What does it mean to lose BF vs. losing weight?

Rae6503

Thanks! I have a bf measurement, according to the calculators I have found online, of 25 %. My lean body weight is at 99 lbs. I would, though, like help lowering that number to 15 percent. Anyone else have any ideas?

15% sounds like a low number.

15% is fairly low. Athletic BF % for males is often considered to be around 13 or 14. For women, BF is generally higher. When people talk about being "ripped," getting revealed 6-pack abs and such, they are generally close to single digit BF numbers.

Me are. Women can show 6-packs at 18%. I think for women 12% is essential anything lower can mess with your menstrual cycles which is not good.

LorinaLynn

A body fat index below 18.5 is generally considered a health problem (illness, bulimic, starving).

She's talking about body fat percentage, not body mass index (BMI). They're totally different things. BMI only goes by your weight and height. BF% is just that.. the percentage of fat on the body. Female athletes typically have between 14-20% body fat.

And the bit about bulking up with higher weights is bunk. I do low reps and heavy weights. Do I look bulky and muscular?

AZackery

Sweating: Sauna Suits. Sauna. Body wrap.

Too bad that all comes back the moment you drink/eat something.
What a waste of time trying to lose 5 pounds that wont say lost.

This is why I don't focus on my scale weight. I focus on fat loss.

AZackery

Sweating: Sauna Suits. Sauna. Body wrap.

Too bad that all comes back the moment you drink/eat something.
What a waste of time trying to lose 5 pounds that wont say lost.

That's kind of the point. Losing (or gaining) pounds on the scale does not necessarily equal fat loss (or gain). The scale is the least accurate reflection of fat loss because there are a number of things that affect it. Water retention is one of them, which is what that was meant to reflect. Also, when people lose weight, they often lose muscle mass as well. So there is a difference between weight loss and losing bodyfat.

I'm forever telling people there's a difference between scale weight loss and fat loss. They aren't the same thing, but some people think they are. I aim for fat loss and I know it will take me a while to reach my goal and I'm okay with that.

Rae6503

A body fat index below 18.5 is generally considered a health problem (illness, bulimic, starving). Muscle weighs more than fat so it is very possible to tone up your muscles, add mass and loose inches. Also, much exercise increases bone mass, If you go heavy on the cardio you will tend to push your bmi down, if you reduce or maintain your current calorie level. Weight lifting,especially low reps, may bulk you up and you may gain weight and loose inches around the waist. Many male weightlifters have low body fat but score high bmi's on charts and programed formulas because they have such big muscles. Anyone with sixpack abs is a low bmi , regardless of what the bmi formula shows. Male body builders often score obese on the charts although they have very little body fat. Due to hormone differences it is harder for women to bulk up than men. If your weight training is high reps (15-20 reps of 4 sets per exercise, you will probably get that lean fit look rather than the musclebound look. High reps tend to build endurance more than low reps which are more likely to add to strength.
High reps are better for tone, (the look most men prefer), most athletics and general endurance. 60 mins or so of cardio a day does a lot for tone. BTW the male equivalent of bulimia is body building to extreme. (Too much bulk reduces athletic ability and is very time consuming). You won't see a lot of guys like Arnold playing pro sports, they aren't flexible or fast and haven't the stamina needed.

So many things wrong with this one. She's talking about body fat percentage not BMI. The idea of high reps and low weights is very outdated. I accomplishes nothing. Lift 3-5 sets of 5-12 reps. Women will not "bulk". I expect to gain 3 pounds of muscle in 6 months of eating at a calorie deficit. This is NOT "bulk". Arnold took steriods.

Yanicka1

A body fat index below 18.5 is generally considered a health problem (illness, bulimic, starving). Muscle weighs more than fat so it is very possible to tone up your muscles, add mass and loose inches. Also, much exercise increases bone mass, If you go heavy on the cardio you will tend to push your bmi down, if you reduce or maintain your current calorie level. Weight lifting,especially low reps, may bulk you up and you may gain weight and loose inches around the waist. Many male weightlifters have low body fat but score high bmi's on charts and programed formulas because they have such big muscles. Anyone with sixpack abs is a low bmi , regardless of what the bmi formula shows. Male body builders often score obese on the charts although they have very little body fat. Due to hormone differences it is harder for women to bulk up than men. If your weight training is high reps (15-20 reps of 4 sets per exercise, you will probably get that lean fit look rather than the musclebound look. High reps tend to build endurance more than low reps which are more likely to add to strength.
High reps are better for tone, (the look most men prefer), most athletics and general endurance. 60 mins or so of cardio a day does a lot for tone. BTW the male equivalent of bulimia is body building to extreme. (Too much bulk reduces athletic ability and is very time consuming). You won't see a lot of guys like Arnold playing pro sports, they aren't flexible or fast and haven't the stamina needed.

this is a load of......bad informations.