Body Fat %-What is realistic % decrease goal

korygilliam

I am to the point of changing from weight loss goals to body fat % goals

I am currently 30% body fat and my initial goal is 25% (may want to get to 20%, but don't want to lose my butt/girly shape)

What is a realistic goal in terms of dropping %? (Or is there one?) Is 1% a month good? Or does it have to be varied based on how close to goal you are?

Any experienced or researched responses welcome. Please post where your response is coming from (i.e. personal experience, other blogs, research article, nutrition expert post, etc)

Thanks a LOT! :drinker:

Determinednoob

Well using BF% as your goal is best, but scale weight as a measure of what is realistic may be better since 1%bf is a different amount for different people or for the same person if muscle mass changes. If you do heavy lifting and eat high protein, you could be safe with a max of 2lbs per week. You might even shoot for a bit less.

a_vettestingray

Maybe someone can help us further - we are on the same thought pattern...body composition changes.

I read something, somewhere and now I cannot find it...there is an equation that you can do involving current weight and BF%, as well as goal BF% that will tell you generally what weight you can drop to and still have goal BF%. On top of that, I remember reading that the average male will be able to lose 1-2 lbs of fat a week and gain ? lbs of muscle, while a female can expect half those numbers, if training and eating properly.

I guess I would add to the OP question and ask what is a realistic (from others' experience) rate of BF% loss (or lean gains)?

blonde71

I am to the point of changing from weight loss goals to body fat % goals

I am currently 30% body fat and my initial goal is 25% (may want to get to 20%, but don't want to lose my butt/girly shape)

What is a realistic goal in terms of dropping %? (Or is there one?) Is 1% a month good? Or does it have to be varied based on how close to goal you are?

Any experienced or researched responses welcome. Please post where your response is coming from (i.e. personal experience, other blogs, research article, nutrition expert post, etc)

Thanks a LOT! :drinker:

Hi. I started off at 30% body fat in 2007 then reduced to 25% over the course of the next year through mostly cardio. Stayed at 25% until 2011 when I began weight lifting and am currently below 20%. I haven't lost my butt or girly shape either as you can see from my profile pic. It took me about 8 months to drop below 20%.

birdieaz

Maybe someone can help us further - we are on the same thought pattern...body composition changes.

I read something, somewhere and now I cannot find it...there is an equation that you can do involving current weight and BF%, as well as goal BF% that will tell you generally what weight you can drop to and still have goal BF%. On top of that, I remember reading that the average male will be able to lose 1-2 lbs of fat a week and gain ? lbs of muscle, while a female can expect half those numbers, if training and eating properly.

I guess I would add to the OP question and ask what is a realistic (from others' experience) rate of BF% loss (or lean gains)?

this is a good calculator if you already know your body fat %, to gauge what your weight would be at your goal bf%.
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ibw/

to the op. i started out at 32% and am now down to 23.5%, aiming for around 20-21%. i don't feel i look less girlie, still got an hourglass figure..butt o' plenty lol

edit: forgot link

korygilliam

Thanks for the replies and links-

Just to clarify-I am not looking for a goal weight loss, I am looking at a goal fat loss. I am at or close to my goal weight and with toning up muscle and losing fat, I don't expect any weight loss, so that wouldn't be a good goal.

I like being goal driven, and knowing that I can expect to lose up to 10% bf over the course of 12 months will help me monitor my progress (thanks for reporting your personal successes in bf% changes, that helps a lot. Birdieaz-how long did it take for you to get from 32 to 23? Was it your intention to change that or was it just due to overall MFP goals?)

I like the fat2fit tools, the only thing I don't like about the bf% goal tool is that it assumes that you don't build any lean muscle. It has me for a goal of 133 pounds for 20% bf. Ugh...I was 127 in high school and I was a stick. Maybe 140 would work, but I want more lean muscle then I currently have.

Thanks again!