Will 12 pounds of fat at my stat make a big difference? (with attachment)

I'm currently 172lb, 5"8. The last time I checked my body fat on my belly with the Accu-measure clipper was at 21% body fat. My target is to hit 160 pounds by the 2nd week of Jan, and I'm just worried if that belly fat doesn't go away as much as I want..3shou87dm45a.jpg
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Replies

  • stazed657
    stazed657 Posts: 19 Member
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    Agreed...especially since you're not terribly overweight to begin with.

    You're setting yourself up for failure with those expectations. Even if you somehow manage to lose that much scale weight, you're going to be terribly disappointed with the body composition results.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    So if it doesn't what are you gonna do?

    Keep on going right?

    Because your time target is stupid sauce

    This is a journey

    You have 5 weeks to lose 12 lbs ...not going to happen

    And will that 12lbs come off your stomach ...nope

    So what you gonna do?

    You're gonna keep going

    With calorie counting
    With progressive resistance

    Right?

    Right?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    PS I would very much doubt that BF reading
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    PS I would very much doubt that BF reading

    Why do you say that rabbit? Just curious. I agree it's probably a little low, but not significantly so. Probably closer to 25 than 20 based on the pic.
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    PS I would very much doubt that BF reading

    Why do you say that rabbit? Just curious. I agree it's probably a little low, but not significantly so. Probably closer to 25 than 20 based on the pic.

    A caliper in the hands of someone inexperienced coupled with photo ...I'm just a little doubtful that's all

    Not that it matters ...it's all about the journey
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    PS I would very much doubt that BF reading

    Why do you say that rabbit? Just curious. I agree it's probably a little low, but not significantly so. Probably closer to 25 than 20 based on the pic.

    A caliper in the hands of someone inexperienced coupled with photo ...I'm just a little doubtful that's all

    Not that it matters ...it's all about the journey

    how much % would you say it is then? I guess I did miscalculate since that's what seems to be the case..
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    maybe upper 20s or low 30s % BF. Its hard to say as genetics dictates where you store it.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    1 twelve pounds will be a very big difference
    2 trying to do so in the time frame you set is not going to happen
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    I can't answer that sorry ...I probably shouldn't have commented anyway because I honestly don't think that the number matters...the progression does as does keeping on going
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    It's quite likely your belly fat won't go away as much as you like in 5 weeks, and that you won't lose 12 lb of fat. (I know how you feel -- I'd like to ditch 7 lb of fat before a race I'm doing on December 27 -- that's not happening either.)

    However, why worry about it? What you can do in 5 weeks is make substantial steps toward losing that fat and have less of it than you do now, the precise number doesn't really matter so long as you are making consistent progress.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    I can't answer that sorry ...I probably shouldn't have commented anyway because I honestly don't think that the number matters...the progression does as does keeping on going

    I agree...the specific number is immaterial...I was only curious :)
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    It's quite likely your belly fat won't go away as much as you like in 5 weeks, and that you won't lose 12 lb of fat. (I know how you feel -- I'd like to ditch 7 lb of fat before a race I'm doing on December 27 -- that's not happening either.)

    However, why worry about it? What you can do in 5 weeks is make substantial steps toward losing that fat and have less of it than you do now, the precise number doesn't really matter so long as you are making consistent progress.

    I just like to have target goals for certain duration of time. That's at least my way of getting myself motivated. Not saying I will stop doing it after then, it's just that I will make another goal after.
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories?
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    1500 cal gross or net?? (meaning do you also eat back exercise calories?)

    What type of exercise are you doing?
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    qkrzazzang, here is something to think about and hopefully will motivate you to keep at it. You gut is big because you probably have a lot of Visceral fat. This is fat that is in your abdominal cavity around your organs. As you lose fat you lose the fat just befind the skin but also inside your abdominal cavity as well and as a result your gut will start shrinking and your abdominal area will shrink as a whole and your stomach will start to flatten out even if your abs dont show. Dont focus on the time frame but results you want.
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    1500 cal gross or net?? (meaning do you also eat back exercise calories?)

    What type of exercise are you doing?

    Not sure of the difference in two, but I'm guessing net is more of what I mean. 1500cal comes directly from food. Exercise wise, I jog-run for 60 minutes everyday with no rest days and additional weight training& back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    1500 cal gross or net?? (meaning do you also eat back exercise calories?)

    What type of exercise are you doing?

    Not sure of the difference in two, but I'm guessing net is more of what I mean. 1500cal comes directly from food. Exercise wise, I jog-run for 60 minutes everyday with no rest days and additional weight training& back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat.

    So you're eating 1500 calories total each day? How certain are you of that number (as in, do you weigh/measure all portions and ingredients?)
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories?

    Well, If I'm not counting BMR as a part of the calculation, then the amount of calorie burned is significantly less than food calorie. I burn at least 600 calories from exercising. When I do back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat, I imagine more.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories?

    Well, If I'm not counting BMR as a part of the calculation, then the amount of calorie burned is significantly less than food calorie. I burn at least 600 calories from exercising. When I do back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat, I imagine more.

    How are you determining your 600 calorie exercise burn?
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    1500 cal gross or net?? (meaning do you also eat back exercise calories?)

    What type of exercise are you doing?

    Not sure of the difference in two, but I'm guessing net is more of what I mean. 1500cal comes directly from food. Exercise wise, I jog-run for 60 minutes everyday with no rest days and additional weight training& back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat.

    So you're eating 1500 calories total each day? How certain are you of that number (as in, do you weigh/measure all portions and ingredients?)

    Absolutely. All ingredients are weighed, I follow the nutrition label very strictly as well. I cut out a lot of sodium, and almost carb-free (except my lifting days).
  • prettysoul1908
    prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
    unfortunately... there is no way to spot reduce the belly...BUT... I've found that good posture and holding your stomach in (a tip my grandma gave me at 8 years old)... significantly reduces the appearance of the paunch and strengthens the core.

    After almost 30 years of this practice... my stomach stays relatively flat even with weight gain
  • qkrzazzang
    qkrzazzang Posts: 67 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories?

    Well, If I'm not counting BMR as a part of the calculation, then the amount of calorie burned is significantly less than food calorie. I burn at least 600 calories from exercising. When I do back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat, I imagine more.

    How are you determining your 600 calorie exercise burn?

    I use both heartrate monitor and the treadmill itself. It's a really high-tech one which I have to input all of my essential body stats, so I assume it's pretty accurate.
  • sheermomentum
    sheermomentum Posts: 827 Member
    On the upside, you might find that 5 or 6 pounds from your current (not very heavy) weight appears to be alot more than it sounds like, when you get there. Plug away consistently, and I'm sure you'll be pleased with yourself in no time!
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    edited December 2015
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories?

    Well, If I'm not counting BMR as a part of the calculation, then the amount of calorie burned is significantly less than food calorie. I burn at least 600 calories from exercising. When I do back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat, I imagine more.

    I mean are you eating 1500 PLUS the 600 you burn from exercise? Because if not that puts you at only 900 net calories. That's not even enough for an average woman, let alone a man. Though your net may not be as low as 900 since you're calculating 600 exercise calories with the treadmill and they're notoriously bad at calculating/deliberately misleading. Either way, you need to start eating back at least some exercise calories.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    qkrzazzang wrote: »
    stazed657 wrote: »
    12lb in 4 weeks is a very optimistic target I hate to say! Why does it have to be so quick?

    It's actually 5 weeks, about.

    Still ridiculously unrealistic. 5 lbs in that timeframe would be a more appropriate goal.

    I've been consistently losing about 2 pounds a week. My BMR is about 1850s. I eat about 1500kal and exercise a lot.

    1500 cal gross or net?? (meaning do you also eat back exercise calories?)

    What type of exercise are you doing?

    Not sure of the difference in two, but I'm guessing net is more of what I mean. 1500cal comes directly from food. Exercise wise, I jog-run for 60 minutes everyday with no rest days and additional weight training& back squats on Tues,Thurs and Sat.

    So you're eating 1500 calories total each day? How certain are you of that number (as in, do you weigh/measure all portions and ingredients?)

    Absolutely. All ingredients are weighed, I follow the nutrition label very strictly as well. I cut out a lot of sodium, and almost carb-free (except my lifting days).

    OK...so here's my overall advice based on the info you've provided...

    I think your current approach and plan is going to leave you terribly disappointed in your results. I would immediately forget that approach and start anew.

    You're a young (21) year old male with a few pounds to lose. I don't know how active you are outside of your exercise, but even assuming you're sedentary you need to be eating a lot more than 1500 calories per day.

    I agree, your BMR is probably around 1850 or so, but that is irrelevant. The number you need is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). I'm going to estimate that's around 2800-2900 or so.

    You should have a goal to lose about 1 lb per week, which is a 500 calorie reduction off your TDEE. Your goal calorie should therefore be around 2300.

    How you get to that 2300 number isn't terribly important - just be sure you're getting sufficient dietary fat and protein.

    Your goal is to lose fat more than just overall scale weight. I'd incorporate a good, full body weightlifting program. There are several good ones available. You want to encourage fat loss, not just overall mass loss. Your overly aggressive plan right now may look like it's working good on the scale, but it's coming at the expense of body composition. You're losing significant amounts of lean muscle mass, which is probably contributing to the visually 'larger' belly (in comparison to your overall body).

  • stazed657
    stazed657 Posts: 19 Member


    It's actually 5 weeks, about.[/quote]

    Actually it's 26 days til Jan 2nd so less than 4 weeks. May want to check your maths! Explains totally unrealistic goals!