ren01's 12% BF Club: 7/28 Check In

See Aiming for 12% BF, Who Wants In??? for more details.

Monday 7/7/08

Check in here with updates.

My week was pretty bad too.  With frustration over stagnant weight numbers, family in town, and needing a diet break, I didn't do good.  Did make it to the gym or do cardio everyday though, so the scale wasn't as evil as I expected.

194.5, (+2.5).

GW:  Dunno.  I'm starting to think I'll never get below 192 +/_.

I was starting to think the same thing st_rider.  I weighed in 5 consecutive Wednesdays 192.0-192.8.  Then, last week, all of the sudden I started dropping again... didn't change my diet or workouts at all really.  Keep working, you'll get there eventually.  In the mean time, you're just getting healthier and in better shape too.

Original Post by dcyounts:

I was starting to think the same thing st_rider.  I weighed in 5 consecutive Wednesdays 192.0-192.8.  Then, last week, all of the sudden I started dropping again... didn't change my diet or workouts at all really.  Keep working, you'll get there eventually.  In the mean time, you're just getting healthier and in better shape too.

 Whew.  Thanks for the support.  I was really starting to get frustrated with lack of apparent progress, especially considering I didn't miss a workout.  I did maintenance to a little over for a couple days to recharge the metabolic batteries, and with a workout routine change I guess I should expect some wonkiness on the scale.  Looking & hoping for some good results next week. 

Just curious- if you're lifting and trying to lose weight as well, do you need to have greater than a 500 cal deficit due to increasing muscle weight? If you eat for maintenance, is it still possible to lose because of the calories that you're muscles are burning even when not exercising? One other thing, is it possible to predict how to lose a certain percentage of BF, from a time point of view as well as doing a certain amount of activity?

I'm sure there are ways of calculating how long it would take to lose a certain % of body fat, but I for one am too lazy right now to do it.  So, here is a brief and not very accurate calculation:

I weigh 190.  Assuming I have 16% BF, then that means I have 30.4 lb of fat on my body.  Assuming I'm losing 1 lb per week and I am maintaining muscle mass (no loss or gain), then in 1 week, my BF% is now 15.56%.  After 4 weeks, my BF% is 14.19%.  After 10 weeks, my BF% is 11.33%.  Etc. etc.

Of course, as you get nearer to your goal, weight loss will slow down.  Also, if I'm doing a heavy weightlifting regiment and simultaneously losing 1 lb body mass per week, then it is safe to assume I'm actually losing 1.5 lb fat per week while gaining 0.5 lb muscle.  In this case, BF% would decrease more rapidly.

Cool, thanks! I don't know why that never occurred to me! So really, losing BF% is synonymous with losing weight but not vice versa.

So I know it isn't check-in time or anything, but I'm halfway to my goal now!!!  I weighed 188.2 this morning.  9.3 lb lost, 8.2 lb to go!

Start Weight: 197.5

Today's Weight: 185.6 (-3.4 from last week)

Trend Line: 188.79 (-1.74 from last week)

Goal Weight: 180.0

So overall I'm very happy... According to my trendline, I'm halfway there.  My weight today is a little bit lower than expected because I am somewhat dehydrated right now after playing a round of golf in the excruciating heat yesterday evening.

Way to go, Younts!

You must be feeling great!

I forgot to weigh this morning, I'll get it tomorrow, but I'm not anticipating good results.  Didn't do anything bad this week, had a cheat day, but didn't go nuts.  Good workouts & cardio, just don't feel any lighter.  And I'm outta town starting tomorrow, hopefully the hotel has a decent exercise room, and I can eat right while eating out.

Or maybe I'll just stay at 18% and say I made the women's goal.  Then can I hit from the red tees?

That's great younts! Congrats!!

Here's my stats for the past week:

Start weight- 126

Todays weight & BF%- 121.8, 24.4%

Goal- 20% BF (for now anyways)

Darn it. I weigh 1 pound less and 1%BF more.

st_rider, 18% BF is still a really great accomplishment! You're doing awesome IMO.

I've been working out 5 days/week, have upped my weight and lowered my reps, and can't wait to see that BF% go down. I'd like to think that this will be the week, but I am going on a 3 day vacation this weekend. So hard to eat sensibly when the menu is fast food.

Start Weight: 197.5

Today's Weight: 185.2 (-0.4 from last week)

Trend Line: 187.48 (-1.29 from last week)

Goal Weight: 180.0

Start Weight: 196.5

Today's Weight: 178

Goal Weight: ???

Only two more weeks until my personal deadline! I'm pretty close to my original goal, but I think I'll take it a little bit further. I wanna aim for 10% bodyfat! I'll probably have to lose somewhere around 5 pounds. This means I'll have to start my own pmsf diet today!

Congrats on reaching that halfway point dcyounts!

I didn't get in last week on the way out of town.

188 this morning, but I'm quite sure that's artificially low.  I think the reality is more like 190-191, which is ok.  This should be a good week.

For those keeping score, the hotel did NOT have a particularly great exercise room, but enough to do something, anyways.  Did pretty good food-wise, too, with having to eat out every meal, and stayed busy working outside all week, so that helped.

ETA:  Got one Ren-inspired not-flattering pic up.  That's what 18% looks like.  meh.

Had a bad weekend. And while I know that it takes 3500 calories to gain a pound, I find it hard to believe that I ate that much above maintenance everyday while I was away. Yes, I weigh 3 pds more than I did before I left. That sucks, but the good news is that I'm started to get some nice definition on my arms.

 

Another week has flown past guys! I managed to reach 175 on Friday but couldn't diet any more and ate maintenance all weekend to end up back at 178.5 this Monday. I don't know how much weight I'll need to lose to get to a body shape I'll be happy with, but it's a little disheartening to know how much more I may have to lose.

Something just seems wrong about being this, size small shirts and size 28 jeans, but where's the abs!

st_rider that doesn't look like 18% to me... but I guess we all look different at different body fat percentages. You seem more defined than me at 175.

Another week flown by indeed!  I don't think I'm gonna get close to 12% by the 15th, but progress has been made.  Feeling good this week, after 2 weeks being out of town and mediocre workouts, mediocre dietary choices, and less than mediocre motivation. 

Ren, you're right about everybody looking different at different percentages, but I also wonder if variations in measurements & methods might add to the discrepancies.  For instance, using different calculators, and a 1/2 inch added or subtracted from the right measurement, I can get anywhere from 12 to 18%.  For instance, using the Army Body Fat Calculator here:  http://550cord.com/products/info.asp?ProductI D=7

I get 13%.  While it's a feel-good number, I think it's very optimistic.  Especially considering caliper method would still yield somewhere in the 17-19% range.

BTW - noticed definite progression in your pics.  Good job.

Oh yeah, 190 this morning, I think that's more realistic than last weeks dehydrated 188.

I know I said I'd join this group; but, until I get a comprehensive body fat analysis, I can't say with certainty what my BF% really is. According to a few self-testers, I'm already below 12%,

Original Post by mortalmonkey:

I know I said I'd join this group; but, until I get a comprehensive body fat analysis, I can't say with certainty what my BF% really is. According to a few self-testers, I'm already below 12%,

Here's what some people look like at different body fat percentages. It really varies, but the bottom line is abs and and a totally flat tummy. I think I've spent more time looking at pictures of others mens stomachs then I really feel comfortable with, BUT I feel motivated to try even harder! I don't want to finish this challenge feeling unhappy. Let's extend this challenge to even after the 15th!

Good link, ren.  That's a good comparison & guide for what we are going for (and NOT going for - yeesh!) 

Definitely extending the challenge!!  At least through the end of the year, something to motivate us through the dreaded holiday season!!

(BTW - that's one reason to watch 300 - it makes it less gay.  Not that theres anything wrong with that.)

hello..I know it's very late now,but can I join this group please? :)

Over the last months I have lost 40 pounds,and though I'm really near my goal weight now(9 pounds),I have found myself still left with a high BF%.So..I have decided,that I don't want to go so much by the scale anymore,but with bodyfat and the mirror.

I am 5'2 119 pounds and.. 24% BF.:(

I plan to join a gym this week and I have come up with this plan:

3 x 45 mins heavy lifting + 20 mins HIIT (running)

2 x 1-1.5 hour swimming (slow pace)

1 x 45 mins power yoga

What do you think?Does this look ok?..

I don't want to be one of those thin and weak girls,I want to be lean and strong!I'm sick and tired of the flab and it's about time to seriously get rid of it!

My goal BF is 20% by the end of 2008 (hopefully a lot sooner :p ).Hopefully we can support and motivate each other in this war of the fat!:)

ps.I love 300!!:D