stuffed from my large chili and oats lunch which doesn´t make a good picture

Haha! Took a look and I would say in the 11-13% range. Doing Great!

Are you doing the challenge?

Thanks just as I thought myself then . My goal is 9-10 % hopefully by July . No I am not doing the challenge missed out on the start and now I have managed to obtain some sort of knee or muscle connected to it damage . So no leg in two weeks :-( . It's my favorite part to train so I am really frustrated now.

Hmm file type not allowed tried uploading a picture here but didn't work.

Here's the proof - laugh long and loud. Two of my "lack of transformation" pics - one of the reason why I'm not in the challenge anymore

Well before bashing yourself to much I would like to give you credit for doing something about it. There is way to many people in this world not doing anything to improve their lifestyle. I let my body fall behind for about 8 years that´s when I got my first son. The drop that made it for me was when I gained 20 pound between october and january 2014-2015. I knew for sure that I had put on weight but when the scale all of a sudden from always being around 68-75 kg all of a sudden said 85 I knew somehting had to be done.

Surely I am bit beat down that it takes so long to straighten out stuff that happens so fast. Whole last year was a struggle just to get somewhat back on the page before October 2014. And now the journey switcthes to trying to get more ripped then ever and more muscles.

Yesterday my scale said 76,7 kg and that is no way compareable to prior to October 2014 since I must have surely put on about 5-10 pounds of muscle during last year I suppose since my measurments has changed drastically. Arms as well as legs has increased by atleast 1-2 inches which isn´t hard taken I have not done and physical exercise more then riding my quad at mx-tracks in the last 10 years.

Will add two day fresh in profile now seems like site ain't allowing iPhone photo upload at the moment for me .

Thanks for this. I get really frustrated sometimes. I'd like to think that I'm OK where I'm at (between 81-83kg) but I have family and an empolyer that would like me to drop more/faster. I'm sorely tempted to cut down to 68 kg just to shut people up (I'd look like warmed over death at that weight).

I also have to try to get it out of my head that I'm not going to compete with all of the health pros, trainers and bodybuilder types that are in the challenge. That's not me and will never be me unless I get on the needle.

Yeah I know frustation gets us all from time to time for sure. Taken that most fitness gurus etc aren´t natty there is no need to ever strive for their physique and those who are natty and look like greek gods have been busting their asses since they where teens which I for sure didn´t or haven´t. Lack of motivation has been my biggest weakness but this community and my willpower for the moment is what drives me to really keep on fighting for what I want.

Photo from last night 18 february scale has been standing rather still at around 76-76,4 for about 2-3 weeks now with occasional ups which is normal. Not sure how ever how much more I need to cut in order to achieve around 10 %. Strongly even though my doubts about the caliper accurarcy to take another test next Thursday or Friday just to see what that tells me now. Last measurment was in August last year and then the person performing the test calculated me to 15,6 % I think and then I was weighing about 74kgs and not as visual abs nor as much visual veins as now. Then I had only on forearms and bicep big vein.

I am feeling quite comfortable and satisfied with current body fat percentage sure I could still lose some below bellybutton and love handles could be trimmed down a bit more. Perhaps I must step up my deficit for some weeks in order to shred of those last pieces.

Currently and since January 7th I have almost consistently been eating a 500kcal per day defiicit with about 3-4 cheating days that have exceeded 2500 kcal. Around new years eve after christmas and all the scale was showing 80 kg´s so about 10 pounds has been lost yet again.

So any thoughts ?

@scott_herman,@crood,@hawk_given,@NutritionMax...

I think it's looking really good already !
The lower bellyfat and the lovehandles unfortunately vanish for most people on the very last bodyfat levels.
So it's sometimes a genetic question too.
I think your abs are quite visisble already, so nothing wrong with that.

You can train obligues a bit more to make the abs popp more.

And on top of that you could try instead of eating even less and risking to break down musclemass, maybe to do some intermitted fasting. Or going to the trauining in a fasted state, and eat later. Or leave out certain items from your diet such as bread / buns, lower dairy products intake, those are all known for bloating, and also to store water in the system, and like to land on the lovehandles. So those really just in moderation. Cutting out bread and buns can often be already enough. Just go and see along the way what gives the best results :)

(PS when cutting them out - make sure to replace the missing calories with other things, some nuts, some more veggies, bit more sweet potato instead of the bread etc)

But i think you are defenitally on the right track ! and my gues for your BF level is about 12 and close to 10 already.

Cheers !

Thanks :-)

Bread i eat perhaps 1 slice per week max. Only dairy product I consume is whey protein and cottage cheese (kvarg) . Vegetables atleast with 3 out of my 5-6 daily meals. Pasta and potatoes never more then 150gr cooked in one meal. Obliques I have increased in my training so atleast 2 times a week . Crunches in cable cross , hanging leg raises and wood chops in cable . Only thing I don't do is decent cardio :-) can't stand it running on a threadmill . I will take it up outdoors when snow and ice is gone.

Geez Jeff.......with all the health challenges you have endured I would say you look better than 98% of the people who have gone thru similar things. You at least are doing something to improve yourself and health. Most people would just give-up so I would not be too hard on yourself. Anyone who would have the audacity to laugh at you knowing what you have endured would be a total fuckhead in my opinion.

John