Best way to lose body fat?

pcastagner

To the original poster: If you're eating something your body can't tolerate, it will go into self defense mode, per se, and that can greatly inhibit weight loss. Also, maybe eating too late at night could be a contributing factor? Good luck!

If it were something the OP's body can't tolerate, then there would be obvious signs. Also, timing of meals doesn't matter if one is at calorie deficit by the end of the day.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

As someone with a genuine food allergy, it always cracks me up to hear someone trying to explain away their excess food intake as a sign of allergy or intolerance.

I'm all like "really? Because when I eat fish, I have to get medical treatment right away. Some foods make you fart, get over it.".

I didn't say allergy, sir, I said intolerance (no it won't kill you, but it is real). Nor did I ever cite it as a reason for eating too much. I tried to write it in a way that showed my respectful attitude, and you were rude in return? These forums could be so helpful...

Mea culpa, non sunt dignae.

mrs_n_mommy

calories in - calories out > 0 - gain

calories out - calories in > 0 - loss

mrs_n_mommy

So you're either miscalculating or counting wrong.

If you ate 1500 calories everyday, you would be losing weight.

Not true. I am 5'9" 250 and eat under 1500 everyday. I workout daily, cardio and strength alternating.. and I am not losing. Some bodies are stubborn.

No, they are not. I'm sorry but if you're truly eating 1500 calories everyday at 250 lbs and work out that much - you have a medical condition.

Nope. Just got back from the Dr. My blood work is exactly where it is supposed to be. I even did a fasting blood sugar. No health problems at all. Just stubborn.

Hey..did your doc suggests hormone/thyroid tests...I was stuck of sorts and lot disappointed and also had girl problems. Went to a gyn, she ordered blood work and it came back with hormone imbalance...my doc told me that it wud explain the stubborness...

intheflowers

you said you're taking creatine. creatine makes your muscles hold onto water. it can prevent you from losing 'weight' but you probably are still losing fat. it just won't show on the scale because of the creatine.

MrsFowler1069

Maybe, I'm also taking creatine and protein supplements, I don't just do cardio. Would the affect anything?

I'll measure everything today using a scale to get a more accurate calorie count.

Sounds like a good place to start. Just being in the habit of logging every day might be good too, just in case you don't always want to continue to eat the same thing every day.

Also, I've forgotten how long you said you were at this, but you could just be retaining water as your body adjusts to the exercise.

Congratulations for sticking with it.

joshdann

I weigh my food in grams. ALL of it. Every bite. No exceptions. I log gum.

Go ahead and say that everyone is the same. It is just not true.

It is true. I am afraid. You are not a special snow flake, you are a human without medical conditions (Your words).

The sooner you begin to accept you are wrong, the sooner you can improve your weight.

Good luck!

Please stop spreading this misinformation. Many, many, /many/ studies have been done that directly contradict what you're saying, and I can find *zero* that support your theory. The scientifically proven fact is that each individual /is/ actually different. Genetics, hormones, body type, etc. The amount a person varies from the "standard" that so many people think is gospel can actually be quite a lot, especially if that person has ever been significantly overweight or obese, or has significantly changed the amount of exercise in their daily routine.

pcastagner

I weigh my food in grams. ALL of it. Every bite. No exceptions. I log gum.

Go ahead and say that everyone is the same. It is just not true.

It is true. I am afraid. You are not a special snow flake, you are a human without medical conditions (Your words).

The sooner you begin to accept you are wrong, the sooner you can improve your weight.

Good luck!

Please stop spreading this misinformation. Many, many, /many/ studies have been done that directly contradict what you're saying, and I can find *zero* that support your theory. The scientifically proven fact is that each individual /is/ actually different. Genetics, hormones, body type, etc. The amount a person varies from the "standard" that so many people think is gospel can actually be quite a lot, especially if that person has ever been significantly overweight or obese, or has significantly changed the amount of exercise in their daily routine.

No. And no.

The basis for the field of clinical medicine is that we are all pretty much the same. If not for that, prognoses would not be particularly predictive. There is variation within a spectrum, but not as much as people eating too much and not tracking properly would like to think.


Lets see your "studies". Please, no pubmed extracts without actual conclusions supporting your point of view.

jaenetty37

Sorry man, apparently you have no concept of the psychology of weight loss. Men and Women function differently and many times it does not matter how great you exercise count calories sometimes your body just holds onto calories. You sound really young and have a limited scope of the world. You should really work on not being so negative. Sounds as if you are a body builder and weight loss comes easy for you. It's people like you that discourage those of us that have weight control issues. Besides, eating 1500 calories a day does not sound healthy for a male anyway. I do however agree that counting accurately is very important. There are many variables to consider like what times of the day are you ingesting particular types of food, when are you working out? Usually if you work out in the morning when the propensity for metabolism is high might help aid in the loss. But making blanket statements to someone you know nothing about is careless and just ridiculous. all I can say is WOW. Maybe it works for you but there is chemistry when it comes to the human body and there is no 100% guarantee that everyone's body will perform at the same rate of retention or loss. Just saying.

JMaxwell52

Actually what you eat does make a difference especially if you're in a caloric deficit situation. Some foods can actually help you burn off fat quicker.

joshdann

Actually what you eat does make a difference especially if you're in a caloric deficit situation. Some foods can actually help you burn off fat quicker.

before everyone jumps on this...

What foods are you talking about?

rainbowbow

I'm going to ignore all the ridiculousness in this thread and answer the OP.

OP- You are trying to lose fat. Okay, Great!



You asked about ways to check you body fat percentage so it can be tracked.

Here are the following ways to check body fat that i would recommend personally.

1.) Dexa Scan. (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) can be done in a physicians office; most sports medicine facilities offer this service. It is probably the most accurate, but it's also the most expensive clocking in around $250.00. You also get to see a full-body picture of your organs, bones, fat, etc. which adds to the cool factor.

2.) Hydrostatic Weighing. This is the second most accurate and is also done in a physicians office/sports facility. It can be extremely uncomfortable as they literally dip you in water to determine body composition. This route is roughly $150.00.

3.) Calipers. This is one of the most accurate ways to track body fat percentage WITHOUT seeing a physician, although there IS room for human-error especially if the calipers you purchase are plastic and bendable. They will run you about $15.00.

4.) Bioelectric Impedance Analysis. This send an electrical current through your body to determine body composition. This can be found in a handheld meter (such as Omron) or in a digital scale. These are notoriously inaccurate especially if done at different times of the day or with water retention. The price will depend on the device you choose to you.

5.) Anthropometric. This is probably the most innacurate in my opinion for determining body fat HOWEVER it may be a good way to track progress regardless. Here's a website that you can do this at. All you need is measuring tape and a computer with the internet. http://www.linear-software.com/online.html



YAY! Now that you have that information let's talk about diet!

So for someone your height and weight your body takes around 2400-2800 calories to maintain it's weight on NON training days. Protip: Once you find out your body fat % you can use the Katch-McArdle formula to determine a more accurate calculation.

Let's talk about creating a deficit. You are currently in the "overweight" category for your height (again, this may/may not be true? Can't tell without your body fat %). I would suggest a MODEST calorie deficit of 20%. This would give you 1950 calories a day to lose roughly 1 pound of fat per week.

Why not eat less calories? Why not create as high of a deficit as possible? BECAUSE bro, you dont' want to lose ALL YOU GAINZ (muscle). You want to lose MOSTLY fat!



YOU MEAN I CAN LOSE MUSCLE?!?!? Confusing??!?!? No. Just consume enough calories for a moderate weight loss. This will help you reach your goal without losing excess muscle while cutting fat. It won't happen overnight, but the overall composition of your body will be greatly improved when you reach your goal weight.

I tried to look at your diary but i dont see anything logged. at all. You have your calories set too low AND you have your protein set too low. This is extremely important to make sure most of the weight you lose is fat as stated above. ^^^ You'll find the macros that best fit your needs but i have mine set to 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. You can adjust this in your settings on MFP to reflect the new macro goal.

Now that you know how many calories you need to be eating, the macros you need to set it to, and preferably your body fat % you need to do the following. LOG. EVERY. DAY. CONSISTENTLY. measure your food out. Count all beverages, supplements, shakes, etc. You need to measure EVERYTHING you are consuming. Get this down accurately and you'll see the scale come down.



Let's talk about your exercise regimen!

Here are my suggestions.

1.) Stop doing SOOO much cardio. It's great for overall cardiac health, sure. It creates a calorie deficit and that's what i use it for. I'm already eating at a calorie deficit so there's no reason to make my deficit higher unless i have overeaten for the day or want some extra calories to eat a treat.

2.) Start lifting heavy. Compound lifts. Squats, deadlifts, bench press, Overhead press, Bent-over barbell rows, etc. A good place to start would be a preformed lifting routine such as Starting Strength or New Rules of Lifting or Stronglifts. Your workout should be 90-100% lifting heavy and 0-10% cardio. This will not only repair likely atrophied muscles but also help retain muscle mass while losing weight.

3.) Give your body enough time to rest. Hit the gym maybe 3-4 days a week. Running marathons 7x a week isn't helping as much as you think.

I could go on forever about how heavy lifting is more effective than cardio but i'll just leave it at the above.




YAY! Now do the above for 4-6 weeks and see where you are. This wont happen overnight. Give it time and track your progress daily, weekly, whatever works best for you. Track both your measurements, body fat and weight.

If you are still having issues "losing weight" head to the doctor's to make sure you don't have some underlying medical issue. This is of course after making sure you are 1.) not overestimating calorie burn in the gym. 2.) not underestimating how much you're consuming. 3.) tracking consistently and accurately. 4.) You've given it sufficient time to work.

hillarysmith21

Why is everyone being so harsh to OP? He's right, some bodies really are stubborn. And he sounds like he's doing a lot of work and meticulous calculations, so stop shutting him down with "you're eating more than you think you are".

OP, you're awesome, and maybe you've hit a plateau. I think you'll lose body fat soon enough if you are doing all the things you say.i was at a plateau for about a month once. Then one week, it just kicked right back in and I started losing again.