Guess my body fat before hydrostatic testing tommorrow

[MOVED FROM FOOD & NUTRITION FORUM]

The gym at my workplace offers hydrostatic body fat testing once per quarter for only $40 and I am scheduled to be tested tomorrow morning. This will be my first ever body fat test.

I honestly have no idea (with any reasonable certainty) what my body fat% is, and using more than a dozen online calculators that take into account height / weight / various measurements like waist, hips, neck, forearm, etc. I have gotten results as low as 14.3% (umm . . . no) and as high as 21.55% (could be). My ~7 year old Omron scale that purports to measure based on electrical impedance gives me as high as almost 25% (hopefully not!) -- it looks like it primarily just compares weight and height, frankly, since getting on 2 or 3 times in a row might move the weight by 0.2 or 0.4 lbs and the body fat% moves with it (which it really shouldn't, I'd think). I am more interested in my body fat % as an interim target than any particular weight target, so getting a better grip on where I'm at is important to me (and I know that hydro testing still has a potential error of around 3%).

Some background and then the pics -- 43 yo male. 5' 9". Hit a high of 213 lbs about 6 months ago, and have been losing around 2 lbs a week for the last 4.5 months. Weighed in this morning at 171 lbs. Waist at the navel is 34".

I have been doing weight training (mostly upper body) and cardio (short HIIT and longer steady state cardio) on alternate days with an occasional rest day or two thrown in. Since the beginning of the journey I have a lot more tone in shoulders, back, chest, arms and legs, but have a stubborn belly roll that looks like it is going to fight me tooth and nail down to a much lower body fat% -- and I am mostly interested in who far I'd have to go to shrink that bad boy down a bit and return to a flat (or closer to flat) stomach.

Pics follow (front and side, relaxed and lightly flexed, respectively). I am curious about tomorrow and will report back, and I thought others might be curious, too, given the wide variation in online calculators. I am hoping I am somewhere around 19%.

Front - Relaxed:
Frontrelaxed_zps5263f0cc.jpg

Front - Light Flex:
Front-flex_zpsa7b7e19d.jpg

Side - Relaxed:
Siderelax_zps229e913e.jpg

Side - Light Flex:
Sideflex_zps2cf7aa1e.jpg

Cheers!
«1

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    19-20% IMO.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    19-20% IMO.

    At least unless fat on a guy looks different than on a girl.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    25-30%.
  • SteveStedge1
    SteveStedge1 Posts: 149 Member
    25-30%.

    No way dude. 30% bodyfat he would have a HUUUGGGGEEE beer gut. Im going with 15-20% He's a dude who carries all the weight around his midsection instead of a bit more equally.

    Hell, I'll say 17.5%. That would put his lean weight at 141lbs.

    Lets see who is closest!!!
  • GBPack93
    GBPack93 Posts: 76 Member
    I would say between 20-23% range. I agree no way is he around 30 and I would be surprised if over 25
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I look forward to tomorrow's report!

    Thanks for doing this, I have a feeling it will be quite instructional....! :smile:
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    22.65%!

    Good luck OP and have fun blowing bubbles :)
  • bonjalandoni
    bonjalandoni Posts: 136 Member
    20%
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    I'm going to guess around 21%.
    I have been doing weight training (mostly upper body)

    Your legs, being the largest muscle group on your body, burn the most fuel. Which is why most good lifting programs are centered around leg exercises.
    The fat, of course, could come off from elsewhere on your body, since fat loss is systemic and can't be targeted.

    Nice wall color by the way.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    I'd also say right around 21%

    Rigger
  • CoachDreesTraining
    CoachDreesTraining Posts: 223 Member
    22-25%
  • ayalowich
    ayalowich Posts: 242 Member
    22-25%

    Yep. I'd say 25%
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    Hah, this is awesome. I'd say 20% max, possibly 18%.
  • PriceK01
    PriceK01 Posts: 834 Member
    I'll guess 23 :)
  • FatHuMan1
    FatHuMan1 Posts: 1,028 Member
    22-25%

    this
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    23%
  • rassha01
    rassha01 Posts: 534 Member
    22-25%
    tumblr_inline_mjejfkndvN1qz4rgp.gif
  • ncahill77
    ncahill77 Posts: 501 Member
    So what was the verdict?
  • KeViN_v2pt0
    KeViN_v2pt0 Posts: 375 Member
    I really hope thats not your room.
  • V0lver
    V0lver Posts: 915 Member
    20 % bf but since we are talking about hydrostatic testing, i am gonna deduct 3 percentage points.

    17% bf ??
  • markpmc
    markpmc Posts: 240 Member
    Hope I'm not too late..
    20%-23%
  • pavrg
    pavrg Posts: 277 Member
    If we're playing the price is right I'd guess 22%.

    But I think it's closer to 25-28%.
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
    24%
  • kelseystew
    kelseystew Posts: 49 Member
    I am going to go with 22%, curious for the results!
  • KeViN_v2pt0
    KeViN_v2pt0 Posts: 375 Member
    Are you taking the purple unicorn with you? If so then 32%

    If no purple unicorn pillow than 26%
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    I happen to like unicorn pillow pets and bunk beds. There's nothing wrong with that!

    (J/K - actually my daughters' room since the master bedroom doesn't have a full length mirror).

    About 45 mins away from the testing -- thanks for all the replies. Very interesting to see the wide range of opinion (as wide or wider than the results from the myriad of online calculators).

    Probably won't get back to a computer to post results until closer to noon Pacific time. Still time if you want to guess.

    Cheers!
  • AleciaG724
    AleciaG724 Posts: 705 Member
    19% is my guess, no way is it 25%
  • pavrg
    pavrg Posts: 277 Member
    Hah, this is awesome. I'd say 20% max, possibly 18%.
    So he's got your avatar's bodyfat %? I think they look fairly different, and your avatar is not sub 15%.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    About 20%
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    18.89%.

    And the detailed results:
    Page1_zps103de87a.jpg

    "Personalized" Calorie Burn per Activity:
    Page2_zps3411c194.jpg