How fat is too fat? (the offseason dilemma)

rmtt · Sep 13, 2017

lntense said:
We have very similar builds and are the same height. Solid gains in those pics!

One thing that sucks, to appear "big" in my eyes, I would need to be around 265-270. But currently I'm sitting at 230-235 and people think I'm big, but I don't at all. Being at that size I just know I would be miserable.

Did you have any issues when you got up past 250 at that leanness?

I am nowhere near those weights (I'm only 5'7")....but I think that is the biggest issue I struggle with. In that last picture I am maybe 165lbs.

When dressed I look at myself and I feel that the average person on the street couldn't even tell that I lifted weights at all.

At least in the 200lb range I felt that I filled out a t-shirt decently.

I look at you guys, and you look great .....and there is no question that anyone could see you with a regular t-shirt on and not immediately think to themselves that you have put some serious time in at the gym!

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buck · Sep 14, 2017

It is mostly about where you end up after the bulking and dieting. If the extra weight just ends up getting lost when you diet back down then you got to fat. Putting on 25lbs to end up with 4 pounds of muscle is probably a waste of time. When lees would have got you to the same place.

TheOtherOne55 · Sep 14, 2017

IMO, if you are above your early 30's OR you don't have a desire to become a pro BBer, there is absolutely no reason to go more than 10-15lbs about your desired BW and BF%.

Im not going to get on stage any time soon AND I'm not a dumb 25yr old trying to gain that initial size. So there is absolutely no reason for me to try and jump my weight 20lbs every year. This will all catch up with you the older you get health-wise so might as well be realistic with our goals.

JustWannaBeHuge · Sep 14, 2017

TheOtherOne55 said:
IMO, if you are above your early 30's OR you don't have a desire to become a pro BBer, there is absolutely no reason to go more than 10-15lbs about your desired BW and BF%.

Im not going to get on stage any time soon AND I'm not a dumb 25yr old trying to gain that initial size. So there is absolutely no reason for me to try and jump my weight 20lbs every year. This will all catch up with you the older you get health-wise so might as well be realistic with our goals.

I agree, that's why I think too many people get more concerned with scale weight than how they look/feel which is what I said in another thread. Esp. when it comes to older guys. why brag about gaining 30 lbs in 8-10 weeks when we all know that is a majority of fat/water??

I'm trying to add on a few more pounds now, my lifts are all increasing, everything going good, but if my pants start to get too tight around the waist, or I start to not like what I see in the mirror, time to cut back on some carbs and fat, just a small % at first to see if that fixes it, which it usually does.

Mb4377 · Sep 14, 2017

IMO, if you can't see the outline of your abs, your too fat

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alfresco · Sep 14, 2017

well . . .

kscowboy said:
Why get fat in the offseason? You dont have to get FAT to grow. You can get slightly bigger and fuller, but you dont have to get fat. The problem that i have seen for years, is that in the offseason, people think they can eat anything they want and then suffer for 12-16 weeks to pull the fat off. In the offseason, you can still get big by just eating more clean food. You will be fuller but not necessarliy fat.

Agreed. You don’t have to get fat to grow. In fact, you can still add
lean muscle mass on a calories deficient diet. Not ideal I know and
controversial I know too, but is unmistakably true . . . but that is a
subject for another tread.

It is my opinion that, usually, visible (or some semblance thereof) of
abdominal muscle is not a bad way, in fact a good way to judge your
degree of ‘fatness’ and the ability to stay within ‘striking distance ’
if you are a real, competitive bodybuilder.

Lose your abs and you are typically too fat and it is time to rein things
back in. You are getting sloppy, not serious about what you are trying
to accomplish, have lost your self-respect and discipline.

Again, all this is just my opinion.