I'm currently 145 lbs, 5'5.5" and im about 12% body fat. I used to be 140 lbs at around 9-10% body fat, but I've been inactive for some time now. I want to go down to 125 lbs... a total loss of 20 lbs. Maybe if i go down to that weight, i can fight at 119. The reason for me wanting to go down that low is because I'm pretty sure I can do really really well in that weight class. I can do "ok" in my current weight class, but I've fought college national champs at 119, and I've completely destroyed them. Obviously, I understand that if I do go down that low, I'll lose some punching power, but I kind of wanted to try it out. Any advice on how to lose the weight a "healthy" way?
That is alot of weight to be losing for someone of that size. I'm weighing about 63.5kg just now and fight at 60 at 5ft6. I'm very defined with little fat to lose. I could never lose more than that as all of my strength would be gone. I wouldn't recommend losing that much weight. Maybe go to 135, but losing 20lbs at that bodyweight seems too much.
Agreed. It should take years to lose that kinda of weight with your body. Less weightlifting seems a good idea.
Bad idea man... If it was me, I wouldn't go a pound under 135... If you go down to 125, assuming you lose 4-5% of fat, you'd be losing 10 lbs of muscles. That's a lot of muscle on a 5'5.5 frame... you'd look emaciated... It's not hard to completely destroy people when you have a 25 lbs weight advantage assuming skill levels are close...
In general you are going to feel a lot weaker at that weight. I was 5'8'', walking around at 125 at the time and the running and stuff from training put me at 118 and the shots hurt me way more at that weight than they do when I am a little heavier, I wouldn't recommend getting down to a solid 130 and seeing if you can get closer to 7% bf without sacrificing a lot of other tissue. I felt really strong and resistant at 128, and I know you are shorter than me, but if you are losing weight unnaturally you are going to feel sickly. I bled a lot at 118 too, something I haven't noticed as much of at above 130 lbs. I honestly don't think pros should cut as much as they do, but you are talking about reducing your walking around weight permanently too, which is worthwhile if you can still feel strong.
It's not rocket science... Don't smoke, don't drink, streamline your diet(going vegan and taking daily supplement is the simplest way but very expensive and much easier said than done) and don't miss workouts. The most important thing to remember is that anyone can do these things for a month and stop...but only the champion makes it into a lifestyle. I'm pretty sure you already know what you have to do but you're not sure if you can do it. You can! Make it happen! Cheers.
Yes. Not because of the actual diet, but because vegans are just all around better people and therefore lose weight easier. :think
Yes, think what you want but I find it much easier to lose weight when I streamline my diet. Psychologically...limiting the things I can and can't eat makes it easier to lose weight when I have to. Keep in mind that the thread starter's goal is an extreme one so extreme measures need to be taken...Bottom line: Lower caloric intake...Maintain level of exercise...rinse and repeat.
:roll:...I was trying to articulate my belief that streamlining one's diet and lifestyle is the most important step to accomplishing something so ambitious in the time frame he's given us. Remember that his goal is to fight at 119...and stay there.
For whoever said dropping body fat percentage would lose muscle, not true.. You can lose fat without losing muscle mass. Professional athletes are known to get down to around 3% body fat.. The other 97% of their weight would be lean muscle, water weight, etc. If you tweak up your diet and do some HIIT you'd most definitely be able to drop the body fat.. But don't neglect your body the protein and vitamins it needs otherwise you'd feel a major energy drop and feel all types of horrible. And dont forget muscle weighs more than fat, so if you plan on losing all your body fat and then bulking up, you might have a lower body fat % but weigh more.
Becoming vegan just removes a lot of healthy, natural foods from your diet. Vegan or not you can still lose weight at the same rate. This is done by me every day. I stop myself eating chocolate, sweets, sugars, crisps, chips etc etc. Nothing to do with being vegan. Becoming vegan is an extreme measure to take for weight loss? Yeah. Being vegan is entriely irrelevant.
No, they don't. 3% body fat is essential to life, you'd be in a coma at that level. Bodybuilders cut to 5-6% body fat for competition but can maintain that level for only a few hours at a time because of health issues. That's why it's funny to see guys here claiming to have a constant 5-7% body fat level.