need tips for lowering body fat %

salamander

Definitely! I have already started doing this as I am a reformed cardio queen (I love running, but my SI joint can't take it 5 days a week anymore), so even now with my cardio sessions, I try to incorporate cardio that uses strength too (kickboxing, bootcamp, etc.). I also switch up my lifting so that for a few weeks, I'll do arms/shoulders 1 day per week, back/chest 1 day per week, legs 1 day per week and work them quite heavy, and then I'll switch it up so that I'm doing a full body 3 days a week (all of this doing cardio 3-4 days per week). I have also started doing calisthenics or short bursts of cardio in between sets to get my heart rate going higher in between sets and make the most of my time lifting as well.

Someone else suggested that I may not be doing enough cardio, but I'm under the impression that if I do too much, I'll actually start to lose muscles and my lifting results instead of losing fat/weight.

I think I'm on the right track by re-evaluating my diet because I have overtrained in the past with the thinking that "the more I do, the better results I'll get and then I can eat what I want!", which of courses didn't help and resulted in physio sessions. Lesson learned there.

replace two or three cardio days with weight lifting and strength training. Particularily using your own body weight (not the machines you just sit down on)

SHBoss1673

I have no idea - I have done it on the scales at the gym that read body fat %, but one day it says 30% and the next day it will say 24%, so I really have no idea. I know it's probably not as high as 30%, but it may not be 24% either. I would love to get to a point where I'm 18-22%. What is the best way to get measured for BF? I think those scales lie to me each time.

Maybe I missed this, but what is your current fat % and what do you want to get down to ?

Best way is DEXA but that's super expensive.

go to
http://www.bodpod.com/clients/locator

and see if there's a bodpod near you. If not, ask your gym or doctor if they have someone who does caliper tests. bodpods are a pretty accurate device, and usually only around 35 to 50 bucks to have it done.

salamander

thanks! I'm not sure why my gym doesn't have calipers. (just the scales that lie every time!). It probably has something to do with living in Canada and being in a rural area.

I'll check with my doctor next time to see what they have.

I have no idea - I have done it on the scales at the gym that read body fat %, but one day it says 30% and the next day it will say 24%, so I really have no idea. I know it's probably not as high as 30%, but it may not be 24% either. I would love to get to a point where I'm 18-22%. What is the best way to get measured for BF? I think those scales lie to me each time.

Maybe I missed this, but what is your current fat % and what do you want to get down to ?

Best way is DEXA but that's super expensive.

go to
http://www.bodpod.com/clients/locator

and see if there's a bodpod near you. If not, ask your gym or doctor if they have someone who does caliper tests. bodpods are a pretty accurate device, and usually only around 35 to 50 bucks to have it done.

MacMadame

You can also do the dunk tank method. That's not as accurate as the body pod method but it's more accurate than bio-impedance or calipers. I think I paid $20 for my test.