Lowering body fat %
jgherian
Posts: 15 Member
I've been doing p90x for 40 days. The breakdown I have is 2100 calories, 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat. I've lost 7-8 pounds down to 165 but a body fat caliper and my home scale both show around 20% body fat. Can someone help me interpret this or give me advise on lowering my body fat %? Thanks
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To lower your body fat, you simply need to keep losing fat, which is done through a caloric deficit. That means burning more calories than you consume. Do that by eating less, moving more (all physical activity burns calories), or some combination of those two things. Losing 7-8 pounds in 40 days is good progress. Keep up the good work.0
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Interesting. I just heard a pro football receiver say to burn more calories than consumed in general to his nutritional goals. That to me just sounds crazy. Eat 2100 calories and burn 2100 calories or more? That's a lot of exercise!0
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What do you think needs interpreting?
Lowering body fat requires you to be in a deficit. Which you would be in if you've lost 7-8lbs. Do you have a bf% for when you started compared to now?
Your % breakdown of food has nothing to do with your bf%.
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I was trying to give responders an idea I wasn't eating gobs of fats or excessive carbs. 20% body fat has been consistent before I started and since with no change0
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Interesting. I just heard a pro football receiver say to burn more calories than consumed in general to his nutritional goals. That to me just sounds crazy. Eat 2100 calories and burn 2100 calories or more? That's a lot of exercise!
Keep in mind that burning calories doesn't just happen through exercise. You burn a huge number of calories just being alive. Have you ever used a BMR or TDEE calculator? BMR is your basal metabolic rate--the number of calories you burn just laying around doing nothing (I call them "coma calories.") TDEE is your BMR plus every other calorie you burn--walking to the mailbox, digesting food, carrying your child around, exercising, etc.) Here is one calculator that gives you those numbers: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
I had to guess at a few numbers but plugged in your info based on you being 5'8" and a moderate exerciser. It says your BMR (remember, coma calories) is 1671 and your TDEE is 2590. Keep in mind that these are estimates and never right on the nose but when you look at that you can see that if you're eating 2100 calories, you're already eating 490 fewer, per day, than needed to maintain your weight. That is why you're losing weight--you have a caloric deficit.0 -
Interesting. I just heard a pro football receiver say to burn more calories than consumed in general to his nutritional goals. That to me just sounds crazy. Eat 2100 calories and burn 2100 calories or more? That's a lot of exercise!
No. Your body requires a certain amount of calories just to function (if you were to lie still in bed constantly.) Then general moving around uses energy, exercise uses more. You need to eat less than all those things put together.
ie. I use 1300 just to survive. I may use 500 just general moving, and an extra 400 in exercise.
So that =2200. If I ate 1800 cals I would have a 400calorie deficit. I don't need to do exercise to burn the whole 2200 calories.0 -
Very helpful, thanks for sharing. I'll look into this more.0
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Interesting. I just heard a pro football receiver say to burn more calories than consumed in general to his nutritional goals. That to me just sounds crazy. Eat 2100 calories and burn 2100 calories or more? That's a lot of exercise!
No. Your body requires a certain amount of calories just to function (if you were to lie still in bed constantly.) Then general moving around uses energy, exercise uses more. You need to eat less than all those things put together.
ie. I use 1300 just to survive. I may use 500 just general moving, and an extra 400 in exercise.
So that =2200. If I ate 1800 cals I would have a 400calorie deficit. I don't need to do exercise to burn the whole 2200 calories.
Also helpful. I appreciate your advise about burning calories through daily living. I didn't take that into account as part of the equation0 -
I was trying to give responders an idea I wasn't eating gobs of fats or excessive carbs. 20% body fat has been consistent before I started and since with no change
Body fat scales and calipers can be incredibly inaccurate. I wouldn't rely on them as a definitive source.
Also, carbs and fat don't make you fat. Excess calories do. Like other said, continue to eat in a deficit to lower your bf%0 -
I was trying to give responders an idea I wasn't eating gobs of fats or excessive carbs. 20% body fat has been consistent before I started and since with no change
Body fat scales and calipers can be incredibly inaccurate. I wouldn't rely on them as a definitive source.
Also, carbs and fat don't make you fat. Excess calories do. Like other said, continue to eat in a deficit to lower your bf%
Thanks0 -
I was trying to give responders an idea I wasn't eating gobs of fats or excessive carbs. 20% body fat has been consistent before I started and since with no change
So you are likely losing muscle and fat at an equal rate, and your muscle to fat ratio is staying the same. I *think* your exercise is mostly cardio based? High intensity? Perhaps try more strength/weight training to maintain more muscle mass?0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »I was trying to give responders an idea I wasn't eating gobs of fats or excessive carbs. 20% body fat has been consistent before I started and since with no change
So you are likely losing muscle and fat at an equal rate, and your muscle to fat ratio is staying the same. I *think* your exercise is mostly cardio based? High intensity? Perhaps try more strength/weight training to maintain more muscle mass?
No, it's a good mix of cardio, calisthenics, weight training and a lot of pull ups. P90X is a pretty well-known home exercise program.0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »I was trying to give responders an idea I wasn't eating gobs of fats or excessive carbs. 20% body fat has been consistent before I started and since with no change
So you are likely losing muscle and fat at an equal rate, and your muscle to fat ratio is staying the same. I *think* your exercise is mostly cardio based? High intensity? Perhaps try more strength/weight training to maintain more muscle mass?
No, it's a good mix of cardio, calisthenics, weight training and a lot of pull ups. P90X is a pretty well-known home exercise program.
That's cardio.0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »I was trying to give responders an idea I wasn't eating gobs of fats or excessive carbs. 20% body fat has been consistent before I started and since with no change
So you are likely losing muscle and fat at an equal rate, and your muscle to fat ratio is staying the same. I *think* your exercise is mostly cardio based? High intensity? Perhaps try more strength/weight training to maintain more muscle mass?
No, it's a good mix of cardio, calisthenics, weight training and a lot of pull ups. P90X is a pretty well-known home exercise program.
That's cardio.
it's definitely not just cardio. Look up the program, I think you'll understand it better0 -
I bought the Fitbit Charge HR and it not only tracks my steps throughout the day but the amount of calories I'm burning which then syncs with MFP. You'd be amazed at how many calories you burn just through daily activity.0
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I wouldn't put too much faith in any scale or DIY calipers readings. They might show a trend, but they aren't very precise. We have a scale that reads body fat percentages and simply drinking some water or having a coffee will change the number quickly. If you use one, check into the specifics of the instructions. For the one we own there are a lot of "don't do" type things. Even if you follow the instructions, it's not all that accurate. The one we own (an older Health O Meter) also goes wacky on fat readings when the batteries are getting low.
With the workouts you are doing, most likely the majority of your losses will be fat. As others have stated the overall deficit is what drives fat losses, the macros to some extent will drive muscle healing, how full you stay, etc.0 -
P90X isn't pure cardio, but it's close. It has some strength, but no progressive overload if I recall correctly...0
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lisaloses36 wrote: »I bought the Fitbit Charge HR and it not only tracks my steps throughout the day but the amount of calories I'm burning which then syncs with MFP. You'd be amazed at how many calories you burn just through daily activity.
Thanks Lisa. I'll look into that. I need to get a new HR monitor because my EXPENSIVELY CHEAP Nike+ GPS HR watch died on me. Thanks again.0 -
robertw486 wrote: »I wouldn't put too much faith in any scale or DIY calipers readings. They might show a trend, but they aren't very precise. We have a scale that reads body fat percentages and simply drinking some water or having a coffee will change the number quickly. If you use one, check into the specifics of the instructions. For the one we own there are a lot of "don't do" type things. Even if you follow the instructions, it's not all that accurate. The one we own (an older Health O Meter) also goes wacky on fat readings when the batteries are getting low.
With the workouts you are doing, most likely the majority of your losses will be fat. As others have stated the overall deficit is what drives fat losses, the macros to some extent will drive muscle healing, how full you stay, etc.
I figured it wasn't all that accurate to use the scale. Thanks for your help.0 -
An HRM wouldn't be an accurate gauge during P90X on calorie burn.0
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start on something like stronglifts 5x5. will help you retain more muscle. Keep in mind when you are losing weight you are typically also losing muscle. Lifting and getting lots of protein are important
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Well done on starting down this journey and losing significant weight. However, 40 days is really too early to assess body fat losses. Much of the weight loss you have experienced is likely to be water as well and will not be reflected in caliper readings. Just keep doing what you are doing. The scales, your clothes and the calipers will keep track of progress.0
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what we are trying to say is that you are losing muscle along with fat and that you should consider a progressive overload program (strong lifts/all pro beginner routine) along with calorie deficit to preserve as much mass and continue to lose body fat.
And yes P90X is about 85% cardio ..it is basically circuit training with no progressive overload built into it.0 -
I'm a runner as well. @Hornsby and @ndj1979 are correct. I'm also with ndj that it would be helpful to look into a progressive overload program. It could be done in alternating with P90X to assist in muscle retention. That's the most efficient way to lower BF% (deficit, cardio if you like, progressive overload to maintain LBM)0 -
Can anyone tell me more about progressive overload?0
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I've gone through p90x a couple of times in the past and am more into weight training and running now. It IS more cardio than weights...it's really just a circuit weights program. If you are writing down your weights/reps for each exercise like he tells you during the DVD, then you can make it a progressive program by continually trying to increase either the weight or reps. Most of the exercises have you shooting for 4-8 reps...I'd say that once you get to 8, go up 5 lbs in the weights until you can do 8 again.
More to your original question, there are two ways to change your body fat percentage...(1) decrease body fat faster than you lose muscle mass or (2) increase muscle mass faster than you increase fat. You cannot *effectively* do both at the same time. You either need to be in a calorie deficit (which you are) or in a surplus to gain. You're macro breakdown should have you getting enough protein to hold onto what muscle you currently have so the only other variable there is resistance. Like I mentioned up above, keep trying to do heavier weights. If you're doing 15-20 reps, you're weight probably isn't heavy enough. I know this gets harder when you're doing it at home and you don't have a whole rack of weights to deal with, but that's really what you need to do.
If you're in a deficit, you're going to lose both fat and muscle (or lean body mass if you prefer that term). Just keep going on the deficit and eventually you'll see the % change
Look at the difference in the body shape 235lbs to 185lbs was basically P90X and cardio...185 to 182 was stronglifts 5x5. The last two were a bulk/cut while still doing 5x5.0 -
Eat a caloric deficit and do resistance training to make sure your body retains muscle mass as you lose weight.
You can achieve a caloric deficit by either decreasing the amount of food you eat, increasing the amount of calories you burn in cardiovascular exercise, or (preferably) both.
In my personal opinion, p90x probably doesn't offer enough intensity or volume (resistance wise) for an average healthy male, but that's really up to you to determine.
Lastly, body fat calipers are very imprecise. Any difference that you'd be able to reliably see with a caliper you'd also be able to see with your own eyes. Worry more about how you feel when you look in the mirror, and how your clothes fit.0 -
I've gone through p90x a couple of times in the past and am more into weight training and running now. It IS more cardio than weights...it's really just a circuit weights program. If you are writing down your weights/reps for each exercise like he tells you during the DVD, then you can make it a progressive program by continually trying to increase either the weight or reps. Most of the exercises have you shooting for 4-8 reps...I'd say that once you get to 8, go up 5 lbs in the weights until you can do 8 again.
More to your original question, there are two ways to change your body fat percentage...(1) decrease body fat faster than you lose muscle mass or (2) increase muscle mass faster than you increase fat. You cannot *effectively* do both at the same time. You either need to be in a calorie deficit (which you are) or in a surplus to gain. You're macro breakdown should have you getting enough protein to hold onto what muscle you currently have so the only other variable there is resistance. Like I mentioned up above, keep trying to do heavier weights. If you're doing 15-20 reps, you're weight probably isn't heavy enough. I know this gets harder when you're doing it at home and you don't have a whole rack of weights to deal with, but that's really what you need to do.
If you're in a deficit, you're going to lose both fat and muscle (or lean body mass if you prefer that term). Just keep going on the deficit and eventually you'll see the % change
Look at the difference in the body shape 235lbs to 185lbs was basically P90X and cardio...185 to 182 was stronglifts 5x5. The last two were a bulk/cut while still doing 5x5.
Wow, awesome results. Thanks for the information. It was very helpful. I have been trying to increase reps and weights. I have a weight block with weights from 10-50 pounds so it's very useful at home.0 -
holothuroidea wrote: »Eat a caloric deficit and do resistance training to make sure your body retains muscle mass as you lose weight.
You can achieve a caloric deficit by either decreasing the amount of food you eat, increasing the amount of calories you burn in cardiovascular exercise, or (preferably) both.
In my personal opinion, p90x probably doesn't offer enough intensity or volume (resistance wise) for an average healthy male, but that's really up to you to determine.
Lastly, body fat calipers are very imprecise. Any difference that you'd be able to reliably see with a caliper you'd also be able to see with your own eyes. Worry more about how you feel when you look in the mirror, and how your clothes fit.
Agree w everything. P90X is a short term program, not a lifestyle. I think it's very useful in getting people to drop weight and get in shape or in creating routine for someone who needs routine. I would hope that people use it with a goal in mind and understanding that there is more to fitness and nutrition than a 3 month program.0
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