From 18.4% BF to 10% by mid-June: 6kg to lose

Amtmann

Target bodyfat percentage = 10
Predicted weight at 10% bf = 60.1kg (:eek: very light!)

Stats on 4th March 2011:

Weight: 69.1kg
BMI: 24.5%
Fat %: 19.4
Fat Mass: 13.4kg
Fat Free Mass (FFM): 55.7kg
Total Body Water (TBW): 40.8kg


Stats on 8th April 2011:

Weight: 66.3kg
BMI: 23.5
Fat %: 18.4
Fat Mass: 12.2kg
FFM: 54.1kg
TBW: 39.6kg

Quite puzzled by the above stats. Have lost almost 3kg of weight since the second one was taken but only a little over one-third of that was fat, according to the scales.

It's unbelievable to me that I could have lost 2kg of muscle, since my strength has improved slightly and I eat lots of protein.

Anyway, looks like I've about 6kg to lose to reach a bodyfat percentage of 10. Hypertrophy after that, but big focus on cardio for now.

Cardio: 45mins hard exercise on cycling machine.
Resistence Training: Pull-ups and push-ups.

Amtmann

Saturday:

45mins strenuous cardio
Push-ups/Pull-ups


Sunday:

45mins strenuous cardio
Push-ups/Pull-ups

Amtmann

50 mins hard cardio

press-ups, pull-ups, crunches

Lago

Tremelo wrote: »

Target bodyfat percentage = 10
Predicted weight at 10% bf = 60.1kg (:eek: very light!)

Stats on 4th March 2011:

Weight: 69.1kg
BMI: 24.5%
Fat %: 19.4
Fat Mass: 13.4kg
Fat Free Mass (FFM): 55.7kg
Total Body Water (TBW): 40.8kg


Stats on 8th April 2011:

Weight: 66.3kg
BMI: 23.5
Fat %: 18.4
Fat Mass: 12.2kg
FFM: 54.1kg
TBW: 39.6kg

Quite puzzled by the above stats. Have lost almost 3kg of weight since the second one was taken but only a little over one-third of that was fat, according to the scales.

It's unbelievable to me that I could have lost 2kg of muscle, since my strength has improved slightly and I eat lots of protein.

Anyway, looks like I've about 6kg to lose to reach a bodyfat percentage of 10. Hypertrophy after that, but big focus on cardio for now.

I only really started working out a couple of months ago so I don't want to seem like I fully know what I'm talking about but if by "hard cardio" you mean "running fast and cycling fast" then I can see where your confusion is coming from.

Running and cycling on an exercise bike for 50 minutes straight at the same, constant pace burns fat and muscle in equal measure. It's good for increasing your fitness but useless at losing body fat, unless your overweight. So basically your just losing weight, not burning body fat (I'd personally prefer the latter)

You're then following that with push-ups, pull-ups and, only recently, crunches. Just to say, ideally you should be doing any cardio workout, after your strength training or even on a different day. This lets you get the most out of both workouts. If you go for a big run before you do strength training, you won't have enough energy to do the maximum number of reps you'd usually do, simple really.

As for your workout, I personally love push-ups and pull-ups, easy and take basically no equipment or time. However, when you think about it, the only thing you're lifting with these exercises is your body weight. So you've gone from running, burning muscle and fat, to lifting your own body weight. This is getting less and less each time, so you're putting less resistance on your body, hence making it harder to build muscle.

I also love crunches but doing just those isn't going to do a whole lot of good. You have to add in other abdominal exercises, like planks, leg raises and v-ups, to get the benefits.

This is probably why you are losing so much muscle. There is no point eating loads of protein if you aren't giving your muscles a proper workout

As for the increased strength, there are many possible reasons for this. Maybe all the cardio is increasing your fitness and thats making you feel stronger for longer. It really depends on what you mean by you feel stronger.

Sorry for the long post and I apologise if you already knew all this but I just thought I'd help out.

Amtmann

Thanks for taking the time to write that But cardio does not burn muscle unless done at insane levels. It's a total myth that it does. The body uses carbohydrates for fuel first, then fat. The muscle-burning myth has been busted on the main forum and elsewhere a few times.

Most likely the readings on the scale are unreliable. My strength has increased.

Lago

Tremelo wrote: »

Thanks for taking the time to write that But cardio does not burn muscle unless done at insane levels. It's a total myth that it does. The body uses carbohydrates for fuel first, then fat. The muscle-burning myth has been busted on the main forum and elsewhere a few times.

Most likely the readings on the scale are unreliable. My strength has increased.

Ah geez, sorry about that mate. Like I said, I only started a while back so I'm still trying to get together what info is true and what is not. Hope I didn't come across as a know-it-all (who doesn't know it), just trying to help

Again, sorry about that mate

Rodin

Tremelo wrote: »

Target bodyfat percentage = 10
Predicted weight at 10% bf = 60.1kg (:eek: very light!)

Stats on 4th March 2011:

Weight: 69.1kg
BMI: 24.5%
Fat %: 19.4
Fat Mass: 13.4kg
Fat Free Mass (FFM): 55.7kg
Total Body Water (TBW): 40.8kg


Stats on 8th April 2011:

Weight: 66.3kg
BMI: 23.5
Fat %: 18.4
Fat Mass: 12.2kg
FFM: 54.1kg
TBW: 39.6kg

Quite puzzled by the above stats. Have lost almost 3kg of weight since the second one was taken but only a little over one-third of that was fat, according to the scales.

It's unbelievable to me that I could have lost 2kg of muscle, since my strength has improved slightly and I eat lots of protein.

Anyway, looks like I've about 6kg to lose to reach a bodyfat percentage of 10. Hypertrophy after that, but big focus on cardio for now.

Cardio: 45mins hard exercise on cycling machine.
Resistence Training: Pull-ups and push-ups.

You've clearly written that you've lost 1.2kg EACH of fat and water

Amtmann

Lago wrote: »

Ah geez, sorry about that mate. Like I said, I only started a while back so I'm still trying to get together what info is true and what is not. Hope I didn't come across as a know-it-all (who doesn't know it), just trying to help

Again, sorry about that mate

Not at all! There's so much conflicting info out there you wouldn't know what to believe sometimes.

Amtmann

Down to 16.9% bodyfat, with a fat mass reduction of 1.5kg.

At these levels, fat loss progress seems to be quite visible in the mirror. My top four abs are becoming readily discernible already, which is very surprising to me. They should be extremely prominent by 10%!

Some annoying excess still clinging to chest and lower stomach area. This where those outstanding 10lbs must be, since I haven't a pick on me anywhere else.

Going for a DEXA scan week after next. Fat mass at present is 10.8kg. Want to get this down to 6kg by mid-June. Seems achievable.