Body Fat Percentage and Goal Weight

DaisyHamilton

Hi Everyone! As you can see on my ticker down there, my goal weight is set at 130. Right now, I'm 150. I've been 150lb since April. According to the US Army, I'm 24% body fat. Back in high school and middle school (I've barely graduated), I was 145-150lb, but I wasn't eating healthy. I was snacking on junk food, soda, anything I'd like. I'm not sure if my body is happy at this weight, and the rest if just vanity pounds, or if this is just a REALLY bad plateau. I've tried changing my diet, eating new foods, eating less, eating more, going to the gym, weight lifting, HIIT, 30DS (which I’ve finally lost a pound from), drinking more water, etc, and my weight hasn't budged besides that one pound. Should I up my goal weight to 140-145? I know it's not the scale that matters, but seeing my ticker say "130" seems unrealistic for me.

ptjolsen

I'm shooting to stay under 10% bodyfat...but I'm also trying to bulk up to 185lbs....its a long slow process.

Yanicka1

If your body fat% is right.....being 130 would put you between 12-13% body fat, anything bellow 20% if considered low and 14% is vital.....so you can see right there that it is not reasonable.

Second, how many calories do you eat?
Did you take a diet break lately?
Do you weight and measure everything you eat or just eyeball it?
What kind of exercise do you do?

DaisyHamilton

If your body fat% is right.....being 130 would put you between 12-13% body fat, anything bellow 20% if considered low and 14% is vital.....so you can see right there that it is not reasonable.

Second, how many calories do you eat?
Did you take a diet break lately?
Do you weight and measure everything you eat or just eyeball it?
What kind of exercise do you do?

Well I really think my BF% is wrong. The way the Army measures is the absolute worst possible way to measure. They measure the neck, waist, and hips for women, and somehow calculate it, and I got 24%. I eat 1450, plus whatever I exercise back (about 1450 is my BMR). I haven't taken any breaks. I stopped counting calories a while back, and ate just healthy. Now I'm back to counting to see if there's any benefit. I measure everything, and if the rare occasion I don't measure, I make sure to over-estimate just in case. I'm currently doing the 30 Day Shred, plus ~30-60 minutes of yoga at night, every day. I used to do about 30 minutes on a cardio machine at the gym, then about 45 minutes of lifting with the weight machines. I did that for 3 months before my membership expired.

Rae6503

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Rae6503/view/calculate-your-goal-weight-based-on-goal-body-fat-percentage-170958

Also, I'm 15lbs heavier than I was at my lowest adult weight but I look better.

ptjolsen

If your body fat% is right.....being 130 would put you between 12-13% body fat, anything bellow 20% if considered low and 14% is vital.....so you can see right there that it is not reasonable.

Second, how many calories do you eat?
Did you take a diet break lately?
Do you weight and measure everything you eat or just eyeball it?
What kind of exercise do you do?

Well I really think my BF% is wrong. The way the Army measures is the absolute worst possible way to measure. They measure the neck, waist, and hips for women, and somehow calculate it, and I got 24%. I eat 1450, plus whatever I exercise back (about 1450 is my BMR). I haven't taken any breaks. I stopped counting calories a while back, and ate just healthy. Now I'm back to counting to see if there's any benefit. I measure everything, and if the rare occasion I don't measure, I make sure to over-estimate just in case. I'm currently doing the 30 Day Shred, plus ~30-60 minutes of yoga at night, every day. I used to do about 30 minutes on a cardio machine at the gym, then about 45 minutes of lifting with the weight machines. I did that for 3 months before my membership expired.

are you sure you aren't mistaking it for BMI?
Have a trainer or some trained person do a BF% test on you...Pinch test with calipers. handheld electronic, etc.

DaisyHamilton

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Rae6503/view/calculate-your-goal-weight-based-on-goal-body-fat-percentage-170958

Also, I'm 15lbs heavier than I was at my lowest adult weight but I look better.

Thanks! This says I should be around 140 pounds, if I want an 18% body fat, which is around where I want. I guess this means that I SHOULD raise my goal.

DaisyHamilton

If your body fat% is right.....being 130 would put you between 12-13% body fat, anything bellow 20% if considered low and 14% is vital.....so you can see right there that it is not reasonable.

Second, how many calories do you eat?
Did you take a diet break lately?
Do you weight and measure everything you eat or just eyeball it?
What kind of exercise do you do?

Well I really think my BF% is wrong. The way the Army measures is the absolute worst possible way to measure. They measure the neck, waist, and hips for women, and somehow calculate it, and I got 24%. I eat 1450, plus whatever I exercise back (about 1450 is my BMR). I haven't taken any breaks. I stopped counting calories a while back, and ate just healthy. Now I'm back to counting to see if there's any benefit. I measure everything, and if the rare occasion I don't measure, I make sure to over-estimate just in case. I'm currently doing the 30 Day Shred, plus ~30-60 minutes of yoga at night, every day. I used to do about 30 minutes on a cardio machine at the gym, then about 45 minutes of lifting with the weight machines. I did that for 3 months before my membership expired.

are you sure you aren't mistaking it for BMI?
Have a trainer or some trained person do a BF% test on you...Pinch test with calipers. handheld electronic, etc.

I'm a future soldier in the US Army, and this is what they told me last time I was measured (a week ago). They say I can't be over about 25%, so I'm just going by what they're telling me. I figure that if my BF% to them is okay, then I'm good. I'd just like it lower than what it is. I figure if I'm always using the same way to calculate it, it will give me a read out if I'm losing or gaining, even if it's a little off.

Yanicka1

I look at your diary and you should put your protein at 30% it will help keep your muscle mass.
Measure everything you put in your mouth..... when I stop losing I just start measuring everything instead of just eyeball my portion, my weight go down again.

DaisyHamilton

I look at your diary and you should put your protein at 30% it will help keep your muscle mass.
Measure everything you put in your mouth..... when I stop losing I just start measuring everything instead of just eyeball my portion, my weight go down again.

Thanks, I'll do that. It's just so ridiculous that it's been since April without dropping a single pound, with trying all sorts of different things.

nxd10

I did the army body fat the other day and it did not make sense to me in a lot of ways. It put me at acceptable for my age, but wicked high.

I did it on another site today that took a wrist and arm measure in addition to height, weight, hip, waist, and neck, and came in at 25 - 10% lower than the first, not adjusted for age. For obvious reasons I like that one better - and it makes more sense given that I'm in the healthy BMI range and do not look overweight. 25% would put me at the bottom of the healthy but not in the athletic range. Sounds like me.

All of these are estimates based on assumptions about your body - breast size for example. Bone mass is also important - and I know from medical tests that I have exceptionally dense bones because of the kind of work I've done and weight I have carried (babies, backpacks, etc.).

I am not impressed with any of them other than professionally done ones that actually measure body volume and can thus accurately calculate density.

heatherloveslifting

I think you look awesome and very fit now, and if you feel good, have a healthy BMI, and are maintaining easily...well, I would honestly stay where you are.:flowerforyou:

DaisyHamilton

I did the army body fat the other day and it did not make sense to me in a lot of ways. It put me at acceptable for my age, but wicked high.

I did it on another site today that took a wrist and arm measure in addition to height, weight, hip, waist, and neck, and came in at 25 - 10% lower than the first, not adjusted for age. For obvious reasons I like that one better - and it makes more sense given that I'm in the healthy BMI range and do not look overweight. 25% would put me at the bottom of the healthy but not in the athletic range. Sounds like me.

All of these are estimates based on assumptions about your body - breast size for example. Bone mass is also important - and I know from medical tests that I have exceptionally dense bones because of the kind of work I've done and weight I have carried (babies, backpacks, etc.).

I am not impressed with any of them other than professionally done ones that actually measure body volume and can thus accurately calculate density.

Oh, no it wasn't a calculator I used. It was one of my recruiters, using the way they do at the Military Entrance Processing Station. I've found that the US Army BF% calculators online aren't the same that they use in the real Army. It's the height, neck, waist, and hips for women (just waist and neck for men). The online calculators say that I'm 30% according to the "Army" ones, so I know that they're wrong. I have a large frame for my hips and chest. Here at 150, my rib cage is outlined already (You can't see the single ribs, just the outline of the butterfly area above my abs).

DaisyHamilton

I think you look awesome and very fit now, and if you feel good, have a healthy BMI, and are maintaining easily...well, I would honestly stay where you are.:flowerforyou:

Well, I don't feel as great as I should, or can. I don't listen to BMI, because it's a horrible way to measure health (My BMI says overweight by a few pounds anyway). I think I'm at a plateau, instead of maintaining. I'm just glad I'm not gaining. But thank you so much :blushing:

Pkeck1

I'm in the Navy and you can cheat the tape not the Bod Pod its air displacement. My measurements were at a 6% difference the tape being lower. The tape does not account for bone structure at 5'4" my shoulder span is almost as broad as my husbands. At 135lbs my hips were 38" yet the bones were sticking out and my doctor said I too small for my frame. Be careful of the tape.

DaisyHamilton

I'm in the Navy and you can cheat the tape not the Bod Pod its air displacement. My measurements were at a 6% difference the tape being lower. The tape does not account for bone structure at 5'4" my shoulder span is almost as broad as my husbands. At 135lbs my hips were 38" yet the bones were sticking out and my doctor said I too small for my frame. Be careful of the tape.

There's some of this message that I don't understand, but I'm getting the gist of it. As long as I see my fatty areas getting smaller, I'm fine. I'm not hooked on the scale, or tape measure, as long as I know I'm healthy. I know I have a lot of fat to lose, though.

shorty35565

24%BF is great! I wish I would that.
I'm 5'5 125.8lbs 28.4%BF per calipers.
U look great in ur pics! I would give anything to have ur tummy right now! Are you losing inches when you doing those things? Sometimes u lose inches instead of weight which is better imo. Weight isnt so important. That's something I've learned.

DaisyHamilton

24%BF is great! I wish I would that.
I'm 5'5 125.8lbs 28.4%BF per calipers.
U look great in ur pics! I would give anything to have ur tummy right now! Are you losing inches when you doing those things? Sometimes u lose inches instead of weight which is better imo. Weight isnt so important. That's something I've learned.

They told me 24, but I really think that they're wrong. I think it's higher. I wish I had another way to see what my body fat is. When I first started losing weight, I lost inches, yes, but just like my weight, the inches haven't moved at all, except going up around my butt (which I'm not worried about. I do lunges and squats a lot, so I'm sure it's muscle). And thank you!

Rae6503

Judging by your pictures, I wouldn't be surprised if you were lower than 24%. Maybe low 20s.

http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

DaisyHamilton

Judging by your pictures, I wouldn't be surprised if you were lower than 24%. Maybe low 20s.

Really? Well I'm a bad judge. I always tend to look at my thighs, and their size throws me off. Then again, maybe it's just my pictures... Thanks for that link! Very interesting!

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9sd2dMKIc1r4rm4co1_400.jpg

That's a recent image, a few days ago. Very awkward, yes I was wearing underwear.... But this picture shows a more accurate image of what my body normally looks like.

mrsjacksn

bump