Reduce body fat % ?

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  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Hi,

    I am not even sure any of you will be able to view this message or not but I am just getting back regarding the suggestions. And asking more Qs :-)

    I followed the suggestions and started weight training. I am using 5lbs dumbbells and resistance bands of different resistances and target one part of the body every day. Chest,legs,shoulders etc. When do we increase the weight that we use?

    I have also upped my calories...actually I had to. and I am really struggling with food. With all the exercising,I feel hungry EVERY 2 hours. I assume it's a good thing,my metabolism being boosted. But it's not easy staying in the calorie limit. I am reallllly struggling with food.

    So I added whey protein shake....is that something that would make one bulky? Or fat? Some people said it does. I just want something to help me fill my protein goal of the day and give me energy post workout. But still I have to figure my food now.

    I have started walking also...for fat burning!

    Does it seem like I am on the right track?

    Right track.

    Whey protein shakes won't make you bulky unless you lifted really heavy and had testosterone. Won't make you fat unless you ate so much you went over your maintenance level.
    People are goof-balls sometimes.
    If anything, even if you had an excess of protein because of taking it at totally wrong time, like when muscles had no repair to do, it takes some energy to turn excess protein into fat storage.

    If you are getting hungry ever 2 hrs, either you didn't increase calories enough, or you have low blood sugar problems, or you have insulin spikes after eating carbs. You might try eating a snack or meal with decent mix of carb, prot, fat, but eat the carb part last and see if any improvement.
    And/or re-examine calorie needs for maintaining a deficit, but eating enough to feed the workouts.
    You should be NET'ing above your BMR if you want to see real improvement from your workouts. MFP - Tools - BMR calc.
    And should eat back exercise calories so your body is left with that much every day to make improvements, and really, to take care of basic functions of life.

    For increasing the weight, as soon as you can do 3 x 12 or 15 with the bands, increase so you are back at 3 x 8.
  • theartichoke
    theartichoke Posts: 816 Member
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    Incredible advice. Thank you to the OP and all who answered!
  • SteffieMark
    SteffieMark Posts: 1,723 Member
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    Saving for future reference. Thank you for all the information!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Strength toning that does not involve heavy weights does not really help maintain lean body mass - you need to lift heavy (3 sets, 6 - 8 reps, at a weight you maintain good form but struggle on the last couple of reps). 5lb for most exercises will just be too light to help with muscle tone.

    New Rules of Lifting for Women is a very popular routine - you should look into getting the book.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Re the protein shake: it will NOT make you bulky or fat (as long as you are not going over your calorie goal).
  • wheezybreezy
    wheezybreezy Posts: 315 Member
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    bump
  • peachNpunkin
    peachNpunkin Posts: 1,010 Member
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    bump
  • mmtiernan
    mmtiernan Posts: 702 Member
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    Strength toning that does not involve heavy weights does not really help maintain lean body mass - you need to lift heavy (3 sets, 6 - 8 reps, at a weight you maintain good form but struggle on the last couple of reps). 5lb for most exercises will just be too light to help with muscle tone.

    New Rules of Lifting for Women is a very popular routine - you should look into getting the book.

    ^^^This!! You need to lift heavy to maintain your muscle mass and keep your metabolism stoked. Don't think that lifting serious weights will turn you into some muscle-bound she-man, because it WON'T. Women do not naturally have enough testosterone for that (thankfully)!

    Since you belong to a gym, how about getting a few personal training sessions to help you learn proper exercise techniques and work up a routine? The "New Rules of Lifting for Women" is also a great reference. If you are really wanting DVDs for strength training, a good one to start with is the ChaLEAN Extreme series (this one is pricey, but you get 15 workouts on the DVD set and it has a calendar to walk you through which workout to do).

    Either way - you are on the right track. For the record, I am 49 years old (and quickly rounding the corner on the big 5-0!) and I lift heavy weights. I work out at home and currently squat with 35 lb dumbells in each hand. If I can do this - so can you! :wink:

    Lift 'em heavy - 3 sets of each exercise, 8 repetitions per set. When it starts to feel like you can do more than 8, increase your weights. Pretty simple stuff. But, since you are a 'newbie', I'd seriously consider getting the DVDs or some time with a personal trainer so you learn good form.

    Hope this helps and congrats on your great progress so far! :flowerforyou:
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    Check out these websites they can help you set up a healthy routine you can stick with :)
    Here are a few website I use:
    For nutrition:
    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
    http://www.scoop.it/t/fitness-and-diet-on-the-cutting-edge
    http://www.t-nation.com/
    http://www.gasparinutrition.co.uk/nutrition-recipes-desserts-99.html
    I love Matt's blog:
    http://www.gasparinutrition.co.uk/196.html
    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/
    http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting
    Exercise:
    Here are the sites I use:
    HIIT (high intensity interval training):
    http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/HIITvsET.html
    Instructions for HIIT for running are on the site, these are instruction for HIIT on stationary bike:
    HIIT with stationary bike start out with a 5min warm up @ tension 5. Then do 30sec @ tension 20, then 1 min @ tension 5 and repeat this for 15 to 20 min. Then bring back the tension to 5 for another 5 to 10 min cool down.
    For lifting:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/373801-two-day-full-body-strength-training-routine

    Lifting Heavy is lifting as much as you can to where you can complete no more than 12 to 15 with a but of a struggle.

    If you are concerned about bulking, you can put yourmind at ease because as women we do not have the testastirone to bulk, if you want to decrease your body fat % you will want to eat at a deficit, a good formula is BMR @ your activity level - 400.
    For me for instance my BMR @ light activity is 2024 cals. Following the formula 2024 - 400 = 1624 cals

    Since you belong to a gym, I would recomend starting on the machines with the goal of lifting as much as I can for no more than 15 reps with a struggle for 3 sets till I got more uccustomed to lifting. If you are not sure of something ask don't risk injury :)

    You will find a great deal of information on the provided sites explaining why lifting heavy is neccassary and why as women we will not bulk up as well. Good luck beautiful and congrats on your success!!
  • Cupcake1015
    Cupcake1015 Posts: 109 Member
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    bump, great info!
  • nu2012
    nu2012 Posts: 562 Member
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    Thanks again heybales for your advices. This may sound naive but I am confused about the BMR,TDEE etc etc. There is so much information that I don't know what to follow. So what I decided to do is add more protein to my diet and eat when I am hungry and just stay below the calorie limit (which includes the workout calories as well)for the day. My hunger maybe caused by the carbs. Tomorrow at lunch I will try something else.
    Thanks for the tips on increasing the bands and repetitions. Right now I am using the lightest resistance.

    sarakuk2sf and mmtiernan, for some exercises I find 5 lbs tough. But I am getting 8 lbs weight sometime this week. Mostly I use resistance bands, if I can find modifications.

    I am waiting to get the new rules for lifting from the library.

    ChaLEAN Extreme series, what weights/bands does she use? wow 35 lbs!! Hopefully I will get to lifting that much someday!

    I will keep the repetitions in mind.

    I have joined the gym classes right now,so maybe will take personal training during the summer. I don't think I have too much energy left after the cardio classes. and I have to keep up with the cardio since I have more weight to get rid off.

    Since I am new to strengthening, resistance bands have been easy to use so far. But I know I need to kick it up a notch. Also I watch the videos of the exercises before doing them.

    Thanks a lot teagin for all the links. I will go through them. Gym weight machines scare me! Also doing it at home/with dumbbells I felt I would be able to continue it. But I will go and try the machines one of these days....

    Thank you all for all the advices. I think I have already formed awesome biceps and triceps in three weeks! :-) Though I still have to lose the fat covering up their awesomeness!!

    Roughly how many weeks does it take for one to see a change in body fat %? So that I can go and get it checked again.
  • mmtiernan
    mmtiernan Posts: 702 Member
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    ChaLEAN Extreme series, what weights/bands does she use? wow 35 lbs!! Hopefully I will get to lifting that much someday!

    With ChaLEAN Extreme and any other lifting program, you just lift what you are capable of lifting. Chalene herself lifts pretty heavy, but there is always on 'beginner' on the videos who lifts about the same weights as you are now and there is always someone using resistance bands - its what ever makes you comfortable! I started pretty light in the beginning too, but as long as you are lifting heavy enough so that you can only just get in 8 - 10 reps, you will be strengthening your muscles and will be able to move up gradually.

    BMR is the base number of calories that your body needs just to function. There's a pretty good tutorial that walks you through it on this website: http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_BMR.php
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Roughly how many weeks does it take for one to see a change in body fat %? So that I can go and get it checked again.

    Depending on how the measurement is done, if there is like a 3% potential error, no need until you have lost like 5% weight.

    If they say 5% error, then 10% weight loss until recheck.
  • lilmisfit
    lilmisfit Posts: 860 Member
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    Bump...I need this.

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