Body fat %

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Littlemissyfit
Littlemissyfit Posts: 92 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Does anyone know what is a healthy body fat percentage for the average female. I think I'm a little above lightly active. After taking my measurements and weight today, I came up with just under 19% body fat... Does that seem right? I feel like that's a lot of body fat, but I'm pretty thin....

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  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    19% for women is pretty lean, I think I'm somewhere about 20-23%!
  • Littlemissyfit
    Littlemissyfit Posts: 92 Member
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    So do you think I need more body fat?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited July 2016
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    How was your BF measured? Bio impedence scale? You may as well throw the number out if treating it as an absolute number ..they have a significant margin of error

    I prefer this chart for BF %

    3pf1r1pk39fi.jpeg
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,615 Member
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    For 35 years old, 19% BF puts you in the lean category, while reaching 21.5 would put you in the ideal range. Its more of a personal preference of how lean you get, unless you have negative symptoms. If you are healthy, have normal hormone levels, your hair and nails aren't dry or falling out(hair), and have energy, 19% is probably fine.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    edited July 2016
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    I wouldn't pay too much attention to the number however you came up with it. How's your energy? Strength? Skin? Sleep? If all these are good, then your body fat is probably fine. However, if you don't do any weight-bearing exercise and you're thin and light, you could be setting yourself up for bone issues later on. Lift some weights and make sure you are eating nutritious food.

    For the record, I am also at 19% body fat, tested w/ hydrostatic (underwater) testing. I'm definitely not thin or light because I have 125 pounds of lean mass! Body fat percentage will look and feel very different depending on how much muscle and bone you have.
  • fraserkr
    fraserkr Posts: 110 Member
    edited July 2016
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    [deleted by OP]
  • fraserkr
    fraserkr Posts: 110 Member
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    I just found this alternative BMI calculator. The SMART BMI chart.

    http://www.smartbmicalculator.com/
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    Super excited. Mr. Doctor was willing to order a Dexa scan under my insurance. The BF% on my scale (unreliable as it may be) is going down very slowly, but it will be nice to know the real number as a data point for the future.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    Be aware that DEXA math is voodoo too.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    tomteboda wrote: »
    Be aware that DEXA math is voodoo too.

    Rashunfashun grumble groan @tomteboda

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