Can body type inhibit getting that "cut" look?

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martialartsmom

New Member
I'm half way thru STS--and loving it sooo much! I am noticing more muscle definition and growth and I love it. However, no matter how much weights I do, I never seem to get really cut, defined-muscle arms. I know that you must eat clean to get rid of the fat on top of those muscles, so they can show. But, how clean?! Are we talking body-builder-like diet? And are there some women whose arms will never really be super-defined due to their body type? I honestly think that even if I ate super clean, and did STS till the cows came home, I'd never really have those types of arms. Are some just blessed with easy to shape arms and some not?

All of the ladies on the STS dvds (Brenda, Cedee, Denise, Jay, etc.) all have different body types I've noticed. All of them look fantastic for their body type. But some are more "cut" than others. Is this due to diet, or body type? All of those ladies look to have very low body fat, but not all look super cut. Some clearly look fit and strong, but not super-defined. Sorry this is so rambling... Anyone have any thoughts? (PS-The ladies on Cathe's crew are all so awesome, I'd be happy to look 1/2 as great as they do! :)
 
I think diet has alot to do with it. Yeah, you need a pretty strict diet... vegetables, protein, some whole grains...
 
martialartsmom said:
All of the ladies on the STS dvds (Brenda, Cedee, Denise, Jay, etc.) all have different body types I've noticed. All of them look fantastic for their body type. But some are more "cut" than others. Is this due to diet, or body type? All of those ladies look to have very low body fat, but not all look super cut. Some clearly look fit and strong, but not super-defined. Sorry this is so rambling... Anyone have any thoughts? (PS-The ladies on Cathe's crew are all so awesome, I'd be happy to look 1/2 as great as they do! :)
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I think endo's have more of a challenge getting the super ripped/cut look. Not to say they can't, it just requires a lot more discipline.
Diet plays a big role, but genetics will effect how hard you have to work to achieve it.
 
I'm an ecto with endo tendencies, and my "parts" are pretty cut and defined. It's all about body fat. Mine is pretty low, and while exercise plays a big part, diet is an even bigger factor. I eat lean protein, vegetables, fruit almost exclusively. Once in awhile I have a cheat treat, but hardly ever a whole cheat meal. I don't feel deprived, and I sure like to be able to see the muscles that I work so hard to build!
 
fit44 said:
I think endo's have more of a challenge getting the super ripped/cut look. Not to say they can't, it just requires a lot more discipline.
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I agree.
I think to get a very cut look, an endo might have to get to an unhealthily low body fat percentage for them.
 
It depends on your body fat percentage and where you store your fat. I have 15% body fat. My upper body is cut for sure. You can actually see the definition even between the different deltoids on my arms when I use them. My stomach not ripped, but has decent definition. Now for my lower body... that is where I store my fat. I am not nearly as cut on my lower half as I am on my upper body. My quads are not really defined!

As far as clean eating you have to eat really clean. I don't eat any refined sugars, anything made from white flour, anything from a box or prepackaged. I get my fat by adding essential fats to my clean diet either with Udo's oil, nuts and lean protein. My diet is 50 carb 30 protein and 20 fat.

There is only so much you can do. I would love if my lower half was as cut as my upper. I just try to focus on being healthy. THe rest is just going to fall into place.
 
This describes me very well - upper is much better than lower. The only time my lower body has looked amazing is in the summer when I was home from college and I rode my bike all the time. This was like 20 - 30 miles in the country every day. My quads were amazing. I had muscles defined that I had never seen before and my upper body was in good shape, not overly thin at all. Sadly - I had to go back to school and while I did ride my bike to class, I had to cut down on how much I biked because I was a poor college kid and actually couldn't afford the amount of food I was needing to support my "biking habit". I didn't lift weights at the time, and my diet wasn't that great either (think Ramen noodles...).

soon2bfit said:
It depends on your body fat percentage and where you store your fat. I have 15% body fat. My upper body is cut for sure. You can actually see the definition even between the different deltoids on my arms when I use them. My stomach not ripped, but has decent definition. Now for my lower body... that is where I store my fat. I am not nearly as cut on my lower half as I am on my upper body. My quads are not really defined!

As far as clean eating you have to eat really clean. I don't eat any refined sugars, anything made from white flour, anything from a box or prepackaged. I get my fat by adding essential fats to my clean diet either with Udo's oil, nuts and lean protein. My diet is 50 carb 30 protein and 20 fat.

There is only so much you can do. I would love if my lower half was as cut as my upper. I just try to focus on being healthy. THe rest is just going to fall into place.
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I have similar story about the upper body being more ripped than lower, but thanks to some of the ladies on the forums I discovered the cleaning eating book by Tosca Reno. I started using her recipes and following her tips for clean eating and have shaved off about 1 1/2 pounds of body fat in the last week and half or so. I can also see the difference on the layer of fat on my legs with less 'ripples' and more smooth. I can't wait to see the results after more time eating healthier. I've discovered grains I never knew about as well as herbs and seasoning tips. The best recipe to-date is for home made protein bars--delicious and they have a little bit of dark chocolate in them--very filling with a hot cup of green tea.

I just started Meso 2 Monday of this week, so I am hoping for even more definition in my body (especially lower body). I felt that even Meso 1 gave me more definition, so I'm pumped about Meso 2 & 3.

Best of luck to each of you on your fitness journey.

Michele:D
 
Pardon this stupid question, but how do you determine your body type? I have no idea what I am and I'm curious. I have no butt, no hips, no "hourglass figure", heck, good luck finding a waist because my measurements are almost the same the whole way down. I think "ruler" is the best description I have seen on-line. How do I figure out the endo / meso part of it? Sorry for sounding so unintelligent on this!
 
Liann said:
Thank you! :) I'll check it out!

Ok, I'm a Meso according to that sight. Now I just need to do a search to find out exactly what that all means! ;)
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Meso is really good!

Most people are a combination with a dominant trait.
I'm meso with my lower half having endo qualities. Which stinks because I usually have to be a little underweight for my thighs to show more definition.
I'm fine with not looking ripped. I'm happy with toned, somewhat soft shape:)

That website said I'm meso. I wonder if it gives anyone a combination type?
 
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fit44 said:
This test may give you a better idea of what body type you are:

http://www.mybodymakeover.com/tools_for_success/body_blueprinting_quiz.aspx
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According to that one I am a "Meso-Endo". I did a little reading on the Meso type and that does seem to describe me fairly well. It really doesn't take much for me to lose weight and build muscle. I'm just a lazy bum most of the time and go back and forth between toned and not so toned. I'm "not so toned" at the moment! (My eating has been horrible lately, but I'm getting it under control!)
 
Liann said:
According to that one I am a "Meso-Endo". I did a little reading on the Meso type and that does seem to describe me fairly well. It really doesn't take much for me to lose weight and build muscle. I'm just a lazy bum most of the time and go back and forth between toned and not so toned. I'm "not so toned" at the moment! (My eating has been horrible lately, but I'm getting it under control!)
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That's what it grades me too. I can't say I'm 100% meso because of my shape. I'm more meso than endo. I've never had a problem with weight(I gained when I quit smoking). I think I have endo qualities because a meso has more a rectangular shape. I have a hour glass. Endo is round and stocky. I'm not stocky. I'm small and lean. I've always had small waist compared to my chest/hip measurements.
 
I wish I had a little more "hour glass" to me. I'm definitely "rectangular" and have a REALLY hard time keeping my workout pants up! With the hip to waist ratio pretty much the same, I was holding onto my pants in Cathe's step class last year! ;)
 
Liann said:
I wish I had a little more "hour glass" to me. I'm definitely "rectangular" and have a REALLY hard time keeping my workout pants up! With the hip to waist ratio pretty much the same, I was holding onto my pants in Cathe's step class last year! ;)
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Oh, I have the problem with waistbands.:( My jeans always have a 2"+ open gap in the back. Luckily, I found Nordstrom's takes the waistband in without altering the look of the jean.
 
Thanks for the super replies

Thank you all so much for the replies. I did look on that bodybuilding website to see my body type. I think I'm a meso which is muscular all over and stores fat all over. I am really big boned and just solid, and straight up and down like a ruler too. After reading the replies, I think I need to really work on the clean eating, and only 1 small cheat or so a day. I'm going to check out the Tosca Reno book too! Thanks so much for the replies. I'm off to do a Meso 2 legs workout in an hour or so! :D
 
seems like genetics has a lot to do with it. compare jai and brenda -- both are incredibly fit and strong, but jai is much more defined and cut. i think when it comes down to it, genetics has a role that you just can't change.
 
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