weight loss supplement (yes or no?)
thop83
Posts: 47 Member
I've been using this app to keep track of my eating habits for the past few weeks and have lost about 8 pounds so far. I'm currently 5'9" and about 142 pounds. I've been trying to cut down my body fat percentage to <6% but seem to be stuck at around 12%. Would it be smart to invest in fat burning supplements such as green tea fat burning pills or not?
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for your help.
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Replies
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No0
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I started answering, but I got hung up on the fact that you want to get below 6%. That doesn't seem healthy.
Anyway, no, don't use a supplement.0 -
No to the pills.0
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Why do you want your BF so low? Are you a body builder? (not snarky, genuinely curious)
Pills will not help you get there.0 -
From my research, 3-4% is essential fats while 6-10% are an athletic looking body (no shredded abs, but they're visible). Anyway, thanks for the replies.0
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PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »I started answering, but I got hung up on the fact that you want to get below 6%. That doesn't seem healthy.
Anyway, no, don't use a supplement.
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.0 -
Avoid fat burners. Your heart will thank you.0
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hoppertaylor wrote: »From my research, 3-4% is essential fats while 6-10% are an athletic looking body (no shredded abs, but they're visible). Anyway, thanks for the replies.
That is not correct...
From this site:Body Fat Percentage Men 3-4%
Bodybuilders can drop as low as 3-4% body fat when preparing for bodybuilding competitions. This body fat level is characterized by extreme vascularity, so that veins are visible over just about every muscle in the body. There is clear separation between muscles, and striations visible on almost every muscle. The buttocks (I’ll spare you a back picture) even has striations, some vascularity, with little fat. If your buttocks doesn’t have any body fat, you’ve got VERY low body fat! Essential fat for a man is around 2%, which is the basic amount of fat a man needs for the body to function (fat protects internal organs in the chest and abdomen).
Body Fat Percentage Men 6-7%
Approximately 6-7% body fat for a man is a bit less extreme than competition bodybuilders, but it’s still hovering at a level that is not sustainable for most men. Around this level, or slightly less, the face becomes gaunt, and your family starts worrying about you. This 6-7% body fat level, which is achieved by many male fitness models when doing photoshoots, is characterized by muscle definition in all muscles and clear vascularity in most muscles including arms, legs, and even abs. Vascularity over the abs muscle is a sign of very low body fat. Clear separation of muscles as well.
Body Fat Percentage Men 10-12%
This is a sustainable level for most men where you should be able to see your abs, but they will likely not be as defined as a man in the 6-7% body fat range. This body fat range is the classic beach body look that most men want and many women love. While not very defined, there is separation between muscles, some muscle striations potentially in the shoulders, or arms, but striations are not showing on every muscle. Vascularity is typically limited to the arms, with a little possibly on the legs.
http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.
You'd be correct, I'm not getting ready for a competition, just trying to get a more lean and cut body. Is there a different and safer route or goal, in your opinion, for me to take?0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »I started answering, but I got hung up on the fact that you want to get below 6%. That doesn't seem healthy.
Anyway, no, don't use a supplement.
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.
Oh. "He." That's one reason it seemed off. I don't know why I assumed it was a woman. The ACE (whatever that is) recommends "essential fat" 2% to 5% for men, which is the bare minimum.
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hoppertaylor wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.
You'd be correct, I'm not getting ready for a competition, just trying to get a more lean and cut body. Is there a different and safer route or goal, in your opinion, for me to take?
Stop losing weight and focus on eating at maintenance to recomp. At this point, it probably wouldn't hurt to do a bulk or slow bulk to also help with building up some muscle.0 -
Nobody will recommend pills for your weight. Keep dieting and exercising, you're doing a great job!0
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Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »hoppertaylor wrote: »From my research, 3-4% is essential fats while 6-10% are an athletic looking body (no shredded abs, but they're visible). Anyway, thanks for the replies.
That is not correct...
Thank you for clearing that up.0 -
hoppertaylor wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.
You'd be correct, I'm not getting ready for a competition, just trying to get a more lean and cut body. Is there a different and safer route or goal, in your opinion, for me to take?
Recomp or bulk would probably be best for you. Eat at maintenance or a mild surplus, shoot for .8-1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass, and start a heavy lifting program.0 -
PikaKnight wrote: »hoppertaylor wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.
You'd be correct, I'm not getting ready for a competition, just trying to get a more lean and cut body. Is there a different and safer route or goal, in your opinion, for me to take?
Stop losing weight and focus on eating at maintenance to recomp. At this point, it probably wouldn't hurt to do a bulk or slow bulk to also help with building up some muscle.
Is that still recommended if I'm trying to cut down on the stubborn stomach fat to show abs?0 -
If you're trying to show abs, how can you be at 12%?0
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hoppertaylor wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »hoppertaylor wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.
You'd be correct, I'm not getting ready for a competition, just trying to get a more lean and cut body. Is there a different and safer route or goal, in your opinion, for me to take?
Stop losing weight and focus on eating at maintenance to recomp. At this point, it probably wouldn't hurt to do a bulk or slow bulk to also help with building up some muscle.
Is that still recommended if I'm trying to cut down on the stubborn stomach fat to show abs?
Definitely. You're not going to have any abs to show if you aren't strength training and getting adequate protein. You can always do a cut if you put on weight during the process.0 -
Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »hoppertaylor wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »hoppertaylor wrote: »PikaKnight wrote: »
Well, it'd be understandable if he's getting ready for a bodybuilding event but with him being 5'9 and 142lbs, I don't think that's the case. And I agree, it's really concerning.
You'd be correct, I'm not getting ready for a competition, just trying to get a more lean and cut body. Is there a different and safer route or goal, in your opinion, for me to take?
Stop losing weight and focus on eating at maintenance to recomp. At this point, it probably wouldn't hurt to do a bulk or slow bulk to also help with building up some muscle.
Is that still recommended if I'm trying to cut down on the stubborn stomach fat to show abs?
Definitely. You're not going to have any abs to show if you aren't strength training and getting adequate protein. You can always do a cut if you put on weight during the process.
Thank you, I'll put that into action first thing.0 -
If you're trying to show abs, how can you be at 12%?
My guess (and I could be wrong, of course) is he got down to that level without ensuring he was eating sufficient protein and maintaining a strength/resistance routine. This could also happen due to crash/yo-yo dieting. So instead of losing mostly body fat, he was losing a lot of muscle mass too.
Or he may not have had a lot of muscle to work with to start and just ending up losing the scale number to get as low as he is currently.
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I've worked out and progressively advanced in weight in every muscle group for about 3 years now. I'm 19 years old and work out 5 days a week and run the other 2 days. My workouts consist of high weight (or as high as I can fully rep) and 8-12 reps per set with 3 sets on each excercise. I workout for 1 hour each day at the least depending on the number of people in the gym. I used to be scrawny and toothpickish, but since I've started working out I've gained a decent bit of mass from what I used to be.0
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hoppertaylor wrote: »I've worked out and progressively advanced in weight in every muscle group for about 3 years now. I'm 19 years old and work out 5 days a week and run the other 2 days. My workouts consist of high weight (or as high as I can fully rep) and 8-12 reps per set with 3 sets on each excercise. I workout for 1 hour each day at the least depending on the number of people in the gym. I used to be scrawny and toothpickish, but since I've started working out I've gained a decent bit of mass from what I used to be.
Then look into learning about bulk and cut cycles and recomping at maintenance (it's good to know what it's about and then you can also decide which you want to go with). Losing more weight isn't going to help you with your body composition.
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Keep in mind that (and this wasn't mentioned) the method I used to measure the body fat percentage is not completely accurate and may be off anywhere from 1-5%. Based off of the pictures, I look closer to 15% than 10%.0
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Some really great sites to look into are -
bodyrecomposition.com
body-improvements.com
bretcontreras.com.
All three not only provide great articles in regards to fitness and nutrition, but often delve into studies as well.
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PikaKnight wrote: »Some really great sites to look into are -
bodyrecomposition.com
body-improvements.com
bretcontreras.com.
All three not only provide great articles in regards to fitness and nutrition, but often delve into studies as well.
Thank you, you're a saint and a scholar. I'll look into these websites and come to a valid conclusion. Thank you so much for your help.0
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