body fat at 21% but cant lose any more weight

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  • sdoherty1000
    sdoherty1000 Posts: 146 Member
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    Anyone here wanna set up a beginner routine? Remember the bad knees though
  • em1976
    em1976 Posts: 119 Member
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    If you're hitting a plateau, you probably need to mix things up.

    Our bodies are designed to adapt, so it's very normal for our bodies to become accustomed to your exercise regiment.

    I'm not sure what you have access to, but try different things. It sounds like you're only doing cardio, so try to mix something new. (biking, the elliptical or treadmill, power waking, jogging, etc...) You can even change frequency, duration or distance.

    Good luck!

    This.Is what I have done to work on the last 2 kilos I have left.Ive gone from straight cardio,to a program of weight training mixed in with 20 mins of my bike/elliptical (one min busting my *kitten*/30 secs recover).Bout 6 months back I went from the weights to the initial cardio now ive gone back.I do it everytime i hit a plateau.
  • fastmethod
    fastmethod Posts: 40 Member
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    which knee is injured and what hand do you write with?
  • sdoherty1000
    sdoherty1000 Posts: 146 Member
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    which knee is injured and what hand do you write with?

    Both knees are bad pal- Trying to get a doctor to shove a camera in there is like getting blood from a stone. I am right handed and therefore write with my right hand.
  • tmm01
    tmm01 Posts: 137
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    You have made AMAZING progress, and 21% is in the healthy range.

    Perhaps maintaining for a while would let your body settle in before the final stretch.
    I'm no medic, but sounds as if you have reached your natural healthy weight. I wouldn't stress over it, keep to a maintence diet for a while and then try to lose again once you've settled into this, if you really want to.

    I have about another 14months to go until I will (hopefully) be in the same situation.
    :wink:
  • CoraGregoryCPA
    CoraGregoryCPA Posts: 1,087 Member
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    Try a completely different workout. The change of your workout routine could help. You could even split your walks or workouts to half in the morning and half in the evening.
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
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    I have lost 63lbs and gave myself a target weight which i am 6-8lb from. Problem is i cant lose it, tried lowering calories, tried increasing calories and every week i get on the scales and its always more than the previous week so matter how much i eat or exercise.

    i walk 4 miles every other day to help lower my calories, but recently i stopped because i have lost ALL motivation and to see if this would have an effect on the weight lose.

    It seems no matter how good i am or how much i exercise i am literally hitting a brick wall.

    Current diet, exercise, and macros..

    Do you lift weights? Do you eat enough protein? How do you weight/count your food?
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
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    I'd guess that 1800 calories is even too low - although without knowing your height it's hard to say. Put it this way, I am 5'9 female, have about 17lbs left to lose, I lift heavy 3 x per week and run 2 x per week and I eat at least 2100 calories a day. On the days I don't workout I still eat 2000. Work your numbers, you may not be eating enough :)
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
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    I weight just over 13 stone (85kgs) which according to the bmi chart is just higher than the normal catagory

    First off, don't go by the bmi chart. It's only the ratio between your height and body. It doesn't tell you how much fat you have on your body.

    You said you weigh over 13 stone. What is 13 stone?
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
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    I weight just over 13 stone (85kgs) which according to the bmi chart is just higher than the normal catagory
    First off, don't go by the bmi chart. It's only the ratio between your height and body. It doesn't tell you how much fat you have on your body.

    You said you weigh over 13 stone. What is 13 stone?
    I found a link that can convert that weight: http://bit.ly/t97HA6
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    You really shouldn't just go by the BMI chart, did you get the body fat % through your doctor. If you did then that Dr. can tell you your ideal weight range. I was going by my BMI, but found out that I am within my healthy weight now.

    5'4" 171 lbs = 77.5 kg and size 8 US jeans.
    My measurements are:
    Chest: 38 in = 96.5 cm
    Waist: 26 in = 66 cm
    hip : 38 in = 96.5 cm

    I just lost all the 112 lbs over the course of a year and 3 months, and the only time it hit me that I was small is after I starved my self enough to effect my brain and memory. It was bad; I almost burned our house... I left the burner on at night with something on it, luckily my hubby woke up to go to the bathroom and smelled it before it got bad.
    You really should see your Doctor and consult him/her on what is healthy for your body.
    Good luck!
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    I thought a pound was a pound, be it water, fat, muscle or dog chow. But a pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat. that is the key. I too am stuck at about 21% body fact (best I can measure- I get anywhere from 16% to 24% using various methods..

    You have it back wards a lb of muscle is more than a lb of fat. "Fat has about five times the volume of lean muscle; in other words, a pound of fat is about the same size as five pounds of muscle." I read that statement in a fitness book. don't remember which one.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    I thought a pound was a pound, be it water, fat, muscle or dog chow. But a pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat. that is the key. I too am stuck at about 21% body fact (best I can measure- I get anywhere from 16% to 24% using various methods..

    You have it back wards a lb of muscle is more than a lb of fat. "Fat has about five times the volume of lean muscle; in other words, a pound of fat is about the same size as five pounds of muscle." I read that statement in a fitness book. don't remember which one.

    That is exactly what the other poster said.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    you want to keep the lbs of muscle, bone, even some fat. Our bodies need fat, and there is healthy fat in the body. Healthy fat protects the organs, our skin nails and hair, and is in our joints so we don't get pain when they rub up against each other when we move them.

    Also there is a point where you can't healthily reduce your weight and that is determined by your body frame size. My frame is very large and that is why I weight a lot mire than my BMI, even though I am in my healthy range. I have 24 % body fat and that is normal for my body. That is why many people over here are surprised your not happy with your current weight.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    I would suggest you do something, wear something, or do something that would make you feel sexy. Then after that look at your self in the mirror and see if you are still not satisfied. I did that and it helped, another thing I did was post my before and after pics here and got the reactions of others. It convinced me that I am done.
    Sometimes it is all in our heads.
    Loosing weight is very hard and to be successful I needed to be in a zone where failure wasn't an options. I didn't see I was done till I made my self sick and put us in a dangerous situation. Regardless what you do you will always have our support here at MFP. You Rock with that weight loss!
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I have lost 63lbs and gave myself a target weight which i am 6-8lb from. Problem is i cant lose it, tried lowering calories, tried increasing calories and every week i get on the scales and its always more than the previous week so matter how much i eat or exercise.

    i walk 4 miles every other day to help lower my calories, but recently i stopped because i have lost ALL motivation and to see if this would have an effect on the weight lose.

    It seems no matter how good i am or how much i exercise i am literally hitting a brick wall.

    Dude, based on your profile pic, I would say you are hitting the tequila a little hard...lots of calories in that poison, bro...

    Seriously, though...my advice is similar to earlier posts...

    1. Adjust your deficit to .5/1 pound per week lost
    2. Eat back your exercise calories
    3. Drink plenty of water
    4. Get plenty of rest
    5. Strength train 2-3X/week...increase your weights as you progress
    6. Intensify your cardio
    7. Adjust your macros to be heavier on proteins and less on fats (50P/30C/20F or at least 40/40/20)
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    Here's something else to help you figure out that whole stone thing. http://bit.ly/scPATh
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    A stone is 14lbs. 13 stone = 182lbs
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    I also have dodgy knee's so I asked my trainer to help me with some lifting that was knee friendly. I do some squats, but none with with weights on, and I have to be careful to sit back onto my heals.

    We've taken out lunges because my knees aren't stable enough. You can work your upper body and abs pretty hard without bothering your knees.

    Leg raises, planks, deadlifts are all things you can do.... but I'd suggest getting a PT to work on a plan for you.
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
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    A stone is 14lbs. 13 stone = 182lbs

    Thank you.

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