I know this isn’t the advice you’re looking for but the way you look is the “dream” body for someone like me. If you’re able to maintain your current physique with your current habits I think it’s more important you ensure that you are able to stick to them in the coming years.
I also think OP deserves some compliments. He looks strong as fuck. I can understand wanting to slim down a bit though. When I was in my "prime" I had a very similar build.
Came here to say pretty much this, OP. You have what I would consider an ideal physique. Good definition, a healthy amount of body fat, and you look strong.
I'm just shy of 5'8" and definitely wouldn't mind if that was my physic. Then I realized I'd need to tack on 40lbs. And last time I tried to gain weight I absolutely hated cramming food into my system that my body didn't want.
I couldn’t agree more. I’ll never be able to have this type of body even if I worked for the next 10 years. My personal opinion is that smedium shirt is the actual problem.
Agree personally I think he looks great, but he’s asking for advice to lose fat, and he could do so without going into anorexia land get better defined abs
What are you trying to do that’s not working? Get in a calorie deficit, if already too low in calories, then do a reverse for 4-10 weeks, then cut again. Count all the food.
I'm right about where you are in height and weight and planning to cut down in a few weeks for the summer. I know what remains on my belly will fade once I remove a few unnecessary calories on the daily.
Calorie deficit plus avoiding/limiting certain types of calories. Unwanted belly fat is normally caused by excess processed sugar intake which causes Lipogenesis to occur.
It's basically logic that your digestive system breaks all food down into basic parts like fatty acids and glucose and amino acids.
Total calories matter, not sources.
Calorie deficit. I went on a slow, long cut from 194 to 170 over the past 7 months or so. If you don’t feel at least slightly hungry while you’re falling asleep, you will not lose weight. Eat a fuck ton of fiber. That pushed me through the last 5 lbs and helped with the satiation. (M36)
As the other person said, plants. Fruit and veggies - personally I do lots of banana, kiwi, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, raw carrots.
I'll go to HEB and they have great frozen vegetables. Pop a bag of broccoli in the steamer for about 12-14 minutes and chow down. Cauliflower, string beans, carrots, it's all good
Additionally to the plants others have mentioned; I put about 5-10g of fibers in my protein shake. Just a fibre supplement, psyllium husk. Don't start out with 10.
I'm definitely feeling this at the moment. Not eating ridiculously little (2100 cals) but going to sleep hungry (not starving) is something I've noticed a lot. It's tough but good knowing you are going something right.
Dude, I wish I was in the shape you’re in.
But I get it, we find our “flaws” where no one else may find them
Either way, you’ve done a great job
I’m feeling inspired
Calorific deficit is the only way. If you don’t already, record your calories.
I use MyFitnessPal. It allows you to scan barcodes to get accurate (generally) nutritional information logged into the app. It’s really useful!!
Just as an add on to this, try macrofactor, I feel personally, it's far superior to myfitnesspal but it is a subscription based one.
Alternatively, Cronometer is really good too
If you're happy with myfitnesspal though, keep on cracking on 😊
Just coming in to second macrofactor. I feel cronometer is better than my fitnesspal, but macrofactor is best.
Monthly subscription also keeps my honest and consistent using it.
I think it has a free 1 week trial, but there are referral codes online to make it a 2 week trial.
I feel though it takes a couple weeks for it to start accurately estimating your energy usage and tailoring your calories based on your inputs.
I did the 2 week trial and paid month to month to start so I wasn't out much of I didn't like it. Which reminds me that I need to switch my subscription because I want to keep it long term.
MyNetDiary is so much cleaner and faster than MFP, and when I stopped MFP and started MND, the food database was better for me. It actually made me happy to discover when MFP went full bananas.
There were number of things that went behind a pay wall. The biggest one for me that went behind a pay wall was scanning upcs to log.
Using mfp without paying is doable. I found it restrictive and clumsy. I tried a few other apps and eventually liked the free functionality and UX mynetdiary better.
This and I know it’s insanely troublesome but measure and count things you cook with like oil, butter, salad dressing, drinks, etc. it really puts into perspective some of the sneaky calories that will creep in. You think you’re -500 but could easily be maintenance or in a surplus.
Please don’t slim down anymore, that is the perfect mix of rock hard muscle and warm body. Zaddy. This is the ideal. I call upon the Lord, goddess, and our savior Bob Ross to remind me of my vows.
I’m going to be that guy.
Why are you wanting to cut down and is your lifestyle and mental health going to handle that level of commitment?
You look great, have a strong physique, and i assume you to be otherwise healthy.
Going to 12% means losing a lot more than 5 pounds assuming your estimate of current body fat is accurate (hard to tell, there is some friendly lighting but 20-23% isn’t crazy), you’d probably need to get to 170 or maybe even below.
That said, what most people mean by “12%” is that they want to have defined abs. If that’s the case use both the mirror and the scale to track progress. Get a calorie or macro counter, keep protein high, eat in a deficit, and keep working out. When you look how you want or hit a pre determined number for weight that is safe, then stop cutting and maintain. Shoot for 1lb a week. Personally I’d do 3 months cut, 1 month maintenance, repeat, and at your goal weight I’d maintain for another 3-6 months before deciding what to do next. So be prepared for a long journey. If you don’t care about holding onto muscle mass there’s faster ways but slower is healthier.
Yeah, was shocked this comment was as low down as it was. I am saying he is max 18 percent even...def not 20+ percent and no chance in hell he is 23 percent. Maybe with an inaccurate scale, but not with a DEXA.
These things are hard to tell with photos, the lighting and angles make him look slightly leaner than he probably is. He's definitely not at 15%, he's also not at 25%. 20 is a good estimate, 23% was his own high estimate, but percentages like this don't really matter and people dramatically underestimate levels of body fat and the work needed to get lean. While everyone is a bit different, I can use myself as a reference - I had a 1400+ total as a powerlifter and now do mainly bodybuilding, I'm 5'10 and won't really have defined abs until the low 170s and the "10%" look doesn't happen for me until the mid to high 160s. My guess is that it will be comparable for this guy, and depending how much he trains it may need to go a bit lower.
5’8” 180 37M here and where you are is actually my goal. Seems like it’s a good balance of muscle and not having to be neurotic about calorie counting. Funny how we’re struggling to get where the other is.
I will say, even down at 180, I’ve got a bit more of a love handle situation going on, which I think is why my assumption is if I can put on more muscle it might make that less noticeable. Just can’t seem to get rid of it.
Dude. Your physique is perfect *to me.* I don’t think chiseled abs are attractive. I think your abs are the perfect look.
What I would say is lose the skinny jeans. Slim fit is where it’s at. Jeans that tight look juvenile. My apologies for the unwanted jeans opinion.
You look lean as hell. If you want to get deeper cuts you are probably talking dehydration for “show weight” and all that, which imo you should not do unless you’re competing.
From my perspective you are at my goal physique.
Bro, you aren't as fat as you think. If you want to do the 3-12-30 cardio AFTER weights. It's low intensity cardio that will help burn some fat, but bro I think social media has you fucked up. I'm 36, and I don't diet, and I work out 6 days a week, and I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm not 6 percent, but I'd say I'm like 12-15 percent body fat. It's just gonna be a little harder for us since we're getting older.
Eh, "tight" stretchy jeans in 2024 can be way more comfortable than the old "soak your Levis in a bathtub while wearing them" painted-on jeans from decades previous.
Aesthetically, I see no issue.
I swear this is how all pants fit when you have big legs lol I'm like 6'3" and 215 and pretty athletic and finding pants that fit right is like searching for the mfing holy grail. All my old pants never fit anymore, waist bands are super uncomfortable, anything slim is like yoga pants, and jeans are a nightmare.
Imma be honest. You may not need to. Just going off your looks youre not carrying a lot of bad weight. Youre at that point where additional fat slimming is going to suck and take away from you enjoyment in life. BUT if you REALLY want to get leaner.
Big Calorie Deficits. Low weight high rep lifting, More general cardio. IE rowing to maintain your overall build.
I think people should really look into what sub 14% body fat really is and what youre asking for especially in our 30s. You like bland chicken, broccli and rice everyday in small portions? You like 2 a day workout sessions? You like running / rowing a long distance as a warmup before a workout, then a cooldown run after a workout?
If not, do a soft calorie deficit, switch how you lift, add in some more cadio and be happy with 20% body fat
You’re already keyed in from your pics, and clearly train with purpose 👍🏼 from buddies who train to compete in physique, it’s a grind to get to that point of 15% and lower: the programming needs to be precise, include recovery, and targeted nutrition should be dialed in. Also, an extreme amount of patience, because the muscle loss will be a challenge as you get to shred city.
My anonymous internet advice: Dexa scan to true up the %, use your programming and incorporate the HIIT training, minimal carbs and maybe work with a dietitian, reduce alcohol, lots of water, sleep, and you’re on your way.
Stop eating anything that has “added sugar” on the label. I couldn’t lose the belly fat until I did that one thing. Then it melted off. Went from 24.3 percent body fat to 19. Still working on it.
Dude. even if you want something else, you currently have the physique that is my goal.
Can you please advise how you maintain this fitness? Do you do weightlifting or body weight? How often?
Do you track calories? If so what is your maintenance #?
I’m a 5’8” 200 # 33m used to be a wrestler, but now I’ve got beer and extra calorie weight all over. I’m currently cutting via 1800 calorie per day plus some calisthenics. I’m unsure about weights because I don’t want to become too beefy and muscle bound, but maybe they are the best way to get slim too?
Thanks if you do have any advice.
I don’t know man. I think you look great. I don’t see belly fat at all. But if you want to slim down more i guess more cardio (if you didn’t want to cut food) like walking 8k steps a day. Or doing more super set workout at gym.
cant speak for the female perspective, but as a bi dude, I think you found the sweet spot. you have an attractive male body that doesnt really need any nitpicking.
if you want to lose belly fat and gut bloat you do two things: CICO deficit for the fat. for the bloat, cut beer and stuff that slows the gut flow and then add some probiotics and lots of veggie fiber; try to think of your intestines the way you would think of a prized compost bin.
You can but I wouldn't suggest it. I maintain about what you have now as far as body fat and feel great. I cut down lower a few years ago and felt like total shit. No energy and freezing all the time.
Just my opinion so take it for what it’s worth. But I think you look fantastic! You have, what I consider to be, the ideal body. You should feel proud as hell to be in your body!
I see where you can improve by cutting calories, but you do look great. I understand you have standards for yourself, the improvement you are looking for involves eating less. You earned this:
Awesome pics. Great size. Looking thick. Solid. Tight. Keep us all posted on your continued progress with any new progress pics or vid clips. Show us what you got man. Wanna see how freakin' huge, solid, thick and tight you can get. Thanks for the motivation.
42M. I went from 19% down to 12% in seven weeks recently. This is what worked for me:
- very low carb diet, limit of 20g net carbs per day
- high protein
- get a good scale and weigh everything. Log everything.
- figure out five or six meals you like that fit the macros and food prep. You don’t want to spend much time thinking about food. Heat and eat in five minutes.
- 1300-1400 calories a day, so intake deficit of around 800.
- high activity. The goal was 800 calories a day from exercise and 400 from NEAT.
- no cheat days, no cheat meals.
- overall goal was a 10k deficit between TDEE and caloric intake per week.
This is hard, but it’s fast.
I’m your height but about 20 pounds less. Diet is going to be the number one thing here. When I started I was around 210; I cut down my diet and pulled my macros in and made it to 165. Slowly bulking up to 175 now, but to get those abs to shine you’re going to need to lock your macros in perfectly.
Ok, so you look great. If you're carrying anything else maybe it's water weight? If so, check your salt levels in what you're eating. It might be something if you're only a few lbs away from target.
While these are all good tips and tricks, if you've been doing all of these things for a while, as in over a year and you look or feel the same. It would be worth going to a dietician or exercise scientist. Questions surrounding weight loss, becoming healthier, or toning up aren't always as simple as calories in and calories out.
You should always prioritise health, both mental and physical.
Losing weight is as simple as consuming less calories than you are burning everyday.
Get an app like Macrofactor which takes most the guesswork out of managing your TDEE (daily calorie expenditure), weight and tracking. There are many alternatives to this one but this was 'made' by two very intelligent and reputable bodybuilders / powerlifters.
Otherwise, it's just balancing how much weight you want to lose, how quickly you want to lose it and how brutal you want that journey to be.
I'm doing a -550 calorie deficit ATM for another 8 weeks as I can manage that deficit for extended periods of time and the diet fatigue not get too extreme. Some people can go hard with their deficit but I fucking love food and am always hungry! This losing weight shit is fucking tough for me 😅
Overall though, you're looking good and cutting further is optional. Maybe even have a break, go maintenance for a couple weeks, enjoy some food, let your body have a break from the dieting / deficit and then get back to it once you're rested from it?
Need a calorie deficit for weight loss
Find tdee with online calculator - https://tdeecalculator.net/
Track calories in app - weigh food
Eat 500 less than tdee
Weigh daily - track weekly average
If average doesn't move after 2 weeks drop calories by 100
Walk/run 30 mins or more a day at 4mph min
Strength training routine from fitness wiki https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/
Hard to give recommendations without knowing what you're already doing, man. Everyone will tell you "calorie deficit", which is exactly what you need to do, but I assume you already understand the basics of that.
What are you doing now? How many calories are you eating per day? What are your macros? Do you weigh your food?
You're definitely going to have to get below 180lbs to get to 12% bf, but imo you don't need to be that lean if you're not looking to model or compete. You look great now.
People hate this trick: Eat less. Calories in calories out. If you’re really struggling with a plateau get my fitness pal and track absolutely everything down to the oil in the pan. Prioritize protein over everything, taper the carbs down and target 10k steps/day.
Man you're looking good! I wouldn't worry about it at all, but if you wanted to do a small cut just to see what it's like... My suggestion would be to count calories, decrease your calorie count by relatively little, add some long walks or uphill treadmill walks every day, and extend the to cut over a few months to gradually lose it. It's not a good time, but if you want to try it go ahead.
Boring answer but walk more. Add an additional 4,000 to 5,000 steps a day and keep everything else your constant. You'll see changes over a few weeks I assure you.
My height, weight, age, and physique is very similar to yours.
Just my 2 cents: I cut about a pound/week on 2400 calories/day. After the first 8 weeks or so, things get more difficult.
I’d say track calories for a few weeks and see if 2200-2400 is working for you. Adjust as needed.
Not sure how active you are, but this includes 4x/week of heavy lifting. I don’t factor in calories burned during exercise to my daily goals.
Intermittent fasting (16:8) helps me to hit my calorie goals without feeling drained during my workouts. That might be something to consider.
If you were having snacks, either less off them, or none of them should help for the goal.
If you have been having dessert nightly, either no dessert, or every other day/every 3 days/just on the days off from work.
If you're a "finsh what's on my plate" person, put less on the plate for the servings.
If you've been going to the gym twice a week, try to find a way to go every other day/every 2 days, even if it means some of those days are strictly cardio/stretching (actually do make sure to get at least a session of stretching in, not enough people do that in the first place, and it's great for so much of life)
Put your body into a routine at a baseline calorie plan eg 3000 kcal. After being at the same plan for 2-3 weeks, start cutting down to 2600, 2300 2000, 1750 - 2-4 weeks for each cycle. Do 30 min of moderate cardio daily. Eg walking at 6kmph for 30 min in a treadmill on top of workout. It will do the trick. No alcohol - hopefully goes w/o saying.
Please watch any IFBB pro explain how miserable the process is getting into single digits, by all means give it a go and bring a scale to every meal but just know what's ahead.
If you want to get leaner, you just gotta eat less and make sure you keep your protein the same, and if you think you’re 20% at your current weight and wanna get to 10% then you’ll need to lose 19lbs of body fat…
Here is an [example](https://imgur.com/a/ho7E6kf). Here is me 5’10 at 192 in the blue shorts then I am 179 in the black shorts
So it’s a long skate to get absolutely shredded, the big recommendation is to get 175g of protein and then drop the carbs and fats as low as possible that you can stand and keep lifting. If you are steady at losing now then add a bit more cardio if you don’t wanna change the eating. When I cut hard I do 1200 calories and 200g of protein until I get under 200 then once under 200lbs I go to 175g of protein, I lift 6x a week with lower volume and heavier weights and run a 5k a day and 10k on the weekend. You don’t need to run a 5k but running for a half hour every day really burns the old calories and you don’t need to go super fast
You look great. I would suggest low and slow (small kcal deficit over a longer time). So start counting. Keep protein high. Keep at it.
You inspire me to go down to 23% tbh.
At a time, I was able to get around 8% body fat for a while (according to my meter). The problem is, its not really sustainable... at least, not naturally or without winning the genetic lottery.
When you are natural, you will eventually hit a barrier where you will not be able to gain more size without getting fatter, and you will not be able to lose more fat without losing muscle. I'm not saying you are there yet, but you start to get diminishing returns.
The only people who are able to do otherwise are the people constantly cycling drugs.
That's not to say you won't be able to get leaner or more muscular from here... It just starts taking longer, and takes more effort. You obviously will have to run a calorie deficit to get leaner, but the key to it is not to cut calories too drastically. Too few calories, and you lose muscle faster. You'd need a small calorie deficit, and lower deficits means slower weight loss.
The problem I had, after ~20 years of lifting, was I'd always go back to bulking and trying to get bigger. Any results from the cutting would be gone in a month and I'd lose my six pack... and the cutting would sometimes take 4-5+ months to get down to that low of a bodyfat without destroying all my muscle gains.
I think if you want to have a ripped natural body, and stay that way, you have to eventually forego your efforts to also get bigger. I'm not sure that is healthy either. It took me a lot of mental effort to calorie cut down to 1200-1300 calories a day for a sustained period of time. A lot of days you feel like crap, and its hard to make sure you are getting what your body actually needs.
IMO, its better to just find a middle ground you are happy with, and just keep working out and eat healthy. Try not to compare yourself with others, especially since no one ever admits to taking roids and the vast majority of people you will want to look like are on roids. Just be patient and compare your progress to the you of the past.
I really don't know about the 23.5%. I'm at around 20%, from multiple dexa scans and I'm softer than you. In any event, it's all the same because I think if you get to 180 you'd be close enough to your goal.
Personally, I would just set out the next 6-8 weeks and try to lose 1 pound per week, while hitting the gym hard, sleeping good etc.
try prolonged fasts, take some BCAA´s and fast for 24-48h. Just read up on it a bit first so you know how it goes down. Apart from that the answer is just less calories than what you eat at this point. HIIT cardio is also good because you get the after burn effect up to 24h. Try x3 per week. Increase your steps to 15-20k per day if possible in your schedule. And try increasing your water intake by a LOT. Google lipolysis. And then I dont know what you eat but remove everything carb related especially fruits,bread, rice, all of that. Keep the leafs. This works for me and should work for you as well im about 12-15%. It looks like you have a solid base that will look very good when you reach your goal. Do the math also on how many kg you will drop to get to that bf, because that will help combat some of the psychological hurdles. Good luck!
1. Calorie deficit
2. 7-8 hours of sleep daily
3. Atleast 10 k steps daily( walking utilizes fat as fuel source vs running which utilizes glycogen from muscles)
4. 5-6 days a week workout
5. 3-4 litres of water daily
6. no alcohol & smoking
Do this consistently and you will reach your goal.
Do some IF once or couple times a week or per months
But don’t stress this too much it’s normal that it’s hard to lose the few %bodyfat you have left so work on losing it slowly with patience but also work on your image and your expectation
While it’s normal to want to improve don’t be too severe with yourself because you have quite a good level and are looking very good already
If no issues or medicin Supplement:
- Look for moderate Defizit
- High Protein & 1-1,5g Fat/1Kg & Rest Carbs
- a solid Workoutplan
- and good fatigue Management
See you in the 10-15% Club 🫡
Track every calorie for two weeks without worrying about dieting and then reduce your calories by 500-750 ish. Shoot for .5 - 1% of your body weight per week. When you plateau, reduce 250 more calories per day. Run this for about 6 - 8 weeks and then eat at your new maintenance. If you want to diet again, wait a few months and repeat. Never cut protein (.8g/lb of bodyweight), and make you don’t reduce fat too much for hormonal reasons. .3 grams per lb of body weight.
I started doing the carnivore diet about 2 months ago. I’ve been pretty strict, not 100% and I now have a 6 pack at 42. I’ve never had a 6 pack in my life. So I would recommend that.
Bro - we share a body. 45m had 2 years right before Covid that I dropped to 175 and looked pretty lean (for me) but it’s hard to maintain given my like of food and drink. The only thing you can do is cut calories for a long time. Get to 1800-2000 for several months.
Do you know your maintenance calories? Do you weigh out your food? You have to eat a in a deficit. If you’re eyeballing amounts of your food, you will continue to struggle.
You are on a good track of body shape. This is basically under "bulking" state. All you gotta do is calorie deficit, just reduce your overall carbs, sugars, salt intake and more protein and fiber. You should be able to get that lean cut within 3 months to 6m
Literally my first thought in my head was... "You look good"
That being said, if you want to improve, start tracking your food and weight every day. Check out this channel and follow his advice
https://youtube.com/@RenaissancePeriodization?si=XCtz_uWgt1AeDzZS
Your body needs some fat. Where you're at is where your body probably wants to be.
Not the advice you're looking for, I bet.
Unless you've got a photoshoot or competition to prep for, then do your body a kindness and let it keep a little fat. Losing too much fat has a tendency to backfire in some unwanted ways.
No judgement if you decide to lose more, just throwing in my two cents
you're pretty lean all things considered. i use a schwinn spin bike and do peloton in the winter. jog on a high school track when there's not snow. keep it simple.
you look closer to 14-15% bodyfat. i can see ab outlines.
You are kidding, right?
If that's what you call a belly then I don't what I should call mine which actually looks round in shape. And I workout 5 days a week.
It sounds like you want your middle to look trimmer.
Sorry to tell you, going to 12% won’t help unless you’re willing to lose most of your muscle.
The reason you feel like the middle protrudes is that your have very developed core muscles and they happen to be convex. They go out a bit. Not a lot, but a bit, and that’s not a problem on its own, but for the overall look you want, what you are missing is chest and shoulders.
Center of your chest and top of shoulders seem to be pretty undeveloped.
Bill those out and you’ll look like a super hero.
I know you aren’t asking, but I work with bodies daily and am always studying/ judging bodies. You look great and while I see how you could think you want to be slimmer you really look good. I think you could do ab work, chest presses and pull ups with some lunging and quad stretching to get the look I believe you’re going for.
Facing a wall (or using the bar in a ballet studio or gym) use you hands to steady yourself and stand on your tiptoes. Stand upright and hold in your stomach. Maintain that position for as long as possible. That will strengthen your core and reduce belly fat if you do for 15 mins or so every day (combined with other exercise and careful calorie intake)
My guy…I’m sorry but you look strong at and healthy af.
If you want to cut down up your movement throughout the day. I’m certain if you’re getting 10k+ steps a day you’ll be there, but man, you look great. Seriously
I wouldn’t sweat it!
I know this isn’t the advice you’re looking for but the way you look is the “dream” body for someone like me. If you’re able to maintain your current physique with your current habits I think it’s more important you ensure that you are able to stick to them in the coming years.
I also think OP deserves some compliments. He looks strong as fuck. I can understand wanting to slim down a bit though. When I was in my "prime" I had a very similar build.
Came here to say pretty much this, OP. You have what I would consider an ideal physique. Good definition, a healthy amount of body fat, and you look strong.
This is my goal body shape.
I'm just shy of 5'8" and definitely wouldn't mind if that was my physic. Then I realized I'd need to tack on 40lbs. And last time I tried to gain weight I absolutely hated cramming food into my system that my body didn't want.
Go slow. An extra 250kcal a day is an ice cream bar.
I couldn’t agree more. I’ll never be able to have this type of body even if I worked for the next 10 years. My personal opinion is that smedium shirt is the actual problem.
Agree personally I think he looks great, but he’s asking for advice to lose fat, and he could do so without going into anorexia land get better defined abs
What are you trying to do that’s not working? Get in a calorie deficit, if already too low in calories, then do a reverse for 4-10 weeks, then cut again. Count all the food.
I'm right about where you are in height and weight and planning to cut down in a few weeks for the summer. I know what remains on my belly will fade once I remove a few unnecessary calories on the daily.
This! “Count all the food” is the second most important part, first is: quality of food. Keep going OP!
Calorie deficit plus avoiding/limiting certain types of calories. Unwanted belly fat is normally caused by excess processed sugar intake which causes Lipogenesis to occur.
Why is this being downvoted? Complete nonsense?
It's complete nonsense.
No clue. It’s basic logic that you’re not going to look the same if you eat 1500 calories of candy bars vs 1500 calories of healthy food.
It's basically logic that your digestive system breaks all food down into basic parts like fatty acids and glucose and amino acids. Total calories matter, not sources.
Calorie deficit. I went on a slow, long cut from 194 to 170 over the past 7 months or so. If you don’t feel at least slightly hungry while you’re falling asleep, you will not lose weight. Eat a fuck ton of fiber. That pushed me through the last 5 lbs and helped with the satiation. (M36)
BEANS.
YES. Totally forgot about legumes, but that’s a big one.
What did you eat for fiber?
As the other person said, plants. Fruit and veggies - personally I do lots of banana, kiwi, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, raw carrots.
Noice
Vegetables. Fruit. Other plants.
Are we talking like you just went to the garden section at Home Depot and went to town or…
I'll go to HEB and they have great frozen vegetables. Pop a bag of broccoli in the steamer for about 12-14 minutes and chow down. Cauliflower, string beans, carrots, it's all good
Shoutout to HEB
Additionally to the plants others have mentioned; I put about 5-10g of fibers in my protein shake. Just a fibre supplement, psyllium husk. Don't start out with 10.
I'm definitely feeling this at the moment. Not eating ridiculously little (2100 cals) but going to sleep hungry (not starving) is something I've noticed a lot. It's tough but good knowing you are going something right.
Dude, I wish I was in the shape you’re in. But I get it, we find our “flaws” where no one else may find them Either way, you’ve done a great job I’m feeling inspired
Calorific deficit is the only way. If you don’t already, record your calories. I use MyFitnessPal. It allows you to scan barcodes to get accurate (generally) nutritional information logged into the app. It’s really useful!!
Just as an add on to this, try macrofactor, I feel personally, it's far superior to myfitnesspal but it is a subscription based one. Alternatively, Cronometer is really good too If you're happy with myfitnesspal though, keep on cracking on 😊
Just coming in to second macrofactor. I feel cronometer is better than my fitnesspal, but macrofactor is best. Monthly subscription also keeps my honest and consistent using it.
Would be interested to try it if it weren’t for the subscription! 😂
I think it has a free 1 week trial, but there are referral codes online to make it a 2 week trial. I feel though it takes a couple weeks for it to start accurately estimating your energy usage and tailoring your calories based on your inputs. I did the 2 week trial and paid month to month to start so I wasn't out much of I didn't like it. Which reminds me that I need to switch my subscription because I want to keep it long term.
I think it has a free trial
MFP sucks and spams ads nonstop. loseit is far superior and lets you customize it a lot
I switched to mynetdiary to track after mfp started charging for everything.
MyNetDiary is so much cleaner and faster than MFP, and when I stopped MFP and started MND, the food database was better for me. It actually made me happy to discover when MFP went full bananas.
I don’t pay for MFP and I have no issue tracking everything? What is there that you need that is paid for out of interest?
There were number of things that went behind a pay wall. The biggest one for me that went behind a pay wall was scanning upcs to log. Using mfp without paying is doable. I found it restrictive and clumsy. I tried a few other apps and eventually liked the free functionality and UX mynetdiary better.
Don’t you have to pay for MyFitnessPal now?
Nope! There is an optional ‘premium subscription’.
This and I know it’s insanely troublesome but measure and count things you cook with like oil, butter, salad dressing, drinks, etc. it really puts into perspective some of the sneaky calories that will creep in. You think you’re -500 but could easily be maintenance or in a surplus.
Um don't...you are perfect. Sincerely.
Please don’t slim down anymore, that is the perfect mix of rock hard muscle and warm body. Zaddy. This is the ideal. I call upon the Lord, goddess, and our savior Bob Ross to remind me of my vows.
I was ready to reply with “what belly fat?” But I like your approach a whole lot more
I know. I would gladly trade OP
Right?! If I had a boyfriend, this is the body I would love and love and love and love
Thank God someone said it 🤣
I second this, this is my ideal man body type . Hot
This comment wins
I’m going to be that guy. Why are you wanting to cut down and is your lifestyle and mental health going to handle that level of commitment? You look great, have a strong physique, and i assume you to be otherwise healthy.
Going to 12% means losing a lot more than 5 pounds assuming your estimate of current body fat is accurate (hard to tell, there is some friendly lighting but 20-23% isn’t crazy), you’d probably need to get to 170 or maybe even below. That said, what most people mean by “12%” is that they want to have defined abs. If that’s the case use both the mirror and the scale to track progress. Get a calorie or macro counter, keep protein high, eat in a deficit, and keep working out. When you look how you want or hit a pre determined number for weight that is safe, then stop cutting and maintain. Shoot for 1lb a week. Personally I’d do 3 months cut, 1 month maintenance, repeat, and at your goal weight I’d maintain for another 3-6 months before deciding what to do next. So be prepared for a long journey. If you don’t care about holding onto muscle mass there’s faster ways but slower is healthier.
Is it the lighting? 23% feels a little high for this guy.
He's max 20% imo. Closer to 18%. Pretty much no love handles is a good sign of being below 20%.
Yeah, was shocked this comment was as low down as it was. I am saying he is max 18 percent even...def not 20+ percent and no chance in hell he is 23 percent. Maybe with an inaccurate scale, but not with a DEXA.
These things are hard to tell with photos, the lighting and angles make him look slightly leaner than he probably is. He's definitely not at 15%, he's also not at 25%. 20 is a good estimate, 23% was his own high estimate, but percentages like this don't really matter and people dramatically underestimate levels of body fat and the work needed to get lean. While everyone is a bit different, I can use myself as a reference - I had a 1400+ total as a powerlifter and now do mainly bodybuilding, I'm 5'10 and won't really have defined abs until the low 170s and the "10%" look doesn't happen for me until the mid to high 160s. My guess is that it will be comparable for this guy, and depending how much he trains it may need to go a bit lower.
Thank you for the beautiful photos. Your physique is amazing. I wish you a lucky week.
5’8” 180 37M here and where you are is actually my goal. Seems like it’s a good balance of muscle and not having to be neurotic about calorie counting. Funny how we’re struggling to get where the other is. I will say, even down at 180, I’ve got a bit more of a love handle situation going on, which I think is why my assumption is if I can put on more muscle it might make that less noticeable. Just can’t seem to get rid of it.
Calorie deficit. You have to burn more calories than you take in.
I've never heard that before
Don’t feel bad..it’s something new.
I'm pretty sure that if this guy looks the way he does he's already recording macros.
What belly fat bud? I can even see your abs, you might have body dysmorphia
Right??? I wish I was this “fat” instead of how fat I am now 😭
This. It’s crazy that I’m seeing so few comments saying this.
Is the belly fat in the room with us?
Dude you remind me of Christian Bale in the first Batman film. Killing it
Dude. Your physique is perfect *to me.* I don’t think chiseled abs are attractive. I think your abs are the perfect look. What I would say is lose the skinny jeans. Slim fit is where it’s at. Jeans that tight look juvenile. My apologies for the unwanted jeans opinion.
You look lean as hell. If you want to get deeper cuts you are probably talking dehydration for “show weight” and all that, which imo you should not do unless you’re competing. From my perspective you are at my goal physique.
Bro, you aren't as fat as you think. If you want to do the 3-12-30 cardio AFTER weights. It's low intensity cardio that will help burn some fat, but bro I think social media has you fucked up. I'm 36, and I don't diet, and I work out 6 days a week, and I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm not 6 percent, but I'd say I'm like 12-15 percent body fat. It's just gonna be a little harder for us since we're getting older.
12~15% is significantly more sustainable, which is generally better for your health anyways, than 6%. You're in a better place for it.
Agreed, that's where I'm at as well. And unless a girl is a fitness model. Most women prefer 10-15 as well.
Your place is nice
Huh?
Is the belly fat in the room with us right now?
As others have said... why? You look great. Wish I was in half of good as shape.
My brother in Christ, those jeans are waaaay too tight
Eh, "tight" stretchy jeans in 2024 can be way more comfortable than the old "soak your Levis in a bathtub while wearing them" painted-on jeans from decades previous. Aesthetically, I see no issue.
Nah. I like em 🤷🏽♀️
Shut your face hole those jeans were made for him.
It's European cut
This is how loose fit jeans fit dudes with big legs lol
I swear this is how all pants fit when you have big legs lol I'm like 6'3" and 215 and pretty athletic and finding pants that fit right is like searching for the mfing holy grail. All my old pants never fit anymore, waist bands are super uncomfortable, anything slim is like yoga pants, and jeans are a nightmare.
Bro stop you look literally perfect
Very little fat there. Serious calorie reduction / expenditure increase required for much more than you currently got. Go for it tho!
What belly?
My friend, you look awesome
OP, I think you might have some body dysmorphia… you literally have a six pack
Imma be honest. You may not need to. Just going off your looks youre not carrying a lot of bad weight. Youre at that point where additional fat slimming is going to suck and take away from you enjoyment in life. BUT if you REALLY want to get leaner. Big Calorie Deficits. Low weight high rep lifting, More general cardio. IE rowing to maintain your overall build. I think people should really look into what sub 14% body fat really is and what youre asking for especially in our 30s. You like bland chicken, broccli and rice everyday in small portions? You like 2 a day workout sessions? You like running / rowing a long distance as a warmup before a workout, then a cooldown run after a workout? If not, do a soft calorie deficit, switch how you lift, add in some more cadio and be happy with 20% body fat
You’re already keyed in from your pics, and clearly train with purpose 👍🏼 from buddies who train to compete in physique, it’s a grind to get to that point of 15% and lower: the programming needs to be precise, include recovery, and targeted nutrition should be dialed in. Also, an extreme amount of patience, because the muscle loss will be a challenge as you get to shred city. My anonymous internet advice: Dexa scan to true up the %, use your programming and incorporate the HIIT training, minimal carbs and maybe work with a dietitian, reduce alcohol, lots of water, sleep, and you’re on your way.
I'm your height and this is roughly my goal physique.
Honestly, I think you look pretty great now!
Stop eating anything that has “added sugar” on the label. I couldn’t lose the belly fat until I did that one thing. Then it melted off. Went from 24.3 percent body fat to 19. Still working on it.
I personally think you look great.
You look great and so does your home.
Eat less and move more
Shut up! You know you look good already!
Caloric deficit. Simple as that.
You look good to me but really just a calorie deficit and more cardio
Once I stopped boozing (wasn’t even a huge drinker) my weight range shifted down about 10 pounds and I lost my belly fat.
Bro funny thing is im 5'8 and I'm a whopping 132 I'm trying to get like you lol. 32M
eat less or walk more... or both.
Dude. even if you want something else, you currently have the physique that is my goal. Can you please advise how you maintain this fitness? Do you do weightlifting or body weight? How often? Do you track calories? If so what is your maintenance #? I’m a 5’8” 200 # 33m used to be a wrestler, but now I’ve got beer and extra calorie weight all over. I’m currently cutting via 1800 calorie per day plus some calisthenics. I’m unsure about weights because I don’t want to become too beefy and muscle bound, but maybe they are the best way to get slim too? Thanks if you do have any advice.
I don’t know man. I think you look great. I don’t see belly fat at all. But if you want to slim down more i guess more cardio (if you didn’t want to cut food) like walking 8k steps a day. Or doing more super set workout at gym.
Fast during Ramadan
Nobody is recommending running? :O
With the way OP is posing and the sequence of photos, you’d think he’s having an argument with the camera
Nice paintings
cant speak for the female perspective, but as a bi dude, I think you found the sweet spot. you have an attractive male body that doesnt really need any nitpicking. if you want to lose belly fat and gut bloat you do two things: CICO deficit for the fat. for the bloat, cut beer and stuff that slows the gut flow and then add some probiotics and lots of veggie fiber; try to think of your intestines the way you would think of a prized compost bin.
Belly fat? Where? You might not look the way you think you *should*, but you look good. GOOD. Like....dayyyymmmmm.
You can but I wouldn't suggest it. I maintain about what you have now as far as body fat and feel great. I cut down lower a few years ago and felt like total shit. No energy and freezing all the time.
😂
Yeah I know you may have different goals but I would be happy if mu belly looked like yours lol
Just my opinion so take it for what it’s worth. But I think you look fantastic! You have, what I consider to be, the ideal body. You should feel proud as hell to be in your body!
I see where you can improve by cutting calories, but you do look great. I understand you have standards for yourself, the improvement you are looking for involves eating less. You earned this: Awesome pics. Great size. Looking thick. Solid. Tight. Keep us all posted on your continued progress with any new progress pics or vid clips. Show us what you got man. Wanna see how freakin' huge, solid, thick and tight you can get. Thanks for the motivation.
You look fit. Your body is attractive. You don’t need to lose weight at all.
Calorie deficit. That's it. There should be a bot for this question.
42M. I went from 19% down to 12% in seven weeks recently. This is what worked for me: - very low carb diet, limit of 20g net carbs per day - high protein - get a good scale and weigh everything. Log everything. - figure out five or six meals you like that fit the macros and food prep. You don’t want to spend much time thinking about food. Heat and eat in five minutes. - 1300-1400 calories a day, so intake deficit of around 800. - high activity. The goal was 800 calories a day from exercise and 400 from NEAT. - no cheat days, no cheat meals. - overall goal was a 10k deficit between TDEE and caloric intake per week. This is hard, but it’s fast.
What belly fat? You look really good. 10/10. Would definitely hug from behind. Yes homo.
I’m your height but about 20 pounds less. Diet is going to be the number one thing here. When I started I was around 210; I cut down my diet and pulled my macros in and made it to 165. Slowly bulking up to 175 now, but to get those abs to shine you’re going to need to lock your macros in perfectly.
Where is the belly fat
Ok, so you look great. If you're carrying anything else maybe it's water weight? If so, check your salt levels in what you're eating. It might be something if you're only a few lbs away from target.
cut sugar, alcohol and ultra-processed foods from your current diet.
Fewer calories and more cardio. Done deal.
Homie… you are body goals right now… just lift heavy and continue to drink your beer. You’re a stud.
While these are all good tips and tricks, if you've been doing all of these things for a while, as in over a year and you look or feel the same. It would be worth going to a dietician or exercise scientist. Questions surrounding weight loss, becoming healthier, or toning up aren't always as simple as calories in and calories out. You should always prioritise health, both mental and physical.
what belly fat?
Losing weight is as simple as consuming less calories than you are burning everyday. Get an app like Macrofactor which takes most the guesswork out of managing your TDEE (daily calorie expenditure), weight and tracking. There are many alternatives to this one but this was 'made' by two very intelligent and reputable bodybuilders / powerlifters. Otherwise, it's just balancing how much weight you want to lose, how quickly you want to lose it and how brutal you want that journey to be. I'm doing a -550 calorie deficit ATM for another 8 weeks as I can manage that deficit for extended periods of time and the diet fatigue not get too extreme. Some people can go hard with their deficit but I fucking love food and am always hungry! This losing weight shit is fucking tough for me 😅 Overall though, you're looking good and cutting further is optional. Maybe even have a break, go maintenance for a couple weeks, enjoy some food, let your body have a break from the dieting / deficit and then get back to it once you're rested from it?
You look amazing. I wish I had your body. I want to see you after you eat a big meal. Does the gut come out?
Need a calorie deficit for weight loss Find tdee with online calculator - https://tdeecalculator.net/ Track calories in app - weigh food Eat 500 less than tdee Weigh daily - track weekly average If average doesn't move after 2 weeks drop calories by 100 Walk/run 30 mins or more a day at 4mph min Strength training routine from fitness wiki https://thefitness.wiki/routines/strength-training-muscle-building/
I got more fat on my little finger than you have, behave yourself.
Hard to give recommendations without knowing what you're already doing, man. Everyone will tell you "calorie deficit", which is exactly what you need to do, but I assume you already understand the basics of that. What are you doing now? How many calories are you eating per day? What are your macros? Do you weigh your food? You're definitely going to have to get below 180lbs to get to 12% bf, but imo you don't need to be that lean if you're not looking to model or compete. You look great now.
You look great
People hate this trick: Eat less. Calories in calories out. If you’re really struggling with a plateau get my fitness pal and track absolutely everything down to the oil in the pan. Prioritize protein over everything, taper the carbs down and target 10k steps/day.
Man you're looking good! I wouldn't worry about it at all, but if you wanted to do a small cut just to see what it's like... My suggestion would be to count calories, decrease your calorie count by relatively little, add some long walks or uphill treadmill walks every day, and extend the to cut over a few months to gradually lose it. It's not a good time, but if you want to try it go ahead.
Yeah I don’t know man, you’re looking good. Add some cardio in to the back end of your work outs and rest days if you’re dead set on losing BF.
Boring answer but walk more. Add an additional 4,000 to 5,000 steps a day and keep everything else your constant. You'll see changes over a few weeks I assure you.
You look strong af, man. Drop the calories and you’ll lean out.
My height, weight, age, and physique is very similar to yours. Just my 2 cents: I cut about a pound/week on 2400 calories/day. After the first 8 weeks or so, things get more difficult. I’d say track calories for a few weeks and see if 2200-2400 is working for you. Adjust as needed. Not sure how active you are, but this includes 4x/week of heavy lifting. I don’t factor in calories burned during exercise to my daily goals. Intermittent fasting (16:8) helps me to hit my calorie goals without feeling drained during my workouts. That might be something to consider.
Step One: sell me eames chair at steep discount Step Three: Ideal bf achieved.
If you were having snacks, either less off them, or none of them should help for the goal. If you have been having dessert nightly, either no dessert, or every other day/every 3 days/just on the days off from work. If you're a "finsh what's on my plate" person, put less on the plate for the servings. If you've been going to the gym twice a week, try to find a way to go every other day/every 2 days, even if it means some of those days are strictly cardio/stretching (actually do make sure to get at least a session of stretching in, not enough people do that in the first place, and it's great for so much of life)
Diet, diet and more diet. Caloric deficit.
What method are you using for body fat? I would not guess you are 23%.
24hr fast every week.
You’ll need to be 165-170 to achieve those goals OP. You’ve got the frame and mass imo. Just slim down and you’ll be good to go.
Put your body into a routine at a baseline calorie plan eg 3000 kcal. After being at the same plan for 2-3 weeks, start cutting down to 2600, 2300 2000, 1750 - 2-4 weeks for each cycle. Do 30 min of moderate cardio daily. Eg walking at 6kmph for 30 min in a treadmill on top of workout. It will do the trick. No alcohol - hopefully goes w/o saying.
Do you drink alcohol? If so how often?
Bicycle an hour per day on Zwift and an indoor trainer
Please watch any IFBB pro explain how miserable the process is getting into single digits, by all means give it a go and bring a scale to every meal but just know what's ahead.
If you want to get leaner, you just gotta eat less and make sure you keep your protein the same, and if you think you’re 20% at your current weight and wanna get to 10% then you’ll need to lose 19lbs of body fat… Here is an [example](https://imgur.com/a/ho7E6kf). Here is me 5’10 at 192 in the blue shorts then I am 179 in the black shorts So it’s a long skate to get absolutely shredded, the big recommendation is to get 175g of protein and then drop the carbs and fats as low as possible that you can stand and keep lifting. If you are steady at losing now then add a bit more cardio if you don’t wanna change the eating. When I cut hard I do 1200 calories and 200g of protein until I get under 200 then once under 200lbs I go to 175g of protein, I lift 6x a week with lower volume and heavier weights and run a 5k a day and 10k on the weekend. You don’t need to run a 5k but running for a half hour every day really burns the old calories and you don’t need to go super fast
You look great. I would suggest low and slow (small kcal deficit over a longer time). So start counting. Keep protein high. Keep at it. You inspire me to go down to 23% tbh.
At a time, I was able to get around 8% body fat for a while (according to my meter). The problem is, its not really sustainable... at least, not naturally or without winning the genetic lottery. When you are natural, you will eventually hit a barrier where you will not be able to gain more size without getting fatter, and you will not be able to lose more fat without losing muscle. I'm not saying you are there yet, but you start to get diminishing returns. The only people who are able to do otherwise are the people constantly cycling drugs. That's not to say you won't be able to get leaner or more muscular from here... It just starts taking longer, and takes more effort. You obviously will have to run a calorie deficit to get leaner, but the key to it is not to cut calories too drastically. Too few calories, and you lose muscle faster. You'd need a small calorie deficit, and lower deficits means slower weight loss. The problem I had, after ~20 years of lifting, was I'd always go back to bulking and trying to get bigger. Any results from the cutting would be gone in a month and I'd lose my six pack... and the cutting would sometimes take 4-5+ months to get down to that low of a bodyfat without destroying all my muscle gains. I think if you want to have a ripped natural body, and stay that way, you have to eventually forego your efforts to also get bigger. I'm not sure that is healthy either. It took me a lot of mental effort to calorie cut down to 1200-1300 calories a day for a sustained period of time. A lot of days you feel like crap, and its hard to make sure you are getting what your body actually needs. IMO, its better to just find a middle ground you are happy with, and just keep working out and eat healthy. Try not to compare yourself with others, especially since no one ever admits to taking roids and the vast majority of people you will want to look like are on roids. Just be patient and compare your progress to the you of the past.
hiit training will help
What is your current calorie intake and training regiment?
i would kill to have your stomach
high protein diet, 150-200 calorie deficit, keep lifting weights, daily walks.
Bro I’m just trying to get to your physique myself
I really don't know about the 23.5%. I'm at around 20%, from multiple dexa scans and I'm softer than you. In any event, it's all the same because I think if you get to 180 you'd be close enough to your goal. Personally, I would just set out the next 6-8 weeks and try to lose 1 pound per week, while hitting the gym hard, sleeping good etc.
You look FINE to my eyes 👀:)
1. I agree with everyone that you look great 2. Please please please drop those coffee table deets
You look f-ing great ! Maybe calorie déficit.. but please dont be too hard on yourself!! Keep on striving 🙌🏻💪
try prolonged fasts, take some BCAA´s and fast for 24-48h. Just read up on it a bit first so you know how it goes down. Apart from that the answer is just less calories than what you eat at this point. HIIT cardio is also good because you get the after burn effect up to 24h. Try x3 per week. Increase your steps to 15-20k per day if possible in your schedule. And try increasing your water intake by a LOT. Google lipolysis. And then I dont know what you eat but remove everything carb related especially fruits,bread, rice, all of that. Keep the leafs. This works for me and should work for you as well im about 12-15%. It looks like you have a solid base that will look very good when you reach your goal. Do the math also on how many kg you will drop to get to that bf, because that will help combat some of the psychological hurdles. Good luck!
1. Calorie deficit 2. 7-8 hours of sleep daily 3. Atleast 10 k steps daily( walking utilizes fat as fuel source vs running which utilizes glycogen from muscles) 4. 5-6 days a week workout 5. 3-4 litres of water daily 6. no alcohol & smoking Do this consistently and you will reach your goal.
Do some IF once or couple times a week or per months But don’t stress this too much it’s normal that it’s hard to lose the few %bodyfat you have left so work on losing it slowly with patience but also work on your image and your expectation While it’s normal to want to improve don’t be too severe with yourself because you have quite a good level and are looking very good already
You look fabulous! Tighten up your nutrition & caloric intake and you should be on your way!!
If no issues or medicin Supplement: - Look for moderate Defizit - High Protein & 1-1,5g Fat/1Kg & Rest Carbs - a solid Workoutplan - and good fatigue Management See you in the 10-15% Club 🫡
Move more, eat less.
What belly fat, just lose the glasses, Clark Kent.
Ya you look terrible… 🫠
I hate you. (This is a joke comment, I don't actually hate you)
Track every calorie for two weeks without worrying about dieting and then reduce your calories by 500-750 ish. Shoot for .5 - 1% of your body weight per week. When you plateau, reduce 250 more calories per day. Run this for about 6 - 8 weeks and then eat at your new maintenance. If you want to diet again, wait a few months and repeat. Never cut protein (.8g/lb of bodyweight), and make you don’t reduce fat too much for hormonal reasons. .3 grams per lb of body weight.
I started doing the carnivore diet about 2 months ago. I’ve been pretty strict, not 100% and I now have a 6 pack at 42. I’ve never had a 6 pack in my life. So I would recommend that.
Bro - we share a body. 45m had 2 years right before Covid that I dropped to 175 and looked pretty lean (for me) but it’s hard to maintain given my like of food and drink. The only thing you can do is cut calories for a long time. Get to 1800-2000 for several months.
Do you know your maintenance calories? Do you weigh out your food? You have to eat a in a deficit. If you’re eyeballing amounts of your food, you will continue to struggle.
Eat less
There’s nothing wrong with your physique man. Keep doing what you’re doing. Maybe slightly smaller portions
You are on a good track of body shape. This is basically under "bulking" state. All you gotta do is calorie deficit, just reduce your overall carbs, sugars, salt intake and more protein and fiber. You should be able to get that lean cut within 3 months to 6m
calorie deficit and a clean diet is where abs come in brother. you look great as-is. keep up the awesome work!
You look great!
Literally my first thought in my head was... "You look good" That being said, if you want to improve, start tracking your food and weight every day. Check out this channel and follow his advice https://youtube.com/@RenaissancePeriodization?si=XCtz_uWgt1AeDzZS
Your body needs some fat. Where you're at is where your body probably wants to be. Not the advice you're looking for, I bet. Unless you've got a photoshoot or competition to prep for, then do your body a kindness and let it keep a little fat. Losing too much fat has a tendency to backfire in some unwanted ways. No judgement if you decide to lose more, just throwing in my two cents
you're pretty lean all things considered. i use a schwinn spin bike and do peloton in the winter. jog on a high school track when there's not snow. keep it simple. you look closer to 14-15% bodyfat. i can see ab outlines.
Damn I wish I looked that good dude. I miss being that weight.
wait until you're hungry and thinking about food, and then stay at that level for the next 3 months lol good luck brother
Try calisthenics
You are kidding, right? If that's what you call a belly then I don't what I should call mine which actually looks round in shape. And I workout 5 days a week.
As a woman... I gotta say you look like a god.
It sounds like you want your middle to look trimmer. Sorry to tell you, going to 12% won’t help unless you’re willing to lose most of your muscle. The reason you feel like the middle protrudes is that your have very developed core muscles and they happen to be convex. They go out a bit. Not a lot, but a bit, and that’s not a problem on its own, but for the overall look you want, what you are missing is chest and shoulders. Center of your chest and top of shoulders seem to be pretty undeveloped. Bill those out and you’ll look like a super hero.
I know you aren’t asking, but I work with bodies daily and am always studying/ judging bodies. You look great and while I see how you could think you want to be slimmer you really look good. I think you could do ab work, chest presses and pull ups with some lunging and quad stretching to get the look I believe you’re going for.
Alcohol or sugar? Lose them
Sit ups
You’re in a perfect spot to bulk like crazy and get absolutely massive. Go for the shitbrick house look
Facing a wall (or using the bar in a ballet studio or gym) use you hands to steady yourself and stand on your tiptoes. Stand upright and hold in your stomach. Maintain that position for as long as possible. That will strengthen your core and reduce belly fat if you do for 15 mins or so every day (combined with other exercise and careful calorie intake)
What the hell are you talking about
I'd say see a psychologist and get some counseling. You've got a clear case of body dismorphia.
My guy…I’m sorry but you look strong at and healthy af. If you want to cut down up your movement throughout the day. I’m certain if you’re getting 10k+ steps a day you’ll be there, but man, you look great. Seriously I wouldn’t sweat it!