Losing Stubborn Fat? High weights or high reps?

[Banahja]

Hi Guys!

I have been struggling and researching online as well a speaking to trainers on the right way to proceed at this point in terms of losing fat! I already finished Body for life 6 months back and I am not now on my second one, i saw great results the first time and lost a size and half and have continued to gym it at least 5 days a week after I finished the program, I was doing different things everyday like reps and spinning classes!

I was lifting 8 kilos max in bar-squats 8 months ago, now I am on 60 kilos and its amazing, I've become so much stronger, and yes very toned...

My problem lies in the fact that I have very stubborn fat on my glutes and upper back of my thighs, but mostly glutes, its genetic... They are just NOT going away and its become extremely aggravating .. No matter how much heavy weights i lift, or spending 30 min high intensity on the stair master, they are still there! I even considered lipo suction (don't ask!)!!! Maybe it's the food I don't know anymore, I don't eat that much but sometimes I slip (I'm sure we've all been through it!)

Question is: What is the way to proceed at this point, will doing a 2nd Body for life using weight training and cardio help, or do I need to do consider doing a program with high reps on moderate weights for my glutes? Should i stop weight training and focus only on cardio until the fat is gone? Should I go on a strict calorie diet and intense cardio until i shed those kilos? (believe it or not I have lost a size and a half but have lost only 3 kilos this past year)...Every trainer tells me to do something different, i am so lost.

Help! For anybody who has been through a similar experience and was able to figure it out!!!

[Chris]

Muscle burns more calories than cardio... so don't sacrifice your weight lifting to do more cardio. Low reps, high weight builds more muscle than high reps, low weight. BUT it's great to do a few high rep sets now and again to humble you.

If you are consistently training hard, lifting weights, doing the cardio, and not losing the fat... then it's almost certainly the diet. You should consider counting calories and doing a calculated deficit. You may have genetics against you, but you can still burn off that fat with a proper calorie deficit. Just might take longer.

[Jared]

Congratulations on your progress so far! Sounds like you have really made the lifestyle shift which will ensure longterm success.

You could probably go heavier on your squats, also do deadlifts and other "posterior chain" work --- crowd out that stubborn fat with old-fashioned muscle!
Also it may be helpful to take a step back from the paradigm of "toning". As Mark Rippetoe says, "There is no such thing as “firming and toning.” There is only stronger and weaker."
Don't worry about getting too bulky -- you have to lift heavy AND eat heavy to bulk up like that. Keep your diet in line and keep lifting heavy ... you will get strong and stay trim.

I understand that a specific "problem area" can cause some discomfort, but remember to focus on all the gains you have made in so many other areas. This last little hurdle is just its own unique challenge. You'll show those pesky genetics a thing or two!!

[Banahja]

thank you guys so much for the feedback, will definitely continue and maybe add some high reps on card days to spice it up!
Just a quick question, i was trying to find the answer in the Body for Life Book, what if I increase the num of reps on the body for life program for weight training days? For example, instead of what I am currently doing which is reps with increasing weights: 15-12-10-8, then I would do 20-15-12-10 ... I know you can do that but is this for toning and not fat burning or does it create a different effect?
Just an idea!! let me know!

[Jared]

Originally Posted by Banahja

thank you guys so much for the feedback, will definitely continue and maybe add some high reps on card days to spice it up!
Just a quick question, i was trying to find the answer in the Body for Life Book, what if I increase the num of reps on the body for life program for weight training days? For example, instead of what I am currently doing which is reps with increasing weights: 15-12-10-8, then I would do 20-15-12-10 ... I know you can do that but is this for toning and not fat burning or does it create a different effect?
Just an idea!! let me know!

The official instructions are: Exercise 1: 12-10-8-6-12, Exercise 2: 12 ... with an intensity progression of 5-6-7-8-9-10 ... so I would say follow that and use enough weight to hit those intensity levels.

Intensity is just as important as the weight and reps, so make sure you are optimizing all 3!