Losing Body Fat % vs. Losing Weight- Help!

crewgirl86

I'm a 30 year old female. 5'7, 171 lbs and about 31% body fat.

Although I know I need to lose weight (about 16 lbs to be in a BMI I am happy with!) I am also really working towards dropping body fat %. I want to learn from others' experiences about what nutritional habits have been most effective for dropping body fat %. I know the common view on these boards is calories in vs. calories out is most critical for overall weight loss, but I'm assuming there are some different beliefs about dropping body fat %. Would love any tips. Thank you!

AllOutof_Bubblegum

Eat a high protein diet at a slight deficit, and lift heavy weights. That will maintain your muscle mass, while stripping fat from over the muscles.

crewgirl86

Thank you!

evergreenlake

I agree! Keeping your fat macros to less than 30% and higher protein really helps! Also doing High Intensity Interval Training (what people like to refer to as HIIT) is really important too. And drink lots of water!
I've noticed a huge change in my body fat % once I incorporated these into my routine. Good luck!

sgt1372

In addition to high protein and low fat, try to eat mainly low GI (glycemic index) carbs which will keep insulin levels low which in turn will allow fat to be burned rather than stored. Just Google for lists of high vs low GI carb foods.

The macros I use are 40P/40C/20F but the average over a year is closer to 36P/38C/26F. Lost 38# from 196 to 158 and lowered BF to 10% on deficit diet doing this. Currently maintaining w/same macros on a net neutral cal diet.

SCoil123

I don't agree with eating low fat. I get 50% fat. Of course I also get a min 100g of protein a day. The protein and weight training are the focus when maintaining muscle. Keep your deficit small too.

I'm a 37yr female at 160lb who has gone from 32% body fat to somewhere between 25-27%. This has worked for me.

I do boxing 3 days a week and lift weights twice a week full body routine.

yarwell

Weight loss is typically 70% fat, so if you lose weight your body fat will go down.

If you were 171 at 35% BF and dropped to 160 losing 7.7 lbs of fat you would drop to 32.6%

Blitzia

If you are overweight and eating at a deficit, you're going to burn fat, period. The best way to ensure that you're not burning muscle as well as fat (or at least burning as little muscle as possible) is to cut the weight at a safe and healthy rate. In other words, don't aim to lose more than 1% of your body weight per week, and if you have less than 20 pounds to lose, aim to lose only half a pound per week or less. Your body burns fat first, but if your calorie deficit is too severe, it will burn muscle as well.

As others have said, strength training and weight lifting are also helpful to avoid burning muscle while you're losing fat. In terms of macros, (fat vs. protein vs. carbs) there isn't necessarily a perfect fat burning ratio. In general though, it can be helpful to think of the fat and protein goals as minimums. (Sufficient fat is essential for absorbing vitamins, and sufficient protein is essential for maintaining muscle.) But otherwise, as long as you're losing weight at a moderate (not extreme) rate, you're going to be burning fat.

Stockholm_Andy

@crewgirl86 I think you are over complicating things.

Unless you want to add a considerable amount of muscle, which seems unlikely from what you've said, you can't lose fat with out also losing weight.

As you loose weight you'll also loose fat. The most effective way is the way that's most sustainable for you.