Knowing when I'm done?

Entaro
Entaro Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I went and got my body fat percentage tested at a local university, using the whole hydrostatic weighing thing.

I come in at 9.9% body fat.

Over the last few weeks I've also had a lot of trouble ever getting below 182 pounds, no matter what I do (1,500 calories a day and 3+ hours of cardio).

Am I done losing weight? Does this mean it's time to maintain?

Replies

  • Dougf90
    Dougf90 Posts: 95 Member
    1,500 calories with 3+ hours a cardio a day seems like a lot of calories left on the table. Log the exercise and eat at a 250/500 calorie daily deficit. And 9.9% bodyfat is pretty impressive if true, do you do any strength training as well?
  • Entaro
    Entaro Posts: 23 Member
    Yes, I do an hour or so of strength training a day.

    And 9.9% is indeed true. Got my little piece of paper and everything from the University with the calculations and such.


    I know it's a lot of calories left over, which is why it seemed so strange to have no change at all in body weight. Which is why I'm wondering if I'm kind of just.. "Done" losing weight.
  • Dougf90
    Dougf90 Posts: 95 Member
    I've heard that once you get in to single digit BF%, it gets increasingly more difficult to burn fat. I think you should still do it though if you didn't have such a drastic calorie deficit, eating more can help you actually lose weight as long as you're still in a deficit at the end of the day.
  • Entaro
    Entaro Posts: 23 Member
    Sorry to be a bother, but I really am having trouble with this.

    At 182 pounds and 9.9% body fat percentage, would it be fair to say that I'm "done" with weight loss?

    If I kept trying and continued with my 3+ hours of cardio, would it even be possible to lose more?
  • LarryDUk
    LarryDUk Posts: 279 Member
    what are you trying to do with weight loss? Are you just interested in a number on the scale? FFS you are 9% body fat. Are you in a body building competition? How tall are you? What do you look like? are you 9% and still think you are fat?
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    It's possible, for some people but not all. A lot of sub 9% ers are only that low/lean right before competition of some sort. The lower the body fat percentage, the more you will only see incremental changes because the body naturally resists going below certain levels.

    Th real question is, why do you want to go below where you are?

    Also, three hours of cardio per day is going to prevent your body from building much at all from your strength training.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Sorry to be a bother, but I really am having trouble with this.

    At 182 pounds and 9.9% body fat percentage, would it be fair to say that I'm "done" with weight loss?

    If I kept trying and continued with my 3+ hours of cardio, would it even be possible to lose more?

    how much more do you want to lose?
  • Entaro
    Entaro Posts: 23 Member
    That's kind of the problem, I don't know what I'm trying to do anymore. If I could do more, I want to, but I guess I'm just looking for opinions, or for someone to actually say "No, you can't really do more." After two and a half years of focusing completely on weight loss, I guess I'm having a hard time actually considering slowing down.

    And as to whether I still think I'm fat? Technically no, but mentally it's difficult to go from 428 pounds to where I am now and tell myself that I'm not still over 400.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    That's kind of the problem, I don't know what I'm trying to do anymore. If I could do more, I want to, but I guess I'm just looking for opinions, or for someone to actually say "No, you can't really do more." After two and a half years of focusing completely on weight loss, I guess I'm having a hard time actually considering slowing down.

    And as to whether I still think I'm fat? Technically no, but mentally it's difficult to go from 428 pounds to where I am now and tell myself that I'm not still over 400.

    when was the last time you had a week of rest and ate at mantenance?
  • KinoM
    KinoM Posts: 359 Member
    At your age, weight, and at sub 10% body fat? You're done mate. I'd advise going into maintenance & emphasising your strength training if you want to continue changing your body shape. However you sound like you might also be concerned about your attitude towards your body, in which case you should discuss it with your doctor or other medical professional.
  • Entaro
    Entaro Posts: 23 Member
    That's kind of the problem, I don't know what I'm trying to do anymore. If I could do more, I want to, but I guess I'm just looking for opinions, or for someone to actually say "No, you can't really do more." After two and a half years of focusing completely on weight loss, I guess I'm having a hard time actually considering slowing down.

    And as to whether I still think I'm fat? Technically no, but mentally it's difficult to go from 428 pounds to where I am now and tell myself that I'm not still over 400.

    when was the last time you had a week of rest and ate at mantenance?

    When I was 428 pounds, probably. When I decided to lose weight, I kind of went all-in.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    That's kind of the problem, I don't know what I'm trying to do anymore. If I could do more, I want to, but I guess I'm just looking for opinions, or for someone to actually say "No, you can't really do more." After two and a half years of focusing completely on weight loss, I guess I'm having a hard time actually considering slowing down.

    And as to whether I still think I'm fat? Technically no, but mentally it's difficult to go from 428 pounds to where I am now and tell myself that I'm not still over 400.

    when was the last time you had a week of rest and ate at mantenance?

    When I was 428 pounds, probably. When I decided to lose weight, I kind of went all-in.

    i would start there then....

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