[Pics] I Used to Be "Skinny-Fat"
YeaILift
Posts: 580 Member
I'm 5'8" and 166 lbs is the top of the healthy BMI range for me. On a side note, I have been lifting heavy weights since about August (and you should too).
From July of last year until mid November I lost 23 lbs on a 1500 calorie diet. I weighed 152 lbs at my lowest. Also, I have been in a healthy BMI range since September and hit my calorie goal at least 85% of the time during this period. For the last two weeks before Thanksgiving I even cut it back to 1200 calories a day. This was the end result:
Now, I was pretty happy with my body. I was around 16% Body Fat and had lost about 11% Body Fat from where I originally started. However, by that point I felt really scrawny. Yea, I was pretty lean, but there was no muscle to support my frame. I just figured I needed to start bulking to build more muscle. In actually, a lot of the weight I lost was the muscle mass. Nevertheless, I started bulking till the end of December.
By January I was up to 165 lbs from my bulk. With Spring Break only a few months away, I began devising a plan to slowly cut calories from my diet and increase my cardio over the course of the next three months instead of keeping them stagnant. I started out around 1850 calories (~My BMR) with 3 cardio workouts a week. Now, I am currently at 1400 calories and 8+ cardio workouts depending on how tired I am. I will be cutting another 200 calories over the next 3 weeks to try to lose a few more pounds.
I am now 152 lbs again, and here are my results from skimming calories over the past few months:
Completely different. I am the exact same weight though. Also, I only put on a few pounds of muscle from my bulk. However, my Body Fat % is much lower, by a good 5%. Furthermore, I had minimal muscle loss since I was slowly cutting calories out of my diet and slowly incorporating more cardio each week. Note that these are just short 20 minute interval workouts with high intensity.
The main point is that you should set a goal date, and skim calories away every couple weeks up until that date. I would recommend starting around your current BMR for two weeks and then going all the way down to whatever you feel is comfortable. If you still aren't happy with your results by the end, start the cycle over again and push yourself harder. Yes, you might gain a few pounds. No, it is not significant if you are working our regularly (which you have to do once you have made it this far). Also, don't just cut calories from one macro-nutrition. You should cut a little protein, fat, and carbs every time you lower your calories.
Just to give a quick example of how to skim calories effectively:
About a month ago I was eating two full servings of Kashi Go Lean (280 Calories total / 104g) before I went to workout in the morning. I have been cutting this down over the past few weeks and I now eat 39g of Kashi and have a 23g Whey Protein Shake (194 calories total). It's very easy to take away these calories, but you need to do it over the course of the day. Don't just cut out a meal. You will want to maintain a decent level of Protein as you get lower. I would cut Protein out the slightest of the three. Also, increase your vegetables per day, too. They are low calorie, more filling and won't spike your insulin as much since they have a low GI.
Once you are in a healthy BMI range you have to switch gears to tackle those last few pounds. Otherwise you will just end up being "skinny-fat" just like I was and waste months of dieting only to have a mediocre body instead of an amazing one.
One last thing: My food diary is public if you want to look around, and if you have any questions feel free to ask.
From July of last year until mid November I lost 23 lbs on a 1500 calorie diet. I weighed 152 lbs at my lowest. Also, I have been in a healthy BMI range since September and hit my calorie goal at least 85% of the time during this period. For the last two weeks before Thanksgiving I even cut it back to 1200 calories a day. This was the end result:
Now, I was pretty happy with my body. I was around 16% Body Fat and had lost about 11% Body Fat from where I originally started. However, by that point I felt really scrawny. Yea, I was pretty lean, but there was no muscle to support my frame. I just figured I needed to start bulking to build more muscle. In actually, a lot of the weight I lost was the muscle mass. Nevertheless, I started bulking till the end of December.
By January I was up to 165 lbs from my bulk. With Spring Break only a few months away, I began devising a plan to slowly cut calories from my diet and increase my cardio over the course of the next three months instead of keeping them stagnant. I started out around 1850 calories (~My BMR) with 3 cardio workouts a week. Now, I am currently at 1400 calories and 8+ cardio workouts depending on how tired I am. I will be cutting another 200 calories over the next 3 weeks to try to lose a few more pounds.
I am now 152 lbs again, and here are my results from skimming calories over the past few months:
Completely different. I am the exact same weight though. Also, I only put on a few pounds of muscle from my bulk. However, my Body Fat % is much lower, by a good 5%. Furthermore, I had minimal muscle loss since I was slowly cutting calories out of my diet and slowly incorporating more cardio each week. Note that these are just short 20 minute interval workouts with high intensity.
The main point is that you should set a goal date, and skim calories away every couple weeks up until that date. I would recommend starting around your current BMR for two weeks and then going all the way down to whatever you feel is comfortable. If you still aren't happy with your results by the end, start the cycle over again and push yourself harder. Yes, you might gain a few pounds. No, it is not significant if you are working our regularly (which you have to do once you have made it this far). Also, don't just cut calories from one macro-nutrition. You should cut a little protein, fat, and carbs every time you lower your calories.
Just to give a quick example of how to skim calories effectively:
About a month ago I was eating two full servings of Kashi Go Lean (280 Calories total / 104g) before I went to workout in the morning. I have been cutting this down over the past few weeks and I now eat 39g of Kashi and have a 23g Whey Protein Shake (194 calories total). It's very easy to take away these calories, but you need to do it over the course of the day. Don't just cut out a meal. You will want to maintain a decent level of Protein as you get lower. I would cut Protein out the slightest of the three. Also, increase your vegetables per day, too. They are low calorie, more filling and won't spike your insulin as much since they have a low GI.
Once you are in a healthy BMI range you have to switch gears to tackle those last few pounds. Otherwise you will just end up being "skinny-fat" just like I was and waste months of dieting only to have a mediocre body instead of an amazing one.
One last thing: My food diary is public if you want to look around, and if you have any questions feel free to ask.
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Replies
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Good God! you are like rambo now LOL, great work!0
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Congrats, and thanks for sharing your experience.0
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You look great!0
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Great job !! Can really tell a difference, and what determination you have...Great work
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Nice work! Thanks for the tips, the last 10 have been a total PITA for me...but I'll get there!0
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f'in awesome. so what percent body fat are you at now, 5%?0
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f'in awesome. so what percent body fat are you at now, 5%?
I'm still around 11%. Trying to get under 10% before Spring Break.0 -
great post!0
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bump0
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Wow! Amazing!!!0
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Well you are absolutely HOT!! Great work dude!0
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Very impressive!
Congrats on your success and thanks for sharing!
Karen0 -
f'in awesome. so what percent body fat are you at now, 5%?
I'm still around 11%. Trying to get under 10% before Spring Break.
Hmm wow. I thought i was at 11.5% but I definitely don't have your definition yet. Hmm, I wonder if I'm measuring wrong.0 -
Great job! Thanks for showing us the rewards of hard work!0
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Damn, you look good! This is a really good post as I am looking to lower my body fat percent. I definitely feel 'skinny fat.' Great information, thanks for posting!0
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Hmm wow. I thought i was at 11.5% but I definitely don't have your definition yet. Hmm, I wonder if I'm measuring wrong.
I use the Jackson/Pollock 7 Point Caliper Method on www.linear-software.com/online.html to measure my Body Fat %.0 -
WOW! Way to go and sticking with it. I need all the inspiration I can get so Thanks for posting.0
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I hope I can come close to your results man!0
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mmmm NICE.........:blushing:0
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Holy hot damn. Aren't you just yummy!?0
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You look terrific!!!!!! Way to go
I'm going o share your results with my husband who recently lost all the weight but is now trying to bulk up muscle wise too!0 -
Niiiiiiiiice! ..and I mean that as creepy as possible, lol. You've done a great job! 0
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f*cking hell!! that is some transformation.0
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*insert inappropriate comment here*
Seriously your hard work has definitely paid off! Well done.0 -
Wow - great change! I'd love to look like that one day - I've still got a bit of weight to lose myself before I can start focusing on definition/muscle building, but I'm making sure I keep up my weight-lifting (in addition to the cardio I do) so I don't experience too much muscle loss wth my weight loss.0
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Huge difference! You look great!0
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You look great!!0
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Wow amazing results thanks for sharing and thanks for the tips0
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Nice Job!
I'd swear you look leaner than 11% BF. I would need to see what someone at a lower % for better comparison. I had my BF% measure about mid December and was at 17% BF - and I didn't look as lean as you do in the first photo. I am getting measured again next week and hope to be sub 15%. Keep up the good work.0 -
Great job.0
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