General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Losing fat % Rss Feed  
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2013-10-27 10:51 PM


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Subject: Losing fat %
Hello everyone!!
I have been wondering for some time what I need to do to lose weight and get down to a lower fat %. So I'm not sitting to bad. I'm 5'11" weigh about 180lbs and have 15.8% body fat. I'm not complaining but until now I have doing alright in my races. I use to place in my age groups but I have become a little stagnant. I know I can do better in my training and diet and I have just started doing pretty well. I use to be at 195 and 21% body fat. I want to have a great affect on my body fat composition. So I better get to my question. Do I need to focus on my strength training more to drop my fat % ? Should I have 3 cardio days a week then strength train twice a week? Should I combine each workout with cardio and strength? Let me know what suggestions and/or specific workouts you suggest. Thanks !!!


2013-10-30 1:59 PM
in reply to: atbaron10

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Subject: RE: Losing fat %
Originally posted by atbaron10

Hello everyone!!
I have been wondering for some time what I need to do to lose weight and get down to a lower fat %. So I'm not sitting to bad. I'm 5'11" weigh about 180lbs and have 15.8% body fat. I'm not complaining but until now I have doing alright in my races. I use to place in my age groups but I have become a little stagnant. I know I can do better in my training and diet and I have just started doing pretty well. I use to be at 195 and 21% body fat. I want to have a great affect on my body fat composition. So I better get to my question. Do I need to focus on my strength training more to drop my fat % ? Should I have 3 cardio days a week then strength train twice a week? Should I combine each workout with cardio and strength? Let me know what suggestions and/or specific workouts you suggest. Thanks !!!


I hate to say it but when it comes down to it the fat % is really more effected by what you are putting in your mouth more so then what your doing in the gym. If you want to see how far you go I would try somethign different like Crossfit or circut training. This way you getting you heart rate up and keeping it up for the entire time. Its not going to be the same as a long run or a long ride or swim.
2013-10-30 7:34 PM
in reply to: atbaron10

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Subject: RE: Losing fat %

I'll just throw a few general pointers out:

1. Don't just cut calories. You could force your body into "starvation mode" and end up actually storing fat rather than losing it.

2. Watch HGI (high glycemic index) carbs like white rice, breads, pasta, sugars, etc. These generally store more fat than eating fat itself.

3. The more muscle you add the higher your RMR (resting metabolic rate) will be and the more calories you'll burn during rest.

These are GENERAL tips. I suggest using a calorie monitoring program such as MyFitnessPal and log everything you eat and drink for 3 days, then look at the results and see how your calories, carbs, protein, and fat looks.

Others might be able to chime in on specific workout advice.

2013-10-31 7:01 AM
in reply to: atbaron10

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Subject: RE: Losing fat %
Good advice so far... I like to consider myself rather experienced at manipulating my body composition and I'm sure I'll get some flak considering where we are, but doing strictly more SBR is no way to reach you goal (I'm assuming you want the BF% down so you look lean and tight?). SBR is useful, but besides watching diet, strength train, strength train, strength train.

Be efficient with your time and do whole body stuff...complex movements that move more than one joint at a time (Curls take just as long as a pushup, but you're using a rather small amount of muscle). I have become a big fan of crossfit for the efficiency, but you do need a good coach and the awareness and mindset to push yourself but not break yourself. I'm still convinced I could make more progress on my own, but it would take me 2+hours per day compared to what I get done in 1 hour at my crossfit gym. I am not some zealot who thinks it's the best way, but it is a very effective one.
2013-10-31 9:05 AM
in reply to: atbaron10

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Subject: RE: Losing fat %
Originally posted by atbaron10

Hello everyone!!
I have been wondering for some time what I need to do to lose weight and get down to a lower fat %. So I'm not sitting to bad. I'm 5'11" weigh about 180lbs and have 15.8% body fat. I'm not complaining but until now I have doing alright in my races. I use to place in my age groups but I have become a little stagnant. I know I can do better in my training and diet and I have just started doing pretty well. I use to be at 195 and 21% body fat. I want to have a great affect on my body fat composition. So I better get to my question. Do I need to focus on my strength training more to drop my fat % ? Should I have 3 cardio days a week then strength train twice a week? Should I combine each workout with cardio and strength? Let me know what suggestions and/or specific workouts you suggest. Thanks !!!


First, what are your goals? Figure those out, and go from there.

If your goal is race triathlon primarily, then more s/b/r, with supplemental strength training. Watch calories and the weight will drop and the body fat % will drop. You probably won't get physically stronger (in terms of lifting heavy objects), but you'll get faster.

If your goal is to get lean and strong, watch calories and strength train, with supplemental quality cardio. You probably won't get faster, but you'll get stronger.

If your goal is to build muscle mass and get stronger, ignore body fat % and look at doing a bulk cycle while hitting the iron at the gym. Trying to build muscle mass while on a calorie deficit is likely not possible and not a good use of time, since you're basically sabotaging the system. Bulk up then cut back down.

If your goal is 6-pack abs, those are made in the kitchen.

One other note, from my personal experience: those last 6 or 7% are hard to lose. It requires a complete committment. I've been about the same weight for close to a year now (185lbs, 6'2", 17% body fat), and really 1 "cheat" meal per week can destroy that week's progress. Once you get into the mid-teens in body fat %, eating at your base metabolic rate is basically necessary, in my experience, to maintain a quality workout, and cutting deeper into the deficit dramatically reduces the quality of the workout. Thus the only calorie deficit comes from the workouts themselves, and a weeks' worth of workout deficits vanishes in the presence of a 6-pack and BBQ.

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