Suggestions For Narrowing the Bodyfat % Gap

Litlbeast
Litlbeast Posts: 340 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm looking for advice for reducing my bodyfat % just a little bit more. I'm guestimating that I'm in the 25% to 30% range, I'd like to be around 20%. I eat a high protein diet with some complex carbs, no fast food or junk food. My only vice is caffeine, and I've lowered the sugar I put in my coffee significantly.

I do about 40 min of cardio at least 5 days a week, and 20 minutes daily min. of strength, abs every day, arms 2 days, then legs/butt 2 days.

Happily taking any and all advice. :) Thanks.

Replies

  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    The only thing that comes to mind is - it doesn't matter how often you do cardio, though that helps you to be able to eat more each time you burn cardio calories, what matters is that you are eating a calorie deficit so you are using body fat for energy.

    Calorie deficit - my twopenneth.

    edit: an after thought - I have just under two stone to lose to what I think will be my ideal lean weight. I set my MFP to lose one pound per week and I was - I felt - continually hungry and would often blow all my good work every two days by eating over my calories.

    Then I reset my MFP to losing 0.5lb per week, the daily calorie allowance has taken away the hunger and on some days I find I just don't want the full allowance, quite happy to go to bed slightly hungry and hae been losing around 1 - 1.5lbs a week in this way, where the other plan I was eating at maintenance in effect.

    - hope this helps.
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
    Your sodium levels made me gasp. Canned soups, while tasty, are SOOOO high in sodium it isn't even funny. Try making a huge pot of your own and separating it in single servings and freeze them.
    Also, I saw little to no fiber in your diet. Fibrous carbs will help you digest better.
    How much water do you drink a day?
    Try using stevia instead of sugar in your coffee. I actually like it a lot-sweeter, so you don't need as much and 0 calories.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    .
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    It's hard. It seems like our bodies get used to everything and stop losing. The only thing that works for me is high protein. I try to stay even with my carbs. Find some new protein sources - beans, fish, chicken, even lean red meats. Watch out for high fat, high protein like bacon, cheese and that sort of thing.

    If you are doing cardio, maybe slow it down a few days a week and go longer. And then have some hard hitting days where you just kill yourself. A lot of folks do well with intervals, but be sure to switch it.
  • Litlbeast
    Litlbeast Posts: 340 Member
    These are all great suggestions, and I'm going to take them into consideration. As for the sodium, I've been pressed for time preparing my meals at home to take to work, but yeah the numbers have been freaking me out big time, as I don't add salt to my food and was really good at keeping it below 1,000 a day before recently. So yeah, probably ditch the store-bought soup and spend some time making homemade. Excellent.

    I'm also going to try to switch my cardio to strength ratio and see what happens.

    I have a box of Truvia in the pantry; kind of tastes bitter to me but I'll give it another try, maybe I can at least eliminate one of those teaspoons of sugar.

    Thanks very much guys! I've got something to work with now. ;)

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