Bodyfat and weight! Help!!!

ayyeecee

Stats, 5'6" 122lbs 32,27,34 14-18% body fat, who really knows.

I need a bit of help figuring out what to do. I got a set of calibers because the body fat calculator on my scale was not right.
I used a 7 caliber and I got 14.08% Body fat. Not bad right? Except that I don't look nearly as muscular as I would like to be for 14%... In fact I probably look "skinny fat" as much as I hate that term. But I have a bit of a sagging stomach.

My scale had said that I was 18% body fat and I've read to start seeing my abs I would need to be down to at least 15% well, I'm past that and still no abs.

I've been doing insanity, because I thought the reason I couldn't see my abs was because of body fat, which I guess is still somewhat true, since there is a bit of fat around my midsection, which for a woman, I know this is normal.

But!! I want Abs, or at least a toned stomach. I would also like to have a flat stomach, because after having a baby it definitely stretched me out to the max being 70 lbs heavier than I am now, at 122 lbs.

Of course I know theres no such thing as spot reducing, and I want to get bigger every where else, arms, gluteus, thighs, calfs. I do not mind putting on muscle everywhere and be as fit as possible.

How do I get my body fat percent to look like what its supposed to?? Lift weights with high protein meals?
Keep up with insanity until i get the results I'm looking for?

Is there a better program out there for me?

Thank you!

3laine75

I wouldn't trust a caliper reading if you're not experienced at using them.

My brother measured me and told me 20% (I wish) - I'm closer to 30 - 35%

imacrazycatlady

First, to get an accurate reading, if there is a facility close to you that does hydrostatic weighing (water immersion) or has a Bod Pod, it's worth the $ to get it done right. Hydrostaic is the most accurate, but the Bod Pod is pretty accurate too, and you don't have to get wet. Lots of universities have Bod Pods for their athletic teams and will often test a non-student for a fee. Call around or google. There's probably a place close to you.

Second, if you need some assistance cutting up and/or bulking up, it may be worth the $ to work with a reputable trainer for a few months. After all, you're worth it, right?

TavistockToad

its unlikely you would have your period at 14% bodyfat... plus you should have a lot of visible muscle tone...

regardless of the number, it sounds like you need to either bulk and cut to gain some muscle, or do a recomp while eating at maintenance if you are not happy with your figure as it is.

jeffpettis

It sounds like you are trying to combine two different goals, gain muscle and lose fat. You are not going to be able to do both at the same time. Well actually you can but it's a long painfully tedious process and it doesn't sound like you have the patience for it. LOL.

Anyways... Going by your description it sounds like you may be even higher than 18% BF. For a woman 18% is pretty lean and at 15% you should absolutely be able to see some abs.

You cannot trust the scales that give BF% because they are all going to be wrong. And a set of calipers is not going to be accurate if you don't know exactly what you are doing. As someone said a bod-pod or hydrostatic weighing is very accurate but expensive. Find someone that knows how to use a set of calipers and you will be able to get very close to one of the other methods. In other words someone that uses them all the time, preferably a trainer or doctor.

To get abs you are going to have to lose body fat. If you can't see your abs then it doesn't matter what your BF% actually is it is too high. And yes lifting weights to actually build some muscle will obviously help. But again you're not going to build much muscle in a deficit, but you will be able to preserve the muscle you have, which is very important while dieting.

Bottom line is, set one goal (fat loss) and stick to it, then set another goal (build muscle) and stick to it. No matter what you are doing persistence is key...

Good luck! :drinker:

Dragonwolf

Ditch the Insanity and go for a good strength training program, like StrongLifts, Starting Strength, or New Rules of Lifting (if you don't have access to weights, then check out Convict Conditioning or You Are Your Own Gym for bodyweight strength training). If you really can't let go of the cardio aspect, look into CrossFit. Or, at the very least, scale back the Insanity and work in some dedicated strength training program.

Basically, it's unlikely that you're at 14%, and Insanity is more cardio than strength. So, if you want to be "bigger" everywhere else, you need to work for that. There are, however, a few different ways to strength train - for strength/power (powerlifting), and for size (bodybuilding) -- and they are two very different things. I recommend going for strength/power, because strength itself is sexy, and will very likely get you closer to the body you want more quickly than bodybuilding (unfortunately for the lady bodybuilders out there, we don't have the testosterone to support getting big, and bodybuilding in general requires quite a bit of dedication, so you won't get a heck of a lot of results that route and may give up if you're just doing it to try to build bulk or get rid of the remaining extra fat), but I'm an admittedly-biased powerlifting lover (and obviously, you can do both in the long run, just keep in mind that building bulk doesn't happen easily for anyone, especially women). But seriously, though, squats and deadlifts are the kings of a great *kitten* and legs, regardless of whether you do bodybuilding or powerlifting. Check out the success stories section here for some pics of what lifting does for women (most are powerlifters, I think, but I know there are more than a few lady bodybuilders here).

Also, make sure you're getting the nutrients to support healthy skin. High-antioxidant fruits and veggies, such as blueberries, leafy green veggies, and red and orange vegetables, as well as fatty fish and other high Omega-3 foods, and foods high in vitamin E (and, of course, plenty of water), will help improve your skin and its elasticity, which can help tighten any loose skin you probably have. And yes, make sure you're getting enough protein. Once you find out your actual body fat percentage, try to aim for about 1g/lb of lean body weight (if you go over, that's okay), at least .45g/lb total body weight for fat (to ensure proper absorption of the fat soluble nutrients), and fill the rest in how you please to get the results you're looking for (usually some combination of fats and carbs, as those are the primary fuel sources).

bwright9752

I agree, ditch the insanity if you are going for muscle. If you have to use a video do P90x or P90x2, at least they include lifting although it is more reps and lighter weights than ideal if you are truly trying to add muscle. Another option would be to do Insanity Tue, Thur and Sat and do Stronglifts or one of the other begining lifter programs Mon, Wed and Fri.

ayyeecee

Well the thing is, I am very thin, and most would consider me lean it is literally just my mid section. And I know that BF% can be either healthy or unhealthy, and it can look completely different on two different people?

I've heard of the bod pod, but I live in the sticks, so I'd have to drive 7 hours to get to the closest one, not that dedicated. I had my personal trainer use the calibers on me, so I'm going to guess that I'm within a 3% of the caliber reading.... I literally have no fat anywhere other than my stomach.

So power strength training? Is that like crossfit? I do feel that insanity is helping my endurance get back, which I really like.
I loved p90x. It did give me good results.

lrmall01

How do I get my body fat percent to look like what its supposed to?? Lift weights with high protein meals?
Keep up with insanity until i get the results I'm looking for?

Is there a better program out there for me?

Thank you!

1 - You probably need more muscle. This link has a photo comparing the same body fat at different quantities of muscle. Although it is of a male, you are proabably experiencing the same thing - low body fat but no muscle to show.

http://www.muscleforlife.com/how-to-measure-body-fat-percentage/

2 - Yes, sort of. You need to lift weights properly and eat enough protein. You also need to eat enough total calories. If you don't know how to figure all this out, feel free to PM me.

3 - No, I would not suggest keeping up with Insanity. I don't think you will ever get the look you want. IMHO Insanity is fine if you want to lose some fat, it won't build the muscle you need without serious modification, which is not explained in the material that comes with the program.

4 - Yes, there are many better programs out there if you want to build muscle. It is difficult to recommend one without knowing what you are willing or able to do. A barbell based program is likely the best if you are able to get access to the equipment. I see you mention P90x. If that is your only alternative between P90x and Insanity, then P90x can be modified pretty easily to get you better results. Again, feel free to PM me if you want some help changing P90x to better suit your goals.

Good luck!

Dragonwolf

Well the thing is, I am very thin, and most would consider me lean it is literally just my mid section. And I know that BF% can be either healthy or unhealthy, and it can look completely different on two different people?

I've heard of the bod pod, but I live in the sticks, so I'd have to drive 7 hours to get to the closest one, not that dedicated. I had my personal trainer use the calibers on me, so I'm going to guess that I'm within a 3% of the caliber reading.... I literally have no fat anywhere other than my stomach.

So power strength training? Is that like crossfit? I do feel that insanity is helping my endurance get back, which I really like.
I loved p90x. It did give me good results.

For your body fat, I'd cross check with a few other types of measurements, such as the calculations that use tape measure. Your scale uses bio-electrical impedance, most likely, so make sure it's set to "athletic," which accounts for a higher level of water in the body. Between the three, you should be able to get a somewhat more accurate number in lieu of a Bod Pod or other more accurate reading.

Powerlifting is not necessarily CrossFit. CrossFit does have powerlifting aspects to it, and if it's something that appeals to you, then it can certainly help you reach your goal. However, it doesn't have to be. If you have access to weightlifting equipment (namely, a barbell), then I highly recommend reading Starting Strength and/or New Rules of Lifting. They will both teach you the basic mechanics of proper weight lifting (Starting Strength's author, Mark Rippetoe, also has a number of videos on YouTube and other places for more information on mechanics and form, I highly recommend checking them out).

ModernNerd

Well the thing is, I am very thin, and most would consider me lean it is literally just my mid section. And I know that BF% can be either healthy or unhealthy, and it can look completely different on two different people?

I've heard of the bod pod, but I live in the sticks, so I'd have to drive 7 hours to get to the closest one, not that dedicated. I had my personal trainer use the calibers on me, so I'm going to guess that I'm within a 3% of the caliber reading.... I literally have no fat anywhere other than my stomach.

So power strength training? Is that like crossfit? I do feel that insanity is helping my endurance get back, which I really like.
I loved p90x. It did give me good results.

Yes different frames are going to hold that percentage of body fat differently. If it's any help, I just got caliper tested by a trainer a week or so ago, and at 5'6'' I'm somewhere between 18 and 22%. Broad range, but it's a starting point:) I'm also trying to lower that number, and currently I've cut way back on cardio and starting hitting the weight room. Talk to a trainer, check out bodybuidling.com, and talk to the bootiful people of mfp-these are all fantastic resources to get you started. Good luck OP :flowerforyou:

_Terrapin_

Well the thing is, I am very thin, and most would consider me lean it is literally just my mid section. And I know that BF% can be either healthy or unhealthy, and it can look completely different on two different people?

I've heard of the bod pod, but I live in the sticks, so I'd have to drive 7 hours to get to the closest one, not that dedicated. I had my personal trainer use the calibers on me, so I'm going to guess that I'm within a 3% of the caliber reading.... I literally have no fat anywhere other than my stomach.

So power strength training? Is that like crossfit? I do feel that insanity is helping my endurance get back, which I really like.
I loved p90x. It did give me good results.

Yes different frames are going to hold that percentage of body fat differently. If it's any help, I just got caliper tested by a trainer a week or so ago, and at 5'6'' I'm somewhere between 18 and 22%. Broad range, but it's a starting point:) I'm also trying to lower that number, and currently I've cut way back on cardio and starting hitting the weight room. Talk to a trainer, check out bodybuidling.com, and talk to the bootiful people of mfp-these are all fantastic resources to get you started. Good luck OP :flowerforyou:

Thought I guessed 20.7...my eyes are excellent calipers

Graelwyn75

Actually, one can get their period at 14%. I was still getting mine at 12%.
As to abs, you have to build muscle to have abs that really show, as I found out myself, and that generally means gaining some muscle weight.

Ctrum69

Abs are made in the kitchen!

Belly fat is the last fat to go, and the hardest to get rid of.

Abs, because of their design, are some of the hardest muscles to get real definition out of.

Be patient, you'll get there.

waldo56

You can pretty much assume that any method to easily measure BF% underestimates it by quite a bit.

Some like BIA scales are so laughably wrong there really isn't even a point in using it.

_Terrapin_

You can pretty much assume that any method to easily measure BF% underestimates it by quite a bit.

Some like BIA scales are so laughably wrong there really isn't even a point in using it.

calipers, BIA's and Bod Pods. Which do you do since the first two are what the vast majority use? Have you been using a Bod Pod?

ayyeecee

My personal trainer (my father in-law) who owns a gym measured my body fat with calibers. That's when I received a 14.08% using Pollock algorithm.

All the advice is great. As for eating- I'm pretty darn good at not putting anything processed, high fat or sugar. Veggies and Meats, a long with some fruit and trying to steer clear of carbs as much as I can help it. I try to stay as close to 25g sugars a day as possible, including fruit of course. So I'd say my eating habits aren't really the problem.

So going to sit down with my father in-law and come up with a lifting plan! Thanks for all the advice. I will take all the advice I can get!

Still doing insanity just because I like doing it and I'm seeing results in my core strength. But I'm going to start lifting as well!

ayyeecee

Abs are made in the kitchen!

Belly fat is the last fat to go, and the hardest to get rid of.

Abs, because of their design, are some of the hardest muscles to get real definition out of.

Be patient, you'll get there.

Maybe you can check out my food diary and critique me sometime! Thanks for the advice.

ayyeecee

its unlikely you would have your period at 14% bodyfat... plus you should have a lot of visible muscle tone...

regardless of the number, it sounds like you need to either bulk and cut to gain some muscle, or do a recomp while eating at maintenance if you are not happy with your figure as it is.

Well I do have lots of visible muscle tone, just not on my tummy yet. I'm just starting to see the top on my abs, but I have some stubborn belly fat after I had my daughter, but she's over a year now and I just have a tiny tiny bit of sagging skin and it drives me crazy! I want my muscles in my stomach to pull back in again.

Dragonwolf

Abs are made in the kitchen!

Belly fat is the last fat to go, and the hardest to get rid of.

Abs, because of their design, are some of the hardest muscles to get real definition out of.

Be patient, you'll get there.

Maybe you can check out my food diary and critique me sometime! Thanks for the advice.

Your food diary isn't open, but as a general note - don't be afraid of naturally-occurring fats from minimally processed sources. Things like (grassfed) butter and the fats that come with (pastured, non-grainfed) meats are actually really good for you, full of vitamins (including the rare vitamin K2), minerals, monounsaturated fats, properly-proportioned Omega fats, and (in the case of butter, at least) short and medium chain fatty acids (which are spectacular fuel for the body).

Hotass79

just getting started and i 'm trying to lose about 40 pounds i have started a work out at home . need a lot of work :embarassed: