5 months to lose 5% bodyfat?

[Faircloth]

I know, I know. I posted a thread here just over three weeks ago. But in all honesty, I wasn't sure where else to turn besides this community.

My goal is to lose 5% bodyfat by mid-May, when I'll be taking a trip to the beach with some friends. I currently weigh 125 (my recent low was 123.8) at 5'3" (though I'm closer to 5'4"). My bodyfat percentage is anywhere from 24-26% if I had to guess. I might try to post a picture later if I can pluck up the courage.

Basically, I want to get down to 18-20% bodyfat in 5 months, or by the beach trip. But I have NO IDEA how to accomplish this. I've read so many differing opinions that I am thoroughly confused.

For those that would ask if I want to lose fat or gain muscle, I guess my answer would be both. I want a good beach body, and I know that's going to require building muscle. I just don't know if I should bulk now or continue to cut (I currently eat 1400 cals). My fear is that if I bulk, I won't be able to lose the fat I gain during that bulk in time for the trip, and that I'll be bigger than I already am.

Help!

Edit:

Since I didn't post a picture, I'll describe my body type. I basically carry weight in all of the wrong places. My arms are twigs (not a shred of muscle or fat to be found...a slight exaggeration, but you get the picture). You can slightly see my collarbone, but not my shoulder blades unless I stretch. My thighs are soft and flabby (I hate that word) and my stomach is the same. It pouches out, along with my hips, yet my hip BONES are prominent.

Ugh.

[oregonchick76]

First off, unless you had your body fat measured by DEXA, it is probably much higher than 26%. Most methods of measuring body fat are wildly inaccurate.

Regardless, if you are truly 26% right now at 125 lbs, you have 93 lbs of LBM and 32 lbs of FAT.

If you ONLY lose fat, you'd have to get down to 113 lbs to reach 18% body fat. Yeah, technically you could lose 12 lbs in 5 months, but 113 lbs is an unhealthy weight for someone your height. The problem is, you can't exclusively lose fat, you'll probably lose 2-3 lbs of muscle during your diet, which makes your end target 110 lbs for 18% body fat.

If you wanted to GAIN muscle first, you have to eat in a calorie surplus, lift a solid and progressive program, and the amount of muscle you could gain in 5 months is going to range anywhere from 2.5 - 5 lbs. But on a bulk, you can't gain muscle exclusively - you gain a little fat with each bulk.

You can't gain muscle in a calorie deficit and you can't lose fat in a calorie surplus.

5 months is not long enough to reach your goal. If time was not an issue, I'd diet down to around 120 and then do a 6-12 month bulk.
For your particular situation, I would just diet down to 115-120, and then eat at maintenance and lift heavy until your trip. Then I'd start that bulk and stick with it for 6 months.

[Faircloth]

First off, unless you had your body fat measured by DEXA, it is probably much higher than 26%. Most methods of measuring body fat are wildly inaccurate.

Regardless, if you are truly 26% right now at 125 lbs, you have 93 lbs of LBM and 32 lbs of FAT.

If you ONLY lose fat, you'd have to get down to 113 lbs to reach 18% body fat. Yeah, technically you could lose 12 lbs in 5 months, but 113 lbs is an unhealthy weight for someone your height. The problem is, you can't exclusively lose fat, you'll probably lose 2-3 lbs of muscle during your diet, which makes your end target 110 lbs for 18% body fat.

If you wanted to GAIN muscle first, you have to eat in a calorie surplus, lift a solid and progressive program, and the amount of muscle you could gain in 5 months is going to range anywhere from 2.5 - 5 lbs. But on a bulk, you can't gain muscle exclusively - you gain a little fat with each bulk.

You can't gain muscle in a calorie deficit and you can't lose fat in a calorie surplus.

5 months is not long enough to reach your goal. If time was not an issue, I'd diet down to around 120 and then do a 6-12 month bulk.
For your particular situation, I would just diet down to 115-120, and then eat at maintenance and lift heavy until your trip. Then I'd start that bulk and stick with it for 6 months.

I figured my bodyfat percentage was off. I had to resort to the "eyeball" method, and from what I've seen online, I guestimated what range I was in. But I agree that I'm probably higher than 26%, maybe closer to 27 or 28%.

I do wish I had more time to do things properly. I know a good, long bulk is probably what I need, but given the trip, I just don't have the time. Your suggestion to diet down to 115-120lbs is most likely what I'm going to have to do.

I'm currently eating 1400 calories. Is this a good start for my fat loss goals? I know most people believe 1200 is too low, but as I lose weight, should I drop calories to keep up the deficit?

Also, about hitting my macros: How vital is it to consistently hit macro goals? I often struggle with consuming too many carbs, though I stay within my 1400 calories. I'm going to up my effort on hitting my macro goals, but I wasn't sure how badly it would affect my diet if a few days here and there were off.

[oregonchick76]

I figured my bodyfat percentage was off. I had to resort to the "eyeball" method, and from what I've seen online, I guestimated what range I was in. But I agree that I'm probably higher than 26%, maybe closer to 27 or 28%.

I do wish I had more time to do things properly. I know a good, long bulk is probably what I need, but given the trip, I just don't have the time. Your suggestion to diet down to 115-120lbs is most likely what I'm going to have to do.

I'm currently eating 1400 calories. Is this a good start for my fat loss goals? I know most people believe 1200 is too low, but as I lose weight, should I drop calories to keep up the deficit?

Also, about hitting my macros: How vital is it to consistently hit macro goals? I often struggle with consuming too many carbs, though I stay within my 1400 calories. I'm going to up my effort on hitting my macro goals, but I wasn't sure how badly it would affect my diet if a few days here and there were off.

If you're losing at a good clip on 1400, keep it at 1400.

There's no such thing as consuming 'too many carbs', but there is such a thing as 'not enough protein' and 'not enough fat'.

[chicky74]

I figured my bodyfat percentage was off. I had to resort to the "eyeball" method, and from what I've seen online, I guestimated what range I was in. But I agree that I'm probably higher than 26%, maybe closer to 27 or 28%.

I do wish I had more time to do things properly. I know a good, long bulk is probably what I need, but given the trip, I just don't have the time. Your suggestion to diet down to 115-120lbs is most likely what I'm going to have to do.

I'm currently eating 1400 calories. Is this a good start for my fat loss goals? I know most people believe 1200 is too low, but as I lose weight, should I drop calories to keep up the deficit?

Also, about hitting my macros: How vital is it to consistently hit macro goals? I often struggle with consuming too many carbs, though I stay within my 1400 calories. I'm going to up my effort on hitting my macro goals, but I wasn't sure how badly it would affect my diet if a few days here and there were off.

Based on your weight and muscle mass, I definitely think you could gain some newbie muscle gains while eating 1400 cals as long as you lift heavy. But honestly, I think you might be happier maybe losing just a couple pounds then focusing on building muscle.

You and I are the same height, but I am 140 and about 24% body fat. I think 125lbs is an ideal weight for our height but us girls just need to work harder on building muscle.

example I found online: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23...a74c115d39.jpg

[Faircloth]

If you're losing at a good clip on 1400, keep it at 1400.

There's no such thing as consuming 'too many carbs', but there is such a thing as 'not enough protein' and 'not enough fat'.

I've been having some trouble losing weight at 1400 calories, but I'll stick with it for another three or four weeks and see what happens.

[Faircloth]

Based on your weight and muscle mass, I definitely think you could gain some newbie muscle gains while eating 1400 cals as long as you lift heavy. But honestly, I think you might be happier maybe losing just a couple pounds then focusing on building muscle.

You and I are the same height, but I am 140 and about 24% body fat. I think 125lbs is an ideal weight for our height but us girls just need to work harder on building muscle.

I'll definitely be lifting regularly (and heavily) between now and the trip. But unfortunately, because of the limited amount of time I have, I don't think I can properly build muscle (like the picture) and keep the fat down at the same time, even though I would love to look like that in five months. Sigh.

But yes, we definitely have to work harder to achieve the same results as our taller counterparts. Sometimes being short sucks...

Quick question: have you ever found the use of supplements useful? Perhaps a cleansing pill, to help lose the last few stubborn pounds? I've been doing some research, but I'm not quite certain if I should try that route.

[Faircloth]

Okay, so I've been eating 1400 calories and lifting 3x a week. I've been doing my best to eat my macros, but it doesn't always happen. I just weighed myself and I've gained, from 125.2 to 125.6. Not a huge gain, I know, but I'm at my wits-end. I keep being told "calories in vs. calories out", and at 1400 calories a weight gain, even a little, doesn't make sense. My maintenence should be at 1800, so even for those days I was 100-200 calories off, I still should have been in a deficit.

I'm beginning to lose faith. I didn't expect a huge weight loss, not even a pound. But I at least wanted to lose a half a pound a week to reach my 115 lb goal by the start of May.

[oregonchick76]

Okay, so I've been eating 1400 calories and lifting 3x a week. I've been doing my best to eat my macros, but it doesn't always happen. I just weighed myself and I've gained, from 125.2 to 125.6. Not a huge gain, I know, but I'm at my wits-end. I keep being told "calories in vs. calories out", and at 1400 calories a weight gain, even a little, doesn't make sense. My maintenence should be at 1800, so even for those days I was 100-200 calories off, I still should have been in a deficit.

I'm beginning to lose faith. I didn't expect a huge weight loss, not even a pound. But I at least wanted to lose a half a pound a week to reach my 115 lb goal by the start of May.

A gain of .4 lbs does not count. Considering that women have a pretty large fluctuation of water weight, anything less than about 2 lbs is not worth worrying about.

How are you tracking your intake? Are you consistently using a digital scale to weigh everything you eat?
How long have you been eating 1400 calories every day?

I personally do not track my weight from week to week, even on a diet. Knowing that I will typically see a 4 lb water weight change throughout my cycle, I often don't really know what my real weight loss is for a month until I've tracked through two low points - or about 4 weeks or so.

[Faircloth]

A gain of .4 lbs does not count. Considering that women have a pretty large fluctuation of water weight, anything less than about 2 lbs is not worth worrying about.

How are you tracking your intake? Are you consistently using a digital scale to weigh everything you eat?
How long have you been eating 1400 calories every day?

I personally do not track my weight from week to week, even on a diet. Knowing that I will typically see a 4 lb water weight change throughout my cycle, I often don't really know what my real weight loss is for a month until I've tracked through two low points - or about 4 weeks or so.

Unfortunately, I don't have a digital scale. When counting calories, I often overestimate how many calories are in a particular meal, just to be on the safe side. And again, I usually leave 100-200 calories leftover when I can, just to ensure any error doesn't affect my diet too terribly.

I've been eating 1400 calories a day for around 6-9 weeks. Before that, I'd been eating 1200. That's when I hit my lowest weight at 123.4.

I suppose I just need to go longer in between weigh-ins. I just wanted to make sure I was on the right track, since I do have the May deadline coming up. After eating 1400 calories for so long (and 1200 before that), I guess I just wanted to see a little more improvement than I have.

[terar21]

I'm literally right where you are, except I'm 5'3" closer to 5'2" lol.

I agree with the other poster because it's what I'm doing. I'm happy at my size but need to drop body fat. So I'm dropping to 115 (if I get there are realize I still need to cut, I'll go to 110 but I don't think it'll be necessary). When I reach 115, I'll go to a small surplus and bulk up to 125 while doing heavy lifting for however long it takes. I'd rather it be a slow bulk though and eat in surplus around 250 putting me at half a pound a week, maybe I'll do a SLIGHTLY higher surplus but I'll judge as I go along. I may cycle a heavier surplus on lift days. We'll see how it works out.

I'm currently down 20 pounds from where I started so I'm just continuing the same routine that I've been doing. 3 days cardio, 3 days lift (my lifts are full body every other day). The results have been great and my loss rate it around 1 pound a week (lower now that I've gotten closer to my goal weight). I eat right under 1500. Investing in a scale will really help you. I won't lie, I'm an estimater at times but it's only when I've seen the actual scale amount so much I'm pro (ie I truly know exactly what 8 grams of peanut butter looks like on a knife). But meat is another story. Can't guess on that. The scale is a necessity because the margin of error for us at a already small weight is very slim. Being off 50 calories on a meal/snack can add up quickly. Just get a cheap scale for $20 and it'll be a life saver.

Don't let the weight fluctuations get you down and make you think you're off track. We retain fluid so easily that we can be up a pound for a couple of weeks. Especially if you increase intensity in workouts, you can retain water for several weeks.

[nacersusaf]

Unfortunately, I don't have a digital scale. When counting calories, I often overestimate how many calories are in a particular meal, just to be on the safe side. And again, I usually leave 100-200 calories leftover when I can, just to ensure any error doesn't affect my diet too terribly.

I've been eating 1400 calories a day for around 6-9 weeks. Before that, I'd been eating 1200. That's when I hit my lowest weight at 123.4.

I suppose I just need to go longer in between weigh-ins. I just wanted to make sure I was on the right track, since I do have the May deadline coming up. After eating 1400 calories for so long (and 1200 before that), I guess I just wanted to see a little more improvement than I have.

Investing in a digital scale would help you a ton (I say 'invest', but you can get them super cheap from Amazon, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.) and might be just the thing you need. I also think that nailing down your diet and bringing your calories UP would do wonders for you. Remember, it's not just all about the scale weight; if you want to lose bodyfat, adding muscle is the way to go.

I do online nutrition and training coaching if you want to chat a bit more about getting some custom programming. I initially started out where you were, right here on these forums back in 2007, and online coaching is what finally got me over that hump and helped me get going in the right direction.
www.jsfitnesssolutionsllc.com (if you want to chat)

Aside from that, some timed refeeds may do you a lot of good. If you have been consistently eating 1200-1400 calories for weeks with no 'cheats' or high-carb days, it's likely that your hormones are getting a bit wacky and slowing things down for you.

[Faircloth]

I'm literally right where you are, except I'm 5'3" closer to 5'2" lol.

I agree with the other poster because it's what I'm doing. I'm happy at my size but need to drop body fat. So I'm dropping to 115 (if I get there are realize I still need to cut, I'll go to 110 but I don't think it'll be necessary). When I reach 115, I'll go to a small surplus and bulk up to 125 while doing heavy lifting for however long it takes. I'd rather it be a slow bulk though and eat in surplus around 250 putting me at half a pound a week, maybe I'll do a SLIGHTLY higher surplus but I'll judge as I go along. I may cycle a heavier surplus on lift days. We'll see how it works out.

I'm currently down 20 pounds from where I started so I'm just continuing the same routine that I've been doing. 3 days cardio, 3 days lift (my lifts are full body every other day). The results have been great and my loss rate it around 1 pound a week (lower now that I've gotten closer to my goal weight). I eat right under 1500. Investing in a scale will really help you. I won't lie, I'm an estimater at times but it's only when I've seen the actual scale amount so much I'm pro (ie I truly know exactly what 8 grams of peanut butter looks like on a knife). But meat is another story. Can't guess on that. The scale is a necessity because the margin of error for us at a already small weight is very slim. Being off 50 calories on a meal/snack can add up quickly. Just get a cheap scale for $20 and it'll be a life saver.

Don't let the weight fluctuations get you down and make you think you're off track. We retain fluid so easily that we can be up a pound for a couple of weeks. Especially if you increase intensity in workouts, you can retain water for several weeks.

I don't do as much cardio as you, though my lifting routine is similar. I'm hoping to see results by the end of the month, to give myself just over three weeks to see what progress I'm making. I'm really hoping I do. But I will keep in mind about water weight. We're so short that every little fluctuation matters.

[Faircloth]

Investing in a digital scale would help you a ton (I say 'invest', but you can get them super cheap from Amazon, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.) and might be just the thing you need. I also think that nailing down your diet and bringing your calories UP would do wonders for you. Remember, it's not just all about the scale weight; if you want to lose bodyfat, adding muscle is the way to go.

I do online nutrition and training coaching if you want to chat a bit more about getting some custom programming. I initially started out where you were, right here on these forums back in 2007, and online coaching is what finally got me over that hump and helped me get going in the right direction.
(if you want to chat)

Aside from that, some timed refeeds may do you a lot of good. If you have been consistently eating 1200-1400 calories for weeks with no 'cheats' or high-carb days, it's likely that your hormones are getting a bit wacky and slowing things down for you.

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will get a scale soon; it sounds like it's the way to go. As for bumping up my calories, I did read a few articles that said it would help - and a few that debunked that theory, but that seems to be the way with all things. I did move my calories to 1500, since MFP says I should be losing at least half a pound a week at that rate, and raising my calories might help from what I've read. But does raising calories really help? Or is it just one of those articles to make people feel better about eating more to lose weight?

[Faircloth]

So after a month of eating between 1400-1500 calories and lifting 3x a week, I now weigh exactly 124 lbs. While I'm happy to be below 125, I'm not happy to see that I've only lost 1 lb this month (when my goal is to lose another 5-10 lbs between now and May). At this point, I have no idea how I'm supposed to accomplish this goal.

But I suppose that's what you guys are for, right?

- Should I be doing cardio? I dislike it, but I will incorporate incline treadmill (10-15% incline) if it will help.
- Should I be eating less? The only times I've seen real results (a half-pound to a pound a week) on a 1200 calorie diet, but it's so miserable I hate even thinking about it (but hey, for the body I want, I'll do it). No, I don't have a scale, but I do overestimate calories (if it says 1 cups serving, I try to serve slightly less (3/4) just in case of human error).
- Is it the food I'm eating? I don't necessarily eat as healthy as I should, but it's always within my calories (I've had maybe one or two "cheat" days, where I went over my calorie goal by maybe 400-500 calories). Should I attempt a "cleaner" diet?

Again, I'm happy with the loss - but not happy enough. I at least wanted to be at a solid 122-123 lbs by this time.

Help!