losing body fat / opinions

lin7604
lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
ok i need opinions: Last year for new years ( 2012) i had hit my goal weight but not my goal body. I was doing slim in 6 at the time and i had a slim back ( no back fat) and no love handles. This past year i was just trying to work on losing some body fat and change my body composition. I did clx and then t25 and then back to clx up till i left for this trip for new years ( 2013). well i just got home and was comparing my pictures from last year to this year and i was surprised.... last year my back was slimmer and no love handles but yet i had more softer midsection still. This year i had way more definition in my mid section BUT i had more back fat and love handles? what gives? i was not strength training at all the year before ( as slim in 6 is mostly cardio) and this year i thought strength training ( clx) would of kept what i had and just made it better? how is it that i can have more definition in my abs yet have a fold on my back? ugh...

Replies

  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Food quality.
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    that is what i kinda thought in the beginning but when i look back i really haven't changed my eating at all. I eat the same, maybe when i upped my cals to do clx, it's just too much? but i always heard and read that you need to fuel your body more when strength training.... i went from 1400-1500 to 1600-1700
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I have no idea what "food quality" means. Your body puts fat where it wants to put fat; it doesn't stop to consider what type of food you're eating when deciding where to store fat.

    So I'm not quite sure what your question is.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Some pictures would help explain the situation and clarify the question.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Eat at a small deficit from TDEE and do a progressive loading heavy strength training program and 20 minutes of HIIT training a day. Your calories might or might not be too little or too much, you need to figure out your TDEE.
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    i have figured out my tdee and that is what i was going from before. with clx i was doing 3 days of strength and i was lifting as heavy as i can for every exercise. 2 days t25 cardio.
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    I have no idea what "food quality" means. Your body puts fat where it wants to put fat; it doesn't stop to consider what type of food you're eating when deciding where to store fat.

    So I'm not quite sure what your question is.

    i assumed when they stated "food quality" was that if i was eating 1500 cals worth of good food or crap. I can say that i do my best with eating as well as i can, i don't even let excuses like thanksgiving and christmas get in the way. i still eat as well as i can during those times.

    but i do see what you mean about where fat is stored, but i want to know is how was it not stored there last year and now it is? when i am exercising more and taking better care of myself? that is why i was shocked when i see my pic...
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    i have figured out my tdee and that is what i was going from before. with clx i was doing 3 days of strength and i was lifting as heavy as i can for every exercise. 2 days t25 cardio.

    CLX is not progressive loading.
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    johnythan will tell you there is no "carp" or "bad" food, eat whatever you want while paying attention to macros and maintin the calorie deficit.

    Many will come in agreeing with him

    some will disagree, and say types of food matter.

    he will prove them wrong

    people will argue

    facts will be used against opinions nad vice versa.


    thread/
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    Some pictures would help explain the situation and clarify the question.

    here you go :) last year
    3d4f9640-7ba0-468b-8f96-591ab72142c5_zpsbfe03e97.jpg
    this year
    P1090712_zps82bb3b98.jpg
    P1090694_zpse4931d89.jpg
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    i have figured out my tdee and that is what i was going from before. with clx i was doing 3 days of strength and i was lifting as heavy as i can for every exercise. 2 days t25 cardio.

    CLX is not progressive loading.

    this strength training / weight lifting thing confuses the hell out of me. all i know is i lift weights now, and never used to... clx did a great job for me and i lift as heavy as i can... so it has to count for something ;)
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    A) I think you are seeing "more back fat" because the one photo you're looking at has a deep crease because of the angle of your torso. I don't think you actually have more back fat.

    B) I agree that chalean is not a progressive resistance program. It's endurance lifting. It's difficult, but you're using lighter weights for lots of reps. Many people who suggest resistance training are suggesting far heavier weight for much fewer reps.

    I think you're imagining your problem, so I think you could keep doing what you're doing if you're enjoying yourself. If you are looking to change things up in general, you could try a progressive program that involves heavier lifting. This could be something like Starting Strength or Stronglifts. If you don't belong to a gym or don't want to lift barbells, there's always progressive body weight programs like You Are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning.

    ETA: In my opinion, not only did you not gain back fat, you look a little leaner. It appears that what you are doing is working.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    In the first pic your arms are up in the air. This stretches out the skin on your back.
  • 50_to_lose
    50_to_lose Posts: 28 Member
    Check your body fat percentage and decide if you want to cut it further

    then visit body building web sites such as bodybuilding.com where

    you will get the best advice for cutting fat and exercise you should

    be doing to achieve it. I used to find at around 15% BF (many years ago)

    I would have to restrict my diet to much to drop further and it would affect

    my workouts so I was happy at that level but I did find that as I got older fat would

    settle in different places, no idea why I just figure its the way it is unless

    you're prepared to really push yourself to another level.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Eat at a small deficit from TDEE and do a progressive loading heavy strength training program and 20 minutes of HIIT training a day. Your calories might or might not be too little or too much, you need to figure out your TDEE.

    DO NOT lift and do HIIT daily. Both effect your CNS the same, and you won't recover well enough - you need 48 hours in between. If you do HIIT, do it after you lift, and give yourself enough rest time.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    I have to agree that I think it's the difference in the angle and pose for the pics. If I want a pic of my back looking lean, I put my arms up <---- lol :wink:

    But I think you looked great last year and great this year.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    Like a couple of people have said, it's just your positioning in the pictures. Don't stress about it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,032 Member
    Lol, for some reason, six packs makes every other body part look fat. You're probably NO DIFFERENT than last year with the exception of tighter abs.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • tracieangeletti
    tracieangeletti Posts: 432 Member
    In the first pic your arms are up in the air. This stretches out the skin on your back.


    This!! And I wanted to add that I have done CLX and have for the past seven months been doing heavy barbell training. There is a HUGE difference between the two. CLX was a great way for me to start lifting for several reasons but mainly I was extremely weak and had absolutely no experience with lifting weights. This program showed me I was capable of Lifting and helped me with learning proper form. It was worth doing for me at least. But, with that being said, heavy lifting has changed my shape and definition more than any other exercise I have ever done. I have definition and muscles that I have never seen on my body before and, quite frankly, thought I wasn't capable of having. If I were you after you finish CLX or even now I would look into and start a heavy lifting program. There are many to choose from. Stronglifts and New Rules of Lifting for Women are just a couple of many to consider. Good luck!! :-)
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    thx everyone. i find that i had NO idea what to do if i don't follow a program and following something like clx is great. pop it in the dvd and follow. It's like i have to watch someone do it to get me to do it or to know i am doing it right. I didn't do weights at all before that, so it was a great way to get me into weights. those other 2 programs mention scare me for some reason... like i am incapable of doing it... if i have all the exercises layed out in front of me daily, with pictures or someone doing them, then i guess but if i am left on my own to figure it out, i give up! silly but that is how i am,lol i also don't own a barbell or anything over 20 lbs...in time i can invest in a few more higher weights i guess.

    i know position also changes how i look but i wish i had one with my arms up, it's still there, not as pronounced but there... it bugs me,lol as i know i am thinker in general in that spot ( love handle area) then i was last year and not sure why. maybe it's all in my head and being just plain old hard on myself but every change i have made has been so hard and i hate when i lose something so fast when it took so long to get...
  • Missklara
    Missklara Posts: 282 Member
    It looks like photos of the same year :wink:

    You look great, i would just lift weights if i were you
  • Just_Scott
    Just_Scott Posts: 1,766 Member
    johnythan will tell you there is no "carp" or "bad" food, eat whatever you want while paying attention to macros and maintin the calorie deficit.

    Many will come in agreeing with him

    some will disagree, and say types of food matter.

    he will prove them wrong

    people will argue

    facts will be used against opinions nad vice versa


    thread/

    phish...yes...carp is phish....
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    By food quality, I meant finding foods that your body does well with. For example, some people cannot handle excess sodium, wheat or dairy. Some people do well on a low carb, high fat diet (e.g., ketosis). Some people do well with primal/paleo. Everybody is different, so you should figure out what your body responds to.

    All I'm getting at is that working harder might not be the answer. Work smart, fuel smart.
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    "working harder might not be the answer. Work smart, fuel smart" that is well said!
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    johnythan will tell you there is no "carp" or "bad" food, eat whatever you want while paying attention to macros and maintin the calorie deficit.

    Many will come in agreeing with him

    some will disagree, and say types of food matter.

    he will prove them wrong

    people will argue

    facts will be used against opinions nad vice versa


    thread/

    phish...yes...carp is phish....

    lol