Calculating Body Fat Percentage

jheath123

So, I found some body fat percentage calculator and put in my info and it came out to 14%. I was told that you need to be around 8 or 9% to really start showing abs. So I did a few different numbers to see where I needed to be to reach that and couldn't work the numbers through. Anyone knowledgeable about this subject, I'd like to get them to show much better.

Mike523

First you need an ACCURATE measurement of your body fat percentage. The formulas you can find on the Internet may give you a ball park figure, but for an accurate measurement you need to have your body fat professionally tested.

For the sake of argument, let's assume that the 14% is accurate. According to your profile, your current weight is 166 pounds.

14% or your 166 pounds is fat weight, so 166 x 14% = 23.24 pounds of fat.

That leaves 166 - 23.24 = 142.76 pounds of lean mass.

Let's assume that you will retain your lean mass as you continue to lose fat. The reality is, you'll probably lose a little lean mass along the way, but let's assume you're eating enough calories and protein, and doing sufficient weight training to sustain your current lean mass.

With 142.76 pounds of lean mass, if you want to be at 9% body fat (91% lean mass) you would need to get to 156.88 pounds. (142.76 / .91 = 156.88)

To get to 8% body fat (92% lean mass), you'd need to get to 155.17 pounds. (142.76 / .92 = 155.17)

So it looks like you would need to lose another 10-11 pounds of fat (with minimal loss of lean weight) to get to the 8 or 9% body fat. If you lose a more significant amount of lean weight during the process, the numbers would need to be adjusted accordingly.

jheath123

Awesome thank you for explaining it a little better. I probably need to dedicate some more time to cardio I been spending more time just doing strength training exercises since I hit my first goal. I think I will set a new lower goal and aim for that. Still have 5 more months till beach weather anyways.