How long to go from 30% (or 23%) body fat to 15%?

KidTrent

This question has been answered a couple times, but not within my numbers (as far as I can tell). I'm 31 years old, 6ft, and I currently weigh 202 lbs (started at around 220 earlier this year). I'm starting to get more serious about my weight loss and general health, but I'm curious what a realistic timeline for my goals are.

I'd like to get down to 185 lbs, with roughly 15% body fat, and have decent amount of muscle definition. I realize these goals might not all come to fruition at the same time (especially the muscle definition).

I have a scale (Fittrack Scale) that gives me a bunch of stats about my body, it says my body fat is 23%. However, I think I look more like a 30% based on google images, so I'm not sure how accurate it is).

Physical Activity

• I workout 3-4 times a week for about 80 minutes (weight lifting, for 60 mins and 20 mins of low steady cardio). I'd like to push this to 5-6 eventually...
• I go for a 45-60 minute walk usually every other day (if not more often than that).
• I work at a desk from home, so not much movement there unfortunately.
• I'd like to start doing 1 hour of fasted cardio 5-6 times a week (eventually).

Diet

• Mornings are usually 5 egg whites, croissant, vitamins, and a green shake (mixed with Creatine). Sometimes I sub the croissant for some fruits.
• Lunch is always a turkey wrap (ancient grain wrap, light mayo and sriracha, jalapenos, baby spinach, cooked white onions, cooked red peppers, and 5 slices of turkey breast deli meat).
• Dinner is either a chicken breast with 1cup basmati rice and broccoli drizzled with sriracha, or a steak with asparagus.
• Protein bar (Kirkland) between lunch and dinner.
• Protein shake after every workout.
• No alcohol, no juices/pops (only drink natural water, without sweeteners).
• Usually have 1 latte every other day during my walks.
• I'm pretty good with this diet (both in terms of enjoying it, and keeping to it), ever since I gave up alcohol (a month ago).

My question is how long should I expect to get to 15% body fat from 30% (and/or 23% if the scale is accurate) with the above information?

ddsb1111

If you lose 1lb a week for 19 weeks you will weigh 183 and be 15% BF. Facts.

Jk, we’re not linear like that. But, there’s potential for it to be close if everything goes perfectly. Not likely though. It can be quite personal. Especially because we don’t know what your actual BF% is.

tomcustombuilder

Nobody can tell you without just throwing out a wild guess. There are too many factors.

kshama2001

Bioelectrical impedance scales are not very accurate. You'll know when you get where you want to be. Meanwhile, I suggest you focus on the journey.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/body-fat-scale-accuracy#accuracy

"... Body fat scales provide a rough estimate of a person’s BFP. However, they are not very accurate.

...in 2016, Consumer Reports conducted a test of six different body fat scales. First, the researchers used a lab-based machine called a Bod Pod to take accurate body fat measurements. They then compared these results with the data that they retrieved from the home-use BIA body fat scales.

In this study, the home-use body fat scales either overestimated or underestimated BFPs. The most accurate readings were off by about 21%, while the least accurate were off by about 34%."

herringboxes

However much time it takes will pass either way.

Also, you will enjoy the fruits of your efforts even before you cross the finish line.

tomcustombuilder

Put less of a priority on BF% as in reality it’s really an unimportant number and testing is not accurate anyway. Put more importance on body composition which is different than BF%.

People hold fat differently and have varying degrees of muscle mass so it’s more about a visual look.

Retroguy2000

As others said, your scale reading for bodyfat is near worthless as a metric. Maybe over time as a trend it may have some value. Best to forget about bodyfat % really. Focus on the weight scale and your composition, take waist measurements, take pics.

Your workout schedule is great as is, assuming you're lifting hard and with progressive overload.

Your diet doesn't really tell us anything. We have no clue how many calories that is, how much protein that is, or what your current deficit is, if any. You should be targeting about 160g-200g protein.

To put it bluntly, how long it will take you to lose 17 pounds depends on your deficit and current progress. It will probably be slower than the first 15 you already lost.

COGypsy

The hands down best way I’ve found to lower the body fat reading on your bioimpedence scale is to drink a ton of water, wait til you pee and check your body fat reading right after that. Numbers go down every time!

Retroguy2000

Btw, you mentioned wanting to do fasted cardio. Go ahead if you want, but it makes no difference wrt weight loss. And if you can't exercise as hard, then you're worse off.

ninerbuff

Losing a pound a week on average, looking at least 4 months maybe longer IF everything stays linear......................which it doesn't.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Jthanmyfitnesspal

@KidTrent: You diet sounds fine in terms of what you're eating, but t's the total calories that matter for weight loss. To state the obvious, the point of MFP is to allow you to tally it up daily and keep the total at your plan. Your plan should be below your TDEE (total daily caloric need) in order to lose weight. You can eat more calories when you do aerobic exercise, tallying these as "exercise calories." I hope this part is all very clear.

Now, as for a target % bodyfat: That is incredibly hard to predict. You can increase muscle mass with resistance and/or aerobic training. (People will jump all over me for saying that aerobic training can increase muscle mass, but it can. Just look at a cyclist or swimmer's body. Even runners get very muscular legs, although they tend to get very thin. Yes, resistance training can make muscles even bigger-- huge even.) And you can lose weight by restricting calories. Do both and you will lower your % bodyfat, for sure.

But, it seems like different people's bodies "like" different % of bodyfat. Some people can't comfortably get below ~20%, which is considered "normal." Others ("skinny people") do it without seemingly any thought at all. My strong suggestion is not to go overboard to fight with your physiology. Just get to a healthy weight, remain active, and focus on having a great life!

NB: The cheapest and easiest way to measure bodyfat is with a caliper that you can get from Amazon. It's also a bit humiliating and I don't recommend it to anyone with self-image issues! (Amazon link: https://a.co/d/7lO9JGO)