Do you know your number?

karensoxfan

This is a spinoff from a BMI topic, and I understand that lots of MFP members dislike BMI as a tool for classifying whether someone is underweight, "healthy" weight, overweight or obese. I agree with those who think body fat % is a better indicator, but I'm the first to admit I don't know my own body fat %. I don't belong to a gym, and I've never asked my Dr. to measure it. I know I'm overweight, and I've discussed that with my Dr.'s, but I'm interested to know whether most people, even active people making a concentrated effort to lose weight (or maintain weight loss) know their own body fat %?

Do you know yours?

If so, what is it?

Finally, does anyone know what body fat % range is considered healthy*? *Assuming there are separate healthy ranges for men & women.

taso42_DELETED

I'm somewhere around 12.5%. But there's a margin of error because I measured at home, unprofessionally, with calipers.

Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

Also see the link in my sig for a site with pictures of people and their body fat %

ojell

I don't know my actual body fat by measurement, but according to my BMI I'm at the low end of OBESE! I was SHOCKED to see this! I would have NEVER thought that...I just thought I was chubby. I don't like the BMI scale though. I think I would be TOO SKINNY if I followed it. I dunno.

christy_frank

Mine is 30.2% :sad:

BUT.... I am working on it & my goal is 22%.

I am 5'6 & 145 lbs.

JPod279

Mine is 2..........much. I don't even want to check it until I get another 40 lbs off.

anubis609

I'm somewhere around 12.5%. But there's a margin of error because I measured at home, unprofessionally, with calipers.

Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

Also see the link in my sig for a site with pictures of people and their body fat %

Well equipped with links, man. Mad props. Now, I just actually have to measure my stats. Haha.

nayagan

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Mini-Weight-Loss-Body-Fat-Calculator-Diet-Analyzer-BMI-/190529652931?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5c73c8c3#ht_4227wt_902

I got one of these. Its not the best and its accuracy is +/- 5 percent which doesn't make sense for athletes. But if you are above 25 percent its worth it just to see it go down. Its a motivator. I went from 26% to 17% in about a year. Make sure you measure in the early morning without drinking water, this helps with reliability of the fat percentage.

Kate_UK

My body fat % is 24.5 according to my scale. But I don't know how accurate that is.Or what my healthy level is. My BMI is 22.6

Body fat % are different between women and men becuase woman naturally carry more 'healthy' fat than men because fo the way our bodies work and in prepapartion for pregnancy etc

McKayMachina

BMI:

Start: 43%
Current: 36.9%
Goal: 24.7%

Once I reach that, I may readjust for slightly lower. We'll see.

wheelieblade

too much, no idea how much tho not chcked, too scared, bit like getting on the scales :sad:

baisleac

Last question first:

Description Women Men
Essential 10-13% 2-5%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-24%
Obese 32%+ 25%+

My BF% is around 30% at the moment (very high end of "acceptable"). But I don't need someone else to measure me or a chart to tell me I need to lose fat, at this point.

The problem comes when someone looks at a chart and believes it more than what they see in the mirror; i.e. they look in the mirror and see jiggles but the chart says they're healthy so they're done or they look in the mirror and see a healthy body but the chart tells them they're overweight so they try to lose more.

If someone wants a discreet BF% number, there are online calculators that use measurements that anyone can do themselves. Will it be exactly perfect? Probably not. Will it give them a general idea of how close/far they are to where they want to be? Yes.

karensoxfan

Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

From that link, here's the chart:

Body Fat Percentage Categories (Women)
Essential Fat 10-12%
Athletes 14-20%
Fitness 21-24%
Acceptable 25-31%
Obese 32%+

Body Fat Percentage Categories (Men)
Essential Fat 2-4%
Athletes 6-13%
Fitness 14-17%
Acceptable 18-25%
Obese 25%+

I'm preetty sure I'd be in the obese category here for awhile, but am I the only one who thinks it's a little odd that the categories jump from acceptable to obese, without an overweight (but not obese) category in between?

callipygianchronicle

I don't know, but I want to know. An online calculator suggested 53% when I started. But I have read those online tools are way off. Hoping to have it tested in the near future and hopefully a few more time over the next year.

LovelySnugs

it is a good piece of information to have, but definitely get it done professionally. once, i looked up like 4 different BF% calculators and tried them all at the same time (though they all required measurements from different places. it was weird). my numbers? 29.2%, 30%, 31.45%, and 49%. i know my goal is 20%. but i don't know yet exactly how i wanna get there, cuz i'm not sure what my current status is, fat-wise.

just some information.

chevy88grl

Yep. I know mine and I honestly disagree with it. I think it is way to generic to be accurate. I am 5'4.5" and I weigh around 150... it tells me I am "Overweight", but I would be "healthy" if I weighed 145. I don't see myself as "overweight". The only place I really carry any weight is in my hips from having two kids. I ignore it.

chevy88grl

Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

From that link, here's the chart:

Body Fat Percentage Categories (Women)
Essential Fat 10-12%
Athletes 14-20%
Fitness 21-24%
Acceptable 25-31%
Obese 32%+

Body Fat Percentage Categories (Men)
Essential Fat 2-4%
Athletes 6-13%
Fitness 14-17%
Acceptable 18-25%
Obese 25%+

I'm preetty sure I'd be in the obese category here for awhile, but am I the only one who thinks it's a little odd that the categories jump from acceptable to obese, without an overweight (but not obese) category in between?

According to this one, I am in the "acceptable" category -- almost to fitness.

karensoxfan

Yep. I know mine and I honestly disagree with it. I think it is way to generic to be accurate. I am 5'4.5" and I weigh around 150... it tells me I am "Overweight", but I would be "healthy" if I weighed 145. I don't see myself as "overweight". The only place I really carry any weight is in my hips from having two kids. I ignore it.

Are you saying you ignore BMI or BF%?

amm703

Started at the gym 3 months ago and I was at 29%, was just measured the other day and was thrilled to be at 21%

shaunshaikh

I measure myself at home with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006WNPU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000FJQ48I&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=12377GYAXWQ3G3G014SM


I measure myself every morning before I eat/shower/anything under consistent conditions to get an accurate idea of trending.

One day I had the opportunity to do the water weighing method. They had me at 16.3% body fat when my handheld version said 17.7%

taso42_DELETED

Are you saying you ignore BMI or BF%?

BMI is a really crude metric. I always ignore it. BF% is much more meaningful - it actually gives some insight into body composition.

shaunshaikh

BMI is something used to measure populations. It was never intended to evaluate individuals, because it cannot discern between "healthy weight" and "unhealthy weight".