Body fat %

abbie38

Does everyone know their body fat % and where they would like to be? I'm at 30 and trying to get in the mid 20's methinks

ddss37

From what I have read - 22% BF is great for women. But, it will fluctuate woman to woman. I think for men - it is 12%. I read several books by Covert Bailey where he explains all of that very well. Look for his books on bargain websites. Fit or Fat is one - Smart Exercise is another...

jmanning

Google Home Body Fat Test- it's a great site that gives you info and has a tool that will figure out your body fat with a tape measure. I've found it to be more accurate than the hand held devices.

fozzy33

When I started my BMI was 40!!!
Right now its 31 Im almost there!
I would like to have a BMI of 23-26


Michelle

CasperO

She's not talking about Body Mass Index Michelle, she's talking about bodyfat percentage.

Ya', anything in the 20's is pretty good for women - and teens is absolutely athletic. Men have to get in the low teens to be athletic.

Hard to measure accurately, many different methods. Submersion tank or Bod-pod are the only ways to be sure. I use skinfold calipers and get pretty consisten readings of around 15%. I was closer to 40% bodyfat when I started out.

Onward,,,

kgrutch

ive done the bodpod and i was 36% before i started to lose weight, i retested and was at 21%, i think i am lower now, i would estimate 19%. my goal is 15%, they say you can see a 6 pack for women at 15%, i am starting to see abd's now so i cant wait for the 6 pack. i am going to recheck within the next few weeks.

mlove1307

I am at the end of my weight loss journey.. I have about 21-22% body fat depending on the week of the month. And lately I've been GAINING weight altho I've been completely dedicated to my plan sooo idk what that's all about. I'm blaming stress because I think I still look really good. LOL Really trying not to let the stupid number on the scale bring me down when I see a gain because my clothes still fit.

Maybe a tinsy bit is muscle? Right?.. haha! I started out at 34% body fat and 270 lbs so to be down at 22% and 170-something pounds if fine by me!

tazlady

good for you michelle.. not easy but you can do it.. :happy:

SHBoss1673

ive done the bodpod and i was 36% before i started to lose weight, i retested and was at 21%, i think i am lower now, i would estimate 19%. my goal is 15%, they say you can see a 6 pack for women at 15%, i am starting to see abd's now so i cant wait for the 6 pack. i am going to recheck within the next few weeks.

yes, for women 15% is spectacular, although a 6 pack is as much a function of genetics as it is of hard work (unfortunately), not to say it still wouldn't look fantastic!


As a side note, I started at about 20%, for a guy, that's bad, not HORRENDOUS, but in no way good. That was 3 years ago, right now I'm at between 9.5 and 1%0 (depending on they type of measurement you use), I want to get to 7.5 to 8% as a finality, but for just a month or so I'd like to get down to about 6.5%, that's about the minimum you really want to be as a guy, women shouldn't EVER go below about 11 or 12%, and anything below 18% is fantastic. For a guy 12% is very good, pretty athletic, and in good shape, especially if you are over 35, but the really great shaped guys are ones with 8% BF or less.

carrieberrie

my body fat % is 26. I'm 5'9"

bethrs

My scale measures mine- I don't think this is highly accurate, but it says I'm between 18 and 22 or so- but when I started it measured consistently at 40 or so (eesh!). And from what I have read 18 is in althletic range, but I think I still have some fat in areas I would like to move to others. I have certainly lost fat in many places, and the part that makes up my 18% is hanging out where I don't want it.

SHBoss1673

My scale measures mine- I don't think this is highly accurate, but it says I'm between 18 and 22 or so- but when I started it measured consistently at 40 or so (eesh!). And from what I have read 18 is in althletic range, but I think I still have some fat in areas I would like to move to others. I have certainly lost fat in many places, and the part that makes up my 18% is hanging out where I don't want it.

bio-electrical impedance scales are pretty inaccurate (at least the ones you can buy for the home), I wouldn't put too much stock in one.

FrenchMob

I did the Bod Pod last night & I don't believe it. :huh: It told me I had 20.9% with 171 lbs of lean mass.
My handheld OMRON fat measuring device says 23.8% which seems more realistic to me.

For those women wondering about BF, this is my cousin at fitness competition levels. She says she's about 17-18% in this picture:
http://svfitnessnutrition.com/images/photographs/PicsByGlenGrant/pic (56).jpg

Here's her site if you want to see more pics: http://SVFitnessNutrition.com

abbie38

Thanks for everyone's responses

kgrutch

ive done the bodpod and i was 36% before i started to lose weight, i retested and was at 21%, i think i am lower now, i would estimate 19%. my goal is 15%, they say you can see a 6 pack for women at 15%, i am starting to see abd's now so i cant wait for the 6 pack. i am going to recheck within the next few weeks.

yes, for women 15% is spectacular, although a 6 pack is as much a function of genetics as it is of hard work (unfortunately), not to say it still wouldn't look fantastic!


As a side note, I started at about 20%, for a guy, that's bad, not HORRENDOUS, but in no way good. That was 3 years ago, right now I'm at between 9.5 and 1%0 (depending on they type of measurement you use), I want to get to 7.5 to 8% as a finality, but for just a month or so I'd like to get down to about 6.5%, that's about the minimum you really want to be as a guy, women shouldn't EVER go below about 11 or 12%, and anything below 18% is fantastic. For a guy 12% is very good, pretty athletic, and in good shape, especially if you are over 35, but the really great shaped guys are ones with 8% BF or less.

wow, 9% is pretty lean, why do you want to get to the 6.5%? that seems pretty low. is it just to get pics taken or something, i know some people that do that. good luck to get to your goal, that takes a lot of more dedication than some poeple realize. i am aiming for 15% because i think i can live at that percentage, any lower and i couldnt maintain it.

SHBoss1673

wow, 9% is pretty lean, why do you want to get to the 6.5%? that seems pretty low. is it just to get pics taken or something, i know some people that do that. good luck to get to your goal, that takes a lot of more dedication than some poeple realize. i am aiming for 15% because i think i can live at that percentage, any lower and i couldnt maintain it.

I just want to do it once to see what I will look like, I have no illusions about living at that %, it's a very difficult lifestyle at that %. but I think I could be fine right around 8%, not live much different than I do now, 8% in your 30's should be low enough to have great abs, which is what I want. I want Brad Pit from Troy abs (ok that's maybe a little unrealistic, even HE admitted that it took him 3 to 4 hours a day for about 6 months to get abs like that AND they did some body spray work to make them stand out more.) but something close to that, even if it's just for a few months. Dunno if I'll ever get there, but it won't be from lack of effort!


maybe this is more realistic: this is almost where I am now. abs wise at least.

kgrutch

wow, 9% is pretty lean, why do you want to get to the 6.5%? that seems pretty low. is it just to get pics taken or something, i know some people that do that. good luck to get to your goal, that takes a lot of more dedication than some poeple realize. i am aiming for 15% because i think i can live at that percentage, any lower and i couldnt maintain it.

I just want to do it once to see what I will look like, I have no illusions about living at that %, it's a very difficult lifestyle at that %. but I think I could be fine right around 8%, not live much different than I do now, 8% in your 30's should be low enough to have great abs, which is what I want. I want Brad Pit from Troy abs (ok that's maybe a little unrealistic, even HE admitted that it took him 3 to 4 hours a day for about 6 months to get abs like that AND they did some body spray work to make them stand out more.) but something close to that, even if it's just for a few months. Dunno if I'll ever get there, but it won't be from lack of effort!


maybe this is more realistic: this is almost where I am now. abs wise at least.

nice pic!!!