rangers97

I hope this isn't a dumb question, but how does the body lose weight? Say you are in really good shape, but have some extra fat in the ab region and want to be able to see your abs. Now obviously you can't lose just that fat, but if you go on a calorie deficit and all other things remain equal, will the body start using fat stores for the extra energy it needs to offset the reduction of calories? Is there an order the body uses to lose weight, such as stored fat first, muscle second, anything else third?

I am just trying to get rid of my midsection area, like everyone else I presume, but don't want any of my upper body measurements to suffer from this. If they get smaller I want it to be from fat loss not from muscle loss. how do you know if you are only losing fat and not losing muscle as well during the process?

thanks for any responses...

DeadBolt

Make sure you have a proper diet and regularly check your body fat to check to see if its muscle loss or fat loss.

As for fat...it wont disappear from one spot...it goes from all over. For males the mid section, chest, and sometimes legs are the last places for fat to disappear from. The midsection is like the LAST place for many. Just as long as you keep to a good diet w/ cardio and don't go to crazy you shouldn't lose to much LBM while cutting.

"Only in dictionaries does SUCCESS come before WORK." -Alfred K. Henderson

´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸ ><((((((º>

JLB001

Usually with me, the first place I put on weight is the last place to go.

So...that would mean....I get a big butt and legs first when gaining, then when leaning out my upper body leans first, then the legs/rear finally goes!

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."

maniclion

Exactly first to get fat is last to get lean.

Karper

Ow - I thought his question was more like, what's the energie-sources order that the body uses ...

BritChick

I think this is a female thing, I'm exactly the same, top to bottom!
I think guys in general tend to store additional bf around the tummy and that's where it will come from last, women it's our asses.

CowPimp

Your measurements are going to suffer a little bit. You will lose some fat over the entire body. However, if you don't lose any, or very little, muscle mass, then the measurements are moot.

You're almost always going to lose some level of muscle in addition to fat when you cut. There are a lot of factors that contribute to this, however. If you are a sedentary person, they you are much more likely to lose muscle mass, as your body will see less of a reason to keep it around. If you do resistance training, then your body will strive to maintain as much muscle mass as possible. Hormone levels also play a large role in this. If you're on all kinds of anabolics, then you are much less likely to lose muscle mass when you cut. If you have naturally high testosterone levels, then the same will hold true.

Just cut gradually, train hard, and eat right. That's all you can really do.

The only time it's bad to feel the burn is when you're peeing...

CowPimp Picks Up Heavy Shit

MySpace

YouTube Videos