I've lost 15 pounds in 2 months but my BF does not seem much lower, why?

[glassjoe]

I went from 185 to around 170 in two months. I've cut calories and done a lot more cardio.

I'm weaker and smaller...and have not lost much fat. What the heck went wrong? I'm probably around 11-12% BF.

Thanks.

[RobOH]

How many calories are you eating? How tall are you? If you are feeling weak you might want to eat at maintenance for a week then try to lose the rest. Might help get some of your strength back so you can up the intensity in the gym to burn that last bit of fat.

[JUSA]

I went from 185 to around 170 in two months. I've cut calories and done a lot more cardio.

I'm weaker and smaller...and have not lost much fat. What the heck went wrong? I'm probably around 11-12% BF.

Thanks.

Well, you're probably not doing everything right.

1) Odds are you aren't 11-12%BF and are, in reality, considerably higher. Often times from 13-17% range it's very hard to tell the difference. You might be losing BF%, but because you miscalculated where you started from, you just haven't been noticing. Most skinny guys simply assume they're low BF and are sadly mistaken. With no pictures, this is only conjecture on my part although I'm probably right.

2) Are you lifting heavy weights? If not, you are probably losing more than just fat. The fact that you're weaker indicated that you probably are lifting - but just doing it wrong. I suggest you look into a 5x5 program suited to your fitness level and run it for the rest of your cut.

So in two weeks I'll be on vacation. I plan on being on the beach every single day.

With that said, what is the best advice nutrition-wise until then? Will cutting carbs help? I'm probably right around 10% BF right now, as I can see my abs in certain lights...but could probably stand to lose a little more.

Thanks.

Seeing as how two days ago you claimed to be 10% (while unknowingly describing yourself as being much greater than 10%), I'm guessing you're all around full of ****. Please, stop wasting people's time with the e-crap. This is a serious section for serious people, we don't have time for liars and frauds coming here and spouting off nonsense. 10% isn't "seeing abs in the right light". Moreover assuming you're not 6'4" or taller, 170lbs @ 10% would look phenomenal, yet you have no pictures.

I sense you're simply lying to yourself. You want to believe you're 10% but haven't actually put the dedication forward with your training and diet to have earned that kind of physique. Earn it and stop wasting our time.

[glassjoe]

Well, you're probably not doing everything right.

1) Odds are you aren't 11-12%BF and are, in reality, considerably higher. Often times from 13-17% range it's very hard to tell the difference. You might be losing BF%, but because you miscalculated where you started from, you just haven't been noticing. Most skinny guys simply assume they're low BF and are sadly mistaken. With no pictures, this is only conjecture on my part although I'm probably right.

2) Are you lifting heavy weights? If not, you are probably losing more than just fat. The fact that you're weaker indicated that you probably are lifting - but just doing it wrong. I suggest you look into a 5x5 program suited to your fitness level and run it for the rest of your cut.

1) Interesting. I didn't know you were at my bodyfat measuring two months ago where I was 14%. Because I was there, and that's what it was. However, if you can look at a pic of me and determine by BF better than a trainer with the right equipment, I will post a pic.

2) Yes, I am lifting.

Seeing as how two days ago you claimed to be 10% (while unknowingly describing yourself as being much greater than 10%), I'm guessing you're all around full of ****. Please, stop wasting people's time with the e-crap. This is a serious section for serious people, we don't have time for liars and frauds coming here and spouting off nonsense. 10% isn't "seeing abs in the right light". Moreover assuming you're not 6'4" or taller, 170lbs @ 10% would look phenomenal, yet you have no pictures.

I sense you're simply lying to yourself. You want to believe you're 10% but haven't actually put the dedication forward with your training and diet to have earned that kind of physique. Earn it and stop wasting our time.

Excuse me, I'm in the ballpark of 10-12%. Does that make you feel better? And nobody is wasting your time. You're the one who decided to e-stalk me and find previous posts...and because of the fact that I was off by 1% of BF in my posts I'm all of a sudden lying?

So either the bodyfat process I went through is full of BS, or you're just an angry person who used to be really fat and is still angry about it.

[JUSA]

1) Interesting. I didn't know you were at my bodyfat measuring two months ago where I was 14%. Because I was there, and that's what it was. However, if you can look at a pic of me and determine by BF better than a trainer with the right equipment, I will post a pic.

Yes, I'd like to see what someone who is 170-lbs and is likely around 15% looks like.

2) Yes, I am lifting.

Which I assumed, because you would almost have to be lifting to realize you're getting weaker. Clearly you're losing lean mass, though, and are doing things wrong - else you wouldn't be here now and you wouldn't be getting weaker. If you want, maybe drop some attitude and maybe people can help you.

Excuse me, I'm in the ballpark of 10-12%. Does that make you feel better? And nobody is wasting your time. You're the one who decided to e-stalk me and find previous posts...and because of the fact that I was off by 1% of BF in my posts I'm all of a sudden lying?

It took all of 5 seconds to search, which I felt was necessary b/c your story seems fraudulent. Almost the most recent post you've made immediately contradicted your statements here, to no surprise to me.

Now, while you're very likely not in the ballpark of 10-12% as you seem to think you are -- even if you are then don't go around saying you're 10% and then in another thread saying you're 11-12%. There is a difference and not being open about it is only going to make it harder for anyone to help you -- a task so far you seem Hell bent on making nearly impossible between your attitude and lying.

So either the bodyfat process I went through is full of BS, or you're just an angry person who used to be really fat and is still angry about it.

I assume it's the first, although I haven't made any comment on what your BF% *is* only on what it *likely is* based on the information I've seen.

Here is what you would look like if you were 10%, as you think: Deep muscle separation in the arms, legs, chest and back. Your abs will be clearly visible when flexed (please tell us if you are relaxed or flexing in your picture) and possibly visible when relaxed. You will have strong muscle separation in your delts. Tris and bis should be clearly outlined.

^ in other words, you'd look like a million bucks, especially at your height and weight. Daniel Craig in the first James Bond movie he did was around this level. I'm guessing you look more like $50 but we'll certainly see when you put up the pictures.



^ That you? Because that's what you're claiming to look like which is why I am justifiably skeptical of your claims.



^ Here's someone @ 9%. You're roughly the same height but heavier than he is by 5lbs, though, so I'm sure you'll look even better even though he's "one percent" lower bodyfat than you.

[JUSA]

I'm weaker and smaller...and have not lost much fat. What the heck went wrong? I'm probably around 11-12% BF.

1) Interesting. I didn't know you were at my bodyfat measuring two months ago where I was 14%

Btw, using your own figures:

You were 185 lbs and 14% bodyfat: ~160lbs lean mass & ~26lbs fat
You claim now 170lbs and ~11.5%: ~150.5lbs lean mass & ~19.5lbs fat

Meaning, you lost 15 pounds total weight: 8.5 lean and 6.5 fat. You'd really have to **** things up to have that lousy a ratio. The fact you only lost 15 pounds in 2 months (which comes to you only losing about 1-1/2 pound a week means it's not like you went on a crash diet and just starved yourself. It's a fairly reasonable amount to lose in that time frame. Also, you are lifting weights. I'm sure you're not doing a great job of it -- but even doing it at all should have done something to protect you from this amount of lean mass loss. You shouldn't have lost much lean mass at all, only losing 1-1/2 pounds a week while lifting weights.

^ all told: Your story makes no sense. Some part of it is simply wrong. That is for sure. Now, I have to sit back and look at this BS story and figure out what is the most likely cause of it being such a stinking pile of crap.

My Spider-Sense is telling me that this is the most likely truth out of all this crap:
1) Your BF% was much higher than 14% when you started.
2) Your BF% is now not what you claim.
3) You actually lost a lot more fat than your story would have us know, although you surely did lose some lean mass (as you are now weaker in the gym). I doubt you lost 9 lean pounds for every 6 pounds fat, though. That part is almost assuredly bull****. The ratio, while I assume still unacceptable b/c you ****ed up along the way, is surely better than 1.5 to 1.

All told THAT is why I'm pressing you on this, because your story has been from the beginning full of ****. Now, if you want -- we can help you but you have to drop your attitude and get realistic. If you want to play around and play Junior E-Psychologist to try and "get under my skin" because I hurt your feelings, then **** off. Sorry the truth hurts, but like I said from the getgo -- this is a serious section and we don't have time for ****ing around with people who are lying, even if it's only lying to themselves.

[Pennyw1se]

Im curious what equipment was used when measuring his BF. If he/she used a handheld device (which most "trainers" do) then its very likely it was WAY off.

[SicilianFool]

Btw, using your own figures:

You were 185 lbs and 14% bodyfat: ~160lbs lean mass & ~26lbs fat
You claim now 170lbs and ~11.5%: ~150.5lbs lean mass & ~19.5lbs fat

Meaning, you lost 15 pounds total weight: 8.5 lean and 6.5 fat. You'd really have to **** things up to have that lousy a ratio. The fact you only lost 15 pounds in 2 months (which comes to you only losing about 1-1/2 pound a week means it's not like you went on a crash diet and just starved yourself. It's a fairly reasonable amount to lose in that time frame. Also, you are lifting weights. I'm sure you're not doing a great job of it -- but even doing it at all should have done something to protect you from this amount of lean mass loss. You shouldn't have lost much lean mass at all, only losing 1-1/2 pounds a week while lifting weights.

^ all told: Your story makes no sense. Some part of it is simply wrong. That is for sure. Now, I have to sit back and look at this BS story and figure out what is the most likely cause of it being such a stinking pile of crap.

My Spider-Sense is telling me that this is the most likely truth out of all this crap:
1) Your BF% was much higher than 14% when you started.
2) Your BF% is now not what you claim.
3) You actually lost a lot more fat than your story would have us know, although you surely did lose some lean mass (as you are now weaker in the gym). I doubt you lost 9 lean pounds for every 6 pounds fat, though. That part is almost assuredly bull****. The ratio, while I assume still unacceptable b/c you ****ed up along the way, is surely better than 1.5 to 1.

All told THAT is why I'm pressing you on this, because your story has been from the beginning full of ****. Now, if you want -- we can help you but you have to drop your attitude and get realistic. If you want to play around and play Junior E-Psychologist to try and "get under my skin" because I hurt your feelings, then **** off. Sorry the truth hurts, but like I said from the getgo -- this is a serious section and we don't have time for ****ing around with people who are lying, even if it's only lying to themselves.

This ftw. I know rep power isnt everything esp when you compare Misc to Fat loss section, but JUSA has the experience, obviously the knowledge, and the reps to back it. Sometimes you got to look in the mirror OP and realize that maybe the only excuse to your problems with fat loss is yourself and not some freak problem.

[El Gilbro]

Im curious what equipment was used when measuring his BF. If he/she used a handheld device (which most "trainers" do) then its very likely it was WAY off.

Same here. Just because a "professional" did it, doesn't mean it's accurate.

Plus, what kind of scale is being used? "went from 185 to around 170 in two months"....on a poor quality scale, I can go from 225 to 200 in two seconds by changing my stance. Same goes for whatever was used to measure the bodyfat. I've seen calipers give readings that were off +/- 3% in consecutive readings when operated by the same person.