Confused!

nikki0753

Hey, im slightly confused. So I checked my weight and body fat percentage today and Im 114lbs and 36% body fat!
That's a lot higher than it should be!
Im trying to gain weight so ive increased my daily calorie intake and also trying to build muscle. Im gaining - extremely slowly but im concerned that my body fat is unhealthily high?
But how can I get my body fat to a healthy % if I need to eat more?? I don't wanna give myself a heart attack in the process!
Or am I being completely dumb and its actually really simple? haha

mlima14

That does seem high unless you're less than 4'8', it might be right. I think it depends on the type of equipment used to get your body fat%. Some are very inaccurate because it depends on the humidity, body hydration and time of day that interfere with them even having sweaty feet could give you wrong calculations. Try the calipers they're the closest to being accurate those should be done by a health professional or at a gym if you don't have someone who knows how to use them. As to gaining weight sorry can't help you there.

nikki0753

I used equipment in a pharmacy so maybe its not very accurate! I will definitely go and get it checked properly by a professional!
And also look into the calipers. I havnt actually heard of them before so had to google it haha. Im quite clueless with this kind of stuff!
Thank you for the reply

trimwan2B

Maybe it's the types of foods you are eating.

nikki0753

that's what I thought but I looked through my food diaries and I wouldn't say I have a high fat diet (apart from mcdonalds some lunch times!) I drink a lot of coke so maybe that has contributed to it! I just don't know!

shinkalork

go here and use a measuring tape... It's not the most accurate but it will be better than what you are using cause you're not 36%...not possible.

http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

crystalflame

that's what I thought but I looked through my food diaries and I wouldn't say I have a high fat diet (apart from mcdonalds some lunch times!) I drink a lot of coke so maybe that has contributed to it! I just don't know!

Dietary fat doesn't turn into fat on your body, and no specific food will cause fat. Odds are you were measured inaccurately - you didn't get a DEXA scan or a hydrostatic measurement, which are considered the only gold standards for accurately measuring body fat. Any sort of scale will use electrostatic impedance, and that's EXTREMELY dependent on your hydration level. Calipers are only as accurate as the person taking the measurements.

I wouldn't worry about your BF% right now. Focus on eating a high-protein diet while doing strenuous resistance training to build muscle, and continue to work on body recomposition once you're at the weight you're trying to achieve.

nikki0753

see Im so clueless with this kinda stuff ive never even heard of a DEXA scan or hydrostatic etc...
where can I get this done? By a doctor?

nikki0753

go here and use a measuring tape... It's not the most accurate but it will be better than what you are using cause you're not 36%...not possible.

http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

Thanks! ill check it out!

crystalflame

see Im so clueless with this kinda stuff ive never even heard of a DEXA scan or hydrostatic etc...
where can I get this done? By a doctor?

There are independent facilities you can make an appointment with, but it's pretty expensive - about $250, I think. Calipers will get you a close enough measurement, and they're a lot cheaper. Or check this thread out - Sara can estimate your BF% from photos. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1105598-bodyfat-estimation-thread

nikki0753

Ah great, ill check the thread out.

That's pretty expensive! I think ill try a caliper first and if the measurement still looks a bit off ill try get a DEXA.

Thanks

hihoward

Unfortunately, this site is for sale because it's worthless There are countless problems, including the fact that you may lose at first but if you follow
the advice at the BOTTOM of most pages, it scares you into avoiding "starvation Mode", and must eat more calories or fat.
I AM BACK TO TO MY STARTING point BY EATING MORE YOGURT AND NUTS AND EATING THROUGH THE CALORIES I GAINED EXERCISING
THIS SITE IS A JOKE ON DIETERS. See hihoward's diaries

nikki0753

Sorry the site isn't working for you but I disagree. I think this site is actually extremely helpful. of course there are some flaws but it has helped a huge amount of people lose/gain.

OverDoIt

hello nikki,
I really think that you should go to a gym near you and get a B/F comp for free. Judging by your face pick, there is no way in hell you are at 38% @114lbs. Do not under any circumstances let that fester in your mind. Get an accurate BF composition from a professional. I am sure this will put your mind at ease. Don't let them talk you into anything else. Keep fighting the good fight young lady, and never give up on your dreams. If you have any questions, you can message me, I am really here to help and be helped by others. That's what this site is really about !!

OverDoIt

AND STOP DRINKING COKE AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! That is the worst thing you can do whether you are trying to lose or gain. Drink water, and water, and water, and water is also good.

michable

Hi, I believe that most methods of body fat estimation can be inaccurate, but I think if you use a couple of different methods, you can get a reasonable indication, or broad estimate at least, of what you might be around, and then you can monitor the downward trend as you continue to strength train. It seems unlikely that you would be 36% BF at 114 lbs.

To estimate my bodyfat, I have scales that measure bodyfat, but I am sure they measure me on the low side, so I don't put much stock in that estimate.

I also go to bizcalcs and use the US Navy bodyfat Calculator there: http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy (You use a tape measure and measure various parts of your body and it calculates body fat based on those measurements).

I have also used Heybales spreadsheet which you can access here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones. The spreadsheet uses the average of a number of different methods to determine your body fat percentage.

You can also post photographs to Sara and Sidesteel's bodyfat estimation thread and they will give you a visual bodyfat estimate based on your photos. (I haven't done this personally, but lots of people have) You can check out the body fat estimation thread at the Eat, Train, Progress group here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1105598-bodyfat-estimation-thread

You can also download a body fat report from Leigh Peele, which has a lot of good information about body fat estimation and testing, and a lot of good photos of people at various body fat percentages that you can compare your own body with, to see which percentage body fat you are closest to. http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

I hope this helps!

Graelwyn75

Check out the local university. Many of them have a Bodpod for measuring fat, and although not as accurate as a Dexa scan, they are more accurate than many other methods and are fairly cheap to get done.

nikki0753

Ah thank you so much guys! Really appreciate your replies.
It's put my mind at rest knowing that its probably an inaccurate measurement!
I am definitely going to get more tests done and will check out all the links

jennifer_417

Unfortunately, this site is for sale because it's worthless There are countless problems, including the fact that you may lose at first but if you follow
the advice at the BOTTOM of most pages, it scares you into avoiding "starvation Mode", and must eat more calories or fat.
I AM BACK TO TO MY STARTING point BY EATING MORE YOGURT AND NUTS AND EATING THROUGH THE CALORIES I GAINED EXERCISING
THIS SITE IS A JOKE ON DIETERS. See hihoward's diaries

Weird...I guess all that weight I and others have lost were only in our imaginations...