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Body Fat Percentage?

diaryofaskinnygirl
diaryofaskinnygirl Posts: 146
edited January 16 in Health and Weight Loss
I was told by my dietician that I have a body fat percentage of about 21%, and that I should not lose anymore weight. However, I've seen lots of women who have a body fat percentage of 15-17% and I think they look great.

For example: http://pinterest.com/pin/233553930645329941/

In this picture, the girl in the bikini with 18% body fat looks great.

My question is, is it true that I shouldn't go under 21% body fat? Has anyone else had success reaching a lower % than that? And finally, how did you achieve it? (Diet, type of exercise, etc.)

Thanks!

Replies

  • diaryofaskinnygirl
    diaryofaskinnygirl Posts: 146
    Bump
  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
    Just because you're at a healthy weight doesn't mean you can't take it a bit further and reach your own goals. Mine is 16.4% measured by calipers, and I want it under 15%. Don't listen to anyone who tries to limit your goals. However the way you LOOK at a certain bodyfat also depends on how much muscle you have. 20% bodyfat doesn't look the same on everyone. Some women start losing there periods with very low bodyfat (usually like 10-12% and under)...obviously, that's not healthy, but 15-20% is fine and perfectly maintainable for most women. And btw, I achieved mine with a combo of lifting, cardio, and a small calorie deficit.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,147 Member
    Sure you can go under 21%. Many female athletes are usually under that.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
    You can work on bodyfat without going lower in weight...congrats, btw!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I think that 12 per cent is the lowest safe amount usually recommended for women. The lowest I've ever been is 16 percent, which I was not aiming for. It would be very hard for the ordinary woman to get to 12. At 21 percent, you won't have anything to worry about for a long time.

    Trying Googling images of women at different percentages.
  • diaryofaskinnygirl
    diaryofaskinnygirl Posts: 146
    You can work on bodyfat without going lower in weight...congrats, btw!

    How do I go about that, would I still need a calorie deficit? And thanks!
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    how tall are you?
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
    You can work on bodyfat without going lower in weight...congrats, btw!

    How do I go about that, would I still need a calorie deficit? And thanks!
    Strength training in a calorie defict to lose body fat whilst maintaining lean muscle mass
  • Cheval13
    Cheval13 Posts: 350 Member
    all elite athletes are under that.
    I would say that if you want to do it, go for it!! I myself am also at 20.5% and want to get it down to at least 19%, if not 18 so that stomach flab goes down too. Currently, I am doing cardio, weights, and working on a small calorie deficit. So far, it's working.
  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
    If you eat at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight...period, whether you lift or not. If you want to try a body recomp and stay at your same weight, lift heavy, get enough protein, eat at maintenance... and be patient :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
    If you eat at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight...period, whether you lift or not. If you want to try a body recomp and stay at your same weight, lift heavy, get enough protein, eat at maintenance... and be patient :)

    THIS
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    how tall are you?
    How is this relevant to body fat %?
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    it just gives me a idea of a % with a height.. what it would look like. I think 20 % would look very different on a short 5.0ft person to a 5.11 ft person...
  • diaryofaskinnygirl
    diaryofaskinnygirl Posts: 146
    how tall are you?

    I am 5'4"
  • diaryofaskinnygirl
    diaryofaskinnygirl Posts: 146
    You can work on bodyfat without going lower in weight...congrats, btw!

    How do I go about that, would I still need a calorie deficit? And thanks!
    Strength training in a calorie defict to lose body fat whilst maintaining lean muscle mass

    By strength training, do you mean lifting heavy weights, or lifting small weights? Or neither? I do not know much about strength training. I try to tone by walking on the treadmill and setting the incline to 15.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    I was told by my dietician that I have a body fat percentage of about 21%, and that I should not lose anymore weight. However, I've seen lots of women who have a body fat percentage of 15-17% and I think they look great.

    For example: http://pinterest.com/pin/233553930645329941/

    In this picture, the girl in the bikini with 18% body fat looks great.

    My question is, is it true that I shouldn't go under 21% body fat? Has anyone else had success reaching a lower % than that? And finally, how did you achieve it? (Diet, type of exercise, etc.)

    Thanks!

    21% is pretty good for woman, especially since you mentioned you don't lift any weights.. you can get to 18% but you won't look like that girl in the picture without strength training and eating healthy.. bigger the deficit in your eating the less likely you are going to get to where you want to at the point your at..
    Also lower bf% for woman I have heard can have negative results on other things.. Since you are talking to a dietitian why dont you ask them to help you build a plan to reach that goal?
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