Reality check...

[PaulSecteur]

The gym I go to (admitidly not enough since December with starting a new job and doing a Uni course) has had an electronice scales, BMI and body fat analysier installed.

I think with the nights starting to stay a little lighter I will be able to get out a bit more, and do a 10 mile round trip to the gym as I was doing last year more often.

However, the results were a bit of a shock. I thought I was up towards the upper end of acceptable, but Im over the edge.

Height 5`11
Weight 16.3 (103 kg)
BMI 31.9
Body fat 26.8%
Body fat Mass 27.6KG.

Its that last figure that really shocked me. Nearly 30kg of blubber. That aint going to help on the hills.

Not really sure why Im posting this, hopefully it will serve as motivation for me somehow.

30kg. Bugger.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

What do you do in the gym?

 

[Biker Joe]

Nothing else for it but to try and work it off in the gym supplemented by long steady fat burning bike rides
I'm right behind you my man, yelling at you to work harder in the gym and ride longer on the bike. (said in the nicest possible way)
I should really do the same come to think of it. I don't like gym work though.

 

[ColinJ]

Much better not to take the surplus calories onboard in the first place than try to 'burn the fat off'. It takes me 6-8 hours of hilly cycling to ride off one pound of fat and I'm losing that by just watching what I eat 2 days a week!

 

[PaulSecteur]

What do you do in the gym?

Not enough, apparently!

To be fair, I havent been with any regualrity since the start of december, and I did "enjoy" christmas... But I never thought I enjoyed an extra stones worth (im usually hovering around 15)

The gym is used for upper body. I dont want to be a beefcake, but not scrawny either - Im not sure my gentics would allow it looking at my family. To gove you an idea of what I do, I can bench about 100kg max, but usually do 3 sets of 6 repsbetween 85-90, lat pull 120 max, 3 sets of 6 @90 ish. Like I say, Im no expert and Im not looking to beef up, just have a bit of muscle for when the occasian callss for it. I do also do other excercises, like curls (25kg each arm max) and use some of the aerobic machines too.

Bike riding since the dark nights has gone right down too

Im not looking for expert opinions, Im just going to use the "sit down less, get up and do stuff more" stratergy. But being obsessive compulsive that will probably change.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

So you've got a bit of mass which will throw BMI off(for this reason BMI is a pretty terrible method to use). It's not all doom and gloom.

BF% won't help though and without knowing the machine test method, it's probably inaccurate anyway.

 

[MrJamie]

It's probably not as bad as it sounds, since you wouldn't be trying to reach 0% body fat. Imagine trying to carry around 30kg everywhere though, I find that kinda thing good motivation to try to eat less, but my motivation isn't always very well sustained. Good luck

 

[Norry1]

If you don't want to bulk up, you might consider doing lower weights and higher reps

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

If you don't want to bulk up, you might consider doing lower weights and higher reps

He's doing low reps of probably close to RM weight = strength

Your suggestion is the opposite (mass) making your reasoning is incorrect

 

[G3CWI]

BMI is a crude indicator - nothing more. There are other metrics that are better. At least that's what I think as my BMI is also "over weight" by a smallish amount. Many athletes and sportsmen would be classified as overweight by their BMI.

 

[Herzog]

I view knowing you're carrying around 30kg of fat as a good thing. Now you have a motivating factor to ride more!!

 

[Hip Priest]

Much better not to take the surplus calories onboard in the first place than try to 'burn the fat off'. It takes me 6-8 hours of hilly cycling to ride off one pound of fat and I'm losing that by just watching what I eat 2 days a week!

This.

About 10 years ago, I lost 5 stone on a diet, with absolutely no exercise. Now I ride 80-100 miles p/w and play football, yet I struggle to lose weight because I eat what I like.

 

[Ningishzidda]

The gym I go to has a bioimpedence fat% scale thingie. The instructor there said “it was a decision from head office.”
He turned and pointed at "the fat determination device that doesn't lie". The wall mirror.

 

[G3CWI]

What do you do in the gym?

Eat Mars Bars.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Eat Mars Bars.

You are a master of wit