time to reduce body fat being realistic

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KathrynCummings1
KathrynCummings1 Posts: 21 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all started weight again 6 weeks ago after 10 year break. I have a bmi of 24.5 and am quite skinny looking around my neck and shoulders with weight around my hips and thighs. I am doing cardio 3-4 times a week as 20 mins a time as I dont want to lose much weigh just get rid of saggy bits and get firmer and leaner. I am doing strength training 3- 4 times a week, cant do HITT at moment as I have a medical problem called pots.cut all all processed foods and increased my protien and really reduced carbs, What would be a realsitic reduction in body fat . would like to go to about 25% . im at 34% now although people think im skinny, but obviously not to my horror im 45 and lost lots of muscle over last few years due to hypermobility and getting older

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  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
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    It really depends on too many factors to even give you an answer. You're starting weight, your actual body fat % since those handheld gadgets and scales can be extremely far off, what your lifting program actually looks like, how much you're eating compared to what your maintenance calories are, how well you actually stick to a program, etc, etc.
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    You can go as low as you like depending on a lot of factors. The only limit on how much you can reduce your body fat is how much fat you need to live. Typically, you should shoot for a weight loss of no more than 2 lbs a week but that is variable dependent upon how much you have to loose overall. If you reduce your calories and possibly add on a good exercise regimen, you will cut off "weight" pretty quickly initially. Some of that will be water weight. Your exercise regimen seems fine, dependent upon the level of intensity, but you really need to focus on caloric intake in relation to your caloric burn. That is what will burn the fat. However, don't get too aggressive with the loss because the more aggressive you are, the more likely you'll end up loosing even more muscle and muscle is what you really need to maintain to continue to burn those calories.
  • loulamb7
    loulamb7 Posts: 801 Member
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    What exactly are you doing for strengh training? Are you following a progressive overload program?
  • KathrynCummings1
    KathrynCummings1 Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi all yes great advice thank you i dont want to go to below say mid 20s body fat that is my gioal . I have a muffin top and excess fat around my hips and outer thighs. I stick to my goals well . I have tried to increase my protein as the more i read about protein intake I was eating very little and mostly carbs. I am currently lifting weights three sets and a weight until i cant go further so this is about on the 10 rep. I wondered if it is possible that you can drop body fat say 5 % in a few months or is this unrealistic. Ive been looking at pics on here and some appear to lowerbody fat quite quickly in these pics. I understand that its being sensible and feeding you body sensibly and increasing intensity
  • climberpilot
    climberpilot Posts: 19 Member
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    My wife and I have been working on getting in better shape for a little over a month now, and have each lost about 5%. She was mid-to low 20% range and I was about 28%. You have largely described our diet and workout routine, so I'm guessing that if your making sure your getting the right kind of calories and operating in a slight negative, you'll see result pretty rapidly!
  • KathrynCummings1
    KathrynCummings1 Posts: 21 Member
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    Thats great thank you thats gives me motivation thank you Im not worrying about my weight that has gone up about three to four pound since start exercising more . Ive always exercised I walked my dogs miles daily for many years but its obvious that this was not keeping the body fat off like weights. I done weight for many years when i was in my thirties so hope my muscle will build quickly
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    One, you can't spot reduce your fat, so it really doesn't matter where you store it. Two, it's going to be a very long process if you want to get rid of fat without dropping weight. It's what's called a re-comp and for many people it takes YEARS...this is why most people do cut/bulk cycles to cut fat and build muscle. Three, if you're at 34% fat now, you should be able to drop fat at a decent rate unless you have some other medical/metabolic issues. The closer you get to goal weight though, the tougher it will be to drop. So to drop form 34%-29% will be much easier/quicker than going from 29%-24% and the same going from 24%-19%. Just get a plan, follow it, track your progress and adjust where needed to keep making progress.
  • KathrynCummings1
    KathrynCummings1 Posts: 21 Member
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    thank you thats great advice perhaps if my weight drops and im building muscles on top i wont look so skinny on top . Im typical hour glass . I Wonder if im actually 34 per cent and not lower . The trainer at the gym told me my shape is good and dont go by machine to measure body fat. SO cheered me up a bit wish I was able get more accurate reading. thanks for advice all.I will monitor my progress as advised
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    KathrynCummings1 wrote: »
    thank you thats great advice perhaps if my weight drops and im building muscles on top i wont look so skinny on top . Im typical hour glass . I Wonder if im actually 34 per cent and not lower . The trainer at the gym told me my shape is good and dont go by machine to measure body fat. SO cheered me up a bit wish I was able get more accurate reading. thanks for advice all.I will monitor my progress as advised

    This isn't going to happen...especially as a woman. It's VERY DIFFICULT if not impossible to GAIN muscle and LOSE fat at the same time.
  • KathrynCummings1
    KathrynCummings1 Posts: 21 Member
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    I mean more in proportion really . I really need to cut the butt fat down mind . Just came from gym and body fat down nearly 1 percent in 1 week so ill just keep an eye on it as long as I progress not worried about rapid results. Can see a little improvement in my shape so keeping my chin up. Get fed up of people saying im looking too thin lol when im obviously not . I have hyper mobility syndrome so really need to gain strength as well . Being 45 ive seen my muscle mass go down the lst few years and too much alcohol to say the least. Thanks all
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    KathrynCummings1 wrote: »
    I mean more in proportion really . I really need to cut the butt fat down mind . Just came from gym and body fat down nearly 1 percent in 1 week so ill just keep an eye on it as long as I progress not worried about rapid results. Can see a little improvement in my shape so keeping my chin up. Get fed up of people saying im looking too thin lol when im obviously not . I have hyper mobility syndrome so really need to gain strength as well . Being 45 ive seen my muscle mass go down the lst few years and too much alcohol to say the least. Thanks all

    if you are using a hand held device be warned that those are massively inaccurate.

    you need to get on a structured lifting program like all pro beginner, or strong lifts, eat in a calorie deficit, and make sure you are meeting micro and macro nutrient goals.

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