Quote:
Originally Posted by sakitan
Hello, this is my first time on these boards.
I am only 17 and I have been trying to lose weight for about a year.
I am on the track team at school, although I haven't been going as often as I would like to because I am getting really lazy lately and I know it. I am not a runner, I throw the discus and the javelin so I need to build upper body strength too.
But, after building all the muscle, the fat is still there. I am 25% body fat, and I would like to be down to maybe 18% or 15%. Still, I feel like a big pile of fat and muscle and I don't know what else to do. I want to look sexy and fit!
I live across the street from a free gym and I have been going 3 days a week for about 40 minutes each time and I have only lost 3 pounds total. I feel I am going to gain it all back with anything I eat. I don't have really good eating habits either 
Anyone got any good ideas, because at this point, anything seems food right now. |
25% bodyfat is good for a 17 year old, but I understand that you want to lose some and have decided on a sensible bodyfat range. Because you need upper body strength for javelin and discuss you are going to have to ignore 'weight' loss, as you will put on muscle which will weigh more than fat even though you will look slimmer because of dropping bodyfat. Start measuring your waist etc to see whether bodyfat levels are dropping.
Cardio burns bodyfat, do it 3 times a week minimum, and let that take care of itself, whilst you focus on weight training of some nature to build up your upper body strength for your sport, which will also burn calories and bodyfat due to increased muscle mass. Search Google for 'weight training routines for javelin' (discuss). You must also not worry about gaing 3 lbs back, weight fluctuates and 3 lbs is nothing, you can gain 3 lbs in weight just by drinking fluid, but you have to learn to differentiate between fat gain/ muscle gain/ and ordinary everyday fluctuations in your body weight. Stop stressing over the scales, concentrate on your workouts for the sport you're into and make sure you eat a balanced diet; if you cut your calories in order to lose weight the body adapts and will burn them even slower, so make sure you eat the right amount of calories for your height/weight/ and lifestyle.
Find a BMR calculator online which will give you some idea of what you should be consuimg. I hope that has been of help.