Doctor says I don't need to lose anymore weight :(

trustymutsi

I just read that body fat percentage of over 25% for men is considered obese. I'm 26% and I'm definitely not obese. I wonder if I calculated it wrong. I used the military body fat calculator, which goes by age, height, weight, neck, waist, and hip measurements.

I have a pretty wide build, so I wonder if that throws it off?

deksgrl

The Military Body Fat calculator is way higher than the other ones.

AnvilHead

I just read that body fat percentage of over 25% for men is considered obese. I'm 26% and I'm definitely not obese. I wonder if I calculated it wrong. I used the military body fat calculator, which goes by age, height, weight, neck, waist, and hip measurements.

I have a pretty wide build, so I wonder if that throws it off?

As I said before, estimating bodyfat by anthropometric measurements isn't a terribly accurate way to do it. It gives you a reference point to work from, but that doesn't mean it's an *accurate* reference point as far as true bodyfat % goes. If you want accuracy, you'd be better off finding a local place that does BodPod or Hydrostatic (dunk tank) measurements, or buy yourself a pair of $10 skinfold calipers and learn how to use them. This article talks a bit about the different methods:

http://www.builtlean.com/2010/07/13/5-ways-to-measure-body-fat-percentage/

As far as your question about the workout, it's designed with heavy/medium/light days for a reason. After you run your first cycle of it and get through the 10/11/12 rep weeks, you'll understand why. The first couple weeks are easy and the medium/light days feel like nothing - but if you're using a weight somewhere around your 10RM as you're supposed to be, it gets tough around week 3 and just gets worse from there. After week 5 when you up the weights 10% and go back down to 8 reps to start the next cycle, you'll be very grateful for the de-load! If you read through the thread (I know it's huge, and it's actually up to part III now!), many people have asked about doing 3 heavy days a week. His response is that you'll crush yourself in the later weeks of the cycle, and if you want to do all heavy days, back it down to two days instead of three and lift heavy both days.

Too much weight training is just like too much cardio or too large of a caloric deficit - it's not going to get you to your goal any faster, and it could actually interfere with your progress. Your muscles don't grow while you're working them, they grow while you're resting - get your workout on and get the heck out of the gym.

trustymutsi

I just read that body fat percentage of over 25% for men is considered obese. I'm 26% and I'm definitely not obese. I wonder if I calculated it wrong. I used the military body fat calculator, which goes by age, height, weight, neck, waist, and hip measurements.

I have a pretty wide build, so I wonder if that throws it off?

As I said before, estimating bodyfat by anthropometric measurements isn't a terribly accurate way to do it. It gives you a reference point to work from, but that doesn't mean it's an *accurate* reference point as far as true bodyfat % goes. If you want accuracy, you'd be better off finding a local place that does BodPod or Hydrostatic (dunk tank) measurements, or buy yourself a pair of $10 skinfold calipers and learn how to use them. This article talks a bit about the different methods:

http://www.builtlean.com/2010/07/13/5-ways-to-measure-body-fat-percentage/

As far as your question about the workout, it's designed with heavy/medium/light days for a reason. After you run your first cycle of it and get through the 10/11/12 rep weeks, you'll understand why. The first couple weeks are easy and the medium/light days feel like nothing - but if you're using a weight somewhere around your 10RM as you're supposed to be, it gets tough around week 3 and just gets worse from there. After week 5 when you up the weights 10% and go back down to 8 reps to start the next cycle, you'll be very grateful for the de-load! If you read through the thread (I know it's huge, and it's actually up to part III now!), many people have asked about doing 3 heavy days a week. His response is that you'll crush yourself in the later weeks of the cycle, and if you want to do all heavy days, back it down to two days instead of three and lift heavy both days.

Too much weight training is just like too much cardio or too large of a caloric deficit - it's not going to get you to your goal any faster, and it could actually interfere with your progress. Your muscles don't grow while you're working them, they grow while you're resting - get your workout on and get the heck out of the gym.

OK cool. I'll stick with the program as-is then.

Thanks!

Stevie0018

I think that if you have any doubts about your doctor's advice you should get a second opionion Go to a different doc & see what they have to say. You could even see a profesional nutritionist or dietician for advice on how to tone your stomach. Overall, I think you should seek out professional advice since you seem to be doing everything on key. Good luck

trustymutsi

Wow guys, I've hiked my protein up to 140 grams per day, and am drinking lots of water and eating my veggies. I am only on a 1 lb a week defecit, and I'm not hungry anymore. Today I don't think I packed enough lunch, and my stomach rumbled for a bit, but I didn't feel hungry, if that makes sense. I didn't have that jittery feeling of "I need to eat something!"

This is a great feeling. No desire for chips or ice cream or junk food right now.

And tomorrow I'm working on my strength training again.

70davis

Bump

trustymutsi

One more question: Let's say your doing 5 different things, like squats, curls, deadlift, benchpress, and leg lifts. Do you do ALL the sets for squats first, THEN all the sets for curls, etc... or do you do a squats set, then a curls set, then a benchpress set, etc?

myofibril

One more question: Let's say your doing 5 different things, like squats, curls, deadlift, benchpress, and leg lifts. Do you do ALL the sets for squats first, THEN all the sets for curls, etc... or do you do a squats set, then a curls set, then a benchpress set, etc?

Do all the sets for one exercise followed by all the sets for the next exercise eg 3 sets of squats followed by 3 sets of chest press etc.

Incidentally, if you are doing a full body routine then you want to allow about 48 hours rest before doing it again (so for example a session on Monday, followed by Wednesday followed by Friday.)

This is because muscles grow and strengthen not while you are training but in the rest time between sessions - your training simply provides the stimulus for growth. It does this through a process called hypertrophy which needs about 48 hours or so to do efficiently. In short, don't work the same muscles every day if you are lifting heavy.

trustymutsi

Cool, thanks.

The part that's going to be the biggest challenge will be figuring out what my weight limit is for each exercise.

Bex2Bslim

Why not go for a happy medium between where you are now and what you told the doctor you wanted to be, it's not going to be dangerous to your health! It's you that has to be comfortable and confident in your own skin, not your doctor, all they are concerned with is if you are adding extra pressure to your organs, which you won't be.

Do whatever makes you happy

trustymutsi

Hey, sorry guys. ANOTHER question.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843

This is the workout program I picked. Can I substitute some of these with dumbbells, because that's all I have right now, and I really can't afford to do more than buy a few more plates to them to add strength.

If not, is it possible to do a good weight lifting program with just dumbbells? If so, any suggestions?

Thanks very much!

makeupmuse10

If you eat at maintenance, and work out consistently 5-6 days a week, pound out every work out you will see the results you want.

Change doesn't happen in your comfort zone..

I love that! " Change Doesn't Happen in Your Comfort Zone!" SO true!!

AnvilHead

Hey, sorry guys. ANOTHER question.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843

This is the workout program I picked. Can I substitute some of these with dumbbells, because that's all I have right now, and I really can't afford to do more than buy a few more plates to them to add strength.

If not, is it possible to do a good weight lifting program with just dumbbells? If so, any suggestions?

Thanks very much!

Yes. I do the entire workout with dumbbells. It's not optimal, but you can make it work. You're limited on the weight as you go heavier on squats, but you just have to get inventive - for example, substitute the Bulgarian Split Squat (google it). Note that the deadlifts are stiff-legged deadlifts, not conventional DLs. Many people have asked that question in the thread, and he stated that it's designed that way for a reason - squats and conventional DLs are overkill for a beginner on a 3-day, full-body routine.

And yes - you do all sets of each exercise before proceeding to the next exercise.

trustymutsi

Hey, sorry guys. ANOTHER question.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843

This is the workout program I picked. Can I substitute some of these with dumbbells, because that's all I have right now, and I really can't afford to do more than buy a few more plates to them to add strength.

If not, is it possible to do a good weight lifting program with just dumbbells? If so, any suggestions?

Thanks very much!

Yes. I do the entire workout with dumbbells. It's not optimal, but you can make it work. You're limited on the weight as you go heavier on squats, but you just have to get inventive - for example, substitute the Bulgarian Split Squat (google it). Note that the deadlifts are stiff-legged deadlifts, not conventional DLs. Many people have asked that question in the thread, and he stated that it's designed that way for a reason - squats and conventional DLs are overkill for a beginner on a 3-day, full-body routine.

And yes - you do all sets of each exercise before proceeding to the next exercise.

Thanks. That takes a load off my mind. Got a little freaked out thinking I couldn't start weight lifting until I could spend $100-200

myofibril

Note that the deadlifts are stiff-legged deadlifts, not conventional DLs. Many people have asked that question in the thread, and he stated that it's designed that way for a reason - squats and conventional DLs are overkill for a beginner on a 3-day, full-body routine.

Actually, that's a really good point. I looked at the routine and it did seem like overkill with the DLs but as you correctly point out they are SLDs.

Trying to mix convential deads over 4 sets on top of squats would too much.

Speaking of deads I hear the gym calling me...

aippolito1

I think you could stand to gain weight... so I would suggest what another poster said, back off on cardio and increase your weight lifting. You will build muscle that will in turn burn off the fat around your middle, and you might be okay gaining lbs of muscle once your spare tire is gone. :happy: Good luck!!

AnvilHead

Note that the deadlifts are stiff-legged deadlifts, not conventional DLs. Many people have asked that question in the thread, and he stated that it's designed that way for a reason - squats and conventional DLs are overkill for a beginner on a 3-day, full-body routine.

Actually, that's a really good point. I looked at the routine and it did seem like overkill with the DLs but as you correctly point out they are SLDs.

Trying to mix convential deads over 4 sets on top of squats would too much...

Also note that the routine isn't 4 sets per se....it's two warm-up sets (with 25% and 50% of the working weight) followed by two working sets. As he notes in subsequent posts, the warm-up sets are only necessary for the first exercise for each muscle group - for example, no need to do warm up sets for curls when you've already done rows, which work the biceps.

kittyr77

What do doctors know and really what business is it of theirs where you are on the healthy bmi scale? Just because you don't clinically need to lose it doesn't mean that you won't look and feel better at the weight you had in mind. Do what feels right for you!

TheRealParisLove

If you are losing weight for health reasons, then listen to your doctor. If you are losing fat for esthetics, then hire a qualified personal trainer and join a gym.

Doctors are about 20 years behind the current exercise physiology science. That is why they still use BMI as a tool in their practices.