Okay guys, I need some harsh truth to help me move forward!

stats: 32 y/o f, 5'3, 127, 19% bf

food and calories: I've been eating at an average of 1900-2100 for about the last 2-3 months without gain/loss so I'm pretty sure that's my current maint. amount.

For a while I experimented with different carb/fat/protein ratios and ended up with a deviation that seems to work for me - both when I was eating to lose and to maintain: sat fat 15 to 20 grams, protein 100-120 grams, fibre 30-35 grams so those are the numbers I shoot for. Except for a protein shake following weight training and these stupid seaweed/rice crackers I am addicted to, I don't do supplements, sugar (real or fake) processed foods and limited red meat.

A pretty ordinary day's worth of food is posted in my food diary for yesterday.

exercise: I work out six days a week with one week off every 8 weeks. The routine changes every 8 weeks, currently I am in the 4th week of: M-upper body, T- 4 mile run W-full body, Th- 4 mile run, F- lower body, S- abs & yoga class.

The problem Only place there is any remaining excess fat is, of course, the tummy area - the rest seems to be pretty solid muscle - literally cannot "pinch an inch" anywhere else on my body. I'm guessing that if I drop another 3-5 lbs that will take care of that.

I want the loss to be, as much as possible, from fat, not lean muscle tissue. In the beginning I wasn't concerned about this cause I was so out of shape I figured I was in that magic metobolic window to gain muscle and lose weight at the same time. But at this point I think the window has closed and I'm reluctant to lose any of the muscle I've worked so darn hard for. Can you suggest the best calorie deficit and any change in exercise routine that will help preserve as much muscle as possible while losing the remaining fat? It doesn't have to be fast...just effective.

Thanks in advance.

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eat/lift/run/rest

Are you training for an endurance event? Im asking because of the 4 mile runs.

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How Sweet It Is

LOL...nah, no endurance races in my near or distant future...I'm just one of those crazy chicks who loves to get up in the morning and run ... 4 miles is a daily average but 5 miles is not uncommon...it's the endorphine rush I guess...which I used to think was a myth until I did my first 3 miler and got a dose...now I'm a junkie...in constant pursuit of my runner's high

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eat/lift/run/rest

I would switch to three days of fullbody workouts.

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How Sweet It Is

I am a fitness consultant and I would love to help you. First of all... CONGRATS on your accomplishments! Now... let's change what you are doing a little. If you have been running for a while (more than 6 weeks) then switch your cardio mode to the elliptical for a few weeks. If you have been running for a while, your body has adapted to that form of exercise and is no longer burning as many calories as it used to. You need to shock your body and make it do something it's not used to. I would also change the format of your workout routine. Try something like: M- arms/core; T- cardio; W- legs/core; TR- cardio; F-chest & back/core; S-cardio. Pick two exercises per muscle group that you have not done before and do those for three weeks, then switch again. Work core in between sets of other exercises, and bust butt cardio for at least 45min. Your nutrition... 1700-1900 calories per day should be enough of a deficit without leaving you starving. You are eating WAY too much protein and fiber... 45-67g protein & 25g fiber are sufficient. Check out my web site for more info... (link removed) I could keep going on this topic for hours and my husband is calling me :-)

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God Bless,

Erin Graham

Advertising your services isn't really what we do here. You want to offer advice and have a link in your signature to your site that is fine, but giving wrong advice AND trying to negotiate a deal to someone looking for advice is tacky.

To the original poster.

I agree with Tony on the 3 day Full body work.

As far as diet you can handle a little more cut in the calories. I would think about doing a carb cycling program or even just a simple calorie bounce. Giving yourself re-feeds is key to keeping your metabolism raised.

As for ratios, if keeping muscle is a concern and just losing fat stick to a 40/20/40 ratio. It is a great start to see where you need to make changes. Maybe you need a little more carbs, maybe a little more protein. Get some calipers to measure body fat if you want to get more technical. Abs are all diet, I think you eat clean enough, so maybe just cut it down a little more in the calories. 20% should be a good start and work it from there as you start seeing results.

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Leigh Peele-Fat Loss Blog

Hey, thanks for replying...I should have read this first before doing my food diary for the day I guess. And thank you for replying to eringrahm...cause I don't know a lot but I know that advice was pure b.s on many levels....

Okay, so if I understand, your suggestion is around 1500 cals with a little bouncing around between that and my maint. cals? Would a good example be 3 days at 1500, 4th day at 1900, 3 days at 1500, etc?

And I'll give the 40/20/40 a whirl for the month at least and see how that works for me....but I'm already thinking it's going to be more like 40/30/30 cause I keep the sat fat pretty low but I know a lot of what I eat (nuts/avocado/fish/o.oil) is gonna push the total fat ratio up.

I have my body fat% done at the gym (calipers) every two months so that's already covered. It was 19.03% 4 weeks ago.

And, one last question, I have no problem changing to a full body instead of my current upper/full/lower split, but would like to know why you both suggest it - just cause I like to know the "why's" of things.

And again, thanks.

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eat/lift/run/rest

Wow, let me be blunt please. This is horrible advice considering you are a "fitness consultant."

Too much protein? Are you kidding me? Have you read modern studies on sufficient protein intakes? Especially when caloric deficits are expected!

A day just for arms training? Why?

Do you know anything about the fatigue/fitness curve and capturing supercompensation periods? There are a million ways to train, I understand, but this is about as far from optimal that I have seen. This is something I would expect one of my ignorant clients to come to me with.

If energy expenditure is the goal right now, why not HIIT to raise EPOC instead of SS cardio?

I am sorry to be a jerk here, and I must admit, I probably wouldn't have if you did not advertise yourself. There are plenty of "consultants" here that help out greatly, without telling the members to come to their website for more detailed help. We help here, on this forum.

Best to you.

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My Blog -- My Journal -- My Photos

You have been handed good advice here. If your macro split ends up being 40/30/30, go with it, that is fine. I am not a fan of macro percentages, find it better to deal with whole numbers. How many grams of proteins, fats, and carbs. You are def. on the right track.

3 days at defict, fourth day at maintenance calories will probably do the trick and keep you body in a state of weight loss. It is unique for everyone though and you will have to experiment. I think it is your best starting point though.

Frequent training of muscle groups is the way to go for the natural lifter. There are a ton of different splits and periodizations in order to fill the need for frequent training, but FB training 3 times per week is a great starting point.

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My Blog -- My Journal -- My Photos

Just wanted to give Steve props on both posts.

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Leigh Peele-Fat Loss Blog

I do think it's excellent advice (from both you and steve) - it didn't fall on deaf ears, and I'm adjusting food/exercise plan to incorporate it. I tried (I admit it was a one day trial) hitting the macro percentages with not-so-good success, so I'm going with the gram tracking instead and seeing what the ratios come out to. I expect to have smokin abs by my 33rd birthday (in May) and I'll send you guys...umm a box of chocolates?

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eat/lift/run/rest

Ha you temptress! I may have the knowledge but that doesn't mean that a box of chocolates isn't my arch nemesis...but would they have the nuggat? I can't turn down nuggat!

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Leigh Peele-Fat Loss Blog

based on this info., your daily caloric need is roughly 1800 calories. cut about 500 calories from the diet. if you burn an additional 500-700 calories in the gym 3 times a week, you can expect about a 1lb fat loss per week (you'll lose more weight, however, i.e. water).

watch your calories and especially watch the fat intake. take no more than 15% fat. a general rule is to have no more than 20%, where no more than 10% should come from saturated fat.

don't say that your problem area is in your midsection, as humans generally store fat in the midsection. men store most of it in the abdomen. women mostly store it in the buttocks and thighs.

no more than 15% fat? 20% at most? Where are you getting your nutritional information for this? Good Fats are really key and 15% is way to low for this girls needs.

That is a nice little stereotype you have there. The average person man or woman has a hard time removing fat from their abdominal area as a clean diet plays a very heavy and important role to those last few pounds. Also I believe she would know where she had fat left and seems well informed enough to me based on her questioning alone to see that she may have fat on her abdominals.

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Leigh Peele-Fat Loss Blog

i'm talking about weight loss.


stereotype? what the hell are you talking about? most of our fat is stored in our midsection, belly for males and buttocks and thighs for women.