Maintaining Weight while Lowering Body Fat %

MrTolerable

I want to start by advising, I am well aware that the body fat % provided on the scale has a margin of error of 2.5-3%. However, I use the same scale repeatedly and have been using that as a gauge for months on lowering my body fat percentage.

My stats:
Current Weight: 147 lbs
24 Years old
11.4% Body fat
35-45% daily protein consumption
1700 BMR
1800-1900 calories consumed daily - I do indeed use a scale
Diet: Paleo, supplement protein (eat 170-220g) daily intake
21.1 BMI

Goal:
150 lbs
9.5% body fat

Strength/Interval training 4 days a week, 45-1hr sessions
Cardio 4 days a week (Hiking, jump rope) 45-1hr sessions

Thursdays-morning fast walk, then rest day
Sundays-total rest days

My problem is I have had a goal of getting my body fat percentage down while maintaining a weight of 150lbs. This past week at one point my weight dropped to 145lbs (thurs) and my body fat percentage was saying 11.1%, but reaching my target body fat percentage by shedding lean muscle would not remotely feel satisfying as a goal completed.

Recommendations to accomplish this?

MityMax96

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Good luck with that mate....

I was hoping the same thing...
I went from 183 last August, to currently 168.

I have been doing Intermittent Fasting, LeanGains protocol.

Springfield1970

Oh throw him a rope Mity Max...I've been partying all weekend and there's so much wrong here I haven't got the energy to know where to start....

MityMax96

Oh throw him a rope Mity Max...I've been partying all weekend and there's so much wrong here I don't know where to start....

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

But I did.....
I told him it was basically not possible......

But give it a shot.

MrTolerable

Well obviously I am doing some things wrong here... can you guys elaborate a little? .. should I cut and then work lean gains like you?

6 pack abs are my main goal.. last time I was there though I weighed 138 lbs and I felt too tiny for being 5'10" ..

TriLifter

Well, you aren't eating enough for starters. In order to do a true body recomposition, you really need to know your TDEE, not just your BMR. It's a slow and painful process, but it is possible. Best way to accomplish this is through a bulk/recomp cycle (rather than a traditional bulk/cut cycle). Also, what does your lifting program look like?

Check out this as a resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIX-RyorgkQ

Springfield1970

Damn I can't leave it.

Ok.

Body fat on scales do not work. At all. Forget that.

I think you should ditch all the cardio and bulk. If you really are 11.5% bf which may not be right. You need to find out your true maintenance without all the exercise muddying the water. Then add 500 cals per day and lift like a mofo three times a week compound.

After bulk, cut slowly again.

itodd4019

Powercleans & Floor Sweepers

Also work your back with lat pulls, long bar rows = the back grows fast and it will pull the skin tighter in front over time.

Build your ab muscles to see them. Built abs look way better than starvation abs

MityMax96

Well obviously I am doing some things wrong here... can you guys elaborate a little? .. should I cut and then work lean gains like you?

6 pack abs are my main goal.. last time I was there though I weighed 138 lbs and I felt too tiny for being 5'10" ..

If it were me, and I were in your spot....

I would get in the gym, and lift heavy.
Order and build my workout routines around compound lifts (squat, dead lifts, bench press, bent over barbell rows, chin/pull ups (weighted if possible), dips, shoulder presses (over head if possible))

I would figure out my TDEE, and do 200 - 500 calories less than that.....prolly really 200 - 300, cause I don't think 11.5% is all that bad, if it is accurate.

I currently do maybe 2 days of cardo....40 - 45 min, a week.
About 20 - 25min on stair master, and then 20 mins on elliptical.

I do abs maybe 2 times a week, the days I do the cardio above.

Very important to track your food intake
Very important to get your macros.
Very important to give it time

MityMax96

Goal:
150 lbs
9.5% body fat

This will not be possible at the same time....
Especially if you are 147 and 11.5%

Choose one or the other

MrTolerable

never even heard of a bulk/recomp cycle just bulk cut, so I will look right into that.

and fair enough - I was talking to a personal trainer Springfield and he said forget the bodyfat% on the scales as well - so after hearing it this many times - I clearly agree.

And the six pack is a bigger concern then size, however I am willing to wait longer to get there... and with itodd's comments.... should I do weighted ab workouts with a medicine ball for leg lifts etc?

forgive my ignorance - I ask because I am trying to learn here.

Also, I do squats, deadlifts, typical gym stuff, and have a full day, wednesdays, dedicated to my back ., however I never tried the powercleans or floor sweeper, just looked them up - I will be giving them an attempt today.

MrTolerable

I appreciate the youtube link, once out of the office I will check it out.

MrTolerable

The six pack is the primary goal, and I talked to a trainer who said you have to be at 9.5-10% for it to be viable.

TriLifter

You're welcome for the link. Visible abs is a lofty goal. It's easy to get there, difficult to maintain. I had a 6-pack before I started bulking. Now I'm doing bulk/recomp cycles only, but my goals are different from yours. I want to have big muscles (which I do for my size), but I also do triathlons and at this time, trying to maintain a 6-pack just doesn't fit in with that.

MityMax96

never even heard of a bulk/recomp cycle just bulk cut, so I will look right into that.

and fair enough - I was talking to a personal trainer Springfield and he said forget the bodyfat% on the scales as well - so after hearing it this many times - I clearly agree.

And the six pack is a bigger concern then size, however I am willing to wait longer to get there... and with itodd's comments.... should I do weighted ab workouts with a medicine ball for leg lifts etc?

forgive my ignorance - I ask because I am trying to learn here.

Also, I do squats, deadlifts, typical gym stuff, and have a full day, wednesdays, dedicated to my back ., however I never tried the powercleans or floor sweeper, just looked them up - I will be giving them an attempt today.

Sounds to me like you just need to get your diet right then mate.

For starters
Protein should be 115gr - 147gr / day
Fat should be ~58gr - 65 gr / day
Carbs can be whatever you like.....

Abs on guys should start pop'ing in the <12% area.....

If I had to guess at mine right now, and I could be wrong...
I am ~7% (maybe 6%)

itodd4019

Watch Powercleans and Floor Sweepers on Youtube, then go do them.

the power clean will add protrusion, and split the abs. The floor sweepers with build your abliques and give you that center seperation.

Be careful if these are new lifts for you, go a bit light on the powerclean until you get your form good. And, you probable have to set them down, unless you have a gymk with mats, that will let you drop weights (pretty rare in public gyms). Point being- you can pull up more weight on a powerclean, than you can smoothly set back down. You'll know what I mean when you do them.

weighted medicine ball workouts and such are great too

good luck to ya!

mike_ny

Buy a pair of body fat calipers. I got a pair of the Accu-measure ones on eBay a while back for about five bucks. Using the scale as a daily guide for a rough reference is fine, but the calipers will give you a more accurate number. The problem with scales and the handheld units is even if they were totally accurate (and they're not), they still only measure the shortest path thorough your body, so the scale measures your legs and hips and maybe part of your midsection and the handheld units measure your arms and chest.

Springfield1970

Ok good luck, you have motivation, and an open mind, so you are definitely going to get there one way or another.

It's just very slow and fiddley to do the recomp thing.

Mixing up bulking muscle and burning fat is extremely difficult because they are opposite things.

Got to the gaining weight forum where there are countless threads about it.

I've tried both, and in the end lowered my body fat by bulking over winter and slowly cutting. I avoided the cardio and heavy lifted because it made it easier to get my numbers right so I didn't gain too much excess fat, and enabled my muscles to grow between sessions without getting eaten by cardio. Just having more muscle before cutting will bring your bf percentage down anyway proportionally. You may like your look then. Find Waldo. He is the don of this stuff! His photos of his journey are very interesting.

TriLifter

never even heard of a bulk/recomp cycle just bulk cut, so I will look right into that.

and fair enough - I was talking to a personal trainer Springfield and he said forget the bodyfat% on the scales as well - so after hearing it this many times - I clearly agree.

And the six pack is a bigger concern then size, however I am willing to wait longer to get there... and with itodd's comments.... should I do weighted ab workouts with a medicine ball for leg lifts etc?

forgive my ignorance - I ask because I am trying to learn here.

Also, I do squats, deadlifts, typical gym stuff, and have a full day, wednesdays, dedicated to my back ., however I never tried the powercleans or floor sweeper, just looked them up - I will be giving them an attempt today.

Sounds to me like you just need to get your diet right then mate.

For starters
Protein should be 115gr - 147gr / day
Fat should be ~58gr - 65 gr / day
Carbs can be whatever you like.....

Abs on guys should start pop'ing in the <12% area.....

If I had to guess at mine right now, and I could be wrong...
I am ~7% (maybe 6%)

I know that you look amazing, but I have to respectfully disagree re: the protein. At 147 lbs, if he is actually 11.5% bf, he should be eating at minimum 130g protein (1g/lb LBM) just to MAINTAIN what muscle he has, let alone gain muscle. If it was me, I'd be eating a minimum 147g to be safe.

MityMax96

never even heard of a bulk/recomp cycle just bulk cut, so I will look right into that.

and fair enough - I was talking to a personal trainer Springfield and he said forget the bodyfat% on the scales as well - so after hearing it this many times - I clearly agree.

And the six pack is a bigger concern then size, however I am willing to wait longer to get there... and with itodd's comments.... should I do weighted ab workouts with a medicine ball for leg lifts etc?

forgive my ignorance - I ask because I am trying to learn here.

Also, I do squats, deadlifts, typical gym stuff, and have a full day, wednesdays, dedicated to my back ., however I never tried the powercleans or floor sweeper, just looked them up - I will be giving them an attempt today.

Sounds to me like you just need to get your diet right then mate.

For starters
Protein should be 115gr - 147gr / day
Fat should be ~58gr - 65 gr / day
Carbs can be whatever you like.....

Abs on guys should start pop'ing in the <12% area.....

If I had to guess at mine right now, and I could be wrong...
I am ~7% (maybe 6%)

I know that you look amazing, but I have to respectfully disagree re: the protein. At 147 lbs, if he is actually 11.5% bf, he should be eating at minimum 130g protein (1g/lb LBM) just to MAINTAIN what muscle he has, let alone gain muscle. If it was me, I'd be eating a minimum 147g to be safe.

I would definitely go on the higher side of protein myself as well...
But that range of protein is still do-able for him and what he wants.

MrTolerable

Thanks so much for tidbits!

Max, I'm not remotely close to having abs like yours, my brother was just saying yesterday he can see them - but its only when I'm flexing.

I'll watch videos on the powercleans and floor sweepers and begin doing them today. I was concerned about doing weighted ab work, because I was thinking perhaps foolishly that working out the abs with weights will make them bigger making me look fat with my shirt on.. if all it is doing however is splitting them up and adding a bit of protrusion, then thats exactly what I want.

seriously, many thanks on the advice!

Thanks for the advice on the diet... I will look further into that as well - you are saying basically only 1 gr of protein per pound..

TriLifter

Thanks for the advice on the diet... I will look further into that as well - you are saying basically only 1 gr of protein per pound..

Yes--more than that is unnecessary (says the girl who weighs 125 and eats over 150g/day...but that's neither here nor there). I also eat primarily paleo-style, so if you ever want to check out my diary, please feel free. My daily cals are 2400 (and those are NOT my bulk calories, those are my recomp calories).

MityMax96

I do weighted ab work from time to time...
Either on a decline sit up bench.....
Or using cables.

And my abs are primarily diet....
So if your brother is seeing them and they are noticeable when you flex.
Then it is your diet.
Dial that in, and stay on target....be patient.

hmadrone

You can cut body fat while maintaining body weight. In order to do this, you need to burn the fat and grow the muscle.

Burn fat with a combination of cardio and strength training and minding your macros.

Build muscle using a solid regimen of strength training combined with enough (no need to go way overboard; it's not good for you) protein. 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps *to exhaustion* on each muscle group 2-3 times per week. Make sure you're getting a complete body workout in there with attention to antagonistic muscle groups. Don't stint the legs or the abs. Make sure you get the obliques in, too.

A lot of people prefer to do build/cut to get the lean body mass up. It's not necessary, though, and you can build muscle while maintaining or even while losing weight.

Get a pair of bodyfat calipers and learn how to use them. They give a much more accurate picture of your lean body mass than a scale.

Alternately, get out a measuring tape and track your dimensions.

TriLifter

And my abs are primarily diet....
So if your brother is seeing them and they are noticeable when you flex.
Then it is your diet.
Dial that in, and stay on target....be patient.

Yup--abs are primarily diet.

Edmond_Dantes

Buy a pair of body fat calipers. I got a pair of the Accu-measure ones on eBay a while back for about five bucks. Using the scale as a daily guide for a rough reference is fine, but the calipers will give you a more accurate number. The problem with scales and the handheld units is even if they were totally accurate (and they're not), they still only measure the shortest path thorough your body, so the scale measures your legs and hips and maybe part of your midsection and the handheld units measure your arms and chest.

Thanks, I like this suggestion - I will check for some on Amazon or Ebay. Do you find them pretty accurate and reproducible? Do you measure every couple of weeks or less frequently?

MrTolerable

Just purchased a measuring tape on amazon and I'm shopping for calipers right now

Seriously, you guys are the best, and I feel highly motivated after sharing your insight.

Many thanks!

I'll get my protein to your recommended levels, many thanks guys!

itodd4019

Make sure to let us know how your abs feel on Wednesday :drinker:

MityMax96

Just purchased a measuring tape on amazon and I'm shopping for calipers right now

Seriously, you guys are the best, and I feel highly motivated after sharing your insight.

Many thanks!

I'll get my protein to your recommended levels, many thanks guys!

Welcome.

Just parting advice.
Put more emphasis on your diet and your workouts.
Not so much on your ab workout.
You cannot spot reduce fat, and the quickest way you will burn fat is by diet and incorporating full body workout routines.

MrTolerable

You got it!

MityMax96

Good luck mate