I’ve read/heard over the years that each person has a set point where the body composition wants to kind of be. What I’ve noticed over the last 14 months of training is that as SOON as I started my NLP, I quickly lost an inch or so around my waist (ab skinfold went from 34mm to about 24mm), and it has held at this no matter what I have done. Now, granted I haven’t tried really hard to lose more weight. I have tried to GAIN more weight, and I did. Put on about 20 pounds, and my waist/ab skinfold has not really changed at all.
I’m about 20% bf by the Navy method. At 46 years old, I kind of wonder if that’s just the way it’ll be for me. Meaning that if I really diet appropriately, get down closer to 15%, would I then have to be super strict to keep it there? I ask because what I’ve noticed is that when eat really well (for moderate weight loss) for a few days, I definitely have to fight the urge to overeat other meals, even if they are healthy meals. When I was eating big to gain weight, that was also a bit difficult after a few days, and I had to fight the urge to skip meals. It feels like short-term caloric surplus or deficit eating is always derailed after a few days by the opposite to make up for it, such that I can’t really make progress in either direction without more concerted discipline. In effect, I wind up maintenance eating when viewed over the course of a week.
Basically, I’m gaining muscle, slowly, which is great, but my observation has me HOPING that I could get disciplined long enough to get down to 15% or so, and then stay nearer that BF while slowly gaining muscle from there without having to constantly fight the urge of my body to be at 20%?
Hope this is making sense and THANKS for all you guys do.
Quick summary. I seem to hold at 20% BF whether I eat for recomp or surplus (not GOMAD kind of surplus though). At 46, I’m wondering if this is a “set point”? I’m not happy at 20%, but have not worried with it much while I have gotten stronger the last 14 months. It’s becoming harder to ignore, and I feel the urge to lean out a bit more.
I’m gaining muscle and bodyweight slowly still, but bodyfat doesn’t seem to be going up or down (though I haven’t TRIED to lose bf). I’m wondering if I took the time to go down to 15% or so, and then resumed my normal eating routine (usually either recomp or slightly surplus) if I’d be able to hold around that 15% and gaining muscle again, or if there is truth to this set-point thing such that I’d put the fat back on? In other words, at 15% would I be hungry all the time as a result of being under my set point, such that I’d have to fight it not to put that fat back on? I just don’t know if this is a thing or not. I have an athletic build underneath, but I’m tired of the love handles and man boobs.
46yo, 5’10", 37" to 38" @ umbilicus depending on the day/bloat level.
I feel like my question is stupid. I’m not so much concerned about “whether or not set points are real” versus the fact that I WANT to keep getting stronger and bigger, and don’t want to hinder that. But if I can do that while maintaining a lower bf% then I’d be all for trying.
What I’m getting at is that if you’re <200lbs then you probably have a higher body fat than I’d like considering your other anthropometry and you’ll need to reduce calories in order to lower it. If you’re >200lbs then maybe that’s not the case. Set points certainly are a “thing”, but I don’t think that should affect management either.
I’m 206 lbs. I have always had an athletic build…broad shoulders, narrow waist, muscular thighs, calves, etc. Even now, I wear 32x32 in most pants for them to fit my waist, but they don’t fit through the thighs/glutes, so I have to buy 34" waist and tighten down a belt.
Also, if this helps, skin fold measurements are:
22mm vertical one inch from umbilicus (went from 34mm to 24mm in 3 months of NLP in early 2017. Lost an inch on my mid section during that time too)
11mm pectoral (midway between nipple and crease of arm pit)
9mm (vertical on the mid thigh)
Neck is 17.25".
The navy method has my BF% much higher than a 3 or 7-point skinfold. Yet I have love handles and some mild man boobs. My pecs are heavily muscled, even before I started training, but the fat on top of them puts it over the top for me sometimes, especially early summer).
Weight gain is very slow these days, maybe a pound a month on average. I can tell there’s muscle growth in my legs, arms and shoulder girdle, but can also tell the love handles are growing. I hate to try and drop 10-15 pounds and kill my gainz, but man I’m growing tired of looking so fluffy.
I ordered an airbike for my home gym yesterday so I can get more quality cardio sessions in. I’ve been speed walking for cardio, but it just feels like a waste of time because I can’t make it taxing enough without jogging. I plan to use the bike for both LISS and HIIT, each done once per week plus the AMRAP stuff. Maybe that will be enough to help with recomp goals. I’m mid-way through the 12-week template, and was planning on running GPP Hyp next, but now I’m considering GPP End to try and cut a little more.