Is it possible to drop 5% body fat in 6 weeks?

icemom011
icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
There's a promotional challenge by a fitness program /club locally. The gist of it, they make you pay $500.00 deposit, and within 6 weeks you got to drop 20 or more pounds or 5% body fat if you want to see your money back. They give you meal plan and a trainer to work out for 1 hour three times a week . So this seems like a very harsh and aggressive approach to begin with, only would work if you have a lot to lose. I really don't. I'm working on recomp, technically in maintenance, but working on recomp, with the intention to drop my body fat a little lower. Right now, by the calculator, my bmi is just over 24%. I weight 147-148lbs, and I'm 5'7". So by numbers, i can lose 5% and i would like to. The question is, is it even realistic and safe to do in 6 weeks time frame? My gut feeling that it's not. What do you guys think?
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Replies

  • nrbutton
    nrbutton Posts: 165 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    You're confusing Body Mass Index and Body Fat %. With a BMI of just over 24, you are just barely out of the Healthy weight range, and so losing 20 pounds in 6 weeks is an overly aggressive goal for you.

    Please be advised that the methods of measuring body fat % a health club would be likely to use are not considered to be accurate. I'm sure they are not going to spring for a DEXA scan, and if they plan to use a bio-impedance scale, that is easily affected by things like amount of hydration.

    This contest would also run counter to your goals of recomp - in order to win, you would sacrifice lean muscle mass, which is the last thing you want to do.

    The promo is 20+ lbs OR 5% body fat
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member

    I asked how they are going to figure out the body fat percentage lost, and the answer was "measurements taken at weigh in". So no dexa. I also would like to stress out that i don't have extra 20 lbs on me to lose, maybe 7-8 max, but that's it. I think i would look awful, because right now I'm happy with the way i look, i just want to get rid of a little extra padding on my legs, so my muscles are more defined. Thank you for pointing out my mixing the bmi and body fat, you're right. And wanted to ask, when you say
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    You're confusing Body Mass Index and Body Fat %. With a BMI of just over 24, you are just barely out of the Healthy weight range
    what do you mean? I checked, and it seems to place me in the middle of healthy weight.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    Daddy78230 wrote: »
    5% or 20 lbs in 6 weeks doesn't seem unhealthy. Assuming, which ever is met first. Recommended, healthy weight loss is 0.5 to 1.0% per week.

    For a person with your stats, but with body fat to lose, 5% would be 7.35 lbs loss over 6 weeks, or 1.23 lbs per week.

    20 lbs over 6 weeks is about 3.34 lbs per week, doable for a big person that's more than 334 lbs.

    Thank you for your calculations, it helps. I was more interested in this promo for the fact that you get personal trainer to work with you, not so much for the weight loss. The body fat reduction is something i would like too, but not looking for the aggressive ways. I would be happy with 0.5 lbs a week, if it works out, and not too worried if not. So i guess, i will pass on it.

    Thank you, everyone for your help to clarify this.
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    Daddy78230 wrote: »
    5% or 20 lbs in 6 weeks doesn't seem unhealthy. Assuming, which ever is met first. Recommended, healthy weight loss is 0.5 to 1.0% per week.

    For a person with your stats, but with body fat to lose, 5% would be 7.35 lbs loss over 6 weeks, or 1.23 lbs per week.

    20 lbs over 6 weeks is about 3.34 lbs per week, doable for a big person that's more than 334 lbs.

    I think BF and weight have been con
    icemom011 wrote: »
    Daddy78230 wrote: »
    5% or 20 lbs in 6 weeks doesn't seem unhealthy. Assuming, which ever is met first. Recommended, healthy weight loss is 0.5 to 1.0% per week.

    For a person with your stats, but with body fat to lose, 5% would be 7.35 lbs loss over 6 weeks, or 1.23 lbs per week.

    20 lbs over 6 weeks is about 3.34 lbs per week, doable for a big person that's more than 334 lbs.

    Thank you for your calculations, it helps. I was more interested in this promo for the fact that you get personal trainer to work with you, not so much for the weight loss. The body fat reduction is something i would like too, but not looking for the aggressive ways. I would be happy with 0.5 lbs a week, if it works out, and not too worried if not. So i guess, i will pass on it.

    Thank you, everyone for your help to clarify this.

    You arent going to lose just body fat so to lose 5% BF its going to mean losing more than 7.35lbs. Adequate protein and strength training will help reduce muscle mass lost but wont eliminate it. I imagine you would probably need to lose at least 10lbs to lose 5% body fat with your numbers.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »
    icemom011 wrote: »
    There's a promotional challenge by a fitness program /club locally. The gist of it, they make you pay $500.00 deposit, and within 6 weeks you got to drop 20 or more pounds or 5% body fat if you want to see your money back. They give you meal plan and a trainer to work out for 1 hour three times a week . So this seems like a very harsh and aggressive approach to begin with, only would work if you have a lot to lose. I really don't. I'm working on recomp, technically in maintenance, but working on recomp, with the intention to drop my body fat a little lower. Right now, by the calculator, my bmi is just over 24%. I weight 147-148lbs, and I'm 5'7". So by numbers, i can lose 5% and i would like to. The question is, is it even realistic and safe to do in 6 weeks time frame? My gut feeling that it's not. What do you guys think?

    What calculator are you using?? Your BMI is 23.2.

    I am 5'7", and right around 149. No way would I bet on dropping 5% BF in 6 weeks.

    I haven't recalculated in a while, libra shows 24,1 for my bmi. Thank you
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    I guess i was wrong about Libra. It says bmi 23.3 and body fat 21.6, trend 21.7. Should have paid more attention
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    icemom011 wrote: »
    I asked how they are going to figure out the body fat percentage lost, and the answer was "measurements taken at weigh in". So no dexa. I also would like to stress out that i don't have extra 20 lbs on me to lose, maybe 7-8 max, but that's it. I think i would look awful, because right now I'm happy with the way i look, i just want to get rid of a little extra padding on my legs, so my muscles are more defined. Thank you for pointing out my mixing the bmi and body fat, you're right. And wanted to ask, when you say
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    You're confusing Body Mass Index and Body Fat %. With a BMI of just over 24, you are just barely out of the Healthy weight range
    what do you mean? I checked, and it seems to place me in the middle of healthy weight.

    Now that I know your BMI is actually 23.3 I withdraw my comment :)

    bmi-weight.gif

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    icemom011 wrote: »
    What they offering might work for some people, like some of you have mentioned, especially those with a lot to lose. They said their clients have 87% success rate, so they're definitely making some money. Clearly, not for me. I will just stick to what I'm doing, i think it's working and doesn't cost anything

    Yes, not for you. Good plan :)
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    TresaAswegan wrote: »
    I'm sure you could find a good trainer to work with for less than $500/6 weeks, if the trainer was the main incentive for you.

    This!
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    The free part was e
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    The free part was looking really good though. Oh well ;)
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    overin2015 wrote: »
    Your weight is my goal weight at 5'7" isn't it funny how we all are different.

    Yes, was mine as well. But seems like a good idea for me to go a little lower. We are all different, that's a great thing though
  • Daliae1
    Daliae1 Posts: 1 Member
    I just signed up for the same exact thing, and my BMI is 32.6 which is Obese, now I'm worried do you think its feasible to lose 5% fat for me in 6 weeks?
  • sugaraddict4321
    sugaraddict4321 Posts: 15,884 MFP Moderator
    icemom011 wrote: »
    ...They said their clients have 87% success rate, so they're definitely making some money.

    If 100% of clients succeeded they wouldn't make any money, so they do need/want some to fail. ;)

    How do they define success? Is it just the six weeks and that's it? I'd be asking how many of the clients kept that weight off vs. how many gained it all back and then some. Some folks that are obese could probably use the program as a jump start to long-term health changes, if they're motivated. However I am guessing the target clientele is this: ladies with not much to lose, a little unhappy with the soft spots, and looking for a quick way to drop those last pounds. Easy targets.
    icemom011 wrote: »
    The free part was looking really good though. Oh well ;)

    They have a good marketing team. You're supposed to be tempted. ;)
    Daliae1 wrote: »
    I just signed up for the same exact thing, and my BMI is 32.6 which is Obese, now I'm worried do you think its feasible to lose 5% fat for me in 6 weeks?

    It's possible, but do consider what your plans are after that. How will you continue or maintain the loss? Are you going to change your eating and activity habits over the long haul? Are you prepared to lose the money if for whatever reason you don't reach the magic number?
  • lighri
    lighri Posts: 1 Member
    edited January 2019
    I just came across this article and it fits my current situation. I'm at 49% body fat according to their scales calculation. The schedule is 45 minutes of cross-fit training 3 times a week for the first 3 weeks, the following 3 weeks at least 3 times a week, can go more if desired. Follow a high protein diet. Is it possible/realistic/healthy to loose 6% body fat in 6 weeks time? Also, I'm not exactly sure how much as far as pounds that would be.
  • dhiammarath
    dhiammarath Posts: 834 Member
    edited January 2019
    Whups, accidentally responded to an old thread. XD

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