Losing body fat - females
GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns
Posts: 21 Member
Female, 5'2" and 110lbs. I have my macros set at 40/20/40 and 1500 cal/day.
2 hrs workout every day 5x/week (lifting/HIIT/boxing/etc - always varies). Scale at home has me at 23% body fat - trying to get to 20% and am not succeeding! Have been on this macro/calorie set for over a month now and body fat hasn't budged. Any advice?
2 hrs workout every day 5x/week (lifting/HIIT/boxing/etc - always varies). Scale at home has me at 23% body fat - trying to get to 20% and am not succeeding! Have been on this macro/calorie set for over a month now and body fat hasn't budged. Any advice?
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Replies
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You're already at a healthy weight. You are going to have to be spot on with your calories to see any loss. Do you use a food scale?6
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Im trying to lose body fat vs overall weight. I don't want to lose muscle weight and try to keep protein high to avoid doing so. I count my calories and macros every single day and am usually at a deficit on calories. I do not have a food scale, however I usually eat things that are premeasured, with the exception of veggies.0
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Is your weight going down? If it's not then maybe need to lower daily kcal intake by 250. Also keep in mind that at home body fat measuring devices function using bioelectrical impedence which is notorious for being horribly inaccurate. If possible, look into having hydrostatic weighing or bod pod done to get more accurate readings.0
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I had to basically quit cardio and start lifting heavy to see changes in my body fat.
I lift for 45 mins 3x a week. That's it, apart from getting about 12,000 steps in a day.
Measured by 7-site skin fold calipers...
November - 19.2%
March - 16.6%
End of May - 15.8%
I know I could NOT be doing this without my trainer, who sets my training plan and my nutrition plan. We tweak my lifting every 6-8 weeks when I get bored, and my nutrition every 4 weeks or so.
At the moment I'm on...
Training day 2,000 cals, 210g carbs, 69g fat, 135g protein
Rest day 1,930 cals, 135g carbs, 86g fat, 155g protein (experimental as we try and get my abs to pop)
I'm a bit bigger though - 5' 5.5"
Although I'm sure you can figure out a recomp plan from the internet, I'd say this is a great time to find a trainer you respect and get some professional input to get you onto something that will get you the results you want in a sensible time frame.4 -
So you are trying to recomp? (maintain your weight and lower your bodyfat and build muscle) If that is the case, results can be slow. It can take anywhere months to years to see progress.
If you are trying to cut (lower your weight and reduce bodyfat and maintain muscle), I would definitely start using a food scale to be more accurate with your intake.
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I agree you need to lift heavy (for you) to reach the goal you are describing. Stronglifts 5X5, Starting Strength and Strong Curves are popular beginner programs.
However, I would urge you to get a food scale. Just because a packaged food says it's 500 calories (random number), does not mean it is actually 500 calories. Packaging information can be off by up to 20%. Which means your 500 calorie item could actually be 600 calories. Multiply that mistake by all of your packaged food and you may be eating many more calories than you think.
And FYI, body scales can't really measure your body fat.6 -
This is interesting on the potential inaccuracies of declared data for foods...
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/problem-with-calorie-counting-calories-in2 -
So you are trying to recomp? (maintain your weight and lower your bodyfat and build muscle) If that is the case, results can be slow. It can take anywhere months to years to see progress.
If you are trying to cut (lower your weight and reduce bodyfat and maintain muscle), I would definitely start using a food scale to be more accurate with your intake.
The 1500/day calorie is cutting amount for me because when I set my calorie intake to that I had about 3lbs I wanted to lose (that was about 2 months ago). My macros I readjusted over a month ago but I am not looking to lose any additional weight now. I'm not sure what I need to adjust, if anything.0 -
So you want to change your physique.
What is your lifting program?2 -
GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »So you are trying to recomp? (maintain your weight and lower your bodyfat and build muscle) If that is the case, results can be slow. It can take anywhere months to years to see progress.
If you are trying to cut (lower your weight and reduce bodyfat and maintain muscle), I would definitely start using a food scale to be more accurate with your intake.
The 1500/day calorie is cutting amount for me because when I set my calorie intake to that I had about 3lbs I wanted to lose (that was about 2 months ago). My macros I readjusted over a month ago but I am not looking to lose any additional weight now. I'm not sure what I need to adjust, if anything.
Have MFP run your stats again and pick maintenance - use those calories and a progressive strength training program - but recomp will take time1 -
deannalfisher wrote: »GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »So you are trying to recomp? (maintain your weight and lower your bodyfat and build muscle) If that is the case, results can be slow. It can take anywhere months to years to see progress.
If you are trying to cut (lower your weight and reduce bodyfat and maintain muscle), I would definitely start using a food scale to be more accurate with your intake.
The 1500/day calorie is cutting amount for me because when I set my calorie intake to that I had about 3lbs I wanted to lose (that was about 2 months ago). My macros I readjusted over a month ago but I am not looking to lose any additional weight now. I'm not sure what I need to adjust, if anything.
Have MFP run your stats again and pick maintenance - use those calories and a progressive strength training program - but recomp will take time
When I change it to keep my macros but maintain weight it puts me at 1840 calories a day which seems like a lot to me... I have been maintaining my weight on the 1500cal/day.
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GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »So you are trying to recomp? (maintain your weight and lower your bodyfat and build muscle) If that is the case, results can be slow. It can take anywhere months to years to see progress.
If you are trying to cut (lower your weight and reduce bodyfat and maintain muscle), I would definitely start using a food scale to be more accurate with your intake.
The 1500/day calorie is cutting amount for me because when I set my calorie intake to that I had about 3lbs I wanted to lose (that was about 2 months ago). My macros I readjusted over a month ago but I am not looking to lose any additional weight now. I'm not sure what I need to adjust, if anything.
Have MFP run your stats again and pick maintenance - use those calories and a progressive strength training program - but recomp will take time
When I change it to keep my macros but maintain weight it puts me at 1840 calories a day which seems like a lot to me... I have been maintaining my weight on the 1500cal/day.
When you were maintaining on 1500 were you very diligent and using a food scale?
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Absolutely diligent, 1000%. No food scale. Always at a 100-300 calorie deficit on MFP too. 1840 seems like way too much to me. Are there any females my size that maintain at that?0
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I think you need a kcal deficit to lower your Body Fat%, adjust your macros may be a factor, too. Try lowering carbs and increase fat with moderate protein?0
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GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »Absolutely diligent, 1000%. No food scale. Always at a 100-300 calorie deficit on MFP too. 1840 seems like way too much to me. Are there any females my size that maintain at that?
No food scale is not 1000%. Sorry.
I maintain on that but I weigh more than you. I'm also lazy AF and hate moving.2 -
I'm 5 foot 2, just under 135 lbs and MFP suggests 1800 cals to lose 0.5lbs a week, and 2092 calories to maintain.
My data shows that if I stick to that, I lose at about the predicted rate.
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GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »Absolutely diligent, 1000%. No food scale. Always at a 100-300 calorie deficit on MFP too. 1840 seems like way too much to me. Are there any females my size that maintain at that?
I'm 5'3", 147, and slowly recomping on an avg of 2400 a day (carb cycling)2 -
deannalfisher wrote: »GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »Absolutely diligent, 1000%. No food scale. Always at a 100-300 calorie deficit on MFP too. 1840 seems like way too much to me. Are there any females my size that maintain at that?
I'm 5'3", 147, and slowly recomping on an avg of 2400 a day (carb cycling)
Good for you. You must move more than me.2 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »You're already at a healthy weight. You are going to have to be spot on with your calories to see any loss. Do you use a food scale?
Am I right that if she looking at losing fat, not weight (recomp), that she might need to tweet the macros and do more lifting than cardio?1 -
MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »You're already at a healthy weight. You are going to have to be spot on with your calories to see any loss. Do you use a food scale?
Am I right that if she looking at losing fat, not weight (recomp), that she might need to tweet the macros and do more lifting than cardio?
Yes. Lifting and protein at .8g per pound of body weight. I personally just shoot for a full gram per pound.0 -
GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »Absolutely diligent, 1000%. No food scale. Always at a 100-300 calorie deficit on MFP too. 1840 seems like way too much to me. Are there any females my size that maintain at that?
No food scale is not 1000%. Sorry.
I maintain on that but I weigh more than you. I'm also lazy AF and hate moving.
By diligence I mean I log every single thing I eat 100% of the time.
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1840 doesn't sound like a lot to me. I'm 5'3 and maintain on around 2000,though I'm (probably!) a lot older than you.0
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comptonelizabeth wrote: »1840 doesn't sound like a lot to me. I'm 5'3 and maintain on around 2000,though I'm (probably!) a lot older than you.
You are probably not, lol.0 -
MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »You're already at a healthy weight. You are going to have to be spot on with your calories to see any loss. Do you use a food scale?
Am I right that if she looking at losing fat, not weight (recomp), that she might need to tweet the macros and do more lifting than cardio?
Yes. Lifting and protein at .8g per pound of body weight. I personally just shoot for a full gram per pound.
I eat 1.5g per lb
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An experiment using a food scale to see if you are truly eating the amount of calories you think you are would take one unknown out of the equation, in order to figure out where you need to make changes. Go to WalMart or Target. Buy a digital food scale (They're usually under $20). Weigh and log everything for 2 weeks. See if you were accurate or not. If you were, take the scale back and get a refund. If not, keep it. It can't hurt and it might help.
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deannalfisher wrote: »GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »Absolutely diligent, 1000%. No food scale. Always at a 100-300 calorie deficit on MFP too. 1840 seems like way too much to me. Are there any females my size that maintain at that?
I'm 5'3", 147, and slowly recomping on an avg of 2400 a day (carb cycling)
Good for you. You must move more than me.
actually likely not - in fact I was pretty much a slug this weekend - I avg about 11k steps a day, maybe an hour of cardio a couple nights a week, more so on the weekends depending on where in the triathlon season if it, but I rarely get I more than 10-12hrs a week, limited strength training1 -
GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »Absolutely diligent, 1000%. No food scale. Always at a 100-300 calorie deficit on MFP too. 1840 seems like way too much to me. Are there any females my size that maintain at that?
No food scale is not 1000%. Sorry.
I maintain on that but I weigh more than you. I'm also lazy AF and hate moving.
By diligence I mean I log every single thing I eat 100% of the time.
if your logging is off by 25% because no food scale, then you are just logging everything 100% of the time with a 25% error rate...
get a food scale and start using it..you will probably find that your intake is closer to the 1800 that MFP gives you for maintenance.4 -
Definitely, spend the $15 on a food scale, you will be very surprised. How do you even track things like raw meat without a scale?1
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deannalfisher wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »GirlsJustWannaHaveGuns wrote: »
I'm 5'3", 147, and slowly recomping on an avg of 2400
You must move more than me.
actually likely not - in fact I was pretty much a slug this weekend - I avg about 11k steps a day
Dang woman! I'm 5'3 (122) on 1200 bc I avg around 3500 steps/day. I feel like I'm moving all day (I stand in my home office. Constantly moving but at most 4-5 steps at a time). Could I really eat upwards of an extra 1000 calories more just by getting an additional 7500 steps/day? That's like practically double what I eat now!0
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