Tricks for getting below 8% bf?

hawkhamilton

hawkhamilton

New member
I've made good progress in finally getting from 17% bf to 10% and now 8%. Getting from 10 to 8 took giving up dairy and going mostly caveman in my diet. But spa couple of months later, I seem to be holding to 8% and no 6 pac yet clear. Any tricks fr getting the body to give up these last few percentages (I'm guessing I only have 1% more to go)?
 
Congrats first of all.
Have you looked into Intermittent Fasting? A lot of the low bf guys around here are into it.
Anyways, sub'd for answers, I would like to know myself.
 
FL3X MAGNUM said:
Congrats first of all.
Have you looked into Intermittent Fasting? A lot of the low bf guys around here are into it.
Anyways, sub'd for answers, I would like to know myself.
Click to expand...

Haven't tried fasting. Wonder when/how is best. I do 2 upper body days, 2 lower body days, and 2 cardio days a week (alternating), so maybe on a cardio or rest day? I've had problems with losing muscle and not bf before I gave up dairy, bu now I am not losing any more bf.
 
hawkhamilton said:
Haven't tried fasting. Wonder when/how is best. I do 2 upper body days, 2 lower body days, and 2 cardio days a week (alternating), so maybe on a cardio or rest day? I've had problems with losing muscle and not bf before I gave up dairy, bu now I am not losing any more bf.
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Look it up, there is a ton of info on it that should help. There is a thread all about it here too.
Basically you don't eat for a long period every day, and then you get all your macros in during a refeed period of a few hours.
 
Intermittent fasting is a great option and what I've been doing over a year now. Adding more cardio is another good thing to do. 2 days a week isn't much, and doing 3-4 days a week is better for more burning and keeping your metabolism elevated. I alternate cardio days and workout days along with the intermittent fasting diet, so I eat big on workout days and I eat at a good defecit on cardio days with little to no carbs. It Is working very well and I'm under 8% right now
 
RickRock13 said:
Intermittent fasting is a great option and what I've been doing over a year now. Adding more cardio is another good thing to do. 2 days a week isn't much, and doing 3-4 days a week is better for more burning and keeping your metabolism elevated. I alternate cardio days and workout days along with the intermittent fasting diet, so I eat big on workout days and I eat at a good defecit on cardio days with little to no carbs. It Is working very well and I'm under 8% right now
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,
Thanks. I tried more cardio (3-4 days a week) this fall and lost muscle with no change in fat. How are you protecting against muscle loss? Should I eat even more protein?
 
Quick question - wouldn't it be a bit of an abnormality to be at 8% bf and have no visible abs? Are you positive you're that low at the moment?
 
It seems like it would be some sort of genetic predisposition to be at that low of a bf and somehow not be seeing your abdominals, that's all. I usually get the general feeling that most people start seeing them anywhere from 10-12%, so 8% just seems like a very low number to still not see them.

What method are you using to measure your body fat?
 
hawkhamilton said:
,
Thanks. I tried more cardio (3-4 days a week) this fall and lost muscle with no change in fat. How are you protecting against muscle loss? Should I eat even more protein?
Click to expand...

Keep protein high for sure. Using BCAAs before and after cardio can help too. Like I stated earlier...eat at a surplus on workout days and eat in a defecit for cardio and rest days
 
GreenEarth said:
It seems like it would be some sort of genetic predisposition to be at that low of a bf and somehow not be seeing your abdominals, that's all. I usually get the general feeling that most people start seeing them anywhere from 10-12%, so 8% just seems like a very low number to still not see them.

What method are you using to measure your body fat?
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Same guy doing caliper measures in 5 places. I can see ribs and at least faint sign that a six pack is just below the surface, but no clear definition yet.
 
RickRock13 said:
Keep protein high for sure. Using BCAAs before and after cardio can help too. Like I stated earlier...eat at a surplus on workout days and eat in a defecit for cardio and rest days
Click to expand...

Good advice. I'll try adding more cardio, intermittent fasting, and the cycle you described. Thank you.
 
RickRock13 said:
Keep protein high for sure. Using BCAAs before and after cardio can help too. Like I stated earlier...eat at a surplus on workout days and eat in a defecit for cardio and rest days
Click to expand...

I envy your picture. What BF% are you?
 
GreenEarth said:
Quick question - wouldn't it be a bit of an abnormality to be at 8% bf and have no visible abs? Are you positive you're that low at the moment?
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Not positive, since I haven't done the water test method but just caliper. Guy doing the measurements is experienced. But proof is in the pudding, I see that I must have abs, but I can't count them yet!
 
Bodyfat cvalipers can be pretty inaccurate. I get mine tested in a bodpod. I'm currently at 8.4% and i have very visible abs and veins running through them up to my armpits. Last time I was there a guy came in and said he had a 9 fold caliper test done by an experienced person. End result: walked in thinking he was 8% left with a sheet saying he was 16%. Find an accurate method and let us know what the difference is.
 
hawkhamilton said:
Same guy doing caliper measures in 5 places. I can see ribs and at least faint sign that a six pack is just below the surface, but no clear definition yet.
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Everyone is different and carries weight in different places BUTTT....if you are around 10% and trying to cut to 8, you probably should be able to see abs by now. This makes me think you are heavily underestimating your bf%. Do you have pictures at all?

I usually have noticeable abs (for suure with good lighting) at 12%
 
you arent 8% lol, sorry just stating the facts.

this is what 8% bf looks like Invalid Link Removed
 
is it possible u are retaining alot of water? maybee u should look into estrogen and cortisol supps. and is that u thedj? daaaamn how tall?
 
If at 8% +/-, here are two time-tested options to get you to lower numbers:

1) Intermittent fasting

2) Strict, Low calorie dieting with frequent (no less than once a week) high calorie/high carb/low fat refeeds (CKD is never a bad option)
 
thedj said:
you arent 8% lol, sorry just stating the facts.

this is what 8% bf looks like <img src="http://anabolicminds.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=55901"/>
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Holy **** I'm grape jelly!!!!!
 
Eat for 6 hours a day, fast for 18. I have seen significant results from this method. It is annoying at first but you actually feel more refreshed and have a ton of energy as your body adjusts. My eating window was from 11 am - 5pm
 
TigerHoods said:
Eat for 6 hours a day, fast for 18. I have seen significant results from this method. It is annoying at first but you actually feel more refreshed and have a ton of energy as your body adjusts. My eating window was from 11 am - 5pm
Click to expand...

I did a 26 hour fast today. It was awesome intermittent hunger. But I dose 10g bcaa every 3 hours
 
thedj said:
you arent 8% lol, sorry just stating the facts.

this is what 8% bf looks like <img src="http://anabolicminds.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=55901"/>
Click to expand...

You seem to be lower then 8. But people's fat lie in different areas. He can be very lean elsewhere. A lot with the way you look and skin fold measurements have to do with fat distribution. I would venture based on his picture 10% but still there's room for error
 
This is what I have been doing lately and as a coincidence using the exact same time frame/eating window

I Iike it as well

TigerHoods said:
Eat for 6 hours a day, fast for 18. I have seen significant results from this method. It is annoying at first but you actually feel more refreshed and have a ton of energy as your body adjusts. My eating window was from 11 am - 5pm
Click to expand...
 
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