Am I Obese? Body Fat % vs. BMI

crys_aintgivingup
crys_aintgivingup Posts: 115 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

My body fat percentage is ridiculously high - at 41%. On the other hand, my BMI is 25.7 which is overweight but not obese.

I'm wondering which number I should go by. I am a 24 yr old short female (5'1) at 62.6 kg. I started out lighter than that, but was told by my trainer that I burned 2 kg of fat in 2 months and built some muscles, so now I weigh more than before.

Replies

  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Hi all,

    My body fat percentage is ridiculously high - at 41%. On the other hand, my BMI is 25.7 which is overweight but not obese.

    I'm wondering which number I should go by. I am a 24 yr old short female (5'1) at 62.6 kg. I started out lighter than that, but was told by my trainer that I burned 2 kg of fat in 2 months and built some muscles, so now I weigh more than before.

    You did not build a substantial amount of muscle in 2 months I'm sorry. Building muscle is a very difficult and very long process. Even in optimum conditions people struggle to put on 10 pounds of muscle in one year.

    Honestly if you want to know if you are substantially overweight just look in a mirror and be honest with yourself. If you have weight to lose, which you probably do, best to get on that with exercise and healthy levels of dieting (nothing extreme) rather than worry about what box or category you fit into.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    how did you measure your body fat percentage?

    see my answer in this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1253346-body-fat-percentage - the advice is the same (sorry I'm too lazy to type it all out again! :smile: )
  • ashleyblossom1
    ashleyblossom1 Posts: 699 Member
    Don't go by either. Do you feel happy with your body? If yes then you are fine and dandy. If you feel like you want to change some thing about your body then do what you have to do to get where you want to be. Its that simple.
  • tworthen79
    tworthen79 Posts: 1,173 Member
    I never understood the labels of "obese, overweight, underweight". If you're unhappy and don't like what you see, change it. Throw out the labels and categories. It strictly comes down to what makes you happy. Good luck!
  • crys_aintgivingup
    crys_aintgivingup Posts: 115 Member
    Thanks for your replies. I should clarify that I've already been dieting and exercising for 2.5 months now and am strongly committed to continuing. I just wanted to know whether I am 'obese' or not because the BF% and BMI are confusing. I got my BF% from a full body scan with my personal trainer at the gym.

    I guess I'll just assume I am not in a good spot because with 41% body fat, obese or not, I hve got to change!!!!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,265 Member
    I'm overweight according to BMI but the mirror says otherwise.
  • leantool
    leantool Posts: 365 Member
    Please be specific ,how this body ft % was calculated.you can be overweight with high body fat %.therefore there is low lean body mass
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,304 Member
    I never understood the labels of "obese, overweight, underweight". If you're unhappy and don't like what you see, change it. Throw out the labels and categories. It strictly comes down to what makes you happy. Good luck!

    I don't agree with this - it is no good from a health point of view 'being happy with what you see and ignoring the labels and categories' if you are significantly over weight and running risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease etc.
    (not saying this is OP - just commenting on above comment.)
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    BMI doesn't mean anything when it comes to an individual person. Pay no attention to it. If the body fat% calculations were accurate, I'd go more by them.

    However, don't take any of the labels as a "defeat" in any way. If you're losing weight, toning your muscles, and getting healthier, that's all that should matter. Just keep at it, and say "nuts" to useless BMI charts.
  • kstand0053
    kstand0053 Posts: 15 Member
    BMI doesn't mean anything when it comes to an individual person. Pay no attention to it. If the body fat% calculations were accurate, I'd go more by them.

    However, don't take any of the labels as a "defeat" in any way. If you're losing weight, toning your muscles, and getting healthier, that's all that should matter. Just keep at it, and say "nuts" to useless BMI charts.

    This! Exactly! :)
  • MapleFlavouredMaiden
    MapleFlavouredMaiden Posts: 595 Member
    Unfortunately BMI is practically worthless. It doesn't take into account body composition at all. If you are concerned, get your body fat professionally measured. If I were you, I would just continue lifting and judge by how you look in the mirror, how your clothes fit, and most importantly, by how you feel. Don't get caught up or discouraged by the numbers.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Your body fat reading might be completely wrong, depending on how it was done.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If your BF% is really 41, then you have an unhealthy amount of body fat. It doesn't mean you can't be healthy, but it means the odds are against you remaining healthy if you don't lose some of the fat.
  • crys_aintgivingup
    crys_aintgivingup Posts: 115 Member
    Thanks for all your replies. As I said, I got my BF% measured professionally - with a full body scan by a personal trainer. So unfortunately I guess it's pretty accurate :(

    And yes, I know I have to lose weight, and I am losing. I guess I was just too obsessed with the 'obese' label. After seeing all your replies, I have decided to just forget the label and focus on the fact that I am feeling better both mentally and physically when working out, and worse when I don't. :)

    Thanks again!
  • schondell
    schondell Posts: 556 Member
    You're obese

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