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Getting below 10% BF

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stphnstevey
stphnstevey Posts: 68
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I've managed to get down to around 10% body fat, but can't seem to drop further. I know its fairly low anyway, but still got that little bit of 'spare tyre' want to lose to show up abs. I've never really found it easy to lose weight and it's taken me 6 months to get this far, but can't seem to shift that last little bit. I'm in a calorie defecit, but that seems to have stopped working recently, plateued for a month now and wondering when you get down to around 10% BF does it take something a bit extra to go further?
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  • Whart0603
    Whart0603 Posts: 92 Member
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    I'm in the same boat you are. Looking forward to some advice.
  • JasonDetwiler
    JasonDetwiler Posts: 364 Member
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    My buddy's 5.3% at 49 following low-carb and intermittent fasting. There are a few programs out there.

    Check out John Kiefer at DangerouslyHardcore.com.
  • stepise
    stepise Posts: 6
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    I think you should try intermittent fasting. it seems to be very healthy for the organism and help to shed that last bit of unwanted fat, while keeping your calorie intake as you are now. check youtube fastingtwins channel they teach you how to do it. well done so far anyway, im on 14% from 22%. my goal is to reach 9%
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
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    Welcome to Stubborn fat territory. If traditional methods arent working, then you need to start looking at different protocols like IF, Lyles Rapid Fat Loss or UD2.0 etc.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    You 10% in your picture? I think it get real difficult to get real low and you're going to sacrafice some muscle to do it. According to bodybuilders, you're going to really have to watch your sodium intake.

    You also have to consider on what machine you registered 10%. If it normally reads lower than usual, then you might be okay. If it's reading higher than usual, you're going to have hard time.

    You might wnat to get a real accurate body fat test done via bod pod or the dunk test.
  • ouija86
    ouija86 Posts: 138 Member
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    You're def above 10%

    Intermittent fasting is stupid. Whoever came up with that concept needs to be dragged into a public square and shamed until they banish themselves to a cave.

    You don't need a fancy program either, you want to lose weight, that's not rocket science.

    Every bodybuilder since the beginning of bodybuilding has done the same thing. More cadrio, less calories. Less calories meaning less carbs, you still need a ton of protein and a good amount of fat too. Most guys train weights in the morning and do 45-60min cardio in the evening 5-6 days a week, if not 7.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    You 10% in your picture? I think it get real difficult to get real low and you're going to sacrafice some muscle to do it. According to bodybuilders, you're going to really have to watch your sodium intake.

    You also have to consider on what machine you registered 10%. If it normally reads lower than usual, then you might be okay. If it's reading higher than usual, you're going to have hard time.

    You might wnat to get a real accurate body fat test done via bod pod or the dunk test.

    Sodium doesn't inhibit fat loss but many bodybuilders deplete sodium (water weight) and then sodium load for vascularity.

    I agree with Foxy. I used UD2 to go from 9% to 7% just recently.
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
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    Pfffft. Yeah, its dropping carbs and sodium that magics away the fat, not the dbol and clen. Carbs and sodium are short term competition cuts, not a viable long term solution
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    oh, here's my RFL log for the 9-7% cut. Not saying this is the only way to get that low as typically reducing cals over time and keeping adequate protein, resistance training & determining what sort of carb/fat ratios work best for you will also work but it will take longer. I do believe that the chances of retaining LBM are better that way though.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/753397-cat-1-round-3?page=1#posts-11498073
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    oh, here's my RFL log for the 9-7% cut. Not saying this is the only way to get that low as typically reducing cals over time and keeping adequate protein, resistance training & determining what sort of carb/fat ratios work best for you will also work but it will take longer. I do believe that the chances of retaining LBM are better that way though.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/753397-cat-1-round-3?page=1#posts-11498073

    I've been really struggling with trying to lean out while maintaining muscle and strength. Trying to eat clean and trying to up the cardio but it doesn't seem to be helping. I note that you haven't mentioned cardio in your post. I already know it's darned near impossible to burn enough calories to make up for a subpar diet but I don't think my diet is THAT bad. I already lift 3 days a week with all double/ triple sets.

    I'll take a look at your link though. Thanks.


    Edit. your link just goes to the main forum page.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    damn it. Here is the longer version with other people commenting.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717536-chris-davey-s-shredding-log

    I was doing RFL which is a modified PSMF and specifically calls for NO CARDIO simply because you will be in a large cal deficit as is.

    For a typical slower cut, I think most people would prefer to do a bit of cardio here and there to be able to eat a bit more and still be in deficit. You just don't want to overdo it basically.

    My cardio is not normally planned stuff it's just living life. I like hiking and walking/jogging on the beach and stuff like that so I do that regularly. And in the gym, I like HIIT challenges like KB swings, tyre flipping circuits and stuff like that. I also have a heavy bag and used to do mma so also do that in between sets from time to time. Love to mix it up :smile:
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    Nice I need to read that stat.

    How did you strength do during this?
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    Nice I need to read that stat.

    How did you strength do during this?

    Well I actually hurt my back squatting a few before I started RFL so it was good timing as I had to switch things up a bit anyway. Strength training should be a maximum of 3x a week also, simply for preservation of LBM.

    Having said that I hadn't done any weighted chins for about a month or so and the day after my carb up I set a new PB of +65kg chinup at 80kg bw. Previous best was +60kg at 79kg BW.

    I haven't been able to squat/dl heavy yet and I wasn't ever doing bb bench but my db benching & SOHP hasn't suffered at all.
  • ouija86
    ouija86 Posts: 138 Member
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    Pfffft. Yeah, its dropping carbs and sodium that magics away the fat, not the dbol and clen. Carbs and sodium are short term competition cuts, not a viable long term solution

    Ever been 4% bodyfat? I have, by manipulating carbs. You're an idiot.

    Also, dbol bloats you like a mother ****er, why do you think it's called a "bulker". That's the opposite of what you're talking about. You're an idiot twice.

    Sodium has nothing to do with fat. That's just water weight. Idiot three times.

    Please, feel free to return when you educate yourself.
  • stphnstevey
    stphnstevey Posts: 68
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    I started only about 7 months ago - intially trying to do both add muscle and lose weight - quickly realised I had to choose one, and as I was starting out in bad shape, choose weight loss

    I have lost 16kg in the 7 months, jeans 34 to 30, stomach area 93cm to 83cm - although mirror wise I still have a way to go around my stomach (which makes my picture look worse), hence why I am still continuing trying to lose weight

    I had some newbie gains muscle wise and then after that my % muscle has remained constant at around 37% - I lift every other day and have continually been able to add weight - nothing in the region of you guys, but you have probaly been doing this a while longer!

    I have never found it easy to lose weight and that is probably why its taken me 7 months to get here!

    However I haven't lost weight for a month now and I am wondering whether a break is in order with a slow bulk OR even more intensity to lose that last bit of weight

    I feel I have come so far in the last 7 months that I am loath to reverse what has seemed like ages getting here and I feel so close to my goal
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    I started only about 7 months ago - intially trying to do both add muscle and lose weight - quickly realised I had to choose one, and as I was starting out in bad shape, choose weight loss

    I have lost 16kg in the 7 months, jeans 34 to 30, stomach area 93cm to 83cm - although mirror wise I still have a way to go around my stomach (which makes my picture look worse), hence why I am still continuing trying to lose weight

    I had some newbie gains muscle wise and then after that my % muscle has remained constant at around 37% - I lift every other day and have continually been able to add weight - nothing in the region of you guys, but you have probaly been doing this a while longer!

    I have never found it easy to lose weight and that is probably why its taken me 7 months to get here!

    However I haven't lost weight for a month now and I am wondering whether a break is in order with a slow bulk OR even more intensity to lose that last bit of weight

    I feel I have come so far in the last 7 months that I am loath to reverse what has seemed like ages getting here and I feel so close to my goal

    I'd say 2 week diet break then back to a deficit if you've been in deficit the whole time.

    Otherwise, if you have the leeway, lower the cals a bit or add a bit of cardio. (assuming you are already strength training regularly)
  • Whart0603
    Whart0603 Posts: 92 Member
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    Looks like you have your calories set at 1200. I'm in the neighborhood of 1800 a day and still losing weight. I'm 5'8", 145lbs. Increase your calories and i'll bet your weight will continue downward.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    Looks like you have your calories set at 1200. I'm in the neighborhood of 1800 a day and still losing weight. I'm 5'8", 145lbs. Increase your calories and i'll bet your weight will continue downward.

    I assume he's around your weight and size. 1200 cals does seem pretty low
  • stphnstevey
    stphnstevey Posts: 68
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    I'm 1m 65cm (5'4") and currently 62kg (137lbs)

    TDEE 1900 - I started around 1500 with no real change and slowly lowered until I was seeing an effect. 1200 is low I know, but it was working. I have had a weeks break from it recently and come back to it, so will see how it goes.

    Ideally, I want to get to my perfect weight (I think around 60kg, but mainly what ever weight loses my stomach) then slowly bring up the calories to a maintenance level and then decide to add calories and hopefully muscle from there.

    However getting that last bit of fat off was proving the issue and the closer I get to my goal weight, the harder it seems to lose weight
  • Whart0603
    Whart0603 Posts: 92 Member
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    I'm 1m 65cm (5'4") and currently 62kg (137lbs)

    TDEE 1900 - I started around 1500 with no real change and slowly lowered until I was seeing an effect. 1200 is low I know, but it was working. I have had a weeks break from it recently and come back to it, so will see how it goes.

    Ideally, I want to get to my perfect weight (I think around 60kg, but mainly what ever weight loses my stomach) then slowly bring up the calories to a maintenance level and then decide to add calories and hopefully muscle from there.

    However getting that last bit of fat off was proving the issue and the closer I get to my goal weight, the harder it seems to lose weight

    I hear that. I've been stuck somewhere in the 14% BF range for quite a while and it doesn't seem to want to go lower. Got through 2 months of Insanity and it didn't really change a whole lot. Wasn't eating horrible but could have ate better I'm sure. Moved onto lifting and changed my diet up a bit this week. We'll see how it goes. Good luck to you!

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