I was wondering if anyone has found something that works to assist fat loss. I have lost about 40 lbs, but I measure my bodyfat and I have only lost 5% bodyfat. I really want this number to go down, because while I can definitely see that I have slimmed down, there is still considerable fat. I have scoured the internet. Anyone else keep track of their bodyfat and see that it has dropped. There was one article in my fitness magazine and she lost 7% in 3 months. I know that all of us are different, but it did tell me that it is possible to lose it faster.
Hi there,
What type of plan are you on? I lost about 65lbs and the first 30lbs I had used slimfast and got to the same point. Losing weight but not alot of 'fat'. I switched to a lowsugar/low carb program which drastically reduces your fat quickly. If you are able to follow something quite strict you could try an Atkins style plan for a few weeks or so and see what happens. As well, are you doing any excerise? You should be doing some weight lifting at least 2-3xs per week to increase lean muscle and up your cardio to reduce fat. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and keep your protein high and sugar/carb very low. Good Luck! Sounds like you have done very well so far!!
annes73
As of Monday, I switched to a high-protein, low carb diet and while I have dropped considerable weight, the bodyfat has stayed the same. I work out daily and fit in FIRM videos 3x per week. On alternating days, I do cardio. I drink at least 2 liters, but mostly 3 liters of water per day. I eat several small meals per day. I feel like I am doing everything that they say to do in order to lose fat, but the results in bodyfat are not happening.
I guess I will just have to give it more time. You seem to think that the high-protein diet might help, so I will continue with that and maybe I will see that bodyfat dropping.
Weight training and healthy eating. If you lose more than 1.5-2 lbs per week, chances are high that you are losing muscle, not fat. Drink plenty of water, do lots of cardio and weight training, you will see the percentage come down. Good luck and keep us posted!
I've been at this for 4 months. In the first 3 months, I went from 22% body fat to 13%. During that time, I was only working out 1 hour in the evening. I'd alternate between jogging and lifting weights. During March, I even used Xenadrine EFX, which did very little for me. By the end of May, I stopped losing fat and realized I needed to change my routine. So I added 1 hour of morning cardio and changed my diet, which I think had the bigger impact. Before this month, I was just eating less. But I wasn't eating often enough or healthy enough. Now I eat more calories per day, but I eat more often. I've added some fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, and have more fiber in my diet. My weight is the same it was a month ago, but my body fat is down to 12% and I've lost another inch of my waist and abdomen. I wish I could tell you there's some product I used, but I really think the key to losing weight is eating more often, eating better foods, doing lots of cardio, and lifting weights.
It would be easier to help if we knew more about the plan you're on.
Well, the plan that I am sticking to now is from Xenadrine. Since Monday, I have lost 8 lbs, but according to my bodyfat scale, no loss in fat. This is what I have eaten all week:
Breakfast
2 cups of Raisin Bran
3/4 cup of skim milk
6 oz. of orange juice
1 Liter of Water
Mid Morning Snack
Protein Bar
Water
Lunch
1 can of Tuna
1 Tbsp of Light Mayo
1 slice of 100% Whole Wheat Bread
1 slice Reduced Fat Cheese
1 Liter of Water
Mid-Afternoon Snack
Protein Bar
Water
1 Liter of Water
Dinner
Roast Beef
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup string beans
Water
Dinner has varied a little, but the rest was the same all week. Xenadrine gave examples of 14 days worth of plans, but it was easier to eat the same thing every day. I can't complain because it did help me to break my plateau and lose weight, however, since I have lost weight and my bodyfat not decreased, I am losing lean body mass and that concerns me.
I sure wouldn't rely on the scale, because it's not accurate. If you increased your height it probably will go down. :clown The only reason I mention that is because one day I accidently pressed the wrong setting & viola my body fat magically disappeared & I was so excited :blob & then I realized what I did. :dizzy
Have you tried calipers instead?
Looking at your meal plan, I can see a couple things you might want to change.
1) Get rid of the brown rice in your dinner. Dinner should be low in carbs. The metabolism will be a lot slower in the evening cause your body knows you'll be going to sleep soon. That means there's a greater chance any carbs you eat may not be completely burned. The excess will turn into fat. Dinner should consist of lean meat like chicken or fish and a fibrous vegetable like green beans, green peas, spinach, or brocoli if you can stomach it.
2) Your breakfast is high in simple carbs. Raisin bran, milk, and orange juice all have a fair amount of sugar in them and when combined, that adds up to a lot of sugar. In general, your daily carbs should consist mainly of complex carbs, which are slower to digest. Simple sugars flood your system so there's a greater chance the body won't burn it fast enough and the excess will get converted to fat. For breakfast, I would recommend plain oatmeal. It's high in complex carbs, which you definitely want for breakfast. It's also high in fiber. But it's low in fat and sugar. If you're looking to add flavor, try banana or blueberries or sprinkle some cinammon on top. I usually add sugar-free maple syrup. Just be sure not to get those flavored oatmeal packs cause those are loaded with sugar.
3) Protein bars are good, but you should try to eat real food as much as possible. A lot of protein bars are loaded with sugar. Also, your morning snack should be high in carbs, as long as they're complex carbs.
Controlling carb intake is critical to weight loss. Of course, this idea has been twisted around and resulted in things like Atkins and the low-carb diet, which I think are fundamentally wrong, regardless of whether they work. Carbs are your body's daily fuel, not protein or fat. You just need to be smart about when to have carbs, when not to, how much, and what kind. A good rule to remember is that breakfast should be high in carbs and that each meal that follows should be lower in carbs than the previous meal so that your last meal has little or no carbs. And the less your carbs come from simple sugars, the better.
[This message has been edited by DonutsNCoffee (edited 06-07-2003).]
Mishki, sometimes I do wonder about that scale. I don't have any calipers and heard there is a huge potential for error so that scares me to. I just know if my body had less fat, I would look alot better.
Donuts, I appreciate your suggestions, I will take them into consideration. I realize what might be optimal for the best results, but I have to figure out what is workable so that I can stick with it. Plain oatmeal just is not gross to me, so I don't know. I will figure it out.
Any suggestions on speeding fat loss? 
