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On 26th September, I completed 2010's fat loss efforts.
Once again, below you'll find the results and accompanying pictures.
I think you can see my abs more clearly and that I've dropped bodyfat. Interesting that one result of this is that it makes my lower abs appear to be bulging more.
However, my circumferences had gone down slightly in 8 places, including the waist, and stayed the same in 2 places (right calf and right thigh).
Once again, I’m pleased with the reduction in my waist, though would’ve been more pleased if I’d kept the measurements in my extremities the same too.
As for my bodyfat, I reduced it down further to 9.5%, which is a drop of 0.3% from last month.
Frankly, I wanted and expected more.
My bodyweight = 12st, 8lbs = 176lbs or 80kg – down by 8lb
My fat mass = 16.72lbs/7.6kg = 16.7lbs/7.6kg – down by 0.7lbs/0.3kg
My lean mass = 159.3lbs/72.4kg = down by approx 1.3lbs/0.6kg
Summary
Am stronger. The weights or reps I lifted in the studio during this period were all going up week to week.
Circumferences were mainly down, including nearly all muscular girths, with 2 exceptions.
Whilst, as with last month, the reductions weren't too big, they do follow a trend i.e. a reduction in calories and protein has yielded a drop in girths where I want (i.e. waist), and where I don’t want (the torso and extremities).
Waist reduced. Lost 2 pounds of bodyweight consisting of 0.7lbs of fat and 0.3 lbs of lean tissue.
The reduction in calories and protein intake appears to have resulted in a loss of more muscle tissue than fat, at least at my current volume of training; weights x 3 per week, 20 minute sprint sessions x 3 per week.
The goal was to drop bodyfat and retain muscle, or at least strip more fat than muscle and I’ve not achieved this.
Overall, the fat loss hasn’t occurred as I expected.
This makes it 2 years in a row I’ve not achieved the same bodyfat reduction in the same time period as I managed in 2008 i.e. 7% at 11st 11lbs and 6.3% at 11st 4lbs.
Compared to the same time in 2009, I am the same bodyfat percentage (9.5%), weigh 4 pounds or 1.8kg less (176lbs or 80kg), have 0.4lbs or 0.2kg less bodyfat and, most importantly, 3.3lbs or 1.6kg less lean muscle tissue.
Conclusion:
1. I’m overtraining.
2. I’m undereating.
3. I’m consuming too little protein to cope with the training volume.
4. The make-up of the programme is wrong i.e. it’s not designed to optimise fat loss whilst retaining (at least) or growing muscle mass.
5. My hormonal balance isn’t healthy enough to facilitate fat loss.
At this point I'm leaning towards points 3 and 5.
I'm still trying to work out how a routine I followed so successfully 2 years ago (at least in terms of fat loss, rather than holding onto muscle), has worked with only limited success this year.
I've recently purchased 3 training products from 3 coaches I respect:
Triple Threat Muscle by Jason Ferrugia
The Holy Grail by Tom Venuto (or how to lose fat and build muscle at the SAME time)
Show & Go Muscle by Eric Cressey
I'll read through these routines and ponder my next move.
Stay well, happy and pondering.
Cris (El Baron)
