Dropping body fat %

lorr1979
lorr1979 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

I have a low BMI (18%) but have 30% Body fat. I'd really like to get lean and get this down to 22-24%. Any ideas on how long this would take with a clean diet and exercise 3 times a week. Any suggestions on how to do this without dropping weight as am only 102lbs 5ft 2.

Should I be adding weights?? I do none at present.

Thanks a mil,
L

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    edited July 2015
    What is a clean diet?

    BMI doesn't work in percentages

    Bulk. Lift heavy things
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    How did you get that number for your bodyfat?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Rather than losing weight, at your size I'd focus on building muscle. Eat a bit higher than maintenance and lift heavy.
  • mich19025
    mich19025 Posts: 55 Member
    I agree with bulk/lift/cut
  • lorr1979
    lorr1979 Posts: 15 Member
    edited July 2015
    Thanks a mil for advice :-) Ok, clean eating basically nothing processed, whole foods, any suggestions on what macros I should follow? What does comp or a bulk, then cut mean? Sorry, not into lifting at all!!! Got the body fat from a machine at gym. Any advice on lifting and how I should go about building muscle? I'm a small frame, does this mean that muscles are likely to show quickly :-) or is that too good to be true!!
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Thanks a mil for advice :-) Ok, clean eating basically nothing processed, whole foods, any suggestions on what macros I should follow? What does comp or a bulk, then cut mean? Sorry, not into lifting at all!!! Got the body fat from a machine at gym. Any advice on lifting and how I should go about building muscle? I'm a small frame, does this mean that muscles are likely to show quickly :-) or is that too good to be true!!

    A bulk is where you consume more calories than your body needs to maintain it's weight, this leads to weight gain. To build muscle, you need a lifting program which has a progressive overload (weight gets heavier).

    Programs which are good for beginners;
    • New Rules of Lifting For Women
    • Strong Curves
    • ICF 5x5
    • Stronglifts 5x5

    On terms of nutrition and caloric needs, either eat at a caloric surplus of 250 calories (0.5lb gain per week) or 500 calorie surplus (1lb gain per week).
    • 0.6-0.8g of protein ler lb of body mass (I advise 0.8g)
    • 0.4-0.45g of fat per lb of body mass
    • Fill carbohydrates with remaining calories
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Thanks a mil for advice :-) Ok, clean eating basically nothing processed, whole foods, any suggestions on what macros I should follow? What does comp or a bulk, then cut mean? Sorry, not into lifting at all!!! Got the body fat from a machine at gym. Any advice on lifting and how I should go about building muscle? I'm a small frame, does this mean that muscles are likely to show quickly :-) or is that too good to be true!!

    No need for the clean eating!! Just make sure to hit micros (vitamins and minerals) and minimum amounts of fat and protein. For you this would be a bout 80 grams of protein and 40 grams of fat (more is fine, these are minimums).

    I would suggest eating maintenance calories, while lifting heavy (look into New Rules of Lifting, starting strength, stronglifts 5x5, and/or strong curves)
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Thanks a mil for advice :-) Ok, clean eating basically nothing processed, whole foods, any suggestions on what macros I should follow? What does comp or a bulk, then cut mean? Sorry, not into lifting at all!!! Got the body fat from a machine at gym. Any advice on lifting and how I should go about building muscle? I'm a small frame, does this mean that muscles are likely to show quickly :-) or is that too good to be true!!

    Those machines are really unreliable, your bodyfat is probably lower than that.

    Bulk means intentionally gaining weight at a slow rate to build muscles. Cut is losing weight to lose fat. All while doing resistance training.
    If you gain muscles faster than fat, your bodyfat percentage goes down. If you lose fat faster than muscle too.

    Macros, well that's mostly up to you. Get enough protein. 0.8 g per pound you weigh, so about 80 g. 0.3 g of fat per pound you weigh, the rest carbs, that's about what's usually recommended when someone lifts weights.. If you want to go low carb, add more fat and protein instead.
  • Escloflowne
    Escloflowne Posts: 2,038 Member
    Based on your height, weight and age you will probably need to eat about 2000 calories per day and eat back your burned calories in the gym.
  • lorr1979
    lorr1979 Posts: 15 Member
    Hi guys, thanks so much. I'm actually afraid to increase my calories as at the moment I have a lot of flab and issues with a stomach pouch after 2 c-sections. I'm trying to eat more protein and healthy fats but limit carbs, is this correct?? Would I need to be doing cardio too?
  • lorr1979
    lorr1979 Posts: 15 Member
    This is all really interesting and so different to what I am used to. Weight watchers etc!! I wouldn't mind weighing 3 stone more if I was lean and toned. I think I'm what's termed as skinny fat!!
  • lorr1979
    lorr1979 Posts: 15 Member
    Sorry forgot to say that I've no experience of lifting weights, would light dumbbells start at the beginning, I've heard that heavy weights are best but I need to start somewhere!
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Sorry forgot to say that I've no experience of lifting weights, would light dumbbells start at the beginning, I've heard that heavy weights are best but I need to start somewhere!

    Do your research then. The whole point of me giving you a list of programs was so you could research them; http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Sorry forgot to say that I've no experience of lifting weights, would light dumbbells start at the beginning, I've heard that heavy weights are best but I need to start somewhere!

    That means lifting what is a challenge for you. What is heavy to me will be a warm up set for someone else.
    I started with just the bar weight, but if that's too heavy then start with dumbbells and work your way up to the bar.
  • lorr1979
    lorr1979 Posts: 15 Member
    Thanks IsaackGMOON from reading a small section of this I can tell you that there is no way I could start by dead lifting lifting 95lbs! I only weigh a few pounds more than that :-)

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    edited July 2015
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Thanks IsaackGMOON from reading a small section of this I can tell you that there is no way I could start by dead lifting lifting 95lbs! I only weigh a few pounds more than that :-)

    Everyone has to start somewhere. I couldn't squat 40Kg not long ago but now I'm approaching bodyweight at 70Kg (72.5Kg tomorrow).

    It's all relative.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    stevencloser wrote: »
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Thanks a mil for advice :-) Ok, clean eating basically nothing processed, whole foods, any suggestions on what macros I should follow? What does comp or a bulk, then cut mean? Sorry, not into lifting at all!!! Got the body fat from a machine at gym. Any advice on lifting and how I should go about building muscle? I'm a small frame, does this mean that muscles are likely to show quickly :-) or is that too good to be true!!

    Those machines are really unreliable, your bodyfat is probably lower than that.

    Bulk means intentionally gaining weight at a slow rate to build muscles. Cut is losing weight to lose fat. All while doing resistance training.
    If you gain muscles faster than fat, your bodyfat percentage goes down. If you lose fat faster than muscle too.

    Macros, well that's mostly up to you. Get enough protein. 0.8 g per pound you weigh, so about 80 g. 0.3 g of fat per pound you weigh, the rest carbs, that's about what's usually recommended when someone lifts weights.. If you want to go low carb, add more fat and protein instead.

    0.3 is quite low for the fat, most guidelines say 0.35-0.45 grams per lb
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    erickirb wrote: »
    stevencloser wrote: »
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Thanks a mil for advice :-) Ok, clean eating basically nothing processed, whole foods, any suggestions on what macros I should follow? What does comp or a bulk, then cut mean? Sorry, not into lifting at all!!! Got the body fat from a machine at gym. Any advice on lifting and how I should go about building muscle? I'm a small frame, does this mean that muscles are likely to show quickly :-) or is that too good to be true!!

    Those machines are really unreliable, your bodyfat is probably lower than that.

    Bulk means intentionally gaining weight at a slow rate to build muscles. Cut is losing weight to lose fat. All while doing resistance training.
    If you gain muscles faster than fat, your bodyfat percentage goes down. If you lose fat faster than muscle too.

    Macros, well that's mostly up to you. Get enough protein. 0.8 g per pound you weigh, so about 80 g. 0.3 g of fat per pound you weigh, the rest carbs, that's about what's usually recommended when someone lifts weights.. If you want to go low carb, add more fat and protein instead.

    0.3 is quite low for the fat, most guidelines say 0.35-0.45 grams per lb

    Especially for women, I would recommend .4 or up. I don't really know much about what is necessary for men but our (meaning women's) hormones are highly dependent on fat intake and can go really wonky when it is cut too low.
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Hi guys, thanks so much. I'm actually afraid to increase my calories as at the moment I have a lot of flab and issues with a stomach pouch after 2 c-sections. I'm trying to eat more protein and healthy fats but limit carbs, is this correct?? Would I need to be doing cardio too?

    Don't fear upping your calories. Right now you likely have very little muscle tone in your abdominal area. Continuing to try to cut the fat there is not going to expose anything firm. You need to build up the muscle and the only way to do that is by giving your body the building blocks to do that.

    There's no reason to limit carbs, barring medical issues. Hit your minimum protein and fat and then the rest of your calories can be split up any which way you want them--more protein, more fat, plenty of carbs, etc.
  • mich19025
    mich19025 Posts: 55 Member
    I think lifting can come across as quite intimidating if you have never done it before. Once you do it for a few weeks though it is addictive. I personally get a buzz off of being able to increase the weight i'm lifting now than I do get from a bathroom scale reading. Also my body tells me I need to eat more so they sort of go hand in hand. I think you would benefit from even eating at maintenance calories and lifting (recomp)...then you can decide if you are ready for a bulk as I understand it is daunting to eat so may calories at first. Find out your tdee (maintenance calories) and make sure you are eating those. I personally have been 'dieting' for what feels like years and have hit a brick wall. I can't reduce my calories anymore as it would affect my lifting. I've figured out my tdee should be around the 2000 cal mark so I have been slowly adding 100 cals a week and will do so until I start to gain. So far so good. If you could find a gym buddy that would be even better. I'm lost without mines now! And as everyone else has said..we all start somewhere. Do some research. Some of it is fascinating to read. slow and steady wins the race. Good luck!
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    I'm trying to eat more protein and healthy fats but limit carbs, is this correct??

    No. You will be just as flabby eating other things.
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Would I need to be doing cardio too?

    Cardio won't do much. If you won't lift (why not?), you need to do other strength exercises with circuit training, HIIT, one calesthenics with either weights or bodyweight.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    Escloflowne wrote: »
    Based on your height, weight and age you will probably need to eat about 2000 calories per day and eat back your burned calories in the gym.

    Given her height, 2000 cal is a LOT to burn at the gym.

    It takes me 1:20 hours to get a TDEE of 2000.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    Escloflowne wrote: »
    Based on your height, weight and age you will probably need to eat about 2000 calories per day and eat back your burned calories in the gym.

    Given her height, 2000 cal is a LOT to burn at the gym.

    It takes me 1:20 hours to get a TDEE of 2000.

    it doesn't say she should burn 2000 cals...
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    Escloflowne wrote: »
    Based on your height, weight and age you will probably need to eat about 2000 calories per day and eat back your burned calories in the gym.

    Given her height, 2000 cal is a LOT to burn at the gym.

    It takes me 1:20 hours to get a TDEE of 2000.

    it doesn't say she should burn 2000 cals...

    2000 + exercise still might be too high.
    I ran the op's stats through a TDEE calculator and :
    • Sedentary spit out 1321 - 1494 to maintain
    • 1-3hrs/wk light exercise spit out 1514 - 1712 to maintain
    • 3-5hrs/wk moderate exercise spit out 1707 - 1930 to maintain
    • 5-6hrs/wk strenuous exercise spit out 1900 - 2147 to maintain
    • 7-21hrs/wk strenuous exercise/work spit out 2093 - 2365 to maintain

    I don't think (may have overlooked it) the OP told us anything about her activity level. Maybe the poster who suggested it knows something about the OP that I don't. That said, I think @MamaBirdBoss is trying to say that the OP would have to exercise a lot to get to a TDEE that is over 2000 considering her stats.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    edited July 2015
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    Escloflowne wrote: »
    Based on your height, weight and age you will probably need to eat about 2000 calories per day and eat back your burned calories in the gym.

    Given her height, 2000 cal is a LOT to burn at the gym.

    It takes me 1:20 hours to get a TDEE of 2000.

    it doesn't say she should burn 2000 cals...

    2000 + exercise still might be too high.
    I ran the op's stats through a TDEE calculator and :
    • Sedentary spit out 1321 - 1494 to maintain
    • 1-3hrs/wk light exercise spit out 1514 - 1712 to maintain
    • 3-5hrs/wk moderate exercise spit out 1707 - 1930 to maintain
    • 5-6hrs/wk strenuous exercise spit out 1900 - 2147 to maintain
    • 7-21hrs/wk strenuous exercise/work spit out 2093 - 2365 to maintain

    I don't think (may have overlooked it) the OP told us anything about her activity level. Maybe the poster who suggested it knows something about the OP that I don't. That said, I think @MamaBirdBoss is trying to say that the OP would have to exercise a lot to get to a TDEE that is over 2000 considering her stats.

    To be fair, the responder never said anything about TDEE, they suggested 2000 cals/day. They may have been promoting a bulk to gain some lean muscle. So if OP's TDEE is 1700, 2000 would be a good cal range to bulk and add some lean muscle. That said, I doubt the OP would have to eat back exercise calories, as suggested, at this caloric intake.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    edited July 2015
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    MamaBirdBoss wrote: »
    Escloflowne wrote: »
    Based on your height, weight and age you will probably need to eat about 2000 calories per day and eat back your burned calories in the gym.

    Given her height, 2000 cal is a LOT to burn at the gym.

    It takes me 1:20 hours to get a TDEE of 2000.

    it doesn't say she should burn 2000 cals...

    2000 + exercise still might be too high.
    I ran the op's stats through a TDEE calculator and :
    • Sedentary spit out 1321 - 1494 to maintain
    • 1-3hrs/wk light exercise spit out 1514 - 1712 to maintain
    • 3-5hrs/wk moderate exercise spit out 1707 - 1930 to maintain
    • 5-6hrs/wk strenuous exercise spit out 1900 - 2147 to maintain
    • 7-21hrs/wk strenuous exercise/work spit out 2093 - 2365 to maintain

    I don't think (may have overlooked it) the OP told us anything about her activity level. Maybe the poster who suggested it knows something about the OP that I don't. That said, I think @MamaBirdBoss is trying to say that the OP would have to exercise a lot to get to a TDEE that is over 2000 considering her stats.

    That's exactly what I was saying. :) Someone that short and light is gonna have a hella time reaching that. For a frame of reference...running 4.5 miles a day with me at 5'6" and 137lbs doesn't get me to 2000 calories.

    But yes, she could bulk, but given that she's a small woman, a 300-calorie bulk (probably actually more like 400 calories) would be insanely aggressive. A 200-calorie bulk, which would be more like 1800 calories, would be more appropriate. Or even 1600-1700, since she seems to indicate that she doesn't do much exercise right now.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    lorr1979 wrote: »
    Sorry forgot to say that I've no experience of lifting weights, would light dumbbells start at the beginning, I've heard that heavy weights are best but I need to start somewhere!

    Light dumbbells won't get you anywhere. If you really have no access to free weights, google some progressive bodyweight training routines.

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