at goal weight but unhappy with body fat
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Thanks everyone for replying. I'm definitely not afraid of getting bulky. I know I need to lift heavy. I'm not too wrapped up in the number on the scale either. Now that I've hit my "goal," I am focusing more on the mirror. I'm going to continue eating at maintenance, and increase my strength training from 3 split days (15-20 minutes each) to 3 full body days (30-40 minutes each). I've also changed my macros to 40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein, so I'm getting more protein. Should I drop a cardio day too? Right now I'm doing 30-45 minutes of moderate to high intensity cardio 5x a week (Zumba, step aerobics, step mill, spinning). I eat back the calories I burn.
If you like doing the cardio you can keep doing it since you eat back your calories and are increasing your lifting time! If you don't like doing the cardio than it isn't necessary to keep doing it.0 -
Exactly. If you want to lean bulk then aim for about 200-300 calories above maintenance calories. You will gain the least fat along with some muscle when lean bulking.
This is what I did when I found myself in the exact same position at 123lb. I am extremely happy with the results, and I gained only a couple of pounds of muscle and the same in fat. I can't believe the difference. I'm going to bulk every winter.
I may add that I ate 115 plus grams protein a day and heavy lifted three times a week. We are talking 130lb barbell squats, 45lb rows, 100lb deadlifts, lunges etc etc, ago from body for life a new rules of lifting for women. I did minimum cardio so muscles could recover properly and my calorie numbers weren't complicated.
Don't cut carbs. They are valuable energy source. Cutting them may give you temporary water and glycogen depletion which creates a nice weight loss illusion, but unless you are in deficit you won't burn fat that way, and I could never hit the fitness and speed I wanted when I low carbed, let alone the muscle gain and general sense of well being. I eat what I want within my calorie goal.
I hope I'm not too bulky for y'all!
OP I say go for the weight room, carbs and at least 100g protein a day.0 -
If you are not happy with it then go in a deficit again, eating enough protein and also doing strength training lifting hard weights regularly to keep as much muscle, then bulk up. If you bulk up, youll get muscle but more fat too. Get the hard stuff out the way first.0
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replying as some interesting points made on here:).
there is not an awful lot I can offer as I am in similar postiion as you, have been at maintenance now for a while, im working on overall leaness. I do strength 2x a week aswell, mostly compound lifts such as deadlifts, squats, bench press...that sort of thing. I usually add more to the weight when i can find i can do 10 reps with no prob. That being said I will be honest and say i have not been as accountable to my strength training twice a week as I would like to be, as im in my final year at college im away from home quite a bit (home is where all my equipment is) so I do have to improvise, I do go the gym up here sometimes but I really prefer working out in my own space at home. I do stick to at least 2x when I can do and hoping to up this in the coming months.
Most people have said it all already, you seem to have re-set your macros so that is a good start, cant emphasize the importance of protein enough I've heard it so often but don't be afriad to fuel your body with carbs either. IIFYM (aiming for healthy sources as much as possible), strength training and enough sleep should get you to where you want to be in time. It all takes times, i've made mistakes along the way but my body is certainly much better now that it was a year ago. I find setting monthly challenges helps - I always set monthly goals, whether in the form of what i hope to obtain, new recipes I want to try out - that sort of thing.
Best of luck with your goals! 0 -
If you are not happy with it then go in a deficit again, eating enough protein and also doing strength training lifting hard weights regularly to keep as much muscle, then bulk up. If you bulk up, youll get muscle but more fat too. Get the hard stuff out the way first.
This is terrible advice. It is about a millions times easier to lose fat that it is to gain muscle, ESPECIALLY for women.
She just said she just lost all this fat and still doesn't have definition despite being at a very low weight for her height. Why would you keep cutting when there is minimal muscles to be shown to create that "toned" look?
Sounds like you are on the right track OP. You can continue to do zumba if you want as long as you eat enough cals to slowly gain. For a women, it really doesn't have to be much weight gain as you physically can't gain that quickly. 1-2lbs a month at an absolute max is what I'd aim for. As long as your strength is increasing though, that's the main thing.
I'd google ice cream fitness 5x5. It's based off stronglifts but includes some higher rep stuff and more accessory work for a good balance. Some heavy, some lighter works very well IMO.0 -
OP - you might have better luck with a four day upper/lower spilt….Monday - upper; Tuesday - lower - wednesday - cardio; thursday - upper; friday - lower; saturda/sunday rest/active rest/etc0
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just to clarify..you did not gain "fat" you just retained water and appear to have gained weight….carbs do not make yo again or lose weight..over eating and under eating is what makes you gain and lose.
ok I can follow that logic but wouldn't you then proceed to lose that water weight at some point? I don't if I maintain a higher carb level. I have been using MFP so I know I'm not over or under eating as I'm supposed to be in weight loss mode not maintenance.
My point was just to look at macro settings and see if changing them up a bit would help vs what the OP is doing now. Everyone is different. I only posted my experience and I didn't say I gained fat, I said I gained weight. What it consists of I don't know but being in a deficit i should be steadily losing weight but I don't if my carb levels are higher (just my recent experience). Again, I'm not exercising either due to health right now so that may be a part of it in requiring a lower carb level. Some people are more sensitive to different foods and they react differently. If you have more insight on this I'm happy to read it (pm unless you think it would benefit all).
Ultimately, as I said before, only the OP can make the final decision. Try one, try all, just do SOMETHING different if you're not happy with what results you are getting by doing what you're doing.
ETA: Not sure why everyone goes ballistic when cutting carbs is mentioned. My reference was not for going super low carb (atkins or keto style) but to adjust from where she is now (which nobody knows because her diary is not shared). Everyone has a sweet spot for carbs at different times for different things. Yes she's super active and needs more energy but all sources of energy are not created equal.0 -
just to clarify..you did not gain "fat" you just retained water and appear to have gained weight….carbs do not make yo again or lose weight..over eating and under eating is what makes you gain and lose.
ok I can follow that logic but wouldn't you then proceed to lose that water weight at some point? I don't if I maintain a higher carb level. I have been using MFP so I know I'm not over or under eating as I'm supposed to be in weight loss mode not maintenance.
My point was just to look at macro settings and see if changing them up a bit would help vs what the OP is doing now. Everyone is different. I only posted my experience and I didn't say I gained fat, I said I gained weight. What it consists of I don't know but being in a deficit i should be steadily losing weight but I don't if my carb levels are higher (just my recent experience). Again, I'm not exercising either due to health right now so that may be a part of it in requiring a lower carb level. Some people are more sensitive to different foods and they react differently. If you have more insight on this I'm happy to read it (pm unless you think it would benefit all).
Ultimately, as I said before, only the OP can make the final decision. Try one, try all, just do SOMETHING different if you're not happy with what results you are getting by doing what you're doing.
ETA: Not sure why everyone goes ballistic when cutting carbs is mentioned. My reference was not for going super low carb (atkins or keto style) but to adjust from where she is now (which nobody knows because her diary is not shared). Everyone has a sweet spot for carbs at different times for different things. Yes she's super active and needs more energy but all sources of energy are not created equal.
For sports like running, carbs are supreme. Fast release, slow release, they are all valuable. I load the slow and mediums before workouts, and fast ones during and after if I need. The rest of the time, whatever I have left to make up my macros.
It's great to have your muscles pumped full of glycogen and water, if you're low in body fat it's fine! I'm pumped most of the time. I used to do low carb to get that quick depletion fix, but at the end of the day it's unsustainable, and a hindrance to great athletic gains.0 -
congrats for losing weight. I think you may control it because so that it could not attack again. if you pay the concentration towards your goal, definitely you will gain.0
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To those of you who object to my advice to cut carbs: let me clarify that I did not mean cut all carbs! However, 20% protein in a 1760 calorie diet is only about 88 grams. To build muscle and burn any remaining fat, she probably needs to up her protein to at least 26% or 115 grams. To do so without increasing total calories, she can reduce the carbs by a corresponding percentage. Of course, she could reduce fats instead, or a little of each. I did not suggest reducing fats because they help keep you from getting hungry. This approach works really well for me, and IMO could be worth a try since she is not totally happy with her current results.
In my case, I certainly cannot eat "as many carbs as I want" in spite of the fact that I work out hard most days of the week! My carbs come almost exclusively from veggies and fruits with small amounts of whole grains, and make up between 25 and 30% of my diet when I'm trying to lose fat and gain muscle. A little more when I'm just trying to maintain. I'd love to be able to eat more bread...0 -
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How long have you been strength training? I thought I saw a month and a half. You'll have to give it more time.
I was skinny fat; started strength training over the summer...it took about 6 weeks to see any change. Now 7 months later, I am 2 sizes smaller (same weight btw).
After reading some of the posts on MFP and talking a nutritionist friend, I switched the macros on here to 35fat/30protein/35carb. That seemed to help too.0 -
That's funny - I've set my macros to the same percentages - works for me too (although I don't always hit the goal for carbs).0
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I hit goal weight in June. I was never as overweight as you, but I definitely had some flab when I finished. All that space in my ab that used to be fat was now empty - kind of like after having a baby. Same with thighs, butt, and arms.
Good news . . . it's gotten way better. I don't know how, I really don't, but I have continued to lose inches, despite no weight. I have been more consistent about incorporating exercise into my daily routine - walking, standing desk, etc. I'm sure that helped. But partly my body just seems to be recomposing itself in healthier ways, just like it did after I had my kids.
It would go much faster if I followed all the good advice on this site about lifting, etc. Swimming, in particular, I have found helpful in the past because it builds muscle everywhere.
But give it time. You've lost HALF YOUR BODY WEIGHT. That's pretty amazing. It will take time to adjust.0 -
I'm a bit surprised nobody's mentioned it yet... but for your weight and height, you're already close to the 'underweight' category. Lose 5 more lbs and you'll be there. I can't imagine you being fat anything, and you look great on your picture.
Are you sure that 'fat' isn't loose skin? Either way, if you think you need to lose more fat, I think you should talk to a counselor.0 -
You might want to try some yoga, swimming (if possible), core exercises and continue with the strength training. Cardio is still important and you should aim to get in cardio each week but perhaps at a lower intensity.
You've done a great job losing the weight, I'm sure once you find the right fitness combo for your body you'll tone up and like what you see.0 -
I don't have anything to add, but i wanna keep a note of this thread for future reference for myself.
Well done on your loss btw!0 -
I just wanted to respond because I am exactly the same height and weight. I started out at exactly the same weight. So, I know where you are coming from. I am also trying to reduce body fat, but not weight. It took me a long time to get to this point and it will take more time to get the body fat down. I personally do a lot of strength training; free weights, machines, and bodyweight exercises. I like a variety. I love cardio machines and running, too. I try to incorporate protein into every meal and eat as clean as possible. Stubborn fat areas can be a challenge. After 3 babies, my lower abs are my trouble spot.
Keep up the Great work! Sounds like you have made great progress this year!0 -
Thanks everyone for replying. I'm definitely not afraid of getting bulky. I know I need to lift heavy. I'm not too wrapped up in the number on the scale either. Now that I've hit my "goal," I am focusing more on the mirror. I'm going to continue eating at maintenance, and increase my strength training from 3 split days (15-20 minutes each) to 3 full body days (30-40 minutes each). I've also changed my macros to 40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein, so I'm getting more protein. Should I drop a cardio day too? Right now I'm doing 30-45 minutes of moderate to high intensity cardio 5x a week (Zumba, step aerobics, step mill, spinning). I eat back the calories I burn.
I like this approach, dropping a cardio day is up to you. Do you like doing cardio, keep it. If you don't then drop the one you dislike most. Be patient and it will come0 -
BUMP0
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thanks but I didn't lose half my body weight. I lost about 40ish pounds.I hit goal weight in June. I was never as overweight as you, but I definitely had some flab when I finished. All that space in my ab that used to be fat was now empty - kind of like after having a baby. Same with thighs, butt, and arms.
Good news . . . it's gotten way better. I don't know how, I really don't, but I have continued to lose inches, despite no weight. I have been more consistent about incorporating exercise into my daily routine - walking, standing desk, etc. I'm sure that helped. But partly my body just seems to be recomposing itself in healthier ways, just like it did after I had my kids.
It would go much faster if I followed all the good advice on this site about lifting, etc. Swimming, in particular, I have found helpful in the past because it builds muscle everywhere.
But give it time. You've lost HALF YOUR BODY WEIGHT. That's pretty amazing. It will take time to adjust.0 -
Okay. There are three things which should be quite clear in a given scenario.
1. Muscle weight is good. You need more proteins for it.
2. Fat weight is bad. You need to burn this.
3. The first thing to go in a fat loss program is the excess water in the fats. This can also lose the muscle. From what I read, your body fat is quite well. Go for saturated fat. Soy milk will be good. It helps lose fat and it is also full of proteins.0 -
it might be a combination of both. I know you can't see it in photos or through clothes. It's there though. And like I said, it's nothing terrible. But I'm always trying to improve myself.I'm a bit surprised nobody's mentioned it yet... but for your weight and height, you're already close to the 'underweight' category. Lose 5 more lbs and you'll be there. I can't imagine you being fat anything, and you look great on your picture.
Are you sure that 'fat' isn't loose skin? Either way, if you think you need to lose more fat, I think you should talk to a counselor.0 -
Commenting so I can come back to this after I finish my fat loss journey. Good info. Congrats to OP.0
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Not sure how you can say females won't bulk up. What about women body builders who are quite bulky yet very lean?
Steroids. If you think professional female bodybuilders, and male bodybuilders, don't use gear you've got your head in the sand.0 -
You are right that you can't spot reduce. Cut your carbs, increase your daily protein to at least 1 gram per pound of body weight. You don't have to lift heavy unless you want o bulk up. Lift weights where you can 12-15 reps, 3-4 sets. Don't use machines except for cables. Dumbells and free weights are best. Change your strength to cardio training to a 2-1 or 3-1 ratio. In other words, if you do 45 minutes of strength training, dp 15 minutes of cardio. it will take time but eventually the fat will reduce and the skin will firm up. I've gone from 320 lbs to between 180-190 lbs and my loose skin and fat has reduced.
This is excellent advice for cutting! I would add diuretic veggies such as asparagus, raw fresh spinach and broccoli to help flush out excess water, toxins, lactic acid, etc. When you're ready to build you will want to have an appx 200 calorie surplus and lift heavier weights for fewer reps and do even less cardio.0 -
You are right that you can't spot reduce. Cut your carbs, increase your daily protein to at least 1 gram per pound of body weight. You don't have to lift heavy unless you want o bulk up. Lift weights where you can 12-15 reps, 3-4 sets. Don't use machines except for cables. Dumbells and free weights are best. Change your strength to cardio training to a 2-1 or 3-1 ratio. In other words, if you do 45 minutes of strength training, dp 15 minutes of cardio. it will take time but eventually the fat will reduce and the skin will firm up. I've gone from 320 lbs to between 180-190 lbs and my loose skin and fat has reduced.
I like this piece of advice.0 -
Hey, congrats on getting to your weight loss goals. you should be really proud of yourself. Do you really think that you are "skinny fat"? I am not even sure that is real. moderate weight lifting may alter your body composition and tone up arms and legs. but I am sure your body is beautiful and you may just have a distorted view on your body's "problem areas." I imagine that you are the only one noticing these things. keep in mind that the images you see in magazines all have been altered, and that weight does not distribute evenly on the body. 0
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