How Do You Lose Body Fat?

CherylYMerritt

Any exercise that you do that puts your heart in the "fat burning zone" will help burn fat. Use a heart rate monitor if you don't have one. Working out too hard or too easy, although will burn calories, but will not burn as much fat as if you are in the zone.

Light weights with lots of reps will get you NOWHERE fast! You will NOT bulk up lifting heavy weights. Use heavy enough weights that you REALLY feel the burn and struggle with that last 2 - 3 reps. Shoot for 8 - 12 reps. You will build some muscle. But, muscle helps you firm up and burn more calories even when at rest. If you are eating at a calorie defecit, you can't bulk up.

I agree with this. Never mind the old school way of thinking light weight lots of reps! You will not "bulk up" by challenging yourself to lift heavier weights!

CherylYMerritt

Here is what you do.

1. find out your maintenance calories
2. Eat at a calorie deficit. (3500 calories = 1 lbs) or 500 calorie deficit a day = 1 lb per week loss
3. Do 5-6 days a week resistance training followed by cardio and 1st thing in the morning on an empty stomach is best.
4. Walk at a brisk pace 3 nights a week for 20-30 minutes.
5. Eat 5-6 small meals about
6. Drink 1/2 your body weight in water
7. Get rid of all processed foods, white sugars, breads, junk foods, all sodas and crap. Clean up your diet right away.

This should get you started. Add me as a friend for more help.

I think this is good advice....only #6 has me stumped. I am guessing that means to drink that many ounces of water??
Also clean eating is essential. cut out the junk,,,,eat more protein and lastly once you figure out what your maintenance calories are it is very important to "eat back" your workout calories. If not (this happened to me) your scale will not move!
Good luck!

BigBoneSista

Yeah they meant 1/2 your weight in ounces.

I drink 128oz a day so thats over half for me. I eat as clean as possible.No can goods, no processed meats, no candy, no sodas, and cakes. I look at food as fuel now and not my own little private party.

I've been losing weight pretty good. My nutritionist give me a calorie window of 1400 to 1700 calories a day. If my weight ever starts to slow we will make adjustments. I eat 4 oz of protein in every meal. I even make sure my snacks have protein.

I believe my diary is open. Anyone can check it and make suggestions.

jae6704

bump:)

meljean30

Hi!

Im in your boat..but i have done so much reading and learning about this subject.. Ive lost just close to 90 lbs.. ( of fat! ) and the first thing i want to tell you is DO NOT LOOK AT THE BODYFAT % ON THE SCALE. go get yourself a pair of fat calipers. 10-15 bucks at GNC. you can get a real idea with your frame, etc.... or have your dr do a water test.. they are the most accurate.

As far as lifting weights, the high reps, low weight, is kinda up in debate. From experience, and from alot of reading.. lift until COMPLETe failure.. at NO MORE THAN 12-15 reps. and the last 3 should be very hard.. IF you want to get a little swollen, stop at 6-8.. with the last 3 being so hard! if I curl freeweights, and try to max at 6 .. i can curl 30 ish lbs. !!! each arm!! i like to stick with 20's AND i love resistance bands!!.. BURN BURN BURN!! I personaly like to do a week of lighter weight training.. and a week of heavy.. back and forth.. the key is never to let your body adjust to what you are doing..

Lets say a few weeks past, and your sure your not cheating on the food. and your burning at least 500 calories a day, and eating within your budget.. Have some tests done at the DR's if they tell you just to try harder and are not willing to help.. then leave.. and find a better DR!! There is no time to waste when it comes to uncovering our beautiful bodys just dying to get out from under the cover!!!!

sbilyeu75

*Facepalm* on the low weight, high reps. 80% of fat loss is going to be your diet.

I'm stealing this from another site:

best way to gain lean muscle:
eat more food.
train heavy with weights.
do a little cardio to keep healthy.
rest enough.
...
best way to lose fat:
eat less food.
train heavy with weights.
do more cardio to add to calorie deficit.
rest enough.

best way to waste money:
buy lots of useless supplements thinking they will help magically with the above.

Queenprell03

bump

seemichellerun

First off, the whole idea about low weight/high rep will build lean muscle is total BS! All muscle is lean mass. The most effective way to build muscle is high weight/low rep.

Also, this is pretty straight forward on how t lose fat: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?p=401681611#post401681611

Lisa__Michelle

I am doing mostly strength training exercise right now. I had a trainer give me a workout routine. I do know that you want to do lower weights with more reps.

normarubio

Why is it so important to eat back your workout calories. Maybe thats why my scale hasn't moved .

corsayre8

I have always heard to trim body fat you use lighter weights and higher reps. To build big muscle you would use heavier weights and lower reps. I think 30 day Shred will definitely help. As you lose weight and build muscle your body fat percentage will definitely come down. Good luck!

Agree with this, except the part about heavy vs. light. From all the reading I have been doing, and what the trainer at my gym says, this is old school thinking. Unless a female is taking hormone or steroids, thier body chemistry won't support bulking up.

Know that started getting stronger much quicker when I upped the weight to the point where I couldn't do more than ten reps.

sbilyeu75

I have always heard to trim body fat you use lighter weights and higher reps. To build big muscle you would use heavier weights and lower reps. I think 30 day Shred will definitely help. As you lose weight and build muscle your body fat percentage will definitely come down. Good luck!

Agree with this, except the part about heavy vs. light. From all the reading I have been doing, and what the trainer at my gym says, this is old school thinking. Unless a female is taking hormone or steroids, thier body chemistry won't support bulking up.

Know that started getting stronger much quicker when I upped the weight to the point where I couldn't do more than ten reps.

Your trainer is correct. Granted, I'm not a trainer but I talk to plenty of them and I've researched and researched and heavy weights low reps are the way to go.

I think it also goes along with people thinking they can spot reduce fat.

bigc150

bump

mariapuhl

Wow! You are almost exactly my height and old weight. I am 5'10 - 5'11 (depends on the day and whose measuring, haha), and I started at 223. And my body fat was 44% on the place I used to personal train's scale. I haven't done another test since I've lost the ~40 lbs. But I know it's gone down, quite a bit.

I do ridiculous amounts of cardio (like an hour a day), two - three strength training sessions a week, and eat pretty healthily, except when I'm stressed. Stress eating is still my killer.

But still, it's slow, steady progress!

BigBoneSista

Wow! You are almost exactly my height and old weight. I am 5'10 - 5'11 (depends on the day and whose measuring, haha), and I started at 223. And my body fat was 44% on the place I used to personal train's scale. I haven't done another test since I've lost the ~40 lbs. But I know it's gone down, quite a bit.

I do ridiculous amounts of cardio (like an hour a day), two - three strength training sessions a week, and eat pretty healthily, except when I'm stressed. Stress eating is still my killer.

But still, it's slow, steady progress!

Thanks for the info. I am definitely adding more strength training to my regimen. I need to tighten all this jiggly up lol. With clothes on I look awesome. With them off ummm not so much. I want to try to tighten everything up without surgery. I'm in no rush so slow & steady I can accept.