Reducing body fat vs losing weight

S

stompy

0
Hi All,

I have a question that has perplexed me for a while now and was hoping someone could help me out. So to give a quick background I am 6 foot and around 161 pounds. I've been working out for several months now and I'm of a somewhat skinnier build and have a faster than average metabolism. I'm trying to reduce body fat in my body because I have some fat in my stomach and arms I would like to get rid of. My question is: how do I reduce my body fat while not losing weight? I feel like if I lose any more weight I'll start to look emaciated. I know for most people in order to lose weight they do more cardio and burn more calories than they take in. I get that... however I feel like if I just do a bunch of cardio I'm just going to look really thin, which is not really the look i'm going for.

Not sure if this was confusing but would really appreciate any insight.
 
What kind of workout have you been "doing for several months now"?

You do not need to do cardio to loose weight or fat. A caloric deficit will make you loose weight and a caloric deficit with high intensity resistance exercise will make you loose fat. If you are relatively new to resistance exercise and are doing it properly you can loose fat and gain lean body mass, without loosing weight. So lift heavy weights and eat clean at your maintainence calorie level and you should progress towards your goal..
 
You're right. At 6 ft, 161 lbs you don't want to lose any weight. My recommendation is not to worry about your body fat. Go easy on the cardio and start lifting. Focus on gaining lean mass vice losing fat. Lots of work to accomplish this, both physical and mental. Clean up your diet; plan and execute a solid lifting program. Make it your hobby and get into it for the long haul. Should be fun.
 
Hey Guys,

Thanks for the responses. I've been working out consistently since March. For the past month I've been doing P90X but haven't been seeing the results I expected to see. I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong but now I suppose its just a matter of sticking with the program and taking it one day at a time. I'll definitely be pushing myself harder though.
 
stompy said:
Hey Guys,

Thanks for the responses. I've been working out consistently since March. For the past month I've been doing P90X but haven't been seeing the results I expected to see. I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong but now I suppose its just a matter of sticking with the program and taking it one day at a time. I'll definitely be pushing myself harder though.
Click to expand...

Be sure you're eastin properly, you can't build lean mass unless you have some sort of calorie surplus. But yeah, a month isnt too long, it takes a good amount of time.
 
Ok now I'm slightly confused. I'm assuming maintenance calories = the # of calories you need to neither gain nor lose weight?

If I eat more than my maintenance, won't I be gaining fat and then all my muscles won't show b/c they're covered by the increased fat?
 
stompy said:
Ok now I'm slightly confused. I'm assuming maintenance calories = the # of calories you need to neither gain nor lose weight?

If I eat more than my maintenance, won't I be gaining fat and then all my muscles won't show b/c they're covered by the increased fat?
Click to expand...

Not entirely, if you have a calorie surplus, then the excess calories can go towards building new muscle mass. It is sometimes stored as fat, but keep a healthy diet and the fat gained will be minimum and the muscle will be good. Gaining muscle while in a calorie deficit is very difficult, i think you need to either be in real bad shape or just started working out, or take some kind of supplements. Again, not totally informed on that subject, i'd be interested in learning how and if its actually worth it (mass gained over how much time)
 
jkjk8991 said:
Be sure you're eastin properly, you can't build lean mass unless you have some sort of calorie surplus. But yeah, a month isnt too long, it takes a good amount of time.
Click to expand...

You're right! Starving yourself shouldn't be an option. Everything should be in moderation.
 
stompy said:
Hi All,

I have a question that has perplexed me for a while now and was hoping someone could help me out. So to give a quick background I am 6 foot and around 161 pounds. I've been working out for several months now and I'm of a somewhat skinnier build and have a faster than average metabolism. I'm trying to reduce body fat in my body because I have some fat in my stomach and arms I would like to get rid of. My question is: how do I reduce my body fat while not losing weight? I feel like if I lose any more weight I'll start to look emaciated. I know for most people in order to lose weight they do more cardio and burn more calories than they take in. I get that... however I feel like if I just do a bunch of cardio I'm just going to look really thin, which is not really the look i'm going for.

Not sure if this was confusing but would really appreciate any insight.
Click to expand...
you should go for zumba fitness system
 
Reducing body fat vs losing weight

Reducing body fat
- body recomposition/carb-cycling. Eat high levels of protein and fat. Eat cycled carbs e.g. weights day 300g of carbs and non-weights days (cardio days) 100g of carbs
- Did this myself. In Jan this year could close my weight belt at no3 , now can close it at no 5. Some guys in the gym claim I'm getting bigger but BW is the same but reduction in fat from mid-section.
- Weights days do proper weights e.g. squats, deads, pullups, bench, military so as to create a demand on your system for muscles. Have gotten stronger at compounds will be closing in on weighted chins with two Oly plates attached.

losing weight
Don't try this.
- eat ata deficit e.g. 2000 calories if your maintenance is 2500. You will lose weight (muscle, fat and water). Not ideal.
 
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