body fat -vs- muscle

Lose fat, gain muscle.

That pretty much makes up about a half of the folk on MFP, so you're not alone.

You are correct. MFP is not suited for your goal. This site is for the average person who's body fat isn't that good. What I mean by that is 15% body fat for men is the # they try to hit to start seeing their 6 pack abs, and it's 20% for women. Actually that's the main reason why MFP doesn't even request to know your body fat...because it doesn't take that into account when factoring your calorie needs. MFP figures that at this stage, most users don't know their body fat anyway. You'll need to move over to a bodybuilding site or start working with a professional to really fine tune your physique at this point.

I weigh 165 / 54yers / 6ft / but I have a Body fat of 15%
I want to cut that in half but maintain my weight approx...
So, my goal is hard to define within this site...
or is it

ASsuming your numbers are correct you currently have 24.75 lbs of fat and 140.25 lbs of lean mass.

You would like to get to 165 @ 7.5% body fat which is 12.375 lbs of fat and 152.625 lbs of lean mass.

You can't do this at the same time.....You have two options.

#1 - Cut to 153ish retaining as much lean mass as you can.....and then gain to 165.....honestly you will probably need to gain above 165 because you will add some fat also and then cut back down to 165

#2 - Gain muscle up to approx 180 and then cut fat.


FYI. 12lbs of lean mass is a lot. Good luck.

you need to go on a good bulk my friend, then cut down to that 7% to reveal your fabulous new muscles.

It's possible, doesn't look good, and isn't particularly healthy, but strength training, nutritent partitioning, and more protein, along with strict calorie control can get you there.

It's possible, doesn't look good, and isn't particularly healthy, but strength training, nutritent partitioning, and more protein, along with strict calorie control can get you there.

What exactly doesn't look good and isn't particularly healthy?

An even exchange in body fat and muscle weight isn't going to happen. To lower your body fat you have to drop weight.

I saw on Dr. Oz you can burn fat and build muscle at the same time. I think he knows better than you.....He's a doctor.

Now that's funny, right there.

Lends a new seriousness to "Green eggs and ham".



BTW, Awesome calves, dude.

Cut out all carbs and fat and go on an all protein diet. Except for fruit, fruit is natural.

What about Raspberry ketones? You forgot those.

Sounds like you'll need a bulk cycle and then a cut cycle. Although I'm not sure if you just REALLY want to maintain that weight so badly. I wonder if you'd actually be satisfied cutting and just seeing where you are.

7.5% body fat is going to be hard work - especially at your age (no offense meant). With your current lean mass it equates to 150ish pounds total weight, which is going to leave you looking pretty scrawny at 6ft.

Then you'd have a slow bulk to get back to 165lb. The bulk is going to put your body fat percentage up, so in reality you'd need to go above that and cut back down.

Personally I think I'd cut to 10%bf - about 155ish pounds for you - then do a cut/bulk cycle at that more manageable level for a while until you build more lean mass. Set BF% start and end points for cut/bulk. e.g. at 12% BF you switch from bulk to cut, and at 10% BF you switch from cut to bulk. As you progress, you can move those points slowly down 11/9 10/8 and finally 9/7 to reach your goal.

It's a long (long) term goal, though. Don't think you'll be walking out of the gym looking like Ryan Reynolds in three months.

It's possible, doesn't look good, and isn't particularly healthy, but strength training, nutritent partitioning, and more protein, along with strict calorie control can get you there.

What exactly doesn't look good and isn't particularly healthy?

Since that is the first post ever made on that account I suspect it might be a troll. It could be someone who is sincerely a *kitten* that just happens to be new but I think that is less likely.

There is nothing unattractive or unhealthy about someone who has a low body fat percentage and a high muscle mass.

At your age that is hard to do without a lot of unhealthy chemistry (hormones and steroids).
As you age and testosterone levels fall it is a lot harder to bulk up. What you are talking about is the kind of shape elite athletes hit in the 20s 30s. I would rethink your goals. Look at your body type, increase your cardio and try to get as fit as possible. You can get stronger pretty easily, you can increase your endurance pretty easily but you are going to have a hard time bulking up as you age. I'm in my 60s and just can't add bulk no matter what I do. I didn't start weight training until my mid 40s and could never bulk up.

^^^^This is the answer. I'm only 47 and am very realistic about how much muscle I can add. I am at 185 and 14% BF and want to go to 185 @ 10% BF. Tried the "recomp" thing for a while now and it isn't working. So I'm going to cut to 180 and then bulk to 190 and probably just be happy with whatever LBM I have at that point and cut back down to whatever I feel good at. Maybe 12% BF.

But at 54, you're probably hosed. Unless you have been blessed with freakishly awesome genetics, it will be VERY difficult to add any muscle mass. And since you are starting with so little, I would venture to guess that you are not genetically blessed.

Tom