Lowering BF %
rsmorlen
Posts: 31 Member
So I understand you have to do cardio to reduce your body fat %, but how often do you need to do it? I've also read that your body adapts to cardio, and that HIIT is the best way to "shred" fat. How valid is this? Any advice would be great.
Just to give you an idea of where I'm going with this topic; I'm trying to gain muscle mass, but I don't want my BF% to get higher that 10%. I know this would hinder muscle growth by doing cardio, but I'd rather look athletic with slow gains rather than get fast gains and then have to go through an intense cutting phase.
Just to give you an idea of where I'm going with this topic; I'm trying to gain muscle mass, but I don't want my BF% to get higher that 10%. I know this would hinder muscle growth by doing cardio, but I'd rather look athletic with slow gains rather than get fast gains and then have to go through an intense cutting phase.
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Replies
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first of all, you do not have to do cardio to lower your body fat. Check out IIFYM. I have both gained and maintained weight and decreased body fat.0
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What am I looking for on that site? It looks interesting.0
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I went from 23.5 PBF to 19% in 5 weeks with Insanity. I lost 6 pounds of fat and gained 2.5 pounds of muscle.(In my very best Shaun T voice) "You can friggin' do it!"0
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calorie deficit+h.I.I.t+weight training.0
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Wait....so you don't actually want to reduce your bodyfat, you're looking for how to do a slow, lean bulk?
Or you want to micro-cycle, mini bulk, mini cut?
The answers are going to be really different for someone whose main goal is actually reducing bodyfat (like your title implies) or someone who is looking to lean bulk.0 -
Wait....so you don't actually want to reduce your bodyfat, you're looking for how to do a slow, lean bulk?
Or you want to micro-cycle, mini bulk, mini cut?
The answers are going to be really different for someone whose main goal is actually reducing bodyfat (like your title implies) or someone who is looking to lean bulk.
No, I do want to lower my BF, but I also want to bulk. So I guess what I'm getting at is I want muscle mass to increase, while my body fat mass remains the same, resulting in a lower BF%.0 -
Wait....so you don't actually want to reduce your bodyfat, you're looking for how to do a slow, lean bulk?
Or you want to micro-cycle, mini bulk, mini cut?
The answers are going to be really different for someone whose main goal is actually reducing bodyfat (like your title implies) or someone who is looking to lean bulk.
No, I do want to lower my BF, but I also want to bulk. So I guess what I'm getting at is I want muscle mass to increase, while my body fat mass remains the same, resulting in a lower BF%.
If you are below 10% BF I would suggest not leaning out anymore. That's already pretty damned low. A typical bulk might take someone up to around 15% BF and then they would cut back down to 8-10%.
You can't cut and bulk at the same time...you have to really do one and then the other and rinse and repeat.0 -
If you genuinely think you have fat to lose, you either do not have 10% body fat, or you're not even remotely muscular.0
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Wait....so you don't actually want to reduce your bodyfat, you're looking for how to do a slow, lean bulk?
Or you want to micro-cycle, mini bulk, mini cut?
The answers are going to be really different for someone whose main goal is actually reducing bodyfat (like your title implies) or someone who is looking to lean bulk.
No, I do want to lower my BF, but I also want to bulk. So I guess what I'm getting at is I want muscle mass to increase, while my body fat mass remains the same, resulting in a lower BF%.
Not really going to happen. You can try to lean bulk, but you have to eat more to add lean mass.
Why are you scared of adding a little bit of fat? This article helped me: http://www.jcdfitness.com/2009/10/the-former-fat-boy-syndrome/0 -
If you are below 10% BF I would suggest not leaning out anymore. That's already pretty damned low. A typical bulk might take someone up to around 15% BF and then they would cut back down to 8-10%.
You can't cut and bulk at the same time...you have to really do one and then the other and rinse and repeat.
I've read some articles saying that it is possible, just much slower than the method you're mentioning. Now I could be wrong and so could the articles, I don't know. I do however want to avoid yo-yo-ing my weight.0 -
If you genuinely think you have fat to lose, you either do not have 10% body fat, or you're not even remotely muscular.
It's not that I look in the mirror and think, "I'm fat!"
I have a goal to be a certain weight with 6% body fat by May (reasonable I think).
I'm trying to learn the best method to get there.0 -
If you genuinely think you have fat to lose, you either do not have 10% body fat, or you're not even remotely muscular.
It's not that I look in the mirror and think, "I'm fat!"
I have a goal to be a certain weight with 6% body fat by May (reasonable I think).
I'm trying to learn the best method to get there.
You have 4 months to lose 4% body fat. You're not going to recomposition during that time unless you are new to weight lifting or on steroids. You need to stop getting hung up on the body weight part. If you want to add lean mass then focus on that. If you want to get leaner then focus on that. They won't happen at the same time.0 -
It's not that I look in the mirror and think, "I'm fat!"
I have a goal to be a certain weight with 6% body fat by May (reasonable I think).
I'm trying to learn the best method to get there.
So you're between 7 and 9% body fat now?
You're not gonna get huge on any type of bulk in a 4-month time period.0 -
There's this: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html
Best of luck.
Regarding muscling up to drop body fat % from 10% to 6% while retaining total fat.. ain't gonna happen in 4 months. That's a LOT of muscle.0 -
If you genuinely think you have fat to lose, you either do not have 10% body fat, or you're not even remotely muscular.
It's not that I look in the mirror and think, "I'm fat!"
I have a goal to be a certain weight with 6% body fat by May (reasonable I think).
I'm trying to learn the best method to get there.
yea 6% would look insanely shredded.. im about 12-14% in my profile pic0 -
Okay, so then this will take longer than I had hoped, which is fine. That's why I was asking. So then if I wanted to maintain 12% BF and still bulk, would doing HIIT once or twice a week be good? With the other days used for lifting, and one rest day.0
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Okay, so then this will take longer than I had hoped, which is fine. That's why I was asking. So then if I wanted to maintain 12% BF and still bulk, would doing HIIT once or twice a week be good? With the other days used for lifting, and one rest day.
HIIT is good for heart and lungs, but if you are trying to add mass adding cardio means you have to eat more. You have to eat above the calories you would maintain at. You will gain some fat. It doesn't mean you go wild eating 5000 calories.0 -
Okay at the risk of all of y'all's criticism, I just read an article about BF% and now realize I am wrong about where I'm at. The article showed some pictures to give one rough ideas as to where they are percentage-wise. I'm diffidently in the 12-15% range. Not exactly sure as to where. I'll have to get a caliper to determine that. Either way, there you go, I was wrong.
That being said, what is the best way to reduce BF% down to an 8-10% range, while minimizing muscle loss?0 -
Okay at the risk of all of y'all's criticism, I just read an article about BF% and now realize I am wrong about where I'm at. The article showed some pictures to give one rough ideas as to where they are percentage-wise. I'm diffidently in the 12-15% range. Not exactly sure as to where. I'll have to get a caliper to determine that. Either way, there you go, I was wrong.
That being said, what is the best way to reduce BF% down to an 8-10% range, while minimizing muscle loss?
Lift heavy, eat protein (around 1g/lb lbm) and make sure you have a reasonable deficit (TDEE-20% is a good starting point).
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach
I know that says stomach, but it is really about overall fat loss.0 -
Wait....so you don't actually want to reduce your bodyfat, you're looking for how to do a slow, lean bulk?
Or you want to micro-cycle, mini bulk, mini cut?
The answers are going to be really different for someone whose main goal is actually reducing bodyfat (like your title implies) or someone who is looking to lean bulk.
That part confuses me as well0 -
I went from 23.5 PBF to 19% in 5 weeks with Insanity. I lost 6 pounds of fat and gained 2.5 pounds of muscle.(In my very best Shaun T voice) "You can friggin' do it!"
That is pretty much what I want, thanks I'll check it out.0 -
Lift heavy, eat protein (around 1g/lb lbm) and make sure you have a reasonable deficit (TDEE-20% is a good starting point).
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach
I know that says stomach, but it is really about overall fat loss.
Thanks, your post helped answer a few questions I had.0
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