Im trying to determine a realistic goal for losing body fat. If I need to provide more information, please let me know.
Currently I am 37yo female, 252lbs, 5’4" tall, 43" waist, and 54%bf. I am working out 6 days a week, 3 days cardio, 3 days weight lifting. Im doing the Body For Life routine so I am pushing myself to failure or as close to failure as possible with each workout.
My goal is to lose 13" around my waist by May 2007, which I know is very obtainable for me.
I would like to be at 15% body fat at that time as well, but Im not sure if losing 39% body fat is even realistic in 33 weeks.
Any advice?
Again…if I need to provide addtional info, just let me know!
What method are you using to measure your bodyfat? There are a couple different methods, and the variance within each one is actually quite high as well. For example, even for a caliper test, some people use more or less pinch sites, there are different formulas, etc.
I would suggest not going by the bodyfat measurements unless you can have it taken in a Bodypod or at a lab where you know that the results will be accurate from time to time.
Since you have a good deal of weight to lose, the scale is something that you should definetly take a look at. Once you get into the range of “normal” weight, you’ll want to look more at body composition rather than total weight loss. I would also take measurements of waist, thighs, hips, neck, and arms. This will give you accurate feedback in terms of the progress that you make.
And the general rule of thumb for safe weight loss it 2lbs per week. It varies based on how much fat a person is carrying, but that is a general guideline.
Finally, the BFL program can be useful for you in providing motivation and having a concrete goal. But don’t get discouraged if you cannot accomplish a certain goal in a given time period. This is to better yourself, not to compete with others.
Assuming you make large changes in dietary habits and switch up from a sedentary life to one including regular exercise then you should start seeing fast progress initially.
However, you do have to plan for slow periods too. They happen. Also, if you get this winter’s flu or something, that will get in the way of your efforts too.
Anyway, I’m not trying to discourage you or stop you from making aggressive goals, it’s just that at times your body is going to seriously resist fat loss when it realizes it has recently dropped a lot.
Set those goals… and work hard towards them, but don’t be disappointed or give up if progress stalls here and there (as it will) and it takes a bit longer to get there than you’d like.
Set those goals… and work hard towards them, but don’t be disappointed or give up if progress stalls here and there (as it will) and it takes a bit longer to get there than you’d like.[/quote]
To lose that much body fat, I would NOT expect that to take place in less than six months (this is a lifestyle, not a crash diet where you go back to eating like you used to by next summer). It would be healthier to think of that kind of change taking about a year.
Set those goals… and work hard towards them, but don’t be disappointed or give up if progress stalls here and there (as it will) and it takes a bit longer to get there than you’d like.
To lose that much body fat, I would NOT expect that to take place in less than six months (this is a lifestyle, not a crash diet where you go back to eating like you used to by next summer). It would be healthier to think of that kind of change taking about a year.[/quote]
Ive kept 70lbs off for the past 2 years, so I have certainly improved my lifestyle. Im ready to take my body and my fitness goals to the next level.
My ultimate goal is to compete in a BB contest in 18 months. I want to push myself hard to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind on doing!!!
If you’ve ever seen Pam Brown, she has a similar body shape as me, and she was competing in a competition in 18 months.
Why May 2007 for these goals? At your current size, can it be assumed that you are new to exercising? If so, take it easy. Worse thing for you to do is to over do it and get hurt. Talk to your doctor about what a normal BF% is for women your age. 15% will be too low. Concentrate on cardio more than weights and seek out some nutritional advice.
What you’re doing right now looks good. Regularly evaluate your results and make adjustments when it stops working for you.
It’s unlikely you can lose as much weight as you want in 6 months but not impossible. Generally speaking, the slower you lose the weight, the more likely you’ll keep it off so treat this as a process and not a race. Many people also believe that loose skin is more likely if you lose the weight too fast, so that’s another good reason to take it slow and steady.
[quote]BodyBldgBabe wrote:
My ultimate goal is to compete in a BB contest in 18 months. I want to push myself hard to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind on doing!!!
If you’ve ever seen Pam Brown, she has a similar body shape as me, and she was competing in a competition in 18 months.
[/quote]
I would suggest that you not set a time limit of 18 months. You don’t want to pressure yourself or be disappointed if you’re not contest ready by then. Shoot for 2-3 years. Don’t compare yourself to others.
As for your sample meal plan, your breakfast is microscopic. It should be your biggest meal of the day, even when you’re dieting down. Pyramid down from there for the rest of your day. Drink 150-200 ounces of water per day instead.
