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Jamesy
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22 May 2020, 2:29 pm

I have just been measured and apparently my body fat is 20 percent.

I am 5ft7 1/2 and weigh 160 lbs in the morning.

Any tips on how I can lower my body fat percentage?



uncommondenominator
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22 May 2020, 3:14 pm

Eating habits, exercise habits, willpower, effort, and time. It won't happen overnight. It takes the average person months of consistent behavior to actually lose weight.

Also remember that BMI and similar ratios are hogwash, 160lbs for a 5'7 individual is fairly normal, the body needs a certain amount of fat in it, and muscle weighs more than fat.

Lets math. If you are 160 lbs and 20% fat, that's appx 32 lbs of fat. If you lost half of that, you'd be just over 10% body fat, at 16 lbs of fat, and 144 lbs total. But if you gained muscle in the process, you'll add weight back in the process. Muscle is more dense than fat, so even if you gain muscle, you won't get bigger. Point is, if you eat well and exercise, your weight may not change much, more than 10-15 lbs I'd guess, but you will be a smaller size.

Baloney fat calculators say that anything between 12 and 19% body fat is healthy and normal. You're already pretty close. Of course, it's all hogwash anyways, so take it for what it's worth.

Having said that, I've read a number of your threads before, so I'd like to ask a question, if you don't mind. Are you trying to be healthier just to be healthier, or are you doing this because you believe that your looks are related to your success in life, and you think if you looked better, you'd be more successful?

If you're seeking health, it shouldn't be too hard. If you're hoping that if you "look better" then you will "be more successful", then you will probably be disappointed, cos while it may appear that way, that's not actually the way the world works.

Either way, best of luck.



Jamesy
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22 May 2020, 3:21 pm

uncommondenominator wrote:
Eating habits, exercise habits, willpower, effort, and time. It won't happen overnight. It takes the average person months of consistent behavior to actually lose weight.

Also remember that BMI and similar ratios are hogwash, 160lbs for a 5'7 individual is fairly normal, the body needs a certain amount of fat in it, and muscle weighs more than fat.

Lets math. If you are 160 lbs and 20% fat, that's appx 32 lbs of fat. If you lost half of that, you'd be just over 10% body fat, at 16 lbs of fat, and 144 lbs total. But if you gained muscle in the process, you'll add weight back in the process. Muscle is more dense than fat, so even if you gain muscle, you won't get bigger. Point is, if you eat well and exercise, your weight may not change much, more than 10-15 lbs I'd guess, but you will be a smaller size.

Baloney fat calculators say that anything between 12 and 19% body fat is healthy and normal. You're already pretty close. Of course, it's all hogwash anyways, so take it for what it's worth.

Having said that, I've read a number of your threads before, so I'd like to ask a question, if you don't mind. Are you trying to be healthier just to be healthier, or are you doing this because you believe that your looks are related to your success in life, and you think if you looked better, you'd be more successful?

If you're seeking health, it shouldn't be too hard. If you're hoping that if you "look better" then you will "be more successful", then you will probably be disappointed, cos while it may appear that way, that's not actually the way the world works.

Either way, best of luck.




I am doing it for health and looks



Wolfram87
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22 May 2020, 3:29 pm

Adjust diet, adjust meal times (rule of thumb: 3 meals a day good, 5 smaller meals a day better), avoid snacking, avoid eating later than 6-7-ish pm. Get excersise. Consider dietary supplements if need be.


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