Fat Loss

[paruk]

Hi All, I had been training consistently for 4 years before the covid situation.
I have shed quite a few Kgs and put on lean mass: with the help of a PT I measured my stats over a period of 8 months (just before covid) and these were the last results (hope to get the conversions right): I am 6 feet tall (183cm), 185 pound (84kg), and body fat 9.2%.
I think the numbers were pretty good or at least I felt happy about them but there is still some fat (lower belly and love handles) which is out of proportion.
Let me explain: my shoulders, deltoids, pecs and legs are very lean but my spare donut just keep sitting comfortably there and it won't go away. Believe I am not talking about a little bit of extra fat in these areas that would not bother me. It is a lot.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you manage to get rid of it? I have started to incorporate some HIIT (bike) in my training 2/3 times a week. what's your experience with it? does it really help in killing off belly fat? thanks,

 

[DSF140]

Caloric deficit is the solution.

 

[socalfreak]

Top three ways to lose body fat:
1- your diet.
2- your diet.
3- your diet.

You can train until you're an exhausted, quivering mess, day in and day out. It won't matter unless you have your diet dialed in.
Also, if you are 9% body fat & have "a lot" of fat around your middle, somebody's wrong.
Either your definition of "a lot"... Or your trainer's ability to use calipers.

 

[paruk]

Top three ways to lose body fat:
1- your diet.
2- your diet.
3- your diet.

You can train until you're an exhausted, quivering mess, day in and day out. It won't matter unless you have your diet dialed in.
Also, if you are 9% body fat & have "a lot" of fat around your middle, somebody's wrong.
Either your definition of "a lot"... Or your trainer's ability to use calipers.

That's the reason why I have been asking for other people experiences. When those stats were taken I had been on a low carb (50 g per day) 2000 kcal/day diet and then I increase the carbs to 100g on training days after working out and still in the region of 2000/2100 kcal per day. So not a massive caloric deficit but still.
I have had the same doubt which is my PT not using calipers properly but he is part of one of the best PT gym here in London so I think that would be unfair. I have talked to other guys working out at the same gym with very similar body measurements and their lower belly/love handles were not as big as mine.
So I was thinking that I need to change workout/diet a bit and see if I can make a change.
Maybe I should reduce calories even further on the top of doing 50 min/ week HIIT?

 

[deleted1030587]

I was exercising a ludicrous amount every day, but the biggest weight loss was from cutting out any snacks between meals even after halving my training. Stomach fat was last to go, so went down to approx. 1200 (maybe less) calories a day for a few months (still training, mainly running/exercise bike) until I could see changes. For abs I do 2x100 leg lifts + 2x100 sit-ups daily - with stomach tensed as much as possible. Only takes a few minutes on my bathroom floor before showering, and much more comfortable since I bought a block of high density foam to sit on/lean back onto.
I don't weigh myself (what's muscle/what's fat), just look sideways in the mirror with a harsh light, easy to see any changes, just keep going until you can see abs. And that's my personal approach to fat loss which you should probably ignore!

 

[socalfreak]

That's the reason why I have been asking for other people experiences. When those stats were taken I had been on a low carb (50 g per day) 2000 kcal/day diet and then I increase the carbs to 100g on training days after working out and still in the region of 2000/2100 kcal per day. So not a massive caloric deficit but still.
I have had the same doubt which is my PT not using calipers properly but he is part of one of the best PT gym here in London so I think that would be unfair. I have talked to other guys working out at the same gym with very similar body measurements and their lower belly/love handles were not as big as mine.
So I was thinking that I need to change workout/diet a bit and see if I can make a change.
Maybe I should reduce calories even further on the top of doing 50 min/ week HIIT?

There is so much information we don't know about here, in regards to your meals/macros/timing that it would be difficult to say with 100% certainty to do what you're suggesting.
At your weight & approximate body fat percentage, changes are going to happen slowly and less drastic than when you started.
If you drop your calories too low, your body will think it's being starved. It'll cannibalize muscle tissue & then it gets really ugly from there. If you are not eating as well as you should be (high protein, usually), all the extra hiit is just taxing joints, muscles, ligaments . You are putting yourself in a position to get injured, because you don't have the nutrients to repair from all the exercise.
You can't compare your friend's results to yours. The basic plumbing is the same... But, how efficient bodies are with processing food can be wildly different.
If your are continuing to progress (even slowly), keep going.
What is your trainer telling you to do when you bring this up with them?
Also... Speaking of trainers...
I'm not suggesting the person you work with is incompetent or anything like that.
Everybody has strong points and weak points at their job.
Calipers can be tricky for some. And it doesn't take much to get an incorrect result.... Even if you're employed by a successful gym.

My body fat tends to stay in the range of 8-10% most of the time.
Color pic is closer to 10%.
B&W pic is closer to 8%.

A University out here used calipers, bod pod, and a Dexa scan to get my percentage.

 

[DSF140]

There is so much information we don't know about here, in regards to your meals/macros/timing that it would be difficult to say with 100% certainty to do what you're suggesting.
At your weight & approximate body fat percentage, changes are going to happen slowly and less drastic than when you started.
If you drop your calories too low, your body will think it's being starved. It'll cannibalize muscle tissue & then it gets really ugly from there. If you are not eating as well as you should be (high protein, usually), all the extra hiit is just taxing joints, muscles, ligaments . You are putting yourself in a position to get injured, because you don't have the nutrients to repair from all the exercise.
You can't compare your friend's results to yours. The basic plumbing is the same... But, how efficient bodies are with processing food can be wildly different.
If your are continuing to progress (even slowly), keep going.
What is your trainer telling you to do when you bring this up with them?
Also... Speaking of trainers...
I'm not suggesting the person you work with is incompetent or anything like that.
Everybody has strong points and weak points at their job.
Calipers can be tricky for some. And it doesn't take much to get an incorrect result.... Even if you're employed by a successful gym. View attachment 28560061 View attachment 28560091 My body fat tends to stay in the range of 8-10% most of the time.
Color pic is closer to 10%.
B&W pic is closer to 8%.

A University out here used calipers, bod pod, and a Dexa scan to get my percentage.

Damn, dude.

 

[Scarletbegonia]

Damn, dude.

You should see his partner!

 

[deleted1045254]

Looking for someone to have some fun with. Look I g to get back in shape. After and injury. Looking for a guy or two to have some naked weight ins Nd accountability with to meet goals. Message me kik or Skype tilt7474

 

[deleted553203]

This is a very dumbed down answer so as not to overwhelm, but stick with your workout routine as is, it’s working and you know your limits. Keep eating the level of protein you need for gains, stay off the sugar, drink tons of water and cut your calorie intake down by 10%. That might be a bit much, but if you don’t feel fatigued stay that way for a month or two and adjust as needed.

Just a simple reminder: working out builds muscle; dieting lowers body fat.