Why don't you look like a fitness model?

I keep advocating this site, but there are parts I haven't read. I just found this today!

Why don't you look like a fitness model?

Hurray for being real women! Here's a little part of the article:

 

Low bodyfat. By and large, fitness models are photographed only when they are in "contest shape", which means that they have dieted down to a low bodyfat for a short period of time. In the "offseason", most carry a higher bodyfat level because extremely low bodyfat levels are physiologically unmanageable. Many fitness shows hosted by models are filmed only a few weeks out of the year for this reason. And by the way, dieting down to 10-12% bodyfat is much, much less exciting than you would think. You do not feel sexy and attractive. You feel hungry. All you can think about is how crappy you feel, how hard it is to concentrate on anything, and how you would kill your own momma for a bag of Cheetos.

Photographic tricks. Start with the basics of lighting, angles, and posing. Posing in itself is an art. Posers must learn how to present their body so their "flaws" are hidden or camouflaged, and their best features are emphasized. Ever wonder why we don't see too many "after" shots where the subject is posed slouching and photographed with a cheap flash camera? Things also look different in reality than on film. Davin's page on bodybuilding photo tricks illustrates this beautifully. We all know people who are "photogenic", which means they look good in pictures, and we all know people who are attractive but don't photograph well. Many photogenic people look too angular or "imperfect" in person, yet their face comes beautifully to life through the camera lens. Add the magic of Photoshop and airbrushing. Hell, a good computer graphic artist could make me look like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (although they probably couldn't help my little problem of being incapable of sinking a basket).

Extreme dieting. I've already mentioned dieting. However I should add that this isn't your run of the mill eat-celery-sticks-for-a-few-days kind of diet. This is a diet that spans up to 20 weeks at a time, and involves a highly regimented eating pattern. We're talking food scales and measuring cups which dole out precise amounts of brown rice and chicken breasts. We're talking Shaolin monk level of spiritual and physical discipline. We're also talking about mommy's little helper: drugs.

Drug use. Some fitness models DO use anabolic steroids, just like female bodybuilders. Other drugs used are thermogenics, diuretics, appetite suppressants, amphetamines, and the plethora of "gray market" bodybuilding supplements.

Wardrobe, hair, tanning, makeup. Pretty standard stuff for a fashion shoot, really. Tanning is crucial because it emphasizes muscle definition, as does applying something shiny like oil or an iridescent powder. Often a topical bronzer is applied over a base tan. In person it sometimes looks like a weird orange colour.

Tricks of the trade. This means stuff like aluminum or painted wood plates so it looks like the person is lifting a ton (I have aluminum and wood plates at my gym; they're designed to be the height of 45 lb. plates but lighter... I don't mind people thinking I'm lifting 135 lbs. over my head!). Duct tape or masking tape is a must. Drag queens and models alike know that it helps prop up cleavage and can be used to pull back skin to increase visual definition. Two-way tape or Bikini Bite helps stop the inevitable wedgie or embarrassing exposure which is a risk with tiny bathing suits. Pre-photo dehydration (achieved usually with the help of drugs) is crucial for optimizing definition, flattening tummies, and leaning out faces.

Surgery. A nip here, a tuck there, a little fat sucked from here, a little collagen added there. Breast implants and lifts, tummy tucks, calf implants, nose jobs, chin jobs, etc. etc. etc. Nothing wrong with surgery--after all, it makes sense if your face and body is your living--but let's not pretend that it's Ma Nature's handiwork.

 

I really want to thank you for providing this information. It may be just what I need to put things in perspective...

Original Post by osugrrl804:

I really want to thank you for providing this information. It may be just what I need to put things in perspective...

It's really hard sometimes, you know? You look at yourself and think "ok, I'm not half bad" then turn around and see some perfectly sculpted goddess. They aren't kidding when they say those aren't real women! Camera angles, airbrushing, surgery; I don't know about you but I can't airbrush myself as I'm walking around

come on guys, lets not assume that all of them are like that. I know a lot of fitness models that are busting there butts in the gym, eating a high protein, super low carb diet and look awesome. I am not saying that some girls do use "tricks" because they do, but some of them can't afford what you are talking about and do it natural.

Of course they are busting their butts at the gym. I wasn't implying that they had the muscles glued on for the photo shoot. How much time do they devote to working out though? Seeing it's probably a good source of their income, I'm assuming they put in a lot more time that the normal person is able to

most have regular jobs! only the elite few make a ton of money with sponsors, and frequent photo shoots. most work out for an hour to an hour and a half off season, then they add cardio in the morning when it gets closer to a show or photo shoot.

Ok I guess we should all look like fitness models, then. What a bunch of lazy f'ckers we are!

oh stop it, genetics play a huge role. and it helps that most of them dont have kids and started of smaller, and it helps that they are in the 20's maybe early 30's

>:o you're the butthole who came in and ruined my feel good thread

just trying to keep the facts straight, i have got to keep it real.

Original Post by bodyscience:

most have regular jobs! only the elite few make a ton of money with sponsors, and frequent photo shoots. most work out for an hour to an hour and a half off season, then they add cardio in the morning when it gets closer to a show or photo shoot.

I don't know about you, but I don't have the time to work out for 3 hours a day.  I'm a mom of 3 and run a business out of my home 60+ hours a week (starting at 6:30am).  I feel guilty putting my kids to bed at 8pm so I can spend an hour or so doing cardio in my own basement (and not go to bed until 11pm).  For strength training I go over to a friend's house who is also a mom of three and we do our work out for an hour 2x per week, while our kids play.

I don't know about the rest of the world but I feel the need and obligation to have family time.  I had children so I could spend time with them and raise them.  Like many other people I have to find a very fine line between doing what is best for me and my health and spending quality time with my family.

I'm lucky, I have a supportive husband so I can train for my first marathon in May.  Even with that I feel I have no down time.  I'm either running my kids to their activities, running to my own business obligations, cooking, cleaning, running 40 miles a week.....

Yeah, good for those people who don't have kids and have the time to stay at the gym for hours every day.  But for the rest of us in the REAL world, we are lucky to get healthy meals and maybe an hour of cardio or strength training 3-5 days a week.  Plus just about every mom (and dad) feels guilty as hell that they should be spending that time with their kids and not at the gym.  I'm never going to look like a fitness model, my children did a number on my body that would take 10's of thousands of dollars to fix, and I'm not that vain.  I just want to look healthy and be happy and yes, it's hard as hell when you see these "perfect" sculpted woman to feel good about myself.

I don't think bodyscience was posting that to slam us (at least I hope not). I think a lot of women feel like you, cfeltontufty. I know I do at least. I work full time, have a 15 year son and a husband so basically I'm also a full time chef and maid on top of my full time job.

If someone looks down on us because we don't have time to be perfect, well f'ck them. That's my thought on the matter.

Reading what bodyscience said, I'm assuming he meant that not all fitness models follow what that article said, but he also said they are blessed with good genetics as well. So there you have it-they are young, a lot of them do very unhealthy things and they have a lucky set of genes.

Hope I didn't put any words into anyone's mouth there

Hes right though, while you might not be able to look like a "god" if you put in the work you will get some damn good results, and the people that do have the sculpted body do really work hard.

Original Post by giggle_puppy:

Hes right though, while you might not be able to look like a "god" if you put in the work you will get some damn good results, and the people that do have the sculpted body do really work hard.

 duh.

thanks spirochete. i must say, though, that i don't have to look at a fitness magazine to see someone w/a celestial figure. while i'm praising my barely-visible leg muscles in the locker room, a quick glance to either side will bring some darn-near-perfect bodies into view.  though i suppose it's possible that many of them have had plastic surgery and whatnot, they don't have the benefits of airbrushing or good lighting, and it isn't their 2-week peak season.

the article's called "why don't you look like a fitness model?"  i can answer that question myself, and i'm sure most women can too.  some women can't gym as hard bec, as cfeltontufty pointed out, they haven't the time.  some women, ie myself, just eat too darn much. 

i'll add that i've seen videos of fitness models working out--on or off season, crummy camerawork or no, they look fabulous.

Original Post by caloriecountingme:

thanks spirochete. i must say, though, that i don't have to look at a fitness magazine to see someone w/a celestial figure. while i'm praising my barely-visible leg muscles in the locker room, a quick glance to either side will bring some darn-near-perfect bodies into view.  though i suppose it's possible that many of them have had plastic surgery and whatnot, they don't have the benefits of airbrushing or good lighting, and it isn't their 2-week peak season.

 I just picture those women in stirrup pants or something then feel awesome about myself.

that's generous of you.  i usually picture the food they're no doubt subsisting on in agony (as the article you pasted mentions), and that makes me feel better.

I agree with bodyscience that genetics has a huge role to play in it. Everything from the length of you legs to the specific places of origin and insertion of your muscles can affect the amount that you can lift and also the way you look.

Obviously tricks of the trade are a big part of it too. I am no fitness model but I have gotten down to around 10% bodyfat .... and I did not look like a fitness model. 

While I am able obtain an enviable quad sweep I do not get defined abs that is unless I went on a bender drank a lot of vodka and woke up with a hangover, lets just say dehydration does wonders for the look of the abs, but the headaches are a bitch. :P

Heck, I thought the reason I don't look like a fitness model is because I'm coming up on 52 years old and a mere year and a half ago I used to weigh 278 pounds!  Right now I think I look great anyway - I love my new muscles!

Original Post by meganr:

Heck, I thought the reason I don't look like a fitness model is because I'm coming up on 52 years old and a mere year and a half ago I used to weigh 278 pounds! Right now I think I look great anyway - I love my new muscles!

Sweet!

meganr-

congrats! thats definitely something to be proud of!

spirochete-

 

thanks for posting this. it makes it easier to forgive myself for not being perfect :)

i have to admit i maintained a very healthy, active body with minimal body fat (12%) before i developed my ED, but that was from years of working out and staying fit. now im trying to get that body back-and running a business of my own, i dont have time to be in the gym for more then an hour a day. and since i am recovering i cant even do that much.

ive seen photos of models off season and some look good and others not-but its always nice to be reminded that were allowed to be unique and imperfect :)