When should I stop losing weight?

jonathandavid_t

I'm now at what I feel is a decent weight, but I still want to lose 2-3 inches off my waist.

Start weight 78kg, now 73kg (BMI=22). Start waist 37.5", now 34". Height 5ft 11.5in.

So I'm wondering what to do. Continue with deficit, lose weight down to say 70kg, to get my waist smaller? But I don't want to be a tiny skinny lightweight person. Or would it be better to try to maintain my weight and do something else (?what) to burn the fat and add muscle weight at the same time. But I imagine there's no way I'll add muscle at the same speed as I could burn fat, so I'm looking for advice.

There must be loads of people who've been in this situation. What's worked?

amysj303

It is tricky because it's suggested that you cannot build muscle at a calorie deficit, so you would have to cycle between building muscle and losing fat. I think you should check out this thread, it seems to be directed at women but it applies to men too, I think:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/113609-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner

JustMichelleB

Have you tried P90X??

Newfiedan

that is a question that you would best be answering, my advice is that you start looking at body composition and decide if you like what you see in the mirror, adding muscle will of course make you look better, that is not a question but how much and how cut you want to look is how you make that decision, I tend to separate the two goals and focus on losing fat and retaining muscle as opposed to building more as it is hard to build muscle when you are shedding fat. I am taking it to 10% purely for shiggles at this point, I already like how I look but I do want to add more muscle and strengthen areas that I wish to work on. I am not going for bodybuilder look per say as much as just well muscled and lean look. It is how far you want to take it that determines when and where you wish to stop.

jonathandavid_t

I'm reasonably happy with how I look EXCEPT my waist - I really would like to take off 2-3 inches and have some visible abs. 10% body fat is a vague target I have too, but the online calculators are wildly different so I think I'll spend £20 on some calipers and measure it properly).

So - Newfiedan - are you saying it's best to first focus on fat loss, i.e. lose weight probably down to around 70kg for me - I predict that will get me the waist size I want - and then completely switch focus to muscle building?

Obviously I'm still doing strength training approx. twice a week at present to try to minimize muscle loss while I'm losing weight and fat.

BabyDuchess

http://exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/f/losefatgainmusc.htm :flowerforyou:

Newfiedan

yes if you want visible abs then lower bodyfat is the way to go, you are bang on, shed the fat until you get the visible abs and then crank on the muscle building to pack back on any you lost. That is what I am aiming for right now I have a visible 4 pack and am working on the last 2 to get them showing. You can almost see weekly differences in the rest of my body as I lean out more and more, currently at 15% so 5% left to go to really see the abs in all their glory. I have managed to maintain most of my muscle mass but I have lost some of it which I will be switching gears towards when I start my building routine again, then back to fat shedding again to shred again. My main goal is 175 pound at 5ft8 and 10% body fat right now.