Reduce body fat % ?

heybales

I eat in the range of 1200-1400 usually. It just goes up and down. I don't think I ever took too few calories.

Thanks for the book suggestion!

This is why you havent lost much body fat.

Check this link below and see what you should be eating daily.

I think youll be very surprised!

>>>>>IMPORTANT!!! To get your numbers right please visit http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ Do the Military Body Fat Calc first, then the BMR tool. The BMR tool will give exact calories to eat on a daily basis. Add 20% to this number to get your TDEE. For Fat loss plans set up macros at 30% Protein/Fat each.<<<<<<<

It says my BMR is 1362 by Harris method and 1205 by Katch. So considering 1205, my TDEE is 1450 approx. So I should eat less than TDEE and more than BMR. So that's what I do. I try to eat between these two numbers.
Sorry I don't understand what the macros are and 30% protein of what? Total calories? MFP gives me 45 gms proteins to eat, but I try to make it 50 gms or more....

Read the paragraphs above the chart, and since you exercise you can't possibly be selecting sedentary.

That TDEE figure to eat at is for you goal weight, not current weight. So you eat what it says, which already has a deficit in it.

Temple_Fit

bump

auntiebabs

Looks like you are well thin in the healhty range to me. you may want to reconsider your goal.

I just cribbed this from an article post by GIAIM online:

Mayo Clinic staff, as well as other health professionals, list the following age-adjusted body fat percentile recommendations:

Women:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 21 percent, Healthy: 21-33 percent, Overweight: 33-39 percent, Obese: Over 39 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 23 percent, Healthy: 23-35 percent, Overweight : 35-40 percent Obese: over 40 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 24 percent, Healthy: 36-42 percent, Overweight: 36-42 percent, Obese: over 42 percent

Men:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 8 percent, Healthy: 8-19 percent, Overweight: 19-25 percent, Obese: over 25 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 11 percent, Healthy: 11-22 percent, Overweight: 22-27 percent, Obese: over 27 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 13 percent, Healthy: 13-25 percent, Overweight: 25-30 percent, Obese: over 30 percent

BTW:
I asked the guy at the gym to test my body fat and it read 28.2 (I'm 50y.o.) I was thinking of shooting for someplace between 24-26 BUT he said he wanted to get me down to 19... NINETEEN. he knew my stats just plugged in my age, etc. That just seems a little excessive to me. BUT THEN AGAIN HE IS A TRAINER AND WANTS TO BOAST ABOUT RESULTS, because most folks don't have a range of reference for what the stat mean.

nu2012

Are you that far off?

I just cribbed this from an article post by GIAIM on line:

Mayo Clinic staff, as well as other health professionals, list the following age-adjusted body fat percentile recommendations:

Women:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 21 percent, Healthy: 21-33 percent, Overweight: 33-39 percent, Obese: Over 39 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 23 percent, Healthy: 23-35 percent, Overweight : 35-40 percent Obese: over 40 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 24 percent, Healthy: 36-42 percent, Overweight: 36-42 percent, Obese: over 42 percent

Men:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 8 percent, Healthy: 8-19 percent, Overweight: 19-25 percent, Obese: over 25 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 11 percent, Healthy: 11-22 percent, Overweight: 22-27 percent, Obese: over 27 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 13 percent, Healthy: 13-25 percent, Overweight: 25-30 percent, Obese: over 30 percent

This chart is different from what they showed me at the gym, but not much. And ya I am pretty far off! But that's ok, I started strength training, so it should fall! Hopefully :-)

heybales

Might be helpful.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

Future weight and bodyfat% estimates for healthy.

nu2012

Looks like you are well thin in the healhty range to me. you may want to reconsider your goal.

I just cribbed this from an article post by GIAIM online:

Mayo Clinic staff, as well as other health professionals, list the following age-adjusted body fat percentile recommendations:

Women:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 21 percent, Healthy: 21-33 percent, Overweight: 33-39 percent, Obese: Over 39 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 23 percent, Healthy: 23-35 percent, Overweight : 35-40 percent Obese: over 40 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 24 percent, Healthy: 36-42 percent, Overweight: 36-42 percent, Obese: over 42 percent

Men:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 8 percent, Healthy: 8-19 percent, Overweight: 19-25 percent, Obese: over 25 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 11 percent, Healthy: 11-22 percent, Overweight: 22-27 percent, Obese: over 27 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 13 percent, Healthy: 13-25 percent, Overweight: 25-30 percent, Obese: over 30 percent

BTW:
I asked the guy at the gym to test my body fat and it read 28.2 (I'm 50y.o.) I was thinking of shooting for someplace between 24-26 BUT he said he wanted to get me down to 19... NINETEEN. he knew my stats just plugged in my age, etc. That just seems a little excessive to me. BUT THEN AGAIN HE IS A TRAINER AND WANTS TO BOAST ABOUT RESULTS, because most folks don't have a range of reference for what the stat mean.

You know,this is a little (or a lot) off topic, but you are in no way 50. I can in no way believe that. You look like 15 years younger than that in your pic. At least to me and I admit I am very bad at guessing age.

nu2012

Might be helpful.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

Future weight and bodyfat% estimates for healthy.

It says my TDEE is 1742. That's way too many calories to eat. I will definitely gain weight with that. When I was taking in 1600 calories, I was gaining weight.
Thanks for the link though. It shows lossy and lossless weight also. Hmmm

heybales

Might be helpful.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

Future weight and bodyfat% estimates for healthy.

It says my TDEE is 1742. That's way too many calories to eat. I will definitely gain weight with that. Thanks for the link though. It shows lossy and lossless weight also. Hmmm

Oh yeah, you eat at TDEE, you maintain weight.

But your TDEE can't be 1742, unless you don't exercise.

TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure - Total. Everything, Exercise included. Different value that what MFP calculates, which they do NOT include exercise.

The interesting part is estimating it does for possible weight goal, and then the bodyfat side lets you see what you get at goal weight with bodyfat% you thin you want.

You really want to just lose body fat, you do ONLY the type of exercise that is going to mainly burn body fat? Any other exercise is going to be for improving the body, which won't be totally body fat loss, as improving the body takes energy - food.

The best fat burning exercise - walking. Less than 3mph so you never get the heart racing too much or breathing very hard at all.
You eat at goal, which is slightly above BMR so you get full metabolism, and you do NOT eat back that fat burning activity that is not really exercise, just increased daily activity.

There have been women on here losing 3 lbs week doing that. Several hitting 2lbs week moving into goal weight.

BeetleChe13

Might be helpful.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

Future weight and bodyfat% estimates for healthy.

It says my TDEE is 1742. That's way too many calories to eat. I will definitely gain weight with that. When I was taking in 1600 calories, I was gaining weight.
Thanks for the link though. It shows lossy and lossless weight also. Hmmm

OP, have you tried a higher calorie intake combined with a good exercise routine and high protein intake? I think the results would surprise you. I was eating 1200 calories/day until I got to the last five pounds. It wasn't until I reset to maintenance and was eating more calories that I lost the last of the weight. And btw, things like nuts, fish, and greek yogurt make up the bulk of my protein intake, though I do supplement with protein powder because I am lucky if I get a serving of meat every day. I think even trying calorie cycling where you eat more one day and less the next may even produce results for you, but I will trust that you know your own body and know what works for it.

sarah692

Read the paragraphs above the chart, and since you exercise you can't possibly be selecting sedentary.

That TDEE figure to eat at is for you goal weight, not current weight. So you eat what it says, which already has a deficit in it.

Hi, I've been following along and I did my own calculations. It recommends that I eat 1953 a day, but I've been eating 1400-1600 for about three weeks now and I feel like I've gotten bigger (as in, my pants are starting to not fit lol) so I don't know... could it be possible that another 500-300 calories will result in a loss and not just more gain? I'm running out of pants ;___;

ninerbuff

Cardio doesn't burn fat. It burns calories. Where those calories are derived from depend on a lot of variables like intensity, duration, and glycogen storage. In fact, practically any physical activity burns calories.
The key to WEIGHTLOSS is calorie deficit. The key to FAT LOSS is a higher RMR. Higher RMR is achieved through higher intensity training. You burn more fat at rest in a day than you do doing 1-2 hours of cardio (even in the fat burning mode). High intensity training would include HIIT, and heavy *kitten* lifting.
The methods of body fat testing vary in results depending on the user and also whether you exercised, ingested food, drank too much water, etc. If you want an accurate test, then you need to follow the "pre test" guidelines to get more accuracy.


A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

UsedToBeHusky

Forget the whole Net thing. That's a construct of MFP. Depending on which formula you use, you will either have a TDEE estimate that includes exercise or one that doesn't. MFP uses one that doesn't and sets your goal based on one or two pounds per week loss instead of 80% of TDEE. I personally set my goal calories at maintenance and then let MFP add the exercise calories then figure 80% of the total with or without exercise. That sounds confusing, I'm sure, so here's an example to help you see it.

If Maintenance is 2000 calories and the person doesn't exercise, then 2000 x 0.8 = 1600 MINIMUM Calories. So that person should consume somewhere between 1600 and 2000 Calories that day. Notice that even if they eat at the minimum, there is only a 400 Calorie deficit, so not even a pound a week loss. If they then exercise and burn 500 Calories, then the new TDEE is 2500 Calories. 2500 x 0.8 = 2000 MINIMUM Calories. So on this day, the person should consume between 2000 and 2500 Calories. If they are exactly on point eating the minimum, that is only 1 pound a week loss. If this person sets their goal at 2 pounds per week loss, then MFP would automatically give them a 1200 Calorie plan, which will promote weight loss, but not fat loss because it is too much of a deficit. So, this person should set their goal at 2000 calories so that MFP will automatically add those exercise Calories for them and then they only have to do one calculation daily. After they exercise, they should multiply their total Calorie Goal by 0.8 and make sure they consume at least that much that day.

Oh, I am totally going to try this. Thanks Tonya! You are extremely helpful as always! :flowerforyou:

nu2012

Might be helpful.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

Future weight and bodyfat% estimates for healthy.

It says my TDEE is 1742. That's way too many calories to eat. I will definitely gain weight with that. When I was taking in 1600 calories, I was gaining weight.
Thanks for the link though. It shows lossy and lossless weight also. Hmmm

OP, have you tried a higher calorie intake combined with a good exercise routine and high protein intake? I think the results would surprise you. I was eating 1200 calories/day until I got to the last five pounds. It wasn't until I reset to maintenance and was eating more calories that I lost the last of the weight. And btw, things like nuts, fish, and greek yogurt make up the bulk of my protein intake, though I do supplement with protein powder because I am lucky if I get a serving of meat every day. I think even trying calorie cycling where you eat more one day and less the next may even produce results for you, but I will trust that you know your own body and know what works for it.

I started taking in greek yogurt and started taking in more calories. But I feel as if I am going to burst! Greek yogurt doesn't taste that good to me but I take it. I like the idea of calorie cycling. Even a nutritionist mentioned it sometime ago. Confuses the metabolism?

I will give more calories a week or two and see what happens....

nu2012

Oh yeah, you eat at TDEE, you maintain weight.

But your TDEE can't be 1742, unless you don't exercise.

You really want to just lose body fat, you do ONLY the type of exercise that is going to mainly burn body fat? Any other exercise is going to be for improving the body, which won't be totally body fat loss, as improving the body takes energy - food.

The best fat burning exercise - walking. Less than 3mph so you never get the heart racing too much or breathing very hard at all.
You eat at goal, which is slightly above BMR so you get full metabolism, and you do NOT eat back that fat burning activity that is not really exercise, just increased daily activity.

There have been women on here losing 3 lbs week doing that. Several hitting 2lbs week moving into goal weight.

Thanks! Why cant my TDEE be 1742? is it too much?

I want to continue weight loss as well as reduce body fat %. I can't walk for few weeks/month but after that I will try what you suggested. How long should the walks be?

heybales

I started taking in greek yogurt and started taking in more calories. But I feel as if I am going to burst! Greek yogurt doesn't taste that good to me but I take it. I like the idea of calorie cycling. Even a nutritionist mentioned it sometime ago. Confuses the metabolism?

I will give more calories a week or two and see what happens....

Considering you may have taken 3 weeks to slow it down to this point, you should really give it that many weeks to wake back up.

Oh, find the Greek yogurt that is 2% fat, much better. I don't know why they are jumping on the non-fat bandwagon with them, higher protein and same sugar is just fine with better fat.
Chobani was good, fruit on bottom, 2%.

You should really only add 200 a day for a week, and then go up again week after.

heybales

Thanks! Why cant my TDEE be 1742? is it too much?

I want to continue weight loss as well as reduce body fat %. I can't walk for few weeks/month but after that I will try what you suggested. How long should the walks be?

I guess if you are 5' even, activity level is Lightly Active, and 30 yrs old at goal weight of 110 lbs, then yes, your TDEE is 1742 exactly.
But I recall you mentioning the workout schedule you would be maintaining, which was more than 1-3 days a week light exercise.

So with a BMR of 1205, there is perhaps a 250 cal deficit of daily activity, more deficit at the real level.

The walking suggestion is just for a week. eat your 1200 (better to do 1300) and do nothing but gentle walking. Take the time you would have done another workout and just walk instead. For a week.
This shows your body the normal food you give is won't be robbed by the exercise, and it can increase the metabolism., and then burn the fat.
Then throw other stuff back in and feed it.

auntiebabs

Looks like you are well thin in the healhty range to me. you may want to reconsider your goal.

I just cribbed this from an article post by GIAIM online:

Mayo Clinic staff, as well as other health professionals, list the following age-adjusted body fat percentile recommendations:

Women:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 21 percent, Healthy: 21-33 percent, Overweight: 33-39 percent, Obese: Over 39 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 23 percent, Healthy: 23-35 percent, Overweight : 35-40 percent Obese: over 40 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 24 percent, Healthy: 36-42 percent, Overweight: 36-42 percent, Obese: over 42 percent

Men:
*20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 8 percent, Healthy: 8-19 percent, Overweight: 19-25 percent, Obese: over 25 percent
*41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 11 percent, Healthy: 11-22 percent, Overweight: 22-27 percent, Obese: over 27 percent
*61-79 yrs old: Underfat: under 13 percent, Healthy: 13-25 percent, Overweight: 25-30 percent, Obese: over 30 percent

BTW:
I asked the guy at the gym to test my body fat and it read 28.2 (I'm 50y.o.) I was thinking of shooting for someplace between 24-26 BUT he said he wanted to get me down to 19... NINETEEN. he knew my stats just plugged in my age, etc. That just seems a little excessive to me. BUT THEN AGAIN HE IS A TRAINER AND WANTS TO BOAST ABOUT RESULTS, because most folks don't have a range of reference for what the stat mean.

You know,this is a little (or a lot) off topic, but you are in no way 50. I can in no way believe that. You look like 15 years younger than that in your pic. At least to me and I admit I am very bad at guessing age.

1)
Gosh thanks :blushing: But it's true

2)
Just consider of what your gym is selling and what the Mayo clinic is offering for free online.
And shoot for goals that are sustainable. It's all a balance of the life you want to live versus you physical goals. Good to be in the healthy range. Once you are there, go ahead a tweak it to find out what is comfortable for you, but no need to kill yourself to get someplace you can't (or don't want to) maintain.

heybales

You know,this is a little (or a lot) off topic, but you are in no way 50. I can in no way believe that. You look like 15 years younger than that in your pic. At least to me and I admit I am very bad at guessing age.

Gosh thanks :blushing: But it's true

I agree, can't be. You are sitting in college classroom, probably in detention.

auntiebabs

You know,this is a little (or a lot) off topic, but you are in no way 50. I can in no way believe that. You look like 15 years younger than that in your pic. At least to me and I admit I am very bad at guessing age.

Gosh thanks :blushing: But it's true

I agree, can't be. You are sitting in college classroom, probably in detention.

:devil:
detention... maaaaaaybe

nu2012

Hi,

I am not even sure any of you will be able to view this message or not but I am just getting back regarding the suggestions. And asking more Qs :-)

I followed the suggestions and started weight training. I am using 5lbs dumbbells and resistance bands of different resistances and target one part of the body every day. Chest,legs,shoulders etc. When do we increase the weight that we use?

I have also upped my calories...actually I had to. and I am really struggling with food. With all the exercising,I feel hungry EVERY 2 hours. I assume it's a good thing,my metabolism being boosted. But it's not easy staying in the calorie limit. I am reallllly struggling with food.

So I added whey protein shake....is that something that would make one bulky? Or fat? Some people said it does. I just want something to help me fill my protein goal of the day and give me energy post workout. But still I have to figure my food now.

I have started walking also...for fat burning!

Does it seem like I am on the right track?