A little progress update

[Jedwab]

Well I haven't posted for a while as decided to get my head down and follow the advice of a few you on here - which was dont worry too much about science, but get to know your own body and what works for you. An excellent piece of advice, that's all I can say. After "is it just maths " thread I decided to test things on myself for a bit. Used the right formulas, worked out what i should be eating , split the macros fairly evenly and ate at a deficit for a while. Didn't work - I dropped no weight at all for weeks, despite working out hard, and my bf just stayed the same. Didn't want to cut any more calories as don't like being hungry/grumpy so decided to go back to the anabolic diet that i tried years ago. The 12 days weren't too bad, the first weekend carb loading was ok, 2nd weekend i went a bit nuts and carbed up too much. This weekend is my 3rd carb load and will be a little more sensible. But I have eaten more calories ( about 2000 a day) and split my macros differently. The plateau was over! I lost a lot of pounds and was amazed that my bf at the last measurement was 15.4%, when my original target was 18%. Ive been doing a lot of giant sets which seemed to have helped. So I am absolutely delighted, as I finally think I found something that works for me. Give it another week and I will introduce a mid week carb meal to see how that goes. Finally broke the pull up plateau as well - i was stuck on 5 for such a long time, finally can do 6 so hoping the only way is up. The little lumps of the sides of my thighs are gone gone gone, and I have a proper V shape! Still not quite there with the proper GHR but a lot closer than I was. A couple of progress pics below ( im only holding that silly weight for the pic by the way) .

So a big thanks everyone who contributed to my previous long threads with lots of questions.

I now have a dilemma though - I want to lost another 5/6 lbs but I dont want my body fat to go any lower. How on earth do I do that?

[Get-n-fit]

I want to lost another 5/6 lbs but I dont want my body fat to go any lower. How on earth do I do that?

Congrats on the weight loss, you look great, stomack looks awesome....unless you are willing to lose muscle I'm not sure how you'd reach this goal? You can lose it in water weight, but that would be a VERY temporary effect.

[bodyhard]

I don't get it, why do you want to lose 5-6lbs if you don't want to drop BF?

You want to lose weight just for the sake of losing weight?

[jett69]

you look amazing!!! love the abs. Keep us posted.

[Jedwab]

Bodyhard...you know that's a good question. I would just like to look a little smaller but without getting any leaner is that makes sense?


and thanks Get-n-fit/jett69

[bodyhard]

Bodyhard...you know that's a good question. I would just like to look a little smaller but without getting any leaner is that makes sense?


and thanks Get-n-fit/jett69

Actually that doesn't make sense

You can't get smaller (unless you mean height wise) without getting leaner.

Question why are you looking to drop the 5-6lbs? For what purpose other than to look leaner?

[Jedwab]

lol ok to drop into the lower dress size as in between sizes...pure vanity i guess?

[frozensparky]

must admit I'm a little confused as well, you look very lean which would lead me to believe you would look lean in a dress no matter what size the dress is. Dropping weight but not dropping BF, wouldn't that mean you want to lose muscle and not fat making your BF% rise. Sorry but I'd rather see a lean size 6 (have no idea about womens sizes) than a less lean size 5. But just to be sure post a few picks of you in said dress so we can properly help you with this dilema, add in a few with thong and bra as well just to be safe

[bodyhard]

lol ok to drop into the lower dress size as in between sizes...pure vanity i guess?

I can understand the vanity part, makes perfect sense, what doesn't make any sense is trying to lose weight without dropping BF, do you want to lose muscle?

[Jedwab]

Bodyhard, no i would like to weigh less but retain the same bf percentage so 15-16%. I think being lighter would help me with some of the gymnastics stuff too, and also with pulls ups as would have less weight to pull up...I think being 5ft6 I'm still quite heavy...

add in a few with thong and bra as well just to be safe

SO NOT gonna happen lol

[fn257]

Great job, you look awesome! dress size..............really? Ladies who look awesome don't go around worrying about dress size, they just go around looking awesome!

[bodyhard]

Bodyhard, no i would like to weigh less but retain the same bf percentage so 15-16%. I think being lighter would help me with some of the gymnastics stuff too, and also with pulls ups as would have less weight to pull up...I think being 5ft6 I'm still quite heavy...



SO NOT gonna happen lol

But here is the problem Jedwab, you can't lose weight without losing either 1) BF or 2) Muscle or a combination of both.

So how are you planning on losing 5-6lbs without losing either?

[Jedwab]

dunno. thats why i asked lol

How about if I did lose some muscle ( but would i have to change my training?) to start with to drop the weight, but then once I'm the lower weight check my bf and if its gone up just get it down again? Would that work?

I would love a crit on my workouts...into giant sets at the moment which seem to be great for fat burning, but bloody hard work. I can squat 70kg but my gym doesn't have a squat rack and i dont want to use use the smith machine as have a dodgy back anyway. 40kg is the most i can do without a spotter and doing front rather than back as had some spinal trauma recently.


from earlier today...

warm up - 5 mins on treadmill , speed 14-16km ph ( only cardio I ever do)

Set 1 - all 3 x 10

10 Front Squats 40kg
10 Dumbbell Lunges 12kg each leg
10 Leg Press 390 lb
10 Leg Extensions: 100 kg


Set 2 - all 3 x 10's

trap bar Deadlifts 60kg
Side lunges 22kg
Seated calf raise 50kg
Hamstring curl 95kg

Set 3 - 3x 10

OHP DB press 10kg
Standing Barbell Curls 8kg
Lying Triceps Extensions 6kg
Lateral raise 4 kg

Set 4 - 3 x

12 Hanging Leg Raises
5/6 Pull ups
10 Assisted dips 8kg
Plank 1 min
1 min stability kneeling on fit ball
12 full press ups legs on ball





and thanks fn257

[tmonkey]

But here is the problem Jedwab, you can't lose weight without losing either 1) BF or 2) Muscle or a combination of both.

So how are you planning on losing 5-6lbs without losing either?

I would keep everything the same - diet and workouts and add in a little more cardio and i think you will lose the 5 lbs you want

[acrawlingchaos]

You're on a bodybuilding forum... asking how to lose muscle...



SMH....

[Get-n-fit]

OK, something just clicked in my head....I don't mean to get to personal, but are you willing to lose muscle, to keep fat bc you may be afraid of losing fat in your breasts? I personally would do anything I could not to lose hard earned muscle, but then again I'm a male. Just a thought.

[kimm4]

no i would like to weigh less but retain the same bf percentage so 15-16%.

I'm being completely honest, your bodyfat number is higher. People tend to get caught up in those numbers (which never seem to be accurate) and seriously, don't mean s***! Keep your focus on fat loss, muscle is not the problem.

Excellent work so far!

[Jedwab]

You're on a bodybuilding forum... asking how to lose muscle...
SMH....

Im rolling my eyes here...Im not asking how to lose muscle at all, did you actually read my question? And why bother replying unless you have something constructive to say?
I dont want to lose muscle, i want t lose weight, just trying to find the best way of doing it.

I'm being completely honest, your bodyfat number is higher.

Kimm I can only go by what i have been told - I had it done twice, using calipers so as far as i know that's the most accurate way....what would you estimate it to be? And thanks, its been hard work, but I love it.

I don't mean to get to personal, but are you willing to lose muscle, to keep fat bc you may be afraid of losing fat in your breasts? I personally would do anything I could not to lose hard earned muscle, but then again I'm a male. Just a thought.

lol what breasts? nothing left there...

[jett69]

Im rolling my eyes here...Im not asking how to lose muscle at all, did you actually read my question? And why bother replying unless you have something constructive to say?
I dont want to lose muscle, i want t lose weight, just trying to find the best way of doing it.

You cant just lose weight w/o muscle and fat. it goes hand in hand. I'm the opposite of you. i want to keep my wieght but just lose the fat.....I wish. My suggestion is to get to the ideal weight/size you want to be and then slowly go up.

Good luck.

[discdoggie]

Eat less, do more cardio. Or try the Tracy Anderson method



That shrinks mass and drops scale weight.


I worked too hard for my muscle to shrink it away

[discdoggie]

Im rolling my eyes here...Im not asking how to lose muscle at all, did you actually read my question? And why bother replying unless you have something constructive to say?
I dont want to lose muscle, i want t lose weight, just trying to find the best way of doing it.



Kimm I can only go by what i have been told - I had it done twice, using calipers so as far as i know that's the most accurate way....what would you estimate it to be? And thanks, its been hard work, but I love it.



lol what breasts? nothing left there...

You look 15 in the pics, but there's no pics of your lower, which brings the overall percentage up

My upper is 11-12 but my lower is much higher which brings my average up.
15ish

[Paulie_G]

Honestly, you look fantastic. Your abs are some of the best I've seen from the women on this forum. I would stay away from a number on a scale or even a 1/2 size smaller dress size to determine what you do. Plus, as BH already stated. You cannot drop weight without either dropping BF and/or muscle. I would just try and enjoy the beautiful work of art that you have created.

[drudixon]

lol ok to drop into the lower dress size as in between sizes...pure vanity i guess?

just change the brand of dress and likely the dress size will change too, problem solved without changing weight.

[IronCharles]

I dont want my body fat to go any lower.

I dont want to lose muscle, i want t lose weight

I can't think of any good long term solutions to your problem. Short term, I guess you could try a colon cleanse / enema thing. That might lose you a couple pounds. Then try some diuretics, that would drop you a few pounds of water weight. Shave your head.... hair is surprisingly heavy. Skin is heavy, too... get a good dermabrasion, maybe scrub down with a loofah, you could drop a few ounces of dead skin. Next, head over to the blood bank, donate a pint for another 1 pound drop.

That's all I can come up with at the moment. I'll try and think about it further...... I'm sure I'm missing something.

[discdoggie]

Cutting your hair might subtract an ounce or two.
Water pills.



The way you're wording yourself makes it hard to understand. Do you mean of you drop any more *fat* you'll look too shredded for your particular tastes?


As a trainer, I have had plenty of clients that did not want to have visible muscle. I don't understand it, but it's very common.
They want to be smooth and tiny.

[discdoggie]

I can't think of any good long term solutions to your problem. Short term, I guess you could try a colon cleanse / enema thing. That might lose you a couple pounds. Then try some diuretics, that would drop you a few pounds of water weight. Shave your head.... hair is surprisingly heavy. Skin is heavy, too... get a good dermabrasion, maybe scrub down with a loofah, you could drop a few ounces of dead skin. Next, head over to the blood bank, donate a pint for another 1 pound drop.

That's all I can come up with at the moment. I'll try and think about it further...... I'm sure I'm missing something.

Lol GMTA Charles! I said the same thing!!!!0

[Jedwab]

Ok .....thanks for your replies and the advice. Both the positive and the piss taking ones. I do get that this is a bodybuilding forum - I'm not an idiot, I'm just genuinely stumped on how to achieve my goals. I feel that my muscles are as defined as I want them to be, I don't want to be smooth and tiny at all. I've just gone as far as I want to in terms of building muscle and I guess my bf has dropped faster than my weight. When I was 30 ( 7 years ago) I weighed 3lbs less but my body fat was almost double - in terms of visuals I looked softer and was a a size or two bigger, so I guess I should stop worrying and carry on trying to work things out as I go along. I am smaller on my top half and and starting too look a bit too vascular for MY liking, but I guess that's part and parcel of having low(ish) body fat. So I think maybe adding a little cardio is the next step, as much as it pains me to say so, as I really don't like it.

[acrawlingchaos]

Im rolling my eyes here...Im not asking how to lose muscle at all, did you actually read my question? And why bother replying unless you have something constructive to say?

Roll your eyes all you want, you absolutely did ask how to lose muscle. You can lose either lean mass or fat mass. You stated you don't want to lose fat, that leaves only lean mass. Lean mass is either muscle, organs and bone. So pardon me if your question seems a bit retarded.

As far as why bother? Because I saw the thread, saw the ridiculous content and decided to reply. Why are you on a bodybuilding site looking to lose muscle.

I dont want to lose muscle, i want t lose weight, just trying to find the best way of doing it.

I guess this comment made me think you wanted to lose muscle

How about if I did lose some muscle ( but would i have to change my training?) to start with to drop the weight, but then once I'm the lower weight check my bf and if its gone up just get it down again?

Kimm I can only go by what i have been told - I had it done twice, using calipers so as far as i know that's the most accurate way....what would you estimate it to be? And thanks, its been hard work, but I love it..

As far as your body fat.... You have 2 vanity pics to go off of and calipers are junk, if you want an accurate estimate, much better photos are required.

[Jedwab]

maybe I didn't explain myself too well. What I was saying that maybe if I initially lose weight , which i guess will consist of both fat and muscle, once I'm down to the weight I want I can then build the muscle back up again?

Calipers are junk, if you want an accurate estimate, much better photos are required.

Not really sure what you mean by vanity pics - I'm a photographer so if i was posting vanity pics, trust me i would use better means than my iphone. But that aside, are you saying that a visual estimation is more accurate than calipers?

[discdoggie]

maybe I didn't explain myself too well. What I was saying that maybe if I initially lose weight , which i guess will consist of both fat and muscle, once I'm down to the weight I want I can then build the muscle back up again?



Not really sure what you mean by vanity pics - I'm a photographer so if i was posting vanity pics, trust me i would use better means than my iphone. But that aside, are you saying that a visual estimation is more accurate than calipers?

vanity pics = flattering myspace angles vs. full view relaxed front rear and side shots.


google Tracy Anderson method.