Getting lean..help&tips

I want to get leaner !...I have been trying to get a bit leaner..as of now I have a bout 16 % BF.
But having trouble getting rid of belly fat..and chest..I work out..I do HIIT and other weight lifting..

Replies

  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    What are you doing now? Logging/weighing your food? Calorie deficit?

    Since you can't spot reduce you simply have to lose weight to get rid of the belly fat. Even endless ab work won't get rid of it, the fat will just cover the muscles. I've had some success using the calculators over at iifym.com to calculate my macros for fat loss in a deficit. Been doing it for about 1.5 years now. I still have some fat left in the mid-section and will likely need to drop further down on the BMI scale to get rid of it completely. I do a ton of ab work and it's been paying off, but the fat is still there. Set your protein levels to around 1g/lb of your target weight, stay at a calorie deficit until you hit a 20 or 21 BMI, and while you're at all this, exercise and build muscle as much as possible so that when the fat is gone there's something there to show off.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    What are you doing now? Logging/weighing your food? Calorie deficit?

    Since you can't spot reduce you simply have to lose weight to get rid of the belly fat. Even endless ab work won't get rid of it, the fat will just cover the muscles. I've had some success using the calculators over at iifym.com to calculate my macros for fat loss in a deficit. Been doing it for about 1.5 years now. I still have some fat left in the mid-section and will likely need to drop further down on the BMI scale to get rid of it completely. I do a ton of ab work and it's been paying off, but the fat is still there. Set your protein levels to around 1g/lb of your target weight, stay at a calorie deficit until you hit a 20 or 21 BMI, and while you're at all this, exercise and build muscle as much as possible so that when the fat is gone there's something there to show off.

    Most of this, pretty much. Also, the more hypertrophy you manage to get on your abs and obliques, the higher a bodyfat you can get away with before they fade out.

    As an example, when I was a skinnyfat 12%, I had no abs showing; just a flat midsection. On my current bulk, they haven't completely disappeared yet, and I'm getting north of 16%.

    So no, you can't spot reduce, but you absolutely do need to build them up to ever see definition. Get to working them HLRs, and buy an ab wheel. That cheap little thing is one of the best ab workouts ever, so long as you don't halfass the movement.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    What are you doing now? Logging/weighing your food? Calorie deficit?

    Since you can't spot reduce you simply have to lose weight to get rid of the belly fat. Even endless ab work won't get rid of it, the fat will just cover the muscles. I've had some success using the calculators over at iifym.com to calculate my macros for fat loss in a deficit. Been doing it for about 1.5 years now. I still have some fat left in the mid-section and will likely need to drop further down on the BMI scale to get rid of it completely. I do a ton of ab work and it's been paying off, but the fat is still there. Set your protein levels to around 1g/lb of your target weight, stay at a calorie deficit until you hit a 20 or 21 BMI, and while you're at all this, exercise and build muscle as much as possible so that when the fat is gone there's something there to show off.

    BMI has nothing to do with getting lean, per se. Bodyfat percentage is what determines your leanness. It's quite possible for a person to be 20-21 BMI and "skinnyfat" (high BF% even at low weight).

    People often confuse BMI and BF%, but they're not the same thing at all and there's no correlation between them.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited February 2017
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    What are you doing now? Logging/weighing your food? Calorie deficit?

    Since you can't spot reduce you simply have to lose weight to get rid of the belly fat. Even endless ab work won't get rid of it, the fat will just cover the muscles. I've had some success using the calculators over at iifym.com to calculate my macros for fat loss in a deficit. Been doing it for about 1.5 years now. I still have some fat left in the mid-section and will likely need to drop further down on the BMI scale to get rid of it completely. I do a ton of ab work and it's been paying off, but the fat is still there. Set your protein levels to around 1g/lb of your target weight, stay at a calorie deficit until you hit a 20 or 21 BMI, and while you're at all this, exercise and build muscle as much as possible so that when the fat is gone there's something there to show off.

    BMI has nothing to do with getting lean, per se. Bodyfat percentage is what determines your leanness. It's quite possible for a person to be 20-21 BMI and "skinnyfat" (high BF% even at low weight).

    People often confuse BMI and BF%, but they're not the same thing at all and there's no correlation between them.

    This is a very good point.

    Extreme example; Rhino is c1 obese:
    mjggodrfpxs1.jpg
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    People often confuse BMI and BF%, but they're not the same thing at all and there's no correlation between them.

    I wasn't confusing the two, but had no idea you could have such a low BMI and have a high body fat % at the same time. I guess it would depend a lot on other factors. My assumption was that when you hit the 20's for BMI you would have no choice but to be lean, but I do see what you mean, if there was no muscle to speak of, such as someone who diets with no exercise and had very little muscle to begin with, then body fat would be much higher at a lower weight.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    This is a very good point.

    Extreme example; Rhino is c1 obese:
    mjggodrfpxs1.jpg

    You know, I knew, and do know people now, in the obese category with a high amount of muscle, just had never put 2 and 2 together. I remember one of them telling me they were considered obese yet they have a high amount of muscle and stay below 15% body fat.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    This is a very good point.

    Extreme example; Rhino is c1 obese:
    mjggodrfpxs1.jpg

    You know, I knew, and do know people now, in the obese category with a high amount of muscle, just had never put 2 and 2 together. I remember one of them telling me they were considered obese yet they have a high amount of muscle and stay below 15% body fat.

    I'm obese according to BMI but around 13-15% bodyfat.
  • mbp76
    mbp76 Posts: 4 Member
    Well I am doing a couple different things...I am doing carb cicles High..Low ..Medium keeping my protein intake around 1.5 to 1 gram a day ..I'm about 175 lbs so far,keeping my high carbs around 150 g or less if possible..and low days around 60g to 70g..medium day around 100 g...Fat intake high Day,less than 20g a day ideally ..low & medium days around 30 but it can go to about 40g...total calorie intake varies ..but 1400 to 1700 ...I will get an ab wheel sometime this week.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    mbp76 wrote: »
    Well I am doing a couple different things...I am doing carb cicles High..Low ..Medium keeping my protein intake around 1.5 to 1 gram a day ..I'm about 175 lbs so far,keeping my high carbs around 150 g or less if possible..and low days around 60g to 70g..medium day around 100 g...Fat intake high Day,less than 20g a day ideally ..low & medium days around 30 but it can go to about 40g...total calorie intake varies ..but 1400 to 1700 ...I will get an ab wheel sometime this week.

    Sounds like you are on track. Keep this in mind - Those that lose bodyweight slower lose less muscle mass than those who lose bodyweight faster. i.e. a higher percent of the loss is body fat, but it takes longer.

    I'm not sure what type of weights your HIIT includes, but you may want to shift to some more lifting. I'm at a similar stage to you and I've just started intermittent fasting (I'm skipping breakfast and eating my calories at noon and dinner). It's only been one week so. I dunno. So far down ±1 - 1.6 lbs.

    It looks like your protein g/lb/day is in the right place too.

    Maybe it's just a matter of time, you may be getting rid of fat you just haven't noticed. Make sure you take plenty of before and after photos each week or so to check out different areas of your body that might be making improvements. Check for veins where there weren't any etc. Chiseled jaw is something to look for too.
  • mbp76
    mbp76 Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks,I do HIIT once a week and lift when ever a get a chance.
    I have notices I tend to lose abou 1 to 1.5 lbs some times a week.but not always.
    Maybe it's just me not seeing the results.
    I have not taken any pictures at all...I feel embarrassed doing it.
    But I'll keep working at it and see the progress in the long run...I did tried the fasting thing for about 2 months...it's not for me.
    Thanks for the encouragement !
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    I'm even more sure you're on the right track now. You don't need to share the photos. Just take them for your future self :)

    1-1.5 lbs per week some weeks and then nothing the next week is just fine. Your body will do that. I've been tracking my weight every day just so I will see the fluctuations. It goes up and down even during the week vs the weekends on a pretty regular trend. We'd, Thurs, Fri tends to be low days, Sunday, Monday higher days. I think it's the water from dehydration vs not, and at work vs at home with food all around ;)

    Dude, you've got this 100%. Steady as she goes. You're not in a race
  • mbp76
    mbp76 Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks !...Yeah I know ..I think I was trying to rush it a bit....But I will keep working at least on healthy eating and lifting..the rest will follow...I appreciate your help.
    Best of luck to you too !