Body Fat%, Weight Loss and Age

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ccam99
ccam99 Posts: 119 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This time last year I weight trained 3x a week and tracked my food losing 10 lbs and 2% BF. Bad me dropped to 1x a week and no tracking all summer and gained it back. Now I am starting again and have been weights 3x a week, cardio 1x. I have not been good with my food so have not lost anything in the same 2 month period. My question is...if i'm going to work hard again this year how can I get to 30% or below on the BF? It seems last year that it barely moved. Do I really need to follow the scale to get the BF% I want and if so, how much on average do you tend to lose before seeing a reduction in BF? Seems I am having trouble with Carbs this go round also. Could it be that it's all my diet and not any of the training? I am 52 now and being female I seem to be struggling more to lose even over one year ago. I am doing the exercise portion right so it sounds like it's the diet. My calories are 1500 a day and my trainer said I should probably bump it to 1600 on training days. Maybe carb cycling on days I don't weight train. Thank you in advance for your advice.

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  • amitkatz0
    amitkatz0 Posts: 61 Member
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    BF can be hard to track accurately. Maybe this time instead of worrying about BF, track your weight as well as your measurements (chest, waist, hips etc...) That way you can be consistent in your data and see what the results look like over time.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Eat fewer calories than you burn and you will lose weight. Do resistance training (lift weights, bodyweight, etc.) in order to lose more fat than lean mass.

    There's no point in discussing how much people lose on average before losing bf% because it's different for every person.
  • juliedee20
    juliedee20 Posts: 44 Member
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    I have struggled with weight gain for the first time in my life since reaching 50. I am now 53 and what has worked for me is a combination of a reasonably healthy diet and exercise. I am not a purist with my food choices and I'm not a gym rat, but I've found that if I practice good habits and keep my net calories just under or at goal, I have been able to lose the weight I needed to lose and stay there (+/- 2 lbs). I am now in maintenance. Good luck to you! You sound motivated and that's the ticket to success!!
  • ccam99
    ccam99 Posts: 119 Member
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    Thanks for the answers. I think this time around I wanted to concentrate on lowering body fat as opposed to the scale but seems I need to watch the scale as well and may not be lowering my caloric intake as much as I should even though I work out. I'll concentrate on my food choices for now.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    ccam99 wrote: »
    Thanks for the answers. I think this time around I wanted to concentrate on lowering body fat as opposed to the scale but seems I need to watch the scale as well and may not be lowering my caloric intake as much as I should even though I work out. I'll concentrate on my food choices for now.

    IMO focusing on lowering body fat is excellent but, at least when you are not close to goal, the scale is the easiest way to see progress. I'll also recommend taking measurements. I track the following measurements: waist at narrowest point, circumference around navel, hips, neck, forearm, wrist, upper thigh, and calf. I'm now closer to goal and I see more progress on those measurements than I do at the scale.
    juliepunchak wrote: »
    I have struggled with weight gain for the first time in my life since reaching 50. I am now 53 and what has worked for me is a combination of a reasonably healthy diet and exercise. I am not a purist with my food choices and I'm not a gym rat, but I've found that if I practice good habits and keep my net calories just under or at goal, I have been able to lose the weight I needed to lose and stay there (+/- 2 lbs). I am now in maintenance. Good luck to you! You sound motivated and that's the ticket to success!!

    You are a very young looking 53. Congratulations on making it to maintenance!
  • ccam99
    ccam99 Posts: 119 Member
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    IMO focusing on lowering body fat is excellent but, at least when you are not close to goal, the scale is the easiest way to see progress. I'll also recommend taking measurements. I track the following measurements: waist at narrowest point, circumference around navel, hips, neck, forearm, wrist, upper thigh, and calf. I'm now closer to goal and I see more progress on those measurements than I do at the scale.

    Good idea on measuring. I only measured my waist and that's the last place I lose it so maybe measuring other areas and seeing progress there will keep me going strong.

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