Getting frustrated with my body fat percentage!

DebinMelbourne

I'm 58, I've lost about 20 kg over the past 2 years down to a good weight of 60kg, I eat very well and I exercise a lot. This includes Pilates, gym work (weights), cardio on the bike or elliptical, and lots of dog walking. My body fat percentage has reduced from 35 to 30 percent, and there it stays! I can't even see where 18 kg of body fat is hiding apart from that post-menopausal midriff ridge. And even my waist measurement has reduced from 90+cm to around 76cm.

Is it just a number that I'm obsessed with that has replaced my weight? Any tips?

JeffseekingV

I'd make sure you are measuring your body fat correctly

DebinMelbourne

JeffseekingV wrote: »

I'd make sure you are measuring your body fat correctly

I do wonder about that. My scales and the gym scales show similar measurements, but I'd love to get a more accurate measurement somehow.

jemhh

Read through this article and try the formulas. I keep a spreadsheet with them so I can pop in the measurements every so often. A word of warning--the results can vary greatly. But at least it's another way to see things.

http://strengthunbound.com/measure-body-fat-easily-accurately-home/

AllieGeorge2014

Scales are not accurate in giving accurate information on BF% - in women especially. You'll get a better result using callipers (if you use them properly)

kelly_e_montana

so, i don't think that BF % are necessarily correct on many types of tests, but i believe if tested over time on the same mechanisms, they show a trend. So you might not be stuck at 30, but you might be stuck somewhere.

JeffseekingV

The other thing is to consider the delta change. If your method is inaccurate but CONSISTENT, then just consider you lost 5% in bodyfat.

habit365

For your age and sex, 30% puts you in the healthy, possibly even ideal, range based on the charts I've seen.

BChanFit

I actually had a similar question a few weeks ago. Advice I got here, from my trainer, and fitness minded friends was this: 1.) Don't pay too much attention to the BF% since most methods are not very accurate. Better to pay attention to measurements, clothing size, progress pics. 2.) Eat more. They said that the BF% wasn't moving because I was working out too much and not building muscle. So I increased my calories but hasn't been enough time to give you any results yet. Good luck!

Azdak

DebinMelbourne wrote: »

I'm 58, I've lost about 20 kg over the past 2 years down to a good weight of 60kg, I eat very well and I exercise a lot. This includes Pilates, gym work (weights), cardio on the bike or elliptical, and lots of dog walking. My body fat percentage has reduced from 35 to 30 percent, and there it stays! I can't even see where 18 kg of body fat is hiding apart from that post-menopausal midriff ridge. And even my waist measurement has reduced from 90+cm to around 76cm.

Is it just a number that I'm obsessed with that has replaced my weight? Any tips?

The most likely answer is inconsistent/inaccurate measurements. If you march out the numbers, it would mean that 50% of your scale loss was lean mass, which is extremely, extremely unlikely (the most I have seen with people on 500 cal/day VLCDs is about 35%), esp given your program.

20yearsyounger

There are some things that are harder to fight as you age. However, based on everything else, it sounds like you are doing great. Take a look at this chart http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/

philwrightfitness

Not everyone stores fat the same, scales measure your overall body fat, some people store more fat viscerally I.e. Around their organs than they do subcutaneously I.e under their skin , for instance my scales say I'm 30% fat but my calipers say I'm 10%, as others have said its consistency that counts. If you want to lose a greater percentage of fat in your weight loss consider adding some weight training or a ketogenic diet.