Moving from Weight Loss to Fat Loss

I've lost about 50lb by eating 1600kcal with a ratio of 40% Protein, 30% Carbs, 30% Fat and and only eating 70% of my exercise calories back and try to eat clean 4-5 days a week.

I do interval running and weight training 3 times away with very small amounts of progress which I attribute to eating insufficient calories. I normally manage to eat around 1g protein per lb bodyweight. I occasionally do a medicine ball core workout and 2.5km -5km run/jog on the days I don't gym.

I am approximately at 15-17% bodyfat and want to focus on cutting the bodyfat rather then anything else. What do I need to change to do this?

I've calculated my TDEE as around 2700 and My gut feeling is I am not eating enough to build up muscle or shift body fat but I could do with some advice on this as I have never attempted to build up muscle / cut body fat before.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Replies

  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    How long have you been eating at 1600cals?

    If it has been for a long period of time your BMR may actually be lower than your TDEE calculations have shown.

    I'd suggest slowly increasing your calorie intake by 100 cal increments and keeping your eye on the scale until you begin to maintain weight again. Start building from there.

    Your protein intake should be 1g per pound of lean body mass not your body weight.
  • redwulf
    redwulf Posts: 18 Member
    I've been on 1600 + exercise for about 8 months.
  • 86_Ohms
    86_Ohms Posts: 253 Member
    You might want to limit your carbs to a feasibly low level. 100g a day can keep your muscles synthesizing proteins so your effort at the weights wont be too wasted.

    You can go less, and it will probably help, but you'll probably be sacrificing muscle gain. Less carbs means your body is forced to go to option 2 for energy: fat. That state is called "Ketosis".
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,220 Member
    Your can't build muscle fiber and shift fat, which I presume is losing fat, while consuming that calorie range. Personally my best fat loss came while eating enough food for steady progress in upping the amount of weight I was lifting. I suggest somewhere around maintenance, slightly less and when you can't lift anymore weight for a few weeks straight, add a few hundred calories....repeat.