Need to reduce body fat...

bigizzy
bigizzy Posts: 73 Member
edited November 20 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi Team,

I need some help...

6 weeks ago my body fat was 30 % and having checked this week not change. I feel like I'm doing everything right but clearly I'm not!

Please can those who have reduced their body fat offer any tips, rules and things in general that should be avoided.
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Replies

  • sander312
    sander312 Posts: 2 Member
    Well there's two ways of attack on it. Either the standard caloric defecit, or the longer work around of gaining more muscle mass. Which will in turn burn more fat over time.
    Personally when I hit the bottom of a cut I still don't look my best until I spend some time putting more mass on.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Calorie deficit + time + consistency.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Calorie deficit + time + consistency.

    Yeah, this is it pretty much.

    Of course you might want to check your measurements again. The more measurements the better IMO. You using a measuring tape or a BF scale or what?
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    How are you measuring your body fat%?
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    Joanna2012B wrote: »
    How are you measuring your body fat%?

    Yes, how? If that's your current self in the avatar, 30% seems wrong.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Your profile picture and 30% BF don't appear to match.
  • bigizzy
    bigizzy Posts: 73 Member
    CJ_Holmes wrote: »
    Joanna2012B wrote: »
    How are you measuring your body fat%?

    Yes, how? If that's your current self in the avatar, 30% seems wrong.

    I I had a personnel trainer who used scales attached to some bars you hold and after 6 weeks of training (last week), he told me my measurements had not changed.

    How do you measure your body fat as at the moment I don't have anyway to measure this myself ?
  • bigizzy
    bigizzy Posts: 73 Member
    edited July 2017
    sijomial wrote: »
    Your profile picture and 30% BF don't appear to match.

    See comment above.Thanks.
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    bigizzy wrote: »
    CJ_Holmes wrote: »
    Joanna2012B wrote: »
    How are you measuring your body fat%?

    Yes, how? If that's your current self in the avatar, 30% seems wrong.

    I I had a personnel trainer who used scales attached to some bars you hold and after 6 weeks of training (last week), he told me my measurements had not changed.

    How do you measure your body fat as at the moment I don't have anyway to measure this myself ?

    Is it something like these?

    http://www.scalesgalore.com/Rice-Lake-X-Contact-Body-Composition-Analyzers.cfm
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    edited July 2017
    In your avatar pic you look to be sub 20%.
    I am right under 20% and you look a little thinner than I am.
    aezb4p647pxi.jpg


  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    edited July 2017
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    In your avatar pic you look to be sub 20%.
    I am right under 20% and you look a little thinner than I am.

    Yeah I'd go with 18-22% ish (possibly less), everybody's different and we don't know if you're sucking in ;) lol and we can't see your legs or face. Face is a good indicator when you get sub 15%.
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    Most guys do not carry much fat on their legs and thighs so I doubt that is it, but it might. A dude I know is taking estrogen and he has a big butt and thighs now.
  • bigizzy
    bigizzy Posts: 73 Member
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    bigizzy wrote: »
    CJ_Holmes wrote: »
    Joanna2012B wrote: »
    How are you measuring your body fat%?

    Yes, how? If that's your current self in the avatar, 30% seems wrong.

    I I had a personnel trainer who used scales attached to some bars you hold and after 6 weeks of training (last week), he told me my measurements had not changed.

    How do you measure your body fat as at the moment I don't have anyway to measure this myself ?

    Is it something like these?

    http://www.scalesgalore.com/Rice-Lake-X-Contact-Body-Composition-Analyzers.cfm

    These are the ones he used...

    https://www.sweatband.com/tanita-bc601-innerscan-segmental-body-composition-monitor.html?gclid=CjwKCAjw2NvLBRAjEiwAF98GMQKvqS7XxD7XwCqwlHlh5jYheJxbJqBCdgGN4omZVfhSUkK9uVRyqRoClzcQAvD_BwE
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    Yeah, that is not very accurate. Are you carrying a lot of fat on your thighs and butt? Your forearm and hands look slim. Post up a whole body pic.
  • bigizzy
    bigizzy Posts: 73 Member
    Rusty740 wrote: »
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    In your avatar pic you look to be sub 20%.
    I am right under 20% and you look a little thinner than I am.

    Yeah I'd go with 18-22% ish (possibly less), everybody's different and we don't know if you're sucking in ;) lol and we can't see your legs or face. Face is a good indicator when you get sub 15%.

    I'm 5ft6 and 68kg.

    In the past (2009 - 2012) my weight fluctuated as I did those fad diets and dropped 3 stone (2-4 pounds a week). I think i may have lost a lot of muscle and as a result have a high body fat. I'm taking the advice above (calories deficit, training with weights and cardio and doing what I can to be consistent). I'm frustrated at the moment. Thanks.
  • bigizzy
    bigizzy Posts: 73 Member
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    Yeah, that is not very accurate. Are you carrying a lot of fat on your thighs and butt? Your forearm and hands look slim. Post up a whole body pic.

    See comment above. I took my first photo yesterday and I'm not comfortable posing that at the moment. Thanks. How do you measure tour body fat or do you go by eye/images?
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    bigizzy wrote: »
    Rusty740 wrote: »
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    In your avatar pic you look to be sub 20%.
    I am right under 20% and you look a little thinner than I am.

    Yeah I'd go with 18-22% ish (possibly less), everybody's different and we don't know if you're sucking in ;) lol and we can't see your legs or face. Face is a good indicator when you get sub 15%.

    I'm 5ft6 and 68kg.

    In the past (2009 - 2012) my weight fluctuated as I did those fad diets and dropped 3 stone (2-4 pounds a week). I think i may have lost a lot of muscle and as a result have a high body fat. I'm taking the advice above (calories deficit, training with weights and cardio and doing what I can to be consistent). I'm frustrated at the moment. Thanks.

    I've got your stats, except I'm 40. At 5'6" 65 kgs I'm sitting at around 14-15% on a bulk. When I was losing weight, I was probably at 15-16% at 65 kgs. I'd say at 68 you'll be less than 20% give or take. I'm gonna go with 18%.
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    edited July 2017
    The bioelectrical impedance machine at Complete Nutrition has me 19.78% and it is almost as accurate as a Dexa scan, so I could be up to 21%. I have pretty much no fat on my legs and glutes and I have pubertal gyno that never went away which throws it off as well.

    I am pretty sure this is the model they use.
    https://www.inbodyusa.com/pages/inbody570#testimonials
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    I hold very little fat on my legs, its just a few millimeters on a pinch test. I am trying to figure out how to post pics from my phone.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited July 2017
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    The bioelectrical impedance machine at Complete Nutrition has me 19.78% and it is almost as accurate as a Dexa scan, so I could be up to 21%...

    http://weightology.net/the-pitfalls-of-bodyfat-measurement-part-4-bioelectrical-impedance-bia/
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    The bioelectrical impedance machine at Complete Nutrition has me 19.78% and it is almost as accurate as a Dexa scan, so I could be up to 21%. I have pretty much no fat on my legs and glutes and I have pubertal gyno that never went away which throws it off as well.

    I am pretty sure this is the model they use.
    https://www.inbodyusa.com/pages/inbody570#testimonials

    BIA machines are not consistent and are absolutely not as accurate as a Dexa.

    Unless your legs are striated and you have feathered glutes, you aren't sub 20%. Not being harsh, just informing you should you be basing your "maths" off it.

    You'll find you need to diet to much lower weights than you predict.

    I don't think striated legs and feathered glutes appear at 19% for most people.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    stevencloser wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    The bioelectrical impedance machine at Complete Nutrition has me 19.78% and it is almost as accurate as a Dexa scan, so I could be up to 21%. I have pretty much no fat on my legs and glutes and I have pubertal gyno that never went away which throws it off as well.

    I am pretty sure this is the model they use.
    https://www.inbodyusa.com/pages/inbody570#testimonials

    BIA machines are not consistent and are absolutely not as accurate as a Dexa.

    Unless your legs are striated and you have feathered glutes, you aren't sub 20%. Not being harsh, just informing you should you be basing your "maths" off it.

    You'll find you need to diet to much lower weights than you predict.

    I don't think striated legs and feathered glutes appear at 19% for most people.

    My post was an exaggeration of the fact that his upper body looks to be 25-30% so his lower body would have to be shredded to average sub 20%.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Oooooooooh.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    edited July 2017
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    PPumpItUp wrote: »
    The bioelectrical impedance machine at Complete Nutrition has me 19.78% and it is almost as accurate as a Dexa scan, so I could be up to 21%...

    http://weightology.net/the-pitfalls-of-bodyfat-measurement-part-4-bioelectrical-impedance-bia/

    Except that the referenced article is grossly dated. And some of the new BIA machines are within the margin of error of DEXA/BodPod
  • bigizzy
    bigizzy Posts: 73 Member
    edited July 2017
    Thank you all for your replies. Can anyone recommend some home scales that also measure body fat as accurately as possible?
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    bigizzy wrote: »
    Thank you all for your replies. Can anyone recommend some home scales that also measure body fat as accurately as possible?

    Home scales are going to be wildly inaccurate, mostly due to lack of sensors, but also due to tiny brains.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    It doesn't really matter if the home scale is inaccurate so long as it is consistent. It is more important that you know if your BF is going up or down, than it is to know exactly what your BF is. Do as much research as you can to come to the best estimate you think is correct by not using the scale. Tape measure calculations, photos, descriptions of the stages of vascularity, and calipers if you want. You'll be able to get close enough with some reasonable judgments. Grab a medium cost scale. I got mine from a Superstore.

    Then hop on the scale. If you guess you're 18% and the scale says 15.5%, just add 2.5% to every scale measurement. This way you'll be able to tell if your body fat is going up or down (which is the most important thing) and you'll be able to have a good estimate of what it actually is.
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