WTF bodyfat is that?

[Faux19]

Like, how the **** do I still have no muscle definition?? OMG so frustrating...

Help me guestimate this weird ass bodyfat please!! It can't be 14% because I've been cutting from 14% for a month...

So wtf is it?

[anonymous]

Dude you're like 16.5

Or you just need better lighting

[xsquid99]

I wouldn't put you at 16.5, but 14-15 yes...

How much weight have you lost in that month?

[WorldClassDBag]

17-18%

[Faux19]

Dude you're like 16.5

Or you just need better lighting

I mean sometimes I can see all of my six pack lol... yeah but the love handles are still there so maybe that's an indicator that I'm still stuck in 14-15%... WHICH MEANS I HAVEN'T LOST A SINGLE % FOR TWO MONTHS EVEN THOUGH I DROPPED POUNDS OF PROBABLY HARD EARNED MUSCLE...

[Faux19]

I wouldn't put you at 16.5, but 14-15 yes...

How much weight have you lost in that month?

In two months, 7 pounds flat (from 178 lbs to now 171)... but since BF didn't move; I'm guessing muscle.

Huge problem here: if I continue cutting, my muscle would get raped, but I can't bulk either cause I'm in a high BF already.

[Serpentarius]

In two months, 7 pounds flat (from 178 lbs to now 171)... but since BF didn't move; I'm guessing muscle.

Huge problem here: if I continue cutting, my muscle would get raped, but I can't bulk either cause I'm in a high BF already.

Fat is dense, you have a lot of fat. You wont even notice a difference in 5 lbs from now. Focus on the SCALE weight, ignore muscle.

[xsquid99]

The fact is you're carrying a lot more fat than you realize, and changes come slowly until your BF drops lower, then you'll really start to see a difference. At first you said you've been cutting for a month, then you said you've been cutting for 2 months. 178 to 171 in 2 months isn't very good as far as a cut goes, drop your calories/increase cardio until you're losing 1.5 lbs per week.

You want to get to 11% you probably have a good 15+ lbs to go.

[Luclin999]

In two months, 7 pounds flat (from 178 lbs to now 171)... but since BF didn't move; I'm guessing muscle.

Huge problem here: if I continue cutting, my muscle would get raped, but I can't bulk either cause I'm in a high BF already.

It is basically impossible for you to have lost nothing but muscle and zero fat.

Honestly, since you have only lost seven pounds total what you have really lost is probably more like this:

~ 4-5 pounds of water weight.

~ 2-3 pounds of fat/lean mass.

Just stop being so paranoid, drop your calories by about 200 more per day and lose the fat.

[SuffolkPunch]

How do you know your BF% didn't change? In all likelihood you don't, it's just that you had more fat to lose than you thought. If you were nearly 180lbs lean, that would be quite an accomplishment, the work of 3-5 years training maybe.

Let your strength be your guide - if you don't get weaker, you didn't lose muscle.

[Faux19]

It is basically impossible for you to have lost nothing but muscle and zero fat.

Honestly, since you have only lost seven pounds total what you have really lost is probably more like this:

~ 4-5 pounds of water weight.

~ 2-3 pounds of fat/lean mass.

Just stop being so paranoid, drop your calories by about 200 more per day and lose the fat.

I'm eating at 1700 cals a day on an intermittent fasting diet plan, doing HIIT twice a week for 20 mins each after lifting, and walking on 6mph on Incline (12 degrees) for 30 mins every other day again after lifting. Also just included swimming in the evening three times a week... Lifting is 4 days a week (push/pull routine) keeping strength from previous bulk as much as possible.

Sounds about right?

[Faux19]

How do you know your BF% didn't change? In all likelihood you don't, it's just that you had more fat to lose than you thought. If you were nearly 180lbs lean, that would be quite an accomplishment, the work of 3-5 years training maybe.

Let your strength be your guide - if you don't get weaker, you didn't lose muscle.

Not getting weaker, well... not yet anyways. However, I do feel hungry all the ****ing time with a desire to binge but I usually control myself.

[Faux19]

The fact is you're carrying a lot more fat than you realize, and changes come slowly until your BF drops lower, then you'll really start to see a difference. At first you said you've been cutting for a month, then you said you've been cutting for 2 months. 178 to 171 in 2 months isn't very good as far as a cut goes, drop your calories/increase cardio until you're losing 1.5 lbs per week.

You want to get to 11% you probably have a good 15+ lbs to go.

OMG, I've never been to 155 lbs before... Even the thought is scary lol

[Tommy W.]

A good way to gauge bodyfat gain\loss is to just measure your waist at the navel. 1" either way is about 5-7 lbs of fatloss\gain. If you lost 5-7 lbs and your waist didn't shrink then you lost muscle. If it shrank 1" and you lost 5-7 lbs then you lost that much fat.


Body fat testing equipment can be very misleading due to water retention, glycogen, etc.

Visually where you're at right now you won't notice your small loss. You'll need to lose 10-15 more to see a major difference.

[anonymous]

Keep in mind that fat can come off your legs, neck, organs etc... sometimes I forget that too because I'm only focused on my stomach

[rhadam]

It’s actually pretty hard to lose muscle.

[Faux19]

A good way to gauge bodyfat gain\loss is to just measure your waist at the navel. 1" either way is about 5-7 lbs of fatloss\gain. If you lost 5-7 lbs and your waist didn't shrink then you lost muscle. If it shrank 1" and you lost 5-7 lbs then you lost that much fat.


Body fat testing equipment can be very misleading due to water retention, glycogen, etc.

Visually where you're at right now you won't notice your small loss. You'll need to lose 10-15 more to see a major difference.

My waist haven't shrunk since last year.

[Faux19]

It’s actually pretty hard to lose muscle.

When I was young (and stupid) I went on a ketogenic diet for a month and I lost any muscle I had during that time, became skinny-fat and looked super weird. I disagree, I think it's quite easy to lose muscle.

[SuffolkPunch]

When I was young (and stupid) I went on a ketogenic diet for a month and I lost any muscle I had during that time, became skinny-fat and looked super weird. I disagree, I think it's quite easy to lose muscle.

Keto will make you lose muscle glycogen (temporarily), that's not the same thing

Again, if you didn't get weaker, you didn't lose muscle.

There isn't something wrong with you, you just have to put the work in and keep a tight reign on your intake. You also need to gain muscle, especially on legs.

[rhadam]

When I was young (and stupid) I went on a ketogenic diet for a month and I lost any muscle I had during that time, became skinny-fat and looked super weird. I disagree, I think it's quite easy to lose muscle.

You can disagree all you want. Unfortunately i'm right, and you're wrong.

[Tommy W.]

When I was young (and stupid) I went on a ketogenic diet for a month and I lost any muscle I had during that time, became skinny-fat and looked super weird. I disagree, I think it's quite easy to lose muscle.

This is generally because people think they have far more muscle than they actually have before they go on a fat loss program. Sufficient protein and a decent training program and muscle loss is negligible.

[Big Slim DaDDy]

a desire to binge but I usually control myself.

Define "usually". If usually means its actually a pretty common thing, there's your issue. If your diet has you constantly wanting to binge you should probably change your dieting strategy. Sustainable efforts that don't drive you insane trying to hold onto will get you sustained results. Efforts that cause you to struggle with binging urges are like holding a poo in for a really long time. Eventually you're going to $hit yourself.

[Tommy W.]

My waist haven't shrunk since last year.

Then your training may be sub par. Also inconsistent measuring points around the midsection can cause the measurements to vary greatly.

[Junsuiakai]

This is generally because people think they have far more muscle than they actually have before they go on a fat loss program. Sufficient protein and a decent training program and muscle loss is negligible.

This and don't get caught up in bulking and cutting, thinking you'll be able to cut down the first time and look amazing. Takes awhile. Lol at you thinking you have love handles.

[Faux19]

Define "usually". If usually means its actually a pretty common thing, there's your issue. If your diet has you constantly wanting to binge you should probably change your dieting strategy. Sustainable efforts that don't drive you insane trying to hold onto will get you sustained results. Efforts that cause you to struggle with binging urges are like holding a poo in for a really long time. Eventually you're going to $hit yourself.

"Usually" as in "99%" of the time lol

The closest thing to a "binge" I've had was in 4 months, when I started to really get into this cutting cycle (I've been cutting since February, went down all the way from 211 lbs, then I stopped for a couple of weeks during May to diet-break that's why I said I've been cutting for only one month)... I said "usually" cause I still regret that double cheeseburger + coke + fries then 450g dive into icecream heaven LOL

[Faux19]

Then your training may be sub par. Also inconsistent measuring points around the midsection can cause the measurements to vary greatly.

I heard somewhere (most probably in these forums, in some sticky somewhere) that you can lift in any program you'd like so long as you're not losing strenght and that's what's important in a "successful" cut. If you're against this,could you link me to a program you think is best for this??

[Faux19]

This and don't get caught up in bulking and cutting, thinking you'll be able to cut down the first time and look amazing. Takes awhile. Lol at you thinking you have love handles.

One of my friends, as tall as me, did only one cycle of bulk now he looks amazing, he never needed cutting and doesn't even know what "cutting" actually is lol

Ok Ok I'll admit, I was a bit jealous of him and some genetically-gifted individuals and wanted fast results and bulked dirty and gained 0 muscle in 6 months...

Ok, not a bit jealous, like A LOT jealous. I am not anymore, just focusing on myself and getting better...

PS: I do have love handles, actually so bulgy they stick out of my pants... Safe to admit that 5 months ago I didn't have love handles but had instead freaking massive bounceballs in there, so it's not as bad as it used to be, but they are still there. Maybe you don't see them because I raised my shorts for the pic.

[Junsuiakai]

One of my friends, as tall as me, did only one cycle of bulk now he looks amazing, he never needed cutting and doesn't even know what "cutting" actually is lol

Ok Ok I'll admit, I was a bit jealous of him and some genetically-gifted individuals and wanted fast results and bulked dirty and gained 0 muscle in 6 months...

Ok, not a bit jealous, like A LOT jealous. I am not anymore, just focusing on myself and getting better...

PS: I do have love handles, actually so bulgy they stick out of my pants... Safe to admit that 5 months ago I didn't have love handles but had instead freaking massive bounceballs in there, so it's not as bad as it used to be, but they are still there. Maybe you don't see them because I raised my shorts for the pic.

Your friend probably doesn't look that great, but you are so obsessed with how "bad" you look that you think everybody looks better than you. Try not to be so hard on yourself, bro.

[Tommy W.]

I heard somewhere (most probably in these forums, in some sticky somewhere) that you can lift in any program you'd like so long as you're not losing strenght and that's what's important in a "successful" cut. If you're against this,could you link me to a program you think is best for this??

To many people, their "training" consists of going in the gym and half assing some weird bro split with no real structure. "Yep worked out today, all good!" Being on a proven program and sticking to it is your best defense in avoiding muscle loss. As you gain more and more knowledge and experience you can design your own program.

[Faux19]

To many people, their "training" consists of going in the gym and half assing some weird bro split with no real structure. "Yep worked out today, all good!" Being on a proven program and sticking to it is your best defense in avoiding muscle loss. As you gain more and more knowledge and experience you can design your own program.

Well, in two years of working out consistently with weights, I have never gone to the gym with no purpose and just half assed weird bro splits. I always tell myself while I meal prep what I'm going to work that specific day and if I'm not following a Bodybuilding.com program on my app, I literally visualize all exercise I want to nail before nailing them in the gym. Since 3 sets x 10 are usually the "norm", if I'm not following any program (which only happens when I have to move because of the nature of my job, which happens like twice to three times max a year), I do just that but I never forget my compound lift. Bench Press / Incline bench press / OHP / Deadlift / Pullups / Dips / Squats are therefore always present in my routine.

If that sums up what you meant by "program being sub par" then I think we can both agree that it isn't. Sometimes I even add in MORE exercises than what any program is telling me to do simply because I don't feel satisfied enough / sore enough; making sure I never half-ass anything. I know soreness has nothing to do with how well-executed a workout has been, BUT to me I just have to feel depleted before I tell myself "Yep workout today, all good!"