Veins and vascularity

[al77]

So I started lifting a couple of month ago. All is good, but I accidentally looked in the mirror and saw my arms... gee... I am about 16% bf and lost maybe just 1% and there is already some dark veins I can see very clearly...
If you lose mosre fat, it will be just veins

I feel very uncomfortable.

What should I do to at least not to increase them? More rep, light weights? Less sets? Less frequent workouts??
Any advice?

 

[Lifeforce]

Why do you feel uncomfortable with veins?

Don't cut yourself up to lower BF%. That will keep the veins away.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Lifeforce
Why do you feel uncomfortable with veins?

Don't cut yourself up to lower BF%. That will keep the veins away.

So I am just genetically out of luck Oh well.

Veins, when anyone see a guy with protruding veins would anyone think it is healthy? I am one of those "anyone".

Ok, guys maybe gon't give a damn... still "It is something wrong with this guy or what?"
But how about women? Women would sure think "The guy has health problem, lets leave him alone". This is not a very good thing.

Would you really feel just fine having veins all around your arms?

 

[JesterX]

veins are part of the body some women find them hot some dont like anything else where you looking at them when lifting? if you where then they wont be like that when you are relaxed.

 

[Adone]

Originally posted by al77
So I am just genetically out of luck Oh well.

Veins, when anyone see a guy with protruding veins would anyone think it is healthy? I am one of those "anyone".

Ok, guys maybe gon't give a damn... still "It is something wrong with this guy or what?"
But how about women? Women would sure think "The guy has health problem, lets leave him alone". This is not a very good thing.

Would you really feel just fine having veins all around your arms?

Are you serious? Women love protruding forearms' and arms' veins... Obviously chest's protruding veins are not really appealing to them, because you'd look like a pro bodybuilder, but you would have to get down to less than 7% bodyfat to see the slightest appearance of a vein in your chest...

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Adone
Are you serious? Women love protruding forearms' and arms' veins... Obviously chest's protruding veins are not really appealing to them, because you'd look like a pro bodybuilder, but you would have to get down to less than 7% bodyfat to see the slightest appearance of a vein in your chest...

That might be just a bad genetics: I am relatively fat (16% bf) but I already see dark veins on my biceps and some in my chest.
They are not protruding obviosly yet, but they are very dark bluish.. and this gives me a horrible unhealthy look.
The veins are not bulging, they are very clos eth my skin and you can see many of them
It was not like that before I started lifting...
What a bummer... What shoudl I do? Stop lifting for a while?
Or switch to lower weights?
Please help with some advice.

 

[Le Parisien]

Correct me if I'm wrong and if people are really experts on this, but if the veins are quite visible with a normal level of body fat, it basically means that the blood in your veins is too dark.

The dark color comes from the fact that it lacks oxygen. The blood in the veins is always darker than the blood in the arteries because the oxygen has been passed on to the tissues. Maybe the darker than "normal" blood has something to do with your weight lifting? I don't know for sure...


I know that after practicing some handstands and other acrobatics when I breakdance, some of the veins on my chest become more visible than usual but it's just temporary. It's just the extra effort that consumes some extra oxygen.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Le Parisien
Correct me if I'm wrong and if people are really experts on this, but if the veins are quite visible with a normal level of body fat, it basically means that the blood in your veins is too dark.

The dark color comes from the fact that it lacks oxygen. The blood in the veins is always darker than the blood in the arteries because the oxygen has been passed on to the tissues. Maybe the darker than "normal" blood has something to do with your weight lifting? I don't know for sure...

I have very light-coloured, white skin. I can't even tan. Maybe the veins are too close to the skin for me, and the moment my body fats drops... thats it: I can veins
What can I do? I Don't want to see any veins, it is so freaky...

 

[Le Parisien]

Are your veins noticeble all the time or just after workout?

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Le Parisien
Are your veins noticeble all the time or just after workout?

Noticable all the time. I guess they are quite close to the surface ofthe skin.

After I starting doing biceps curl on a regular basis and run for just 5-10 they started to be very noticable. I guess my bodyfat % droped a little bit and here is the result (
What can I do about it? I don't want to look freaky...

 

[sempor]

The veins will look way better if you keep working out. Before you get alot of huge veins on your upper arms, you have to get seriously big. And the reason you can see veins so well on bodybuilders is because they dehydrate themselves before competitions. Try and get a tan, because if you have very white skin, you can see alot of veins. Also, fat needs a good blood supply, so on places where you have alot of fat and where you are untanned you will see some veins near the surface of your skin (at least I used to). Lowering your body fat will probably make them less visible, but when you get big, you will have some protruding veins, but that's months, if not years down the line. Those veins don't look nasty at all if you have some muscle near it, by the way.

 

[Adone]

Originally posted by al77
That might be just a bad genetics: I am relatively fat (16% bf) but I already see dark veins on my biceps and some in my chest.
They are not protruding obviosly yet, but they are very dark bluish.. and this gives me a horrible unhealthy look.
The veins are not bulging, they are very clos eth my skin and you can see many of them
It was not like that before I started lifting...
What a bummer... What shoudl I do? Stop lifting for a while?
Or switch to lower weights?
Please help with some advice.

1. Get a tan. I was about to ask you if your skin is fair and then I read the whole thread and you say that it is. That's probably the #1 problem.

2. Drink more water. Dehydration makes those veins look more bulging.

3. Get bigger. The veins are horrible on skinny guys ("skinny" meaning without muscles, not simply thin), but look good when muscles are there.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by sempor
The veins will look way better if you keep working out. Before you get alot of huge veins on your upper arms, you have to get seriously big.
Lowering your body fat will probably make them less visible, but when you get big

I don't want to see ANY veins. All other sources says that if I lower bodyfat the vein will be MORE visible

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Adone
1. Get a tan.
2. Drink more water. Dehydration makes those veins look more

I cannot get a tan at all. I can turn red, but this is pretty much it.
So basically there is nothing can be done about veins?

 

[TedJustAdmitIt]

Originally posted by al77
So basically there is nothing can be done about veins?

1.Get a tan.
I have a friend who's as ginger as ginger can be and has the palest skin I've ever seen...like snow.
It does take him longer than most to get a tan but he colours up nicely...maybe you could spend longer in the sun or try a fake tan?

Or

2.Stop lowering your bodyfat %.
Stop the cardio and just concentrate on lifting...once the veins are no longer visible then do a little light cardio now and then just to stop yourself from getting too fat but not enough to lower your bodyfat % and make the veins visible.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by Ted,JustAdmitIt
1.Get a tan.
nicely...maybe you could spend longer in the sun or try a fake tan?

2.Stop lowering your bodyfat %.
Stop the cardio and just concentrate on lifting...once the veins are no longer visible then do a little light cardio now and then just to stop yourself from getting too fat but not enough to lower your bodyfat % and make the veins visible.

Tan: I actually would like to, very much. But it is winter over here and in summer there is not much time to get some tan for me
Maybe I'll try to tan at home under TV's light

2. I started running for like 5-10 minutes, nothing very impressive.
I guess I should stop that anyway.
But my guess is it is more about exercising.. about stress in the body. Is that right?