Weird Stats

[danbo]

I have been taking my Weight and BF % every month so i can keep track of my progress.

I am an EctoMorph who does weights (and cardio in BJJ and MMA) 3 times a week (with some powerlifting on each day).

It appears that i am gaining no weight, but my body fat percentage is reducing every month. Should this be happening as i do weights? Is it normal? Any specific reason why this may happen?

 

[calitrainman]

Might need to eat more (and/or less cardio) if looking to gain weight. Growth of lean mass may be the reason you aren't losing weight and, instead, seeing a reduction in bf%.

By "powerlifting," I'm assuming you mean using the heaviest weights you can handle with good form at low repetitions and longer rest periods between sets (2-3minutes).....this seems to be the best approach if looking to Gain LBM. Just make sure you're consuming enough and have the correct ratio of carbs/protein/fats for your goal.

Good luck!

 

[Singleton]

So you're gaining muscle and replacing fat. Sounds good. That will improve your looks a lot.

 

[danbo]

I'm 63kg now, one of my main goals is shifting up a weight category for BJJ, that means i need to be 69kg (the top of the next category up), and i'm just not putting the weight on.

I am assuming that once my BF % gets down to a certain level i will stop losing BF and put weight on while i still continue to develop muscle. Is it likely that this will happen?

 

[calitrainman]

I've read it everywhere and have experienced it myself......it is usually very difficult to gain substantial lean mass while staying cut. If your main goal is gaining weight (as you've stated) then you should be consuming more calories than you're spending daily. Don't worry about %bf when "bulking." All the cardio that you're doing could be causeing you to have a calorie deficit instead, which would explain the reduction of bf -- your body is using it as fuel because it's not getting enough through your diet.

It's possible you'll actually start losing lean mass once your %bf gets low enough.

 

[danbo]

I've read it everywhere and have experienced it myself......it is usually very difficult to gain substantial lean mass while staying cut. If your main goal is gaining weight (as you've stated) then you should be consuming more calories than you're spending daily. Don't worry about %bf when "bulking." All the cardio that you're doing could be causeing you to have a calorie deficit instead, which would explain the reduction of bf -- your body is using it as fuel because it's not getting enough through your diet.

It's possible you'll actually start losing lean mass once your %bf gets low enough.

Ok sounds good, i will keep everything the same until i get my BF % down to what i want, then start eating more.

 

[musketeer]

I have been taking my Weight and BF % every month so i can keep track of my progress.

I am an EctoMorph who does weights (and cardio in BJJ and MMA) 3 times a week (with some powerlifting on each day).

It appears that i am gaining no weight, but my body fat percentage is reducing every month. Should this be happening as i do weights? Is it normal? Any specific reason why this may happen?

If you are not taking creatine, then LOAD up now. The extra (healthy) water retention and muscular volumisation will instantly (in one week) give you a few more kilos in bodyweight.

For your bodyweight, you sholuld be eating something like:

Protein: 200g = 800 Cal
Carbs: 400g = 1600 Cal
Fats: 80g = 700 Cal

TOTAL CALORIES: 3100

That's a 50-27-23 percentage split. You can't hepl but put on weight if you are eating that much.

 

[danbo]

If you are not taking creatine, then LOAD up now. The extra (healthy) water retention and muscular volumisation will instantly (in one week) give you a few more kilos in bodyweight.

For your bodyweight, you sholuld be eating something like:

Protein: 200g = 800 Cal
Carbs: 400g = 1600 Cal
Fats: 80g = 700 Cal

TOTAL CALORIES: 3100

That's a 50-27-23 percentage split. You can't hepl but put on weight if you are eating that much.

LOAD UP? you mean with creatine? I am buying some soon. When you say "put weight on", will that be fat? I dont want to increase my BF %; i'm trying to reduce it, and its going good so far.

I dont know about the carbs, but i am taking over that amount in protein and fats (probably mostly unhealthy fats though).

 

[musketeer]

Of course I'm not telling you to intentionally put on BF! But stop trying to lose it or you will never hit your goal of 69kg. Just eat enough to grow, if you are unhappy with your current progress:

Example:

63kg @ 10%BF = 6.3kg FAT, 25kg ORGANS, 28.7kg MUSCLE

69kg @ 10%BF = 6.9kg FAT, 25kg ORGANS, 37.1kg MUSCLE

CHANGE:

+/- 0 %BF
+ 0.6kg FAT
+/- 0kg ORGANS
+ 8.4kg MUSCLE

And those are some fucking nice gains buddy! Don't try and LOSE BF whist growing, just try and keep BF levels at a standstill.

 

[danbo]

Of course I'm not telling you to intentionally put on BF! But stop trying to lose it or you will never hit your goal of 69kg. Just eat enough to grow, if you are unhappy with your current progress:

Example:

63kg @ 10%BF = 6.3kg FAT, 25kg ORGANS, 28.7kg MUSCLE

69kg @ 10%BF = 6.9kg FAT, 25kg ORGANS, 37.1kg MUSCLE

CHANGE:

+/- 0 %BF
+ 0.6kg FAT
+/- 0kg ORGANS
+ 8.4kg MUSCLE

And those are some fucking nice gains buddy! Don't try and LOSE BF whist growing, just try and keep BF levels at a standstill.

I want to lose BF because i feel it is covering some of my muscle. For example i have solid abs, but i got a beer belly (just a small one) covering it. I want to lose 6% more BF, i'm at 14.3% now. I am losing approx. 1.5% per month.

Will creatine just make me more fat or will it bulk me up with muscle?

 

[calitrainman]

creatine won't make you fat, but it's not like taking steroids either. It will help with strength some (u'll notice you can lift a little more than before) which will help you push your muscles harder and stimulate growth. I've heard "loading" creatine isn't necessary. I've tried both ways (loading/not loading) and have found that the strength difference isn't as noticeable if you don't load......probably because it's taking your muscles longer to absorb water.........also, when on creatine, make sure to drink plenty of water daily -- a gallon/day minimum, don't want to dehydrate.

 

[musketeer]

IF you have a beer bellie then you are not 14.3%. I am around 18% right now with no bellie! How can you be so precise with your measurement, yet be so inaccurate? Anyway, if you want to lose another 6 BF PERCENTAGE POINTS then just keep doing what you are doing.

 

[danbo]

I dont know for sure if it is a beer belly, it could just be a little build up of fat. I dont seem to have much BF anywhere else though, so i am just assuming it is a beer belly.

 

[Guinness5.0]

This is intended to address your concern over moving up a weight class:

It's next to impossible to lose fat and gain weight. You need to pick one area or the other to focus on. What's your timeframe like for gettng to 69 kg? If it's within the next 3 months or so you need to get eating! Staying lean while bulking is tough and gets tougher the leaner you are- bulking from 14% bf is a TON easier than bulking from 5% and trying to stay close to 5%. You have to make some compromises and realize that some fat is gonna come with gains, or minimal/no size gains will come. Remember, when cals. in> cals out, you gain weight. When cals out > cals in, you lose weight.

 

[danbo]

My timeframe is unlimited really, i would like to be 69kg by April next year though (the European Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships is that month).

What i think i will do is keep eating like i do now, so i can continue to lose BF, then when i get to around 8% BF start to eat more GOOD food so i can put weight in muscle on. Once i am at 69kg, if my BF % increases i'll just start eating less again to reduce it.

What i could also do, which may be a good idea. Is to allow my weight to get to 70-72kg, so if i need to reduce my BF % it is unlikely that i will go below 69kg then.

p.s. i don't mind being anywhere from 67-69kg.

 

[musketeer]

Find out when the weigh-in is.

If the weigh-in is the day/night before, then you can come in a few (as in: 2 kilos) heavier and use a water management plan to make the weigh in. ONe think that you need to think about is this: is it important that you are lean now, or at the time of the competition?

 

[danbo]

Find out when the weigh-in is.

If the weigh-in is the day/night before, then you can come in a few (as in: 2 kilos) heavier and use a water management plan to make the weigh in. ONe think that you need to think about is this: is it important that you are lean now, or at the time of the competition?

Being lean isn't that important really in a BJJ competition, as most of the entrants aren't lean. The main things that are important are:

• Fitness (not a problem)

• Not being to fat, as you will get tired quicker (not a problem)

• Strength (i need to work on this)

• Weight (i also need to work on this, but i am at the top of my current weight category)