29.9% BF How to get rid?

[RockNRolla75]

I'm new on here and came across this website whilst Googling for tips on how to lose body fat. After suffering from years of eating disorders/starving myself, I decided a few months ago to try and get fit,healthy and get a six-pack! I started running 2.5 miles per day and eating tuna (the only meat I can stand to eat) and salad every day, along with 2 protein shakes per day.

Yesterday, I went to a gym for the first time ever. I used the machine to measure Body Fat, etc. I am 5'11 inches, weigh 130 pounds with a BMI of 18.8. My body fat is 29.9%, although I look very thin. I spoke to someone at the gym, who said it is most likely that my body went into "starvation mode" and has eaten away my muscle?

I have read through pages of tips on here today and found lots of very helpful info. However, no-one seems to have as high a percentage of body fat. I'm basically asking if it can be done-to restore muscle and drastically reduce my body fat? I did a Body Pump classs yesterday and attempted lifting weights today.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[devil_chile]

well the good news for you is that you like high protien meat - Tuna.
.. i think i can help you..now don't get me wrong i am not slim and trim right now but i've mastered the art of losing the weight when i want too..I am in an off season mode right now...as it's "christmas" and all...

So if you want my help i will need some more info.. let me know your daily schedule , that is, what time do you wake.. what time do you go to bed.. what commitments you have throughout the day.. work ? school ? kids ? and time factors involved..

Next let me know what you like to eat ? Both junk and healthy food. And are their anythings that you are restricted from eating due to allergies, religious beliefs,personal beliefs ?

Next I need to know your Weight, height, bf%

Do you have any medical conditions ?

And are you restricted by a budget for ( food and Supplements ?)

[RockNRolla75]

well the good news for you is that you like high protien meat - Tuna.
.. i think i can help you..now don't get me wrong i am not slim and trim right now but i've mastered the art of losing the weight when i want too..I am in an off season mode right now...as it's "christmas" and all...

So if you want my help i will need some more info.. let me know your daily schedule , that is, what time do you wake.. what time do you go to bed.. what commitments you have throughout the day.. work ? school ? kids ? and time factors involved..

Next let me know what you like to eat ? Both junk and healthy food. And are their anythings that you are restricted from eating due to allergies, religious beliefs,personal beliefs ?

Next I need to know your Weight, height, bf%

Do you have any medical conditions ?

And are you restricted by a budget for ( food and Supplements ?)

Thanks for fast reply!

Wake at 6am to go for run, then work from 7.30am-6pm, workout 6-7pm, bed 11pm.

I'm 5'11, 130lb's, BMI 18.8 and 29.9% bf.

I'm only eating Tuna w/salad and 2 whey protein drinks at the moment. I like "bad" foods (ie. bread/potatoes) but can/do avoid them. Don't eat any junk food. Nothing fried, no sweets etc. Don't like any meat, except for tuna. Thanks in advance.

[ejthomp]

First of all.... Let's throw out the BMI and body fat measurement that some machine gave you. Those machines are ridiculously inaccurate. Show us a picture of your body....neck to waist if that is all you want to show. We'll tell you where you are at with a much greater precision that those worthless machines.

Second, if you are 5'11" and 130 pounds, you are thin. You are probably what we call here, "skinny fat". That means you are thin, but have very little muscle. You need to decide what your goal is. Tell us what body you want to make. Do you just want to be thin with a low body fat? Are you happy with the muscle mass you have now and just want to get rid of the excess body fat so you have ripped muscles? Meaning you will be even thinner than you are now. Or do you want to build a bunch of muscles and weigh 150, 160, 170 with a low body fat percentage.

Third, are you willing to put in the time and dedication it takes to do this? This isn't going to take a month or two.... IT WILL TAKE YEARS!!!! ARE YOU UP FOR IT? NO EXCUSES?

[jxd]

I would question the machine's readings. At 130 pounds and 30% bodyfat, you have only 90 pounds of LBM. I read when Christian Bale lost weight for The Machinist, he had trouble with simple physical activities because he had no muscle left, but you still can run.

Post a picture, if you really have 30% BF you'd have boobs and a gut hanging over your belt.

[-TC-]

No way you are close to 30% bf, which is a good thing

[Tanulean]

Lol you are not 30% bodyfat at 130

[Tanulean]

This has to be a troll. Nobody wants to lose weight at 5 11 130

[devil_chile]

ok you prob need to go to bed a little earlier
i'd say 9 ish

structure your day well and you will get through this thing...

wake at 5 am.

5:30 am - do fasted cardio it's the best. drink room temperature or warm water throughout your work out...cardio should last for an hour max. Running is good you can do some aerobic as well. For you 30 min cardio is fine but you must do it everyday.

You need to integrate some supplements into your meals as mell the following is a sample of your mean plan for the day

6:30 - meal 1(breakfast) - 3 egg whites, 1 cup special K cereal with or without milk ( skimmed milk 2ounces of milk miked with 6ounces of water) 1 Scoop whey Protien 1 scoop creatine powder 10 ounces of water.


9:30 - Meal 2 (snack)- nuts and a fruit..preferably an apple or an orange.

12:30 - meal 3 (lunch) - rice, peas, chicken brest and sugar free iced tea or diet soda. You can have ayoghurt for desert

3:30 - meal 4 (snack) - fruit or yoghurt or tuna salad.

6:30 - meal 5 (dinner)- rice- beans and grilled salmon.

8:30 - meal 6 (just before bed) - cottage cheese and a protien shake (1 scoop whey 1 scoop casien and 10 ounces of water)

work out on evenings as normal with your weights and a little cardio wont hurt. but have a protien shak after the workout.

Prepare for this tommorrow i will tell you about measurememnts and why they are important.

[RockNRolla75]

[QUOTE=ejthomp;428371581] Do you just want to be thin with a low body fat? Are you happy with the muscle mass you have now and just want to get rid of the excess body fat so you have ripped muscles? Meaning you will be even thinner than you are now. /QUOTE]

Yes, that is what I'd like to achieve, just to be rid of the fat and maybe build a little muscle.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have attached a pic (not the best!), and a pic of the reading I got from the machine at the gym. The height I know for sure is inaccurate as I measured myself afterwards!

[ejthomp]

Your body fat percentage is less than 20 so throw away that damn machine reading.

The bottom line is that you need a balanced diet and you are going to need to start lifting weights.

What is your experience? Have you lost a lot of weight already? How did you do it?

First step... build a good diet
Second step....start lifting heavy weights.

[RockNRolla75]

Your body fat percentage is less than 20 so throw away that damn machine reading.

The bottom line is that you need a balanced diet and you are going to need to start lifting weights.

What is your experience? Have you lost a lot of weight already? How did you do it?

First step... build a good diet
Second step....start lifting heavy weights.

I lost 25lbs. Not very sensibly-restricting calories to 500-600 per day. Plus running/crunches.

Thanks.

[ejthomp]

I lost 25lbs. Not very sensibly-restricting calories to 500-600 per day. Plus running/crunches.

Thanks.

Thought so.... You've got that skin draped over a bag of bones look.

Time to build a sensible diet and start recovery. Do you want to do it right this time?

[RockNRolla75]

Thought so.... You've got that skin draped over a bag of bones look.

Time to build a sensible diet and start recovery. Do you want to do it right this time?

Definitely. Gym, this week, and lots of dietary tips from this forum have been very helpful :-).

[belairdfence99]

wake at 5 am.

5:30 am - do fasted cardio it's the best. drink room temperature or warm water throughout your work out...cardio should last for an hour max. Running is good you can do some aerobic as well. For you 30 min cardio is fine but you must do it everyday.

Don't listen to this guy....

His facts are brotastic. You don't need to do cardio everyday to lose weight, especially since you are "skinny fat". Pack on some muscle and then start to cut some weight. The muscle will help you to lose the weight

[Reloadguy]

To be 130 pounds at your height with such little muscle, losing more weight is the worst thing you can do. You need to eat a lot and lift, eventually you'll have a decent amount of muscle and then you can cut the fat.

[RockNRolla75]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm gonna eat loads and lift loads of weights first. Then see what happens with regards to getting muscle definition.

[RockNRolla75]

I've been reading lots of different ways of losing fat/building muscle on here. If I drank 5 protein shakes per day and ate tuna with salad at night, (totalling approx 140g of protein per day), plus lifted weights and ran 3 miles, would that help to reduce my body fat?

[Zubius]

Time to build a sensible diet and start recovery. Do you want to do it right this time?

I've been reading lots of different ways of losing fat/building muscle on here. If I drank 5 protein shakes per day and ate tuna with salad at night, (totalling approx 140g of protein per day), plus lifted weights and ran 3 miles, would that help to reduce my body fat?

Solid advice so far.... But do a bit more research on the diet. It's better to get your protein from solid food sources, especially when just starting.. Learn about your foods. Once you have a "sensible" diet plan and you're not getting enough protein, add a shake.

[PandaPaw]

Five protein shakes a day? Blech. I don't even think pure bodybuilders would succumb to such a diet.

You need to create a balanced diet of veggies, lean meat, fruit and maybe a protein shake a day. What everyone means by "cutting out the junk" is to eat actual food. Okay, the salad is fine and the tuna is good for you. But everyday? That's so boring. Can you cook at all? Try cooking some chicken up with spices or make a stirfry or something.

In other words: you're trying to take this from one extreme to the other. You kind of have the starved look on you just from seeing your front. You need to get more calories into that system of yours, and it has to be good stuff. No, potatoes aren't bad. Starch isn't bad. Bread isn't bad. Our bodies require many different types of foods in order to efficiently run. You can't last on 500-600 calories, and you can't last on tuna, salad, and protein shakes.

[kingofswing01]

I would question the machine's readings. At 130 pounds and 30% bodyfat, you have only 90 pounds of LBM. I read when Christian Bale lost weight for The Machinist, he had trouble with simple physical activities because he had no muscle left, but you still can run.

Post a picture, if you really have 30% BF you'd have boobs and a gut hanging over your belt.

Maybe its a girl...?

[RockNRolla75]

Thanks. I want to keep tje fat and calories to a minimum and focus on the muscle. I can be very disciplined with food, so a boring diet is not an issue for me.

[Elektricity]

Judging by how lean your collarbones/traps look, you must have almost no muscle at all. Your first priority should be to add some quality muslce, which is gonna mean eating more. You previously said tha yoy want to keep calories and fats to a minimum, don't.

You need to eat to gain weight plus certain fats (unsaturated / EFAs) are essential for health. Eat a balanced diet, containing a mix of carbs/protein/healthy fats. I'm not sure what your maintenance would be (Maintenance would be the number or calories you eat to keep your weight steady). Once you know this add approx 500 calories a day and hope to gain about a pound a week.

I would drop the running down to maybe only once a week. Your gonna need to be in a calorific surplus to gain weight, but one session a week will still keep your lungs & heart healthy. Weight training should be a simple full body workout consisting of basic compund lifts.

Squats / Deadlifts / Bench / Military Press / Rows

Dont worry if you have to start very light, we all have to start somewhere

Thats about as much help as I can give since I'm in a completely different sitution to you, but to summarise.

-Eat a healthy balanced diet with adequete protein and healthy fats, aim to gain about 1lb per week
-Cut the running down to one session a week or less
-Start weight training with a Full Body workout of simple compound lifts

Hope I can be of help

Will

[hannahs_life]

I lost 25lbs. Not very sensibly-restricting calories to 500-600 per day. Plus running/crunches.

Thanks.

I got "skinny fat" starving too and intentionally supported a mere 75 lbs of muscle, so I'm of the opinion one can have a very high BF% while being low weight/low BMI; however, your reading seems a bit extreme. At 92 lbs (doubtlessly 20-22% bf) I know one can be skinny fat, but that's for a female and I highly doubt you're 30%! Even female anorexic runners can get into the single-digit range.

[rtmiii]

Solid advice so far.... But do a bit more research on the diet. It's better to get your protein from solid food sources, especially when just starting.. Learn about your foods. Once you have a "sensible" diet plan and you're not getting enough protein, add a shake.

Agree!

Restricting to shakes seems to be more of a "cutting" plan. Well, I am thinking it would put your mind in that mode, instead of a gaining mode.

Start eating some good solid foods, and get into the gym to start lifting (heavier). A few weeks into lifting you should start to see some nice progress. Muscles will start growing, and your body will change.

[RockNRolla75]

Thanks for all of the great advice. I'm going to try 4 "proper" meals per day plus supplements/protein shakes/snacks and lift weights.

[rtmiii]

*********************
copied from another site
*********************

Meal 1:
2 scoops whey protein
15 raw almonds
3,000 mg fish oil
1,300 mg evening primrose oil

meal 2:
6 oz. Chicken (measured after cooking)
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 3:
2 scoops whey protein
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 4:
6 oz. Chicken
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 5:
6 oz. Chicken
15 raw almonds
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 6:
2 scoops whey protein
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)
　
*** feel free to use zero calorie condiments like: Butter spray, mustard, salt, etc…***

*** you may use crystal light in your water if you would like***
　
*** once per week have an additional 500 calories added to meal 6. It can consist of whatever you want***

[Elektricity]

*********************
copied from another site
*********************

Meal 1:
2 scoops whey protein
15 raw almonds
3,000 mg fish oil
1,300 mg evening primrose oil

meal 2:
6 oz. Chicken (measured after cooking)
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 3:
2 scoops whey protein
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 4:
6 oz. Chicken
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 5:
6 oz. Chicken
15 raw almonds
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)

meal 6:
2 scoops whey protein
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 cup green beans or broccoli (optional)
　
*** feel free to use zero calorie condiments like: Butter spray, mustard, salt, etc…***

*** you may use crystal light in your water if you would like***
　
*** once per week have an additional 500 calories added to meal 6. It can consist of whatever you want***

I would disagree with this diet for your purposes, it comes to about 225g protein and about 2000 cals and contains lots of healthy fats, so is ideal for cutting, however;

In your cases I would advise getting your calories from solid food, especially if you are recoving from an eating disorder try to eat whole foods and learn to enjoy food again. Shakes are an easy way to add clean protein (~80% of cals in whey are from protein) so are good on a cut however in your case, add more carbs rice, potato, sweet potates, pasta, fruit, vegetables etc. At your weight you probably only have about 100lbs of lean mass so 225g protein would be overkill.

[RockNRolla75]

Ok, I am currently having 3 meals plus snacks and protein shakes to build up. When I need to "cut", will just having protein shakes during the day work to keep my metabolism going? I plan to have 4-5 per day, bringing my total protein intake to 120-130g per day. Thanks.