Wanting bodyfat below 10%

Currently , 6'2 215. Bodyfat is 11.8%, but been stuck for 2 months. Thoughts on successful ways to lower percent below 10?

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Replies

  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    This is the right place, but folks will probably need more details about your diet and training.
  • macrogoals
    macrogoals Posts: 7 Member
    Nutrition: 1,870 calories , 40% protein 30%fat 30% carbs. Was lifting 4 days a week on a split programming. Last 2 months have been a lot of travel , so not a lot of lifting. Started back into lifts this week.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    How long have you been cutting?
  • macrogoals
    macrogoals Posts: 7 Member
    Since November
  • ijsantos2005
    ijsantos2005 Posts: 306 Member
    edited August 2017
    Whoa.. I lose weight on 2200 and I'm only 5'9" 170 lbs. with an activity level of sedentary.
  • PPumpItUp
    PPumpItUp Posts: 208 Member
    IMO you should cut down on the fat and increase the protein, aim for around 215 grams/day. The thermic effect of protein is around 20-30%, carbs are around 5-10% but fat is only 0-3%.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    macrogoals wrote: »
    Since November

    That's a long time. I'd take a maintenance break for a month or two, get your NEAT up a bit (it's suppressed at the moment), then try again. You are assuredly losing some muscle with the fat and getting a lower BF will be counter productive at this point. Could be better to bulk first, gain some pounds and try again with a higher lean mass and NEAT.

    Although... I was in a long cut and my goal was almost within reach. Intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast and having black coffee allowed me to adhere to my calories better and my weight dropped, I used it for 3 months. IF is in my bag of tricks now for when it's cut time again.
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  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    I agree with a lot of the comments here. Your caloric intake is REALLY low and that's going to be slowing your metabolism a lot.
    I'm 51 years old and 5'11', and I'm stalled a bit too but between 8.1 and 8.5 percent bodyfat (by Dexa) at 176 pounds. I eat in excess of 3800 calories a day most days, and in excess of 4500 on a weekly "cheat/refeed" day! My age should have my metabolism slowed down but I create my caloric defecit by lifting heavier or longer instead of eating less. That's a great way to speed up your metabolism because muscle is more metabolically expensive tissue.
    Shoot for more protein intake too... You should be around or over 1g per pound of bodyweight (I aim for about 200g protein per day).

    How much do you weigh and what is your height? I am almost the same age as you at 48. I am 5 ft 6 at 142 lbs. My maintenance calories seems to be about 2500 per day. I am cutting on 200/ per day. I think that I am at about 10-13 %. You look pretty good!
  • jamesakrobinson
    jamesakrobinson Posts: 2,149 Member
    donkey9512 wrote: »
    I agree with a lot of the comments here. Your caloric intake is REALLY low and that's going to be slowing your metabolism a lot.
    I'm 51 years old and 5'11', and I'm stalled a bit too but between 8.1 and 8.5 percent bodyfat (by Dexa) at 176 pounds. I eat in excess of 3800 calories a day most days, and in excess of 4500 on a weekly "cheat/refeed" day! My age should have my metabolism slowed down but I create my caloric defecit by lifting heavier or longer instead of eating less. That's a great way to speed up your metabolism because muscle is more metabolically expensive tissue.
    Shoot for more protein intake too... You should be around or over 1g per pound of bodyweight (I aim for about 200g protein per day).

    How much do you weigh and what is your height? I am almost the same age as you at 48. I am 5 ft 6 at 142 lbs. My maintenance calories seems to be about 2500 per day. I am cutting on 200/ per day. I think that I am at about 10-13 %. You look pretty good!

    I'm 5'11" 176 pounds (+-2 from day to day)
    Thanks!
  • watts6151
    watts6151 Posts: 905 Member
    I agree with a lot of the comments here. Your caloric intake is REALLY low and that's going to be slowing your metabolism a lot.
    I'm 51 years old and 5'11', and I'm stalled a bit too but between 8.1 and 8.5 percent bodyfat (by Dexa) at 176 pounds. I eat in excess of 3800 calories a day most days, and in excess of 4500 on a weekly "cheat/refeed" day! My age should have my metabolism slowed down but I create my caloric defecit by lifting heavier or longer instead of eating less. That's a great way to speed up your metabolism because muscle is more metabolically expensive tissue.
    Shoot for more protein intake too... You should be around or over 1g per pound of bodyweight (I aim for about 200g protein per day).


    Just gotta say your profile pic is great!
    Pmsl
  • macrogoals
    macrogoals Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you all for the advice. I lost the weight Nov. 28th through April 20th. Been in maintaince phase April 20-till Mid Aug. Last two weeks, been increasing lifting, but calories are 1,870 Monday-Friday and I'm increasing on weekends. Also, fasting 6pm till noon on weekdays. Too much? I'm 6'2 215, bodyfat 11%.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    macrogoals wrote: »
    Thank you all for the advice. I lost the weight Nov. 28th through April 20th. Been in maintaince phase April 20-till Mid Aug. Last two weeks, been increasing lifting, but calories are 1,870 Monday-Friday and I'm increasing on weekends. Also, fasting 6pm till noon on weekdays. Too much? I'm 6'2 215, bodyfat 11%.

    Seems ok to me, since you are cutting, you won't need to lift very much (60% of whatever you did before, or so, keep the weights high, reduce the sets). We'll see how it goes in a few weeks maybe.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    macrogoals wrote: »
    Nutrition: 1,870 calories , 40% protein 30%fat 30% carbs. Was lifting 4 days a week on a split programming. Last 2 months have been a lot of travel , so not a lot of lifting. Started back into lifts this week.

    You haven't been lifting much for two months. You say your BF% hasn't changed in two months. Get back to lifting - I see that you said you've been increasing - and give it another month or so.

    That said, it seems like your Calories are a bit on the low side for your size - how big of a deficit are you running?
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
    macrogoals wrote: »
    Currently , 6'2 215. Bodyfat is 11.8%, but been stuck for 2 months. Thoughts on successful ways to lower percent below 10?

    Obviously, I am assuming your diet and workout regimen are already on point. If not, that is the first place to look.

    With that said, some things that I've found to be successful in order of easiest to miserable-est:

    1) Intermittent fasting (TBH you'll probably need more than this to hit 8% unless you have got tier genetics)
    2) Ice baths: start at 60 degree water temp, and work your way down to 50. Get out as soon as you start to shiver. It'll be really short at first, but eventually you want to work up to 30-40 minutes in 50 degree water. This helps a lot with stubborn abdominal fat.
    3) Cyclical ketogenic diet
    4) CKD+glycogen depletion workouts (check out UD2.0 for a good example protocol)

    If not of that works, you can always try a PSMF, but you are almost certain to lose some lean body mass as well with that approach.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    If you have stalled and have been doing this for awhile....which is sure seems like you have.....take a break. Both from the gym and from the nutrition. Now, not talking about several weeks. A few days. Maybe a week. But just kinda chill for a moment.....

    I think that someone else suggested that. So, forgive me for being a copy cat.

    Also, what is your goal? Yes, you sorta answered that in your 'body fat under 10%' comment. But what is your real goal? Walking around with a body fat under 10% every day is tough, man! Well, for most people! And, no - I am no where near 10% body fat (on the plus side of 10%).
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    If you have stalled and have been doing this for awhile....which is sure seems like you have.....take a break. Both from the gym and from the nutrition. Now, not talking about several weeks. A few days. Maybe a week. But just kinda chill for a moment.....

    I think that someone else suggested that. So, forgive me for being a copy cat.

    Also, what is your goal? Yes, you sorta answered that in your 'body fat under 10%' comment. But what is your real goal? Walking around with a body fat under 10% every day is tough, man! Well, for most people! And, no - I am no where near 10% body fat (on the plus side of 10%).

    I would say it's the getting to 9-10% that seems so difficult for most people. Once you have done what it takes to get there, holding it is much easier.

    Now, trying to stay in the 6-8% range is where things become a severe pain in the *kitten*, because you're treading a pretty fine line between eating enough to avoid catabolism and not putting on bodyfat. Anything lower, and we're talking temporary states for nearly anyone, with very few exceptions (I can think of two).
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    macrogoals wrote: »
    Currently , 6'2 215. Bodyfat is 11.8%, but been stuck for 2 months. Thoughts on successful ways to lower percent below 10?

    Obviously, I am assuming your diet and workout regimen are already on point. If not, that is the first place to look.

    With that said, some things that I've found to be successful in order of easiest to miserable-est:

    1) Intermittent fasting (TBH you'll probably need more than this to hit 8% unless you have got tier genetics)
    2) Ice baths: start at 60 degree water temp, and work your way down to 50. Get out as soon as you start to shiver. It'll be really short at first, but eventually you want to work up to 30-40 minutes in 50 degree water. This helps a lot with stubborn abdominal fat.
    3) Cyclical ketogenic diet
    4) CKD+glycogen depletion workouts (check out UD2.0 for a good example protocol)

    If not of that works, you can always try a PSMF, but you are almost certain to lose some lean body mass as well with that approach.

    I hope that I never need to go through keto diet to get to 10%. That is the sweet spot for being asthetically attractive for men anyway. I find it gross when people are full of veins.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    Rusty740 wrote: »
    macrogoals wrote: »
    Since November

    That's a long time. I'd take a maintenance break for a month or two, get your NEAT up a bit (it's suppressed at the moment), then try again. You are assuredly losing some muscle with the fat and getting a lower BF will be counter productive at this point. Could be better to bulk first, gain some pounds and try again with a higher lean mass and NEAT.

    Although... I was in a long cut and my goal was almost within reach. Intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast and having black coffee allowed me to adhere to my calories better and my weight dropped, I used it for 3 months. IF is in my bag of tricks now for when it's cut time again.

    What's NEAT?
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    Seth1825 wrote: »
    Rusty740 wrote: »
    macrogoals wrote: »
    Since November

    That's a long time. I'd take a maintenance break for a month or two, get your NEAT up a bit (it's suppressed at the moment), then try again. You are assuredly losing some muscle with the fat and getting a lower BF will be counter productive at this point. Could be better to bulk first, gain some pounds and try again with a higher lean mass and NEAT.

    Although... I was in a long cut and my goal was almost within reach. Intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast and having black coffee allowed me to adhere to my calories better and my weight dropped, I used it for 3 months. IF is in my bag of tricks now for when it's cut time again.

    What's NEAT?

    What is 'IF' (Moderators: can we get a glossary of terms?)
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    NEAT - non exercise activity thermogenesis, the calories we burn doing day to day stuff

    IF - intermittent fasting
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    edited September 2017
    Thanks. Is there a way to reach 10% bf without anything extreme like Keto? I'm Italian and cannot fathom cutting out pasta. I am so close at 12% but been stuck at 12% bf.
    (I will give up bodybuilding before I give up pasta)
  • buffgrl
    buffgrl Posts: 32 Member
    10% is no easy feat for most guys- your body may not naturally want to go there. Without seeing everything you're doing - diet and workout, its hard to say, but yeah, you will probably have to cut back on the pasta :( . Having said that however, I should mention that your calories are uber LOW for someone your size and activity levels! I am a 5'6 155lbs female and I eat way more than you! And I'm pretty lean and still leaning out! Your metabolism may be kaput from eating too low calorie for too long. I recommend REFEEDING for a couple weeks at or slightly above maintenance to get your metabolism going again, and then some form of CALORIE and/or CARB CYCLING, then see how far you get with that. You may need to pull out the big guns (keto, "supplements") to get to 10% or below depending on your genetics. You can only get so lean "naturally" before your body hits a certain point where more drastic measures are needed to achieve extreme leanness. Only a few genetic freaks can get ultra low body fat without a lot of sacrifice
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    edited September 2017
    Thanks. I guess I am a manlet.

    According to the calculations for 142 pound 5 foot 6 male at 48 years of age and moderate activity, 2250 is about maintenance calarories. Is that too low for maintenance? That is why I use 1850 calories for cutting.
  • jlhflex
    jlhflex Posts: 107 Member
    I have been some where between 4% when I cutting and now 8%, all of my life. This may be the opposite of yall but Im trying to get Over 10% lol