Body Fat Percent- How to bring it down?

raven56706
raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I think i have plateaued at 47lbs lost but now i want to focus on bringing down my body fat.


what are some good tips on getting this down. should it be more cardio or more weight training.... changing my calorie intake or whatever.


any tips would be appreciated

Replies

  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    bump
  • hart1tm
    hart1tm Posts: 20
    Losing weight alone won't really affect your body fat percent. You need to focus on losing inches. I'm currently taking a weight training class at my school and I've lost about half an inch on my hips and waist and that alone has brought my body fat down 2%. So I would recommend weight training along with cardio. That's what has worked for me so far. :)
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    thats the thing... thats what im trying to see what would be better... focus more on weight training or more cardio?
  • dougpear
    dougpear Posts: 21
    Try calorie or carb cycling. So eat more on days you weight lift and less on days you rest or do cardio.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Heavy weights, moderate caloric deficit, non-steady state cardio like HIIT
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Heavy weights, moderate caloric deficit, non-steady state cardio like HIIT

    This, except I think steady-state cardio is fine.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    thats the thing... thats what im trying to see what would be better... focus more on weight training or more cardio?

    A focus on weight training is far superior in terms of improving body composition.

    Get on a proven strength training program, keep your diet high in protein. Cardio is optional, IMO.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Lift heavy weights. Eat high protein. Forget about cardio or do HIIT or LISS.
  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
    bump
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    lift. I have not done cardio in three months, between lifting and diet I have dropped my bf% by about 10%
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
    High intensity interval training (HIIT) has been doing great for me. A nice mix of cardio and strength training in a little program called Insanity. In 60 days, I've lost just under 10 pounds and about 5% body fat.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Both! Build muscle for a higher overall daily burn, cardio for additional boosts of calorie burn.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    Heavy weights, moderate caloric deficit, non-steady state cardio like HIIT

    This, except I think steady-state cardio is fine.

    ^^Thanks for clarifying
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Your BMR is your biggest advantage when dieting down. What I'm saying is, to incorporate resistance training while remaining in a moderate calorie deficit in order to maintain and/or minimize losses in your Lean Body Mass.

    3 days per week allowing for adequate recovery time. Rest is important because you've got to realize that the greater the calorie deficit you are in, the more retarded your body will recover. In addition, I would also recommend some low intensity cardio.

    If you find yourself taking the weight training more seriously, I'd suggest checking out a novice barbell program, such as Starting Strength or Stronglifts. Both of them are beginner programs that are designed for linear progression.

    Moderate calorie deficit
    Resistance training
    Rest/Recovery time
    Nutrition (hitting your fat and protein goals and drinking plenty of water)

    All of these things in unison will create the conditions for fat loss over time.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    So eat more on days you weight lift and less on days you rest or do cardio.

    or the exact opposite of this...
  • Todzilla7
    Todzilla7 Posts: 24
    Resistance training, and especially heavy weight training, along with proper diet, will lower body fat percentage but may actually increase your weight in pounds. You'll look better, but if you are obsessed with the scale (which you shouldn't be), then this could be depressing.
  • Todzilla7
    Todzilla7 Posts: 24
    Your BMR is your biggest advantage when dieting down. What I'm saying is, to incorporate resistance training while remaining in a moderate calorie deficit in order to maintain and/or minimize losses in your Lean Body Mass.

    3 days per week allowing for adequate recovery time. Rest is important because you've got to realize that the greater the calorie deficit you are in, the more retarded your body will recover. In addition, I would also recommend some low intensity cardio.

    If you find yourself taking the weight training more seriously, I'd suggest checking out a novice barbell program, such as Starting Strength or Stronglifts. Both of them are beginner programs that are designed for linear progression.

    Moderate calorie deficit
    Resistance training
    Rest/Recovery time
    Nutrition (hitting your fat and protein goals and drinking plenty of water)

    All of these things in unison will create the conditions for fat loss over time.

    Absolutely great advice...
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    So eat more on days you weight lift and less on days you rest or do cardio.

    or the exact opposite of this...

    Actually, no. He had it right. You want more carbs and overall calories on days that you lift.
  • kyunda
    kyunda Posts: 340 Member
    bumping..thanks!
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    trying to get my plan ready for 2 weeks from now... have to make sure i have my plan set
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    So eat more on days you weight lift and less on days you rest or do cardio.

    or the exact opposite of this...

    Actually, no. He had it right. You want more carbs and overall calories on days that you lift.

    depending on when he's eating, also depends on what you're trying to achieve. agreeing to accept that we might both be right.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    I suppose you're right. That would only be good if you wanted to build lean muscle to help increase your BMR and make it easier to burn fat. Alternately, you would do the opposite if you wanted to...

    Ok, you got me. I can't think of a circumstance where that would be more helpful.
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member
    WEIGHT TRAIN.

    Also, I recommend carb cycling.

    Having a calorie deficit is obvious (no more than -500 a day!!), but focus on proteins and good fats and nutrient dense plant sources of food, with a carb cycle.

    And, make sure you get plenty of R&R. Be it sleeping, meditation, prayer, light yard work, couch time, or sex. Bringing your stress levels down daily does wonders for you body and body composition. Only reason I bring this up is that I rarely see this brought up on mfp.
  • Tari_D
    Tari_D Posts: 121 Member
    Resistance training, and especially heavy weight training, along with proper diet, will lower body fat percentage but may actually increase your weight in pounds. You'll look better, but if you are obsessed with the scale (which you shouldn't be), then this could be depressing.

    Does anyone know does this apply more to people on the thinner side?

    I'm thinking about starting weight training but as I'm currently still obese I doubt I'll see much muscle so it will be hard to distinguish this from weight gain through fat. But as I am bigger anyway is it more likely it would just help my metabolism/weight loss first, especially as I am on a calorie deficit and so haven't got much there to build muscle with. Sorry if that's a silly question.
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    can someone explain carb cycling?
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member
    can someone explain carb cycling?

    It is a period of days where you have your calorie deficit but also keep carbs at about 20% of your calories. then, followed by one day of where carbs make up 40% of your calories and you do not have calorie deficit (eat your TDEE).

    You can do a cycle of 3 days low cal/low carb to every load day, or whatever cycle fits you best.

    I do 5 days low cal/low carb for every carb load day.
  • Tanners2202
    Tanners2202 Posts: 24
    can someone explain carb cycling?

    It is a period of days where you have your calorie deficit but also keep carbs at about 20% of your calories. then, followed by one day of where carbs make up 40% of your calories and you do not have calorie deficit (eat your TDEE).

    You can do a cycle of 3 days low cal/low carb to every load day, or whatever cycle fits you best.

    I do 5 days low cal/low carb for every carb load day.

    I'm a little confused :s
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Does anyone know does this apply more to people on the thinner side?

    I'm thinking about starting weight training but as I'm currently still obese I doubt I'll see much muscle so it will be hard to distinguish this from weight gain through fat. But as I am bigger anyway is it more likely it would just help my metabolism/weight loss first, especially as I am on a calorie deficit and so haven't got much there to build muscle with. Sorry if that's a silly question.

    Obese people and newbie lifters are the two categories that can pretty regularly gain muscle even while eating in a deficit.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    can someone explain carb cycling?

    I can explain my diet in an effort to have it make sense...

    My protein intake is static. High, by most people's standards, but the same no matter what. My Fat and Carb macros alternate depending on whether I am on a rest day or a lifting day. Low carb diets are generally agreed upon as a good way to burn fat, but it is very hard to produce muscle without carbs. Weight lifting (particularly when done properly) is a high-intensity activity, requiring carbs in order to get maximum effect and to synthesize muscle efficiently. To reflect this, I do the following.

    Rest day: Protein 200g|Carbs 25% of remaining calories|Fat 75% of remaining calories
    Lift day: Protein 200g|Carbs 75% of remaining calories|Fat 25% of remaining calories

    This site http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/ allows you to input some basic information and get a pretty good breakdown of a decent carb cycling diet plan.
  • sarahbetherck
    sarahbetherck Posts: 270 Member
    Does anyone know does this apply more to people on the thinner side?

    I'm thinking about starting weight training but as I'm currently still obese I doubt I'll see much muscle so it will be hard to distinguish this from weight gain through fat. But as I am bigger anyway is it more likely it would just help my metabolism/weight loss first, especially as I am on a calorie deficit and so haven't got much there to build muscle with. Sorry if that's a silly question.
    [/quote]

    Definitely weight train, just don't look at the scale for a while :-)
    When I started strength training I gained 10lbs really fast and freaked out until I realized that I'd dropped a clothing size at the same time. After that those 10lbs came off easily and then more inches and pounds followed.
    Oh and even after all that I'm still technically "obese" even though I'm smaller in size than friends of mine who weigh less. Don't worry so much :-)
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