Fat pad loss success stories?

[Pegasus]

Most people are fatter and bigger than they realize, me included. I mean I have muscular cuts, but theres still alot of fat in various places. The good thing is it is thinning.

While there is no accurate way to measure bf% ,this was a body caliper measure and is in line with the mirror etc.
I have been at this level for awhile I have to figure out if I want to hold lower bf% than this lifetime. I certainly have had lower pad at very low bf.

[BTBrian]

While there is no accurate way to measure bf%

Underwater weighing is very accurate (not 100% accurate, but very accurate) if the subject practices a few times.

[longrodten]

While there is no accurate way to measure bf% ,this was a body caliper measure and is in line with the mirror etc.
I have been at this level for awhile I have to figure out if I want to hold lower bf% than this lifetime. I certainly have had lower pad at very low bf.

My goal is to get the fat all over very lean at least seeing abdominals at all times. To a level which can be maintained without too much fuss. It's going to happen. I may do calipers just to keep track of things.

[longrodten]

A year ago I lost about 53 pounds going from 240 to 187 at 6'2", I didn't have measurements but I can tell you there was a significant change in NBPEL. What I did find however is that the pubic fat pad was the last area I lost fat. My weight was pretty evenly distributed, I didn't have a gut and looking at me you wouldn't have labeled me as tremendously overweight. It took almost eight months (40 pounds) before there was any real noticeable reduction in fat pad but once it started it retreated fairly rapidly.

How big was your fat pad before and after and any other observations?

[Pegasus]

Underwater weighing is very accurate (not 100% accurate, but very accurate) if the subject practices a few times.

Actually not so much ,it used to be regarded as the gold standard by which other tests were judged . It's downside was regarded as it's cost , complexity and lack of general avaibility. Places like the Australian institute of sport(A.I.S.) used it extensively. Then it started throwing up negative fat %, so minus 2% bf . An examination of the original science showed it was flawed. Many years ago the AIS stoped using it and went to caliper.
Some tests are very dodgy the electrical impedence test for instance.
I have actually had pro's in the sports field tell me they don't bother with a test ,as they get just as good an idea if they see the subject in their underwear.

[longrodten]

Calipers is cool, no matter what the percentage number is, you can see the thickness and whether it's growing or shrinking.

[Pegasus]

My goal is to get the fat all over very lean at least seeing abdominals at all times. To a level which can be maintained without too much fuss. It's going to happen. I may do calipers just to keep track of things.

Yes I can currently see abs easy intercostals are fairly visible. I can maintain this bf . The issue is I know my pad would disappear at very low fat % as I have been there before . However I don't see any real health advantage of being say 6% and it would be difficult to maintain.

[longrodten]

Yes I can currently see abs easy intercostals are fairly visible. I can maintain this bf . The issue is I know my pad would disappear at very low fat % as I have been there before . However I don't see any real health advantage of being say 6% and it would be difficult to maintain.

I mucked around with some expiramentation over the years, and actually completed a 14 day water fast. Let me tell you, I never knew that was possible, but it is. Going a day or two without food or low food intake isn't going to kill anyone, and I find that for a little while it improves my concentration.

When your body converts to burning fats as a primary source of energy (ketosis), the energy output is not as powerful as carbs and sugars.

Then I figured hell, why carb up all day, when I can do it around my workout, but for the rest of the day to not over do the carbs. I found Lee Labrada was preaching the same thing in one of his diet regiments, I stumbled upon it from the water fasting expirament, and messing around with carbs.

Once your weight and bf% is where you want it, you don't have to do super low carbs, or super low cals or anything as long as you mostly maintain the weight.

There are people who maintain weight to 1lb or 2lb over several year span. The body adjusts to this weight level as it's norm and the metabolism will adjust and compensate.

Body fat is not a trivial problem for vanity only, because diseases are harbored there, and also it cuts down on your Test levels and raise your estrogen. So it's good for a man to have a low body fat for that alone.

I hear you on maintaining the 4-6% is not practical but if you can do 8-9%, and have enough knowledge to drop it to 6% temporarily for going to the beach, vacations, special nights out, that's good enough and what I seek.

So I would like to get to a lowest body fat I've ever had in my life and see how it works for me. If all the body builders say 4% is not easily held, I'm going to trust that to be true.

One of the members mentioned he too had a .250" fat pad, but over the years it has been receding until it's literally just the skin and no noticeable fat under it.

[Pegasus]

So I was at very low bf for many years when I fought middleweight. I am impressed if guys can maintain say 6% bf for decades drug free with any muscle . A concentration camp victim look is I believe not healthy. Don't know how much good 9% would do me pad wise, but yes I see that argument, if 9% is healthier than 12% is another question.

I really have to say I find anything from bodybuilding irrelevant due to endemic drug use.

Have found fasting a great way to lose muscle and strength, without any of the advantages others speak of.

[longrodten]

So I was at very low bf for many years when I fought middleweight. I am impressed if guys can maintain say 6% bf for decades drug free with any muscle . A concentration camp victim look is I believe not healthy. Don't know how much good 9% would do me pad wise, but yes I see that argument, if 9% is healthier than 12% is another question.

I really have to say I find anything from bodybuilding irrelevant due to endemic drug use.

Have found fasting a great way to lose muscle and strength, without any of the advantages others speak of.

It's different on everyone. I found I kept a larger amount of strength than I expected on the water fast. For cardio I just walked, because I didn't want to over do it. It took about 2 days for my body to switch over to fully burning fats. But it was great to realize, that there is nothing but fat and muscle to burn in the absense of food and the body will take much more fat than muscle ( 75% to 25% ). So yes strength will drop a bit.

Most of the strength comes back when you get carbs in you. Your muscles will fill out. I would never suggest a water fast as a piece of advice, but it was just an expirament I did on myself.

If someone is obese, then maybe a fast would be a good thing. Some doctors do this just for this case alone. In the absense of food the body will consume itself, fat stores or reserve energy being the preferred source.

It is good to give the body and digestive tract a break from time to time. It will clean itself and become more efficient. I believe this to be true.

After two days on my fast, and water only, I gained a bunch of mental clarity, but my energy and power was down a bit, because the body switched over to fats for primary fuel source. Any strength I was concerned about with came back after the carbs was added, and it didn't really drop more than 10%.

Pegasus, it sounds like you have experience and time at being in the lean state or near it for a very long time. That's good knowledge, but it's also good knowledge for someone who have converted and transformed between a more fatty state and a lean state and what it's going to take.

I'm interested in your middle weight boxing, where you kept your weight at and how much you dropped on average.

One thing a little fat on you do is, it preserves your youth and skin just a bit. Someone who is seriously lean all their life will get "uglier" faster. Don't know why.