Change my shape without losing?

lebbyloses

Is it possible to change the shape of your body without changing your body fat percentage?

My body fat percentage is at my goal; my body is not. Do I just need to accept my current shape, or will pursuing new strength and running goals (which I'm going to do anyway) possibly help the fat reposition itself more attractively?

ohemgeebeckii94

Yesss ! The way to do that is weight training. Because it sculpts your body try it 3-5 x a week for 30min. But keep in 30-40min of normal cardio

ndj1979

it is called recomp but is a slow process…

you basically eat about 200 calories over maintenance on work out days and then on non work out days you eat at maintenance or just a little bit below that maybe 100 calories..

or you can do traditional bulk/cut cycle..

I would recommend a program of compound lifts and minimal cardio ..maybe once a week, if that ..

SJ46

I think it is possible. I have heard of building certain muscle groups and specifically not/barely training others, for example - build up the lats while not training the obliques to give the illusion of a smaller waist.

For myself, I have decided to accept my genetics and appreciate what I have.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

At this stage, you're better off forgetting numbers and measurements and percentages and focus on the mirror.

Start a lifting program if you haven't already. If you have, keep it up and start progressive loading for strength. Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, New Rules of Lifting (excellent information, but you may not want that many accessory lifts or to change your routine as much as suggested in the book). You don't have to start out with anything too heavy. Do what you find most comfortable.

Strength training and progressive loading, coupled with a slight calorie surplus will change your body.

That's not to say you have to stop cardio. I still do lots of cardio because I enjoy it.

lebbyloses

Here's where I am at. I've been doing the You Are Your Own Gym program, workingmy way through the basic level on the app. I'm halfway through it for the second time, and when I finish this time I will move up a level, I think. I don't have any weights or access to a gym, and I'm currently enjoying the body weight exercises in my living room. It's easier for me to get it done if I can roll out of bed and just do it before distractions get in the way. I also do a lot of walking. I walk my dog and I also walk two miles to and from work about three times a week. I make a point of doing as many errands as possible on foot too. I used to run several times a week, but I've decreased that since it's been so cold, and I think the 1200 calorie a day thing was hurting my motivation there. As I start eating more and the weather warms up, I intend to train for the same half marathon I did last year and try to beat my time (not a high bar!). For strength, I aim to move up a level in my program, and my New Years resolution is to do a pull-up. I've never been able to.

I feel good about my progress toward these goals.

Here's the issue: I still look/feel really fat. I've been told this is mostly in my head, but of course my friends are not going to tell me I look fat still. I was approaching my original goal of 130 pounds (I am female and 5'4.5"), and because I doubt I will suddenly be slender four pounds from now, I made an appointment to get my body fat measured and see what my goal should actually be. It was a seven-site caliper measurement at the YMCA. The result was 18.1, which is below the range I was aiming at, so I don't actually want to lose any more fat. Well, I do want to, but I don't think it is in my best interest for psychological reasons. But that leaves me stuck. If I can't lose more fat, then...I will stay this fat. So what I am really wondering is if I will start to look better if I keep doing what I am doing while eating at maintenance, or if the only way is to lose more fat (even if I hold my weight the same)?

On a side note, I did also just get a scale that measures body fat, and it gave me 25%. So...maybe my scale is right and the calipers are wrong?

heybales

Calipers in the hands of an experienced person and you with normal hydration levels can be upwards of 5% accurate, so 18-23% actually at best.
The good scales that have been tested and you used them at correct time with again correct hydration levels, again upwards of 5% accurate, so 20-25%. 10% if not good, or worse if you not at recommended hydration levels.

Did you do both measurements day after rest day?

They overlap. Somewhere in the middle more likely the truth. But as commented, who cares the stat if it looks wrong, honestly, not through skewed eyes of course with body imagine problems.

If you were truly doing 1200 gross, not eating back exercise calories, then you probably lost some muscle mass actually as part of your weight loss, and indeed have more fat than desired, and still in places you don't want. That level of eating should have gone up as you were getting closer to goal weight.
You've probably heard skinny-fat - you may be there.

Great advice above about body recomp. But it takes lifting heavy enough weights to give the body a reason to increase muscle size, and then burn the fat at the same time for energy needs.

At some point the body weight stuff is so many reps it turns into more endurance, which isn't more muscle needed, but more glucose stored to make it longer with the muscles you got.

And walking is just a calorie burner, that isn't a workout for the body - you've likely been doing it your whole life.

Endurance cardio won't really help either, as it'll tend to make worse burning off muscle if you aren't eating very correctly.

Might want to grab some dumbbells used to increase the load on your muscles.

Oh, 2-3 lbs of fat, with the volume it takes up, can make a great difference when it's gone. Now you won't gain that much muscle anytime soon, but the other body improvements that go along with lifting heavier is still beneficial that keep the weight the same.

perseverance14

It has been a while since I did it, but the thing that sculpted my body the way I wanted it, not too much bulk, inches off where I wanted them, etc., was something called t-tapp, you use your body as a weight for a lot of the exercises. It is basically tai chi, dance theory and pilates. I lost 6 inches off my core when I wasn't even dieting with that. It is still out there, just google t-tapp.

There is a good chance that will be one of the tools I use to fine tune my shape once I get close to goal.

lebbyloses

Thanks, guys. I guess I will try to recomp! I build muscle easily (for a woman), so at least I have that going for me, right? But I am going to keep running. I know it's not ideal for muscle building, but I love it. I ran when I was young and thin, I ran as I got fat...it doesn't historically do much for my weight control, but wow does it make me feel good.

Also, in my defense and so I'm not setting a bad example for others who might read this, but I ate 1200 NET calories. Or I tried to. I don't have a HRM, so I've tried to calculate net calorie burn for my activities and use that. MFP gives a lot if calories for some not-so-intense exercise!