Body fat

[TGR99]

I started my weight loss journey on Jan 1st this year. I started a fb group and we have supported each other. I started at 13 stone 7 and I am today 10 stone 3 lbs. I have also joined a running club and I run 3 to 4 times a week. At 57 I had given up on fitness and health thinking it was all behind me. At 60 I am the fittest I have probably been for 20 plus years.

I have reached my weight goal and just recently reached my body fat goal.

The challenge now is to keep the weight off .

I don't want to lose any more weight but my body fat is at top end of the normal scale and I would like to get that down to the middle of the scale.

I presume that this is to do with diet. I have always eaten a lot of red meat. But I have drastically cut back on that. I now eat more fruit and vegetables and more chicken. What advice would you give me to maintain my weight and to lower my body fat.

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 16kg]

Hi TGR99 and welcome back to the Weight Loss Support forum. Well down for achieving your goal.

We try to cater for everyone who have interests in Weight Loss or maintaining. May I suggest you look at our Maintainers Club which you will find in the pinned posts together with our weekly weigh ins and Daily Diary. You will also find some interesting posts about what you eat as opposed to how much you eat.

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

This forum is very large with lots going on. Please take your time and have a good look around. If you get "lost" or need more help, just shout there's always someone around.

[Cosmo501 Restart May 2024]

Hi! Sounds like you've made lots of positive progress with health and weight-loss! Brilliant! -- you ask about lowering your body fat. Thinking about that, two of your other comments also jumped out at me.. that you've changed to eating a lot more chicken, and also more fruit and veg. Strangely enough, those things could possibly be encouraging your body to hold onto fat. So many people here are more knowledgable on this than me, but I have learnt here that in order for your body to be encouraged to let fat go, there needs to be enough healthy fats coming in to the body so it's not trying to hold on to what it is storing - so, eggs, olive oil, full-fat dairy, meat etc. Chicken is a very low fat meat, so would not be assisting towards that.-- and your comment about increasing fruit, perhaps too much fructose from the fruit might not help to lose body fat. Sounds like you're eating really healthily and have a good understanding of what works for you, but maybe some of the quantities now need adjusting. Best wishes in your journey.

[TGR99 in reply to Cosmo501]

Thank you that is really interesting and I hadn't thought of that. I will look further into this.

[Greencats01 Restart April 2024 in reply to TGR99]

I have lost 3 stone between January 4th and may 1st eating only chicken and fish and vegetables and porridge with blueberries for breakfast, homemade beetroot soup for lunch every day, I have never felt better 😊

[TGR99 in reply to Greencats01]

What is your body fat percentage? Mine is just under 25%. Which is at the top of the normal scale.

[lucigret in reply to Greencats01]

Welcome back Greencats01, well done on your weight loss.

Here is the link to pinned posts to help you find your way around

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

[Eryl Visitor]

As another who has realised the impact of diet on fitness I'd say keep doing what you're doing. Possibly increase your red meat intake slightly as it's a good source of protein for muscle buliding and it won't cause insulin spikes which trigger fat storage. Keep the veg levels the same but make sure you eat beetroot regularly as it's high in nitrates which keep the blood pressure down and benefit the muscles. Limit the ammount of sweet fruit that you consume (eg seedless grapes) as they are high in fructose which can only be metabolised by the liver and leads to fat storage. Check out anti inflammatory diets as keeping chronic inflammation down will open up the airways and help your breathing. (avoid refined seed oils which are high in PUFAS).

[TGR99 in reply to Eryl]

Thsnk you.

[pondlotus]

Persist with cutting out saturated and trans-fats, use ev rapeseed or olive oil instead of butter in cooking, look at fish, turkey and venison as alternatives to chicken. Get at least30 mins (total) brisk walking and some resistance exercise into your daily routine. It has taken me over a year but I’ve seen my body fat levels drop significantly . Don’t gove up. You’re on the fight track!