Low body fat or ideal weight (muscle, lift, push-ups, fast)

[hickoryfan]

What is the better goal to set? Ideal body weight or a low body fat reading, or both? I have a muscular build, but could stand to lose 20 pounds. However, i would love to have a body fat measurement between 15-20%. I'm 6' and 247 pounds. Any suggestions!
Thanks

[ChiGuy2.5]

Originally Posted by hickoryfan

What is the better goal to set? Ideal body weight or a low body fat reading, or both? I have a muscular build, but could stand to lose 20 pounds. However, i would love to have a body fat measurement between 15-20%. I'm 6' and 247 pounds. Any suggestions!
Thanks

Thats up to you. What is your goal? What do you want to look like? Do you want to lift more weight or do you just want to be toned?

[hickoryfan]

I lift weights. Want to be toned and muscular at the same time

[ChiGuy2.5]

Then short term, I recommend you bulk up. Lift a lot, try cutting all fast food and non nutritious food from your diet. Eat items high in protein and low in fat. This will help you to increase muscle mass, you may stay around the same weight. Then long term once you've started noticing significant gains in strength, try to cut the fat. Intake less calories than your spending to lose your body fat. The reason its hard to do both at the same time is because the diet will most likely tire you out. Some people experience some muscle loss while cutting. That is when its all cardio/diet.

[nikitakolata]

In my opinion, striving for a body fat percentage goal is the better goal. Who cares what you weigh if you look the way you want to look? Weight can fluctuate for so many reasons, and ultimately, most of us don't care what we weigh, but instead care about how we look.

I would use a picture guide like this to help you choose your goal:

A Body Fat Percent Picture Guide!

Personally, as a woman, my goal is 22% body fat. If I weigh 200 pounds when that happen, so be it.

[td333]

First, you should get rid of the term 'toned' from your dictionary.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by hickoryfan

What is the better goal to set? Ideal body weight or a low body fat reading, or both?

Start with the weight then work on the fat.

[hooligan]

Originally Posted by nikitakolata

In my opinion, striving for a body fat percentage goal is the better goal. Who cares what you weigh if you look the way you want to look? Weight can fluctuate for so many reasons, and ultimately, most of us don't care what we weigh, but instead care about how we look.

I would use a picture guide like this to help you choose your goal:

A Body Fat Percent Picture Guide!

Personally, as a woman, my goal is 22% body fat. If I weigh 200 pounds when that happen, so be it.

Exactly right. Why do you care what the scale says? It should 100% be about how you look and feel, numbers on a scale are arbitrary, IMO.

[subPrimeTime]

Originally Posted by hickoryfan

What is the better goal to set? Ideal body weight or a low body fat reading, or both? I have a muscular build, but could stand to lose 20 pounds. However, i would love to have a body fat measurement between 15-20%. I'm 6' and 247 pounds. Any suggestions!
Thanks

Focus on body fat, the weight will take care of itself. You say you have muscular build, but obviously not the look you want so likely the body fat is the reason.

At 6', 247 lbs, do you do bodyweight exercises? Pull-ups, push-ups, and dips? How about jump rope?Once you get to the point where you master these movements, I can almost guarantee that your body fat will be much improved (Note: I realize that "master" can mean different things to different people, but in this case it means a significant increase in what you can do right now, for ex 1 pull-up today vs. 5 pull-ups in a month).

[JohnNC]

[quote=subPrimeTime;26260999]Focus on body fat, the weight will take care of itself. You say you have muscular build, but obviously not the look you want so likely the body fat is the reason. quote]


Bingo....Just work on getting that bodyfat in check and the weight will follow. Who wants to be a muscular guy that is not healthy and eats bad. Work on eating cleaner and cut some calories. You will be amazed how easy it will come off.

By the way do you have any idea on where you are at bodyfat wise right now? You my not be as bad as you think. Go and get yourself measured to see where you are at. Be sure to go to a reputable person to get the measurements done, do not rely on a health club person with a handheld electronic unit.

John