Transforming Weight and Body Fat Percentage: a Journey of 34 Lbs in 3.5 Months

Understanding body-fat percentage: The goal of the journey

A 32-year-old man shared his weight journey, seeking advice from Reddit. After losing 34 pounds in 3.5 months, he reached out to inquire about when to stop losing weight. Reddit users helped him understand the importance of body-fat percentage when setting a weight goal.

When to stop losing weight?

The man was unsure about how much more weight he should lose. Reddit users suggested that he could aim for 15% body-fat, which is ideal for a male, and his current body-fat percentage is around 18-20%. Thus, the suggestion was to lose another 3 to 5 kg of fat. Losing those extra kilos would give him a solid base to start a long lean-gain phase.

The importance of the last 10 pounds and how to recomp

Several users emphasized that the last 10 pounds of weight loss will make the most difference. One user suggested going further and dropping to 175 pounds, giving a difference of 27% in fat. Reversing 7-10 lbs of fat with muscles will keep from looking sick. Thus the suggestion is to lock the calorie intake around the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and aim for a well-balanced diet.

The journey from 220 to 186 pounds

The man's diet primarily involved intermittent fasting with a large salad for lunch and salmon and sautéed spinach for dinner. On other days, he would eat as he normally would but not more than 2000-2300. He abstained from drinking juice and soda, cut-out sweets and refined carbs, and incorporated more protein-rich sources like chicken breast and fish. Biking about 45 minutes a day at a moderate pace and 150 pushups a day led to transformational weight loss.

Takeaways

Losing weight and achieving an ideal weight and body fat percentage involves understanding body-fat percentage, setting reasonable weight goals based on it, and following a well-balanced diet along with regular exercise. The advice given by Reddit users can be helpful; however, everyone's body is different, and they should try things out for themselves. Seeking professional advice is also a good idea. Slow and steady progress is healthier, and it takes time to reach the desired weight goal.