Body fat %....what is reasonable?

Aeriel

Hello. I have been on the program for 4 months and have lost 31 pounds. I just got a new scale yesterday that measures body hydration and body fat % in addition to weight. After 31 pounds dropped, I am at 37.1% body fat, so I shudder to think what the number would have been at the start 4 months ago! :noway:

What is a reasonable number to reach for as far as body fat % in a 35 year old woman? I am not looking to be sculpted, just toned and reasonably healthy. I am 5'8" tall and 183 pounds at the moment. My first target is 160 pounds, and then I will reevaluate where I want to go from there. Thanks for any advice!:bigsmile:

erickirb

Here is a chart I found that may be useflu:

Female Body Type
Athlete <17%
Lean 17-22%
Normal (healthy) 22-25%
Above Average25-29%
Overfat 29-35%
Obese 35+%

stringcheeze

I think it'll tell you the healthy range for BMI in the Tools section for the site -- its 18 - 25 for me (I'm 1 inch shorter than you). If I hit 21-22, I'll be happy.

Aeriel

Female Body Type

Athlete <17%
Lean 17-22%
Normal (healthy) 22-25%
Above Average25-29%
Overfat 29-35%
Obese 35+%

The funny thing is, I left the "obese" weight category according to BMI almost 20 pounds ago. Why such a difference between the two standards? My current BMI is 27.9.....started at over 37.

fitterpam

BMI doesn't take into account things like your frame or muscle weight - if you have a lighter frame, then you will have a higher BF% than BMI. If you have a muscular body, your BMI might be higher than your BF%. Muscle does take up more room than fat, so for the same physical size it is heavier than fat. BMI calculations take into account your height and weight. BF takes into account the weight of your fat vs. the overall weight of your body.

Totally different methodologies but 20 pounds of fat might account for 4% of your overall weight. So they would be similar.

erickirb

Female Body Type

Athlete <17%
Lean 17-22%
Normal (healthy) 22-25%
Above Average25-29%
Overfat 29-35%
Obese 35+%

The funny thing is, I left the "obese" weight category according to BMI almost 20 pounds ago. Why such a difference between the two standards? My current BMI is 27.9.....started at over 37.

Most home scales that measure body fat % are not very accurate so don't put to much weight into the number. BMI is so different as it ignores muscle. Most body builders at 5% body fat % will register as obese according to BMI. Body fat % is the best way to measure progress and obesity, but it should be done professionally to get the most accurate results.

Hermit4Hire

You mean you can just step on a scale and measure your body fat? ....not so sure about that kind of accuracy.

dirty_di

Female Body Type

Athlete <17%
Lean 17-22%
Normal (healthy) 22-25%
Above Average25-29%
Overfat 29-35%
Obese 35+%

The funny thing is, I left the "obese" weight category according to BMI almost 20 pounds ago. Why such a difference between the two standards? My current BMI is 27.9.....started at over 37.

I think the labels on this chart might be a little bit misleading. BMI and body fat % are two totally different measurments and have almost nothing to do with each other. BMI takes into account only weight and height. Body fat% takes into account only the percentage of your body that is fat. You can be in the 'normal' range for weight (BMI) and be in the 'obese' category here for body fat% and vice versa.
Bottom line is that for a woman in her 30's, a body fat % of 20-25% is a great place to be.

stringcheeze

You mean you can just step on a scale and measure your body fat? ....not so sure about that kind of accuracy.

It does it by conductivity -- body fat conducts electricity differently than muscle/bone. So it passes a little charge through your body from one foot to the other and measures the resistance. After a bit of math, it can come up with a percentage.

But you're right, I think the only true way to measure is by a fancy submersion test (you go into water and they measure the displacement of your body).

Aeriel

You mean you can just step on a scale and measure your body fat? ....not so sure about that kind of accuracy.

It does it by conductivity -- body fat conducts electricity differently than muscle/bone. So it passes a little charge through your body from one foot to the other and measures the resistance. After a bit of math, it can come up with a percentage.

But you're right, I think the only true way to measure is by a fancy submersion test (you go into water and they measure the displacement of your body).

I realize it is not totally accurate, but it gives me a guideline of where I am sitting. Even if it is off by several percent, it should be off by roughly the same amount as you lose or gain. I will get an accurate test done later, but for now this is good enough! Thanks for the input!

SHBoss1673

yea, I wouldn't rely too much on the scale for an accurate BF%. Bio-electrical impedance are notoriously inaccurate. If you want an accurate measurement, I would go have a test done professionally.

-Skin caliper tests done by an experienced professional have about a 5% margin for error.
-A Bod Pod machine (you can find them at many universities or fitness centers) have about a 1.5 % margin for error, same with Hydrostatic testing (dunk tank).
-A DEXA test is about a .5% margin for error as is an MRI test (but these are usually very expensive)

By comparison, a home BF% scale can be anywhere from 5% to 15% off, and that is assuming you have the correct hydration levels, which is by no means, certain. So take it for what it's worth. It's a very rough guess.