A better fat %

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fatty_to_fitty
fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
sorry if this was a repost but in my search I found a lot around weight lifting an gaining muscle coupled with my own question.

Advice from any PT's or those who have been through it would help.

I recently weighed myself and checked my fat % and was alarmed at how high it was. I am already making changes but I'd like to start by making the right ones.

So just quickly what are the things to focus on to reduce fat? Not losing weight (I hope I still do) but lose the fat which I don't want.

I am thinking green veg and no processed food helps and more cardio. Is there a lot I don't know?
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Replies

  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    I focus on eating clean and strength training, with some cardio thrown in. I had the experience of being at a good weight, but too high of a body fat percentage.....when I really concentrated on my diet and weight training, my body fat percentage dropped dramatically. Good luck! Eat lots of protein....
  • fatty_to_fitty
    fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
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    Thanks

    I thought it was a myth that muscle burns fat? I was planning on just sweating it out! Would you advise more strength training?
  • fatty_to_fitty
    fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
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    bump! Now America is online too I want and answer:wink:
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    Excessive cardio does nothing for body fat. You need to lift...lift HEAVY and lift CONSISTENTLY. Eating clean doesn't really make a difference but macro nutrient composition IS important. Eating enough food is important. YOu will not reduce body fat eating JUST 1200 calories. I eat 1800 on average. Take in more protein (about 1 gram per lean body mass).

    Muscle is more metabolically active than fat. You will burn more calories at rest than you would with less muscle.

    Check out New Rules of Lifting for Women. Its a great starting point for women looking to begin lifting.
  • SuggAvery
    SuggAvery Posts: 4
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    At what point in the weight loss process should a person start weight training? I have always been afraid of building too much muscle too soon and becoming a "husky" girl.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    At what point in the weight loss process should a person start weight training?

    Immediately.
    I have always been afraid of building too much muscle too soon and becoming a "husky" girl.

    Trust me, your fears are unfounded. It takes YEARS of hard training and proper diet to build muscle. The "fear" of bulking up is absolutely ridiculous and I don't say this to insult you.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    At what point in the weight loss process should a person start weight training? I have always been afraid of building too much muscle too soon and becoming a "husky" girl.

    Girls don't bulk like men, esp in a caloric deficit. You want to lift weights now to maintain muscle mass while dieting. You lose both fat and muscle when dieting...if you lose a lot of muscle you are left at a lower metabolism and higher body fat percentage, both of which are undesirable. Trust me when I say the best bodies are made in the weight room, not the cardio machine.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    Dang Steal...you got in before me lol...

    Yes what he said
  • fatty_to_fitty
    fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
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    Trust me, your fears are unfounded. It takes YEARS of hard training and proper diet to build muscle. The "fear" of bulking up is absolutely ridiculous and I don't say this to insult you.

    You say this but I have arms like arnie
  • fatty_to_fitty
    fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
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    Check out New Rules of Lifting for Women. Its a great starting point for women looking to begin lifting.

    Thanks for commenting I will look it up. I don't go to the gym so I will have to sort something else out.
  • WTJoyce
    WTJoyce Posts: 86
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    Trust me, your fears are unfounded. It takes YEARS of hard training and proper diet to build muscle. The "fear" of bulking up is absolutely ridiculous and I don't say this to insult you.

    You say this but I have arms like arnie

    Really? where are you hiding them?

    (Assuming that is you in the picture)
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    When you diet you generally lose both fat and muscle. The best way to minimize muscle loss and maximize fat loss is weight lifting and eating plenty of protein (1g for every pound of lean body mass). Also, you need to eat at a calorie deficit but it should be a SMALL-moderate calorie deficit 200-300 calories below maintenance.

    Obese people do not have to worry about muscle loss as much as those who are already pretty small.

    And no, women should not be worried about "bulking" if you are in fact using the proper definition of "bulky". If you don't like any muscle definition, then yeah, you should avoid lifting and get used to have strange fat deposits (the skinny fat phenomenon).

    Personally I like the muscular look on women and have been trying for hard to get it. I've been eating 2800 calories a day and lifting 4 times a week. My avatar is as "bulky" as I've gotten in 3 months of doing this. You don't get large muscles on accident. You won't even get much muscle definition until you get below 25% body fat.
  • fatty_to_fitty
    fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
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    Trust me, your fears are unfounded. It takes YEARS of hard training and proper diet to build muscle. The "fear" of bulking up is absolutely ridiculous and I don't say this to insult you.

    You say this but I have arms like arnie

    Really? where are you hiding them?

    (Assuming that is you in the picture)

    It's not me, there is a pic of me on my profile though.
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member
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    This is actually everything you need to know. Perfectly put and simple.
    One single small think that needs be specified: when she said excessive cardio she meant >6h/week.
    Excessive cardio does nothing for body fat. You need to lift...lift HEAVY and lift CONSISTENTLY. Eating clean doesn't really make a difference but macro nutrient composition IS important. Eating enough food is important. YOu will not reduce body fat eating JUST 1200 calories. I eat 1800 on average. Take in more protein (about 1 gram per lean body mass).

    Muscle is more metabolically active than fat. You will burn more calories at rest than you would with less muscle.

    Check out New Rules of Lifting for Women. Its a great starting point for women looking to begin lifting.
  • losethepuku
    losethepuku Posts: 9
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    You don't need to join a gym to do weights.. many of the best strength exercises you can do easily at home using your own body weight.. Also sports shops sell dumbells really cheap..

    I only go to the gym if I feel the need for a personal trainer or extra motivation.. I'm using the Bar Method as my strength training and it's great! Just uses your own body weight to strengthen and tone muscle.. absolutely no bulking, it actually lengthens your muscles to make you look leaner.
  • vger11
    vger11 Posts: 248
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    no cokes...not even diet
    is my best advice for any beginner
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    The only way to lengthen your muscle is to grow longer bones. So unless you plan on growing a couple inches, it won't happen. I wish people stop saying you can have long lean muscles through exercise. It's entirely up to your genetics.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    The only way to lengthen your muscle is to grow longer bones. So unless you plan on growing a couple inches, it won't happen. I wish people stop saying you can have long lean muscles through exercise. It's entirely up to your genetics.

    But what if I do plan on growing? I wanna be 6'. ;D

    Seriously you cannot make muscles longer.
  • losethepuku
    losethepuku Posts: 9
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    Ok maybe bad terminology there on my part.. I do find that when I build my muscle I get a different shape depending on the type of training I have been doing.. compare a yoga trainers arms to a fitness instructor.. the muscle definition is softer..

    If I use heavy weights on my arms & shoulders I tend to get solid round definition (it's just how I'm built) but using stretching strength training on my arms has made that same muscle mass leaner.

    As much as I would love to grow a few more inches!! (5ft 1")
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    That has to do with body fat percentage...not 'bulk'...lower bf = more definition.

    I hate the word bulky btw...compare 5 lb of muscle and 5 lb of fat....tell me which is bulkier??

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