General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Weight loss advice? (low body fat but high BMI) Rss Feed  
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2012-07-17 3:13 PM


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Subject: Weight loss advice? (low body fat but high BMI)

So I'm already looking towards the fall off-season. (I've got my summer pretty much laid out.)

I think one of the things I'd like to do is drop some weight. I think it would help improve my marathon times. I'm not so sure how much weight to drop though. I was hoping some informed authorities here could help.

I'm 5' 3" (and a half, it matters to us short guys!) and weigh somewhere between 140 and 144 lbs. On the BMI scale, that's borderline overweight.

Last year, I was training for an Ironman, and about fit as I've been. I was still 138 lbs and 9.1% body fat. (Caliper measure, not water displacement.)

According to the BMI scale, I could go down as far as 105 lbs. But if I was 9% fat at 138 pounds, does that mean any weight loss after 133 lbs would be dangerous?

At 125 lbs, I'd have no fat. Men need at least 5%. But I also remember being roughly 125 in college, which was almost 20 years ago.

FWIW, it's mostly about performance. Aesthetically, I think I'm pretty well filled out at 138. I could stand to drop a little at 144. Going down to 105 is out of the question for me, and I think even getting under 138 would take a lot of work.

Anyone have thoughts on this matter?



2012-07-17 3:33 PM
in reply to: #4316481

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Subject: RE: Weight loss advice? (low body fat but high BMI)

Don't worry about BMI.

I would go by how you look in the mirror and how you feel, both in your training and just walking around. If you were as fit as you've been at 9% I would not shoot for lower than that. single digit body fat is hard to maintain unless you are a pro and doing this full time.

2012-07-17 3:39 PM
in reply to: #4316481

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Subject: RE: Weight loss advice? (low body fat but high BMI)

What are your thoughts on muscle loss?  Sounds like your carrying around a fair amount of lean weight.  Great for the beach or for lifting heavy things but not very useful for things like marathon running.   If your doing any weight training stop.  Stop doing a lot of short hard efforts, sprints and such, and focus your training on long aerobic stuff.  Then just run a calorie deficit.  You will start to loose muscle mass and will start to gain that rib showing, joint bulging elite marathoner look!

No fat, no muscle makes for a fast marathoner!

2012-07-17 4:18 PM
in reply to: #4316481

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Subject: RE: Weight loss advice? (low body fat but high BMI)

If you know your actual BF, throw BMI out the window.

Calipers however, will not tell you your actual BF as accurately as a bodpod, a dexa, or as you mentioned, water displacement.

But the answer to your question, is the same as it is for a superclyde like me - eat less, move more. I don't mean to be a smart-aleck, but yeah, that's pretty much it.

If you're trying to fuel long runs in a high-carb way, check out the work of Dr Bob Seebohar on metabolic efficiency. I just got into the book, which is probably beyond my needs as just a regular old slow fat guy - but for someone with actual potential for marathon times, he may be talking right to you.

2012-08-01 8:43 AM
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Subject: RE: Weight loss advice? (low body fat but high BMI)
I think you could benefit from a weight loss plan that is high in proteins (to keep up your muscle mass) and low in carbs (to prevent packing on weight). You should include healthy meats, fish and vegetables in your diet and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
2012-08-01 9:43 AM
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Subject: RE: Weight loss advice? (low body fat but high BMI)
Nipper - 2012-07-17 3:33 PM

Don't worry about BMI.

I would go by how you look in the mirror and how you feel, both in your training and just walking around. If you were as fit as you've been at 9% I would not shoot for lower than that. single digit body fat is hard to maintain unless you are a pro and doing this full time.

 

I go by this method. I have found that the longer you do this training the more you just get to know your body. I'm 5'6" (46 year old male) and race at around 140 lbs. I weigh myself once a week and I always guess what my weight is before I step on the scale. It is very rare that I'm not either right on or 1 lb off. I have no idea what my BMI is or what my body fat % is and don't care to know. All I care about is how I feel and how my race results are.

 



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