Ladies: Were you shocked by your body fat %?

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tanyaltrl
tanyaltrl Posts: 42 Member
edited June 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
I did a hydrostatic body fat test over the weekend and I was shocked by the results. Okay so my BMI is like 25.3 but I'm very active and figured I probably have more muscle boosting me up to "overweight" category. My body fat test did show I have 8lbs more lean body mass than the average, however I am 31.7% body fat aka *obese* wtf!!!! How is that possible? I guess I'm looking for support from other women who've been through this. I was okay being .4 BMI points overweight but this body fat test is supposed to be more telling of how fat you actually are :(
Heres a pic just because. I invite more pics to compare next to test results

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0op0dnsbz60x21q/Photo%20May%2030%2C%206%2034%2009%20PM.jpg?dl=0

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Replies

  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
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    When I had my body fat checked at the dr, it was 50%, DOWN from 55% last year. And my bmi is in the overweight range. I'm overweight so it's not a shock. I work out every day as it is, but now I'm incorporating weights so I can lower it.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    The photo doesn't tell much though it doesn't seem like you are 31.7%
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Before I started training I had a BMI of about 23 and looked like the average, slim person. Got a DEXA scan, and was at 32% bf.

    The average body fat % of normal weight (18.5-25 BMI) American females is apparently 34%.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/436693-the-most-accurate-measurement-of-body-fat/
  • RosieRose7673
    RosieRose7673 Posts: 438 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Oh man. I don't think I ever want to know my real BF% now.

    Right? I've always been curious of DEXA scans. But I can bet I'd be sorely disappointed at my results!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    RosieRose7673 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Oh man. I don't think I ever want to know my real BF% now.

    Right? I've always been curious of DEXA scans. But I can bet I'd be sorely disappointed at my results!

    Yeah if I hear above a certain number I might freak the F out.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,180 Member
    edited June 2016
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    When I read the title, before I even opened the thread, my thought was ... I assume my BF% is probably about 30%. And after reading a few posts here, that's probably right.

    (My BMI is about 20.5, I think)
  • musicalityrnb
    musicalityrnb Posts: 53 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Oh man. I don't think I ever want to know my real BF% now.

    .... I'm starting to feel the same way too...
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    At my most fit I was at 27% now I'm around 34%. I have around 20lb still of the 30lb I gained back to lose. I don't expect my bf% to ever drop below that 27% though. I had visable abs at that point. I just like to believe I carry most of it in my booty lol
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Oh man. I don't think I ever want to know my real BF% now.

    You know it! I've been saying I was going to get a dexascan or Bodpod done, just so I have a better measurement for improvement than the scale, but now maybe not.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Cheer up, there is a silver lining!!

    http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/index.php/free-content/free-content/volume-1-issue-3-the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-parts-1-and-2/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-1/
  • RosieRose7673
    RosieRose7673 Posts: 438 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Cheer up, there is a silver lining!!

    http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/index.php/free-content/free-content/volume-1-issue-3-the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-parts-1-and-2/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-1/

    Lol! I don't know why but the way the author wrote that was pretty funny to me!

    "We predict what your body fat would be if we were to kill you, slice off all your body fat and weigh it." Quite morbid, but humorous to me!
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    RosieRose7673 wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Cheer up, there is a silver lining!!

    http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/index.php/free-content/free-content/volume-1-issue-3-the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-parts-1-and-2/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-1/

    Lol! I don't know why but the way the author wrote that was pretty funny to me!

    "We predict what your body fat would be if we were to kill you, slice off all your body fat and weigh it." Quite morbid, but humorous to me!
    IKR? fun to read!!
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    edited June 2016
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    tanyaltrl wrote: »
    I did a hydrostatic body fat test over the weekend and I was shocked by the results. Okay so my BMI is like 25.3 but I'm very active and figured I probably have more muscle boosting me up to "overweight" category. My body fat test did show I have 8lbs more lean body mass than the average, however I am 31.7% body fat aka *obese* wtf!!!! How is that possible? I guess I'm looking for support from other women who've been through this. I was okay being .4 BMI points overweight but this body fat test is supposed to be more telling of how fat you actually are :(
    Heres a pic just because. I invite more pics to compare next to test results

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/0op0dnsbz60x21q/Photo%20May%2030%2C%206%2034%2009%20PM.jpg?dl=0

    You certainly look like you are normal, healthy weight to me. You are not obese by any stretch. Even if your BMI is on the cusp of overweight 25% BMI you have a ways to go before you even hit obese. But you don't even look overweight. What is up with that body fat calculation?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Over 30% is obese for a woman (under is normal, that scale has no "overweight" as a middle category); over 24.9 is also overweight, so that's actually quite consistent. It just would mean you need to lose a little body fat.

    Mine were unsurprising -- at an obese weight my body fat was awful, when still overweight but exercising a lot I was in the high 20s, and when normal weight but with some more to lose for aesthetic purposes I was 25. Latter two by DEXA.

    I'm not sure how accurate the type of test you did is, however, and in your clothes you look good and not nearly over 30% to me -- more like 25% at most.
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,157 Member
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    I started out morbidly obese at 248 lbs. I remember the gym measurements a few months in, putting me at 44% with calipers. I've lost 100+ lbs. My caliper measurement last summer was 33% which disappointed me. I was not focusing on strength training, but started lifting. Another caliper measurement in March or April got me to 29%, but then I did a BodPod test about a month ago and was pleasantly surprised to be at 26.8%. It validated that the lifting was doing something since the scale hasn't moved a lot lately. My dietician thinks it's reasonable for me to continue what I'm doing for another 9 lbs or so, and that should get me to 22% BF. So for me, the BodPod was great, I was happy with the numbers and know I can improve on them. I'll do another one again when I hit that pound loss.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
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    Uhhhh well this thread is terrifying lol. I was just trying to gauge my BF % today (I feel like 25-27% is accurate, my WW scale- I know, I know- concurs claiming 24%) and contemplating calipers versus a dexa scan...now I'm not sure I want to know because its probably 45% or something :/
  • kar328
    kar328 Posts: 4,157 Member
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    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    Uhhhh well this thread is terrifying lol. I was just trying to gauge my BF % today (I feel like 25-27% is accurate, my WW scale- I know, I know- concurs claiming 24%) and contemplating calipers versus a dexa scan...now I'm not sure I want to know because its probably 45% or something :/

    I forgot to add - I know the digital scales are known to be inaccurate and I never paid much attention to those numbers, but when I did the BodPod, my scale actually had me in the 26% range as well. That surprised me.

  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    edited June 2016
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Over 30% is obese for a woman (under is normal, that scale has no "overweight" as a middle category); over 24.9 is also overweight, so that's actually quite consistent. It just would mean you need to lose a little body fat.

    Mine were unsurprising -- at an obese weight my body fat was awful, when still overweight but exercising a lot I was in the high 20s, and when normal weight but with some more to lose for aesthetic purposes I was 25. Latter two by DEXA.

    I'm not sure how accurate the type of test you did is, however, and in your clothes you look good and not nearly over 30% to me -- more like 25% at most.

    I calculated with the military body fat test. I am hoping that it is not accurate. It showed 30% and I was shocked because my BMI is 24.9 which is supposedly on the cusp of normal.
    http://m.free-online-calculator-use.com/military-body-fat-calculator.html

    But I am muscular so I expected the body fat measurement would show lower than it did! Is there usually a discrepancy between bmi and body fat methods? Interesting that there is only normal and obese for body fat.

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