It just seems impossible!!!

[Didacus]

My body fat is 27% or so. I've lost in 8 months 16kgs (35bs) but as I said I'm still far away from been fit really.

Is there anybody who's been 27% body fat and is now fit? or somebody to share what I feel?

I'm 28, my weight is ok I suposse, I'm not obese anymore but I just can't believe I'm going to drop more weight any more.

I went to the gym on Sunday and next day I weight myself and put on 3lbs. Today I went for a run 20 mins and I bet tomorrow will be an extra 3lbs.

I won't reach my goal EVER.

 

[TomO]

First of all, what do you mean by fit? Do you mean that strictly in the body fat pctg. sense, or do you define "fit" as the ability to do a good cardio workout and finish a challenging weight training routine?

My body fat pctg is almost 30%, so it's worse than yours. However, if I define "fit" in the second sense of the word, I'm more fit that the vast majority of people I see in the gym, even the younger ones.

Being fit in that sense is just a matter of sticking to it, and choosing an effective exercise routine. If you keep hitting the same nail with the same hammer, you won't make a lot of progress. That's why it's good to mix HIIT with SS cardio, and to change up your weight routine every few months at a minimum.

The 3 lbs. you put on is undoubtedly water weight. After all, you didn't eat an extra 10,500 calories yesterday, did you?

Also, did you ever get those calipers? If not, don't believe the body fat pctg. you're seeing on the scale. Those things are totally inaccurate.

You're not tremendously overweight, by the way. Your BMI is 26, which is slightly beyond healthy, but not by much.

Also, don't forget that BMI has nothing to do with lean muscle mass or body fat pctg. It's simply a convenient index of your height and weight.

You've come an awfully long way -- don't give up!

 

[jennay]

Yes you will! I know it sucks that it takes so long to get anywhere, but just keep going! Are you doing anything with weights or just the cardio? If not, add some in! Watch your diet closely, supposedly it is 80% of the game! I know motivation goes up and down and it is incredibly hard to stay focused and determined, especially over a long period of time, but 35lbs is a great leap! Grab a buddy on this site to help keep your spirits up, start a journal, or join one of the clubs -- the people here are really great and super supportive.

You will get there!

 

[Didacus]

Thank you!!

First of all, what do you mean by fit? Do you mean that strictly in the body fat pctg. sense, or do you define "fit" as the ability to do a good cardio workout and finish a challenging weight training routine?

My body fat pctg is almost 30%, so it's worse than yours. However, if I define "fit" in the second sense of the word, I'm more fit that the vast majority of people I see in the gym, even the younger ones.

Being fit in that sense is just a matter of sticking to it, and choosing an effective exercise routine. If you keep hitting the same nail with the same hammer, you won't make a lot of progress. That's why it's good to mix HIIT with SS cardio, and to change up your weight routine every few months at a minimum.

The 3 lbs. you put on is undoubtedly water weight. After all, you didn't eat an extra 10,500 calories yesterday, did you?

Also, did you ever get those calipers? If not, don't believe the body fat pctg. you're seeing on the scale. Those things are totally inaccurate.

You're not tremendously overweight, by the way. Your BMI is 26, which is slightly beyond healthy, but not by much.

Also, don't forget that BMI has nothing to do with lean muscle mass or body fat pctg. It's simply a convenient index of your height and weight.

You've come an awfully long way -- don't give up!

Hi TomO.

I've just bought the calipers x2 actually. One is for my brother hehe



And I got the for £1.5 each hehehe

Anyway, yeah I suposse you are right in what you say. And I totally agree in a way but you must know how this weight things are. One day you are up other totally down etc.

I didn't eat 10,000 calories on Sunday. Although yes, I invited some friends to dinner on Saturday and I had a 2 beers and 2 glasses of wine. BUT I don't normally drink. I don't have alcoholic drinks at home, only when I invite people and that's not as frequen as I'd like unfortunately.

The thing is that I need to find system, to put a system in place that works to me and I know nobody can help with that. I can get tips but I have to find it myself.

Until now I had my own system and it worked. Now things has changed and I'm a bit worry.

I'll let you know when I receive the calipers!!! i CAN'T WAIT NOW hehehe

By fit I mean looking at my belly and not see any fat!!! At the moment I can pinch the fat with my hands and that should not be there!!! Human being are not made to be fat!

 

[TomO]

Glad you got the calipers -- it'll be interesting to see how they compare with the scale. Those look exactly like the ones I got. Here's a site that has a whole bunch of ways to measure body fat:


The instructions that come with the calipers probably will suggest just a single site measurement - the suprailiac fold. However, just to make sure that's accurate for you, you might enlist a friend and do the Parillo method. It's a bit hard to get the subscapular, tricep, and back measurements on your own, but if you have to, you can do it by using a clothes pin.

I suspect your body fat pctg. may be less than you fear.

I know it can be very frustrating, especially when you hit a plateau so near your goal weight.

This may be the time to take a close look at your weight training. If you lost that much weight, and you still have a high body fat pctg., you may have taken most of your weight out of your lean muscle mass.

Anyway, let's see what the calipers say first!