Body Fat Percentage Blues
SpecialSundae
Posts: 795 Member
I'll start off by apologising for such a long and rambling post. The TL;DR is a. is it probable that my BF scales are hideously inaccurate, b. which of the two BF% calculations sound more likely and c. how low does my BF% have to be before I bulk?
I know that body fat scales are hideously inaccurate, but it's starting to get me down a little that after three months of lifting and hitting my macros at least 90% of the time, my body fat has barely shifted according to those awful scales. Even the trainer I was working with (who I don't entirely trust for nutrition or measurements) was using the same scales.
I've lost over 7kg since my first weigh-in mid-January and I'm now close to a healthy weight according to BMI but according to the scale I'm still nearly 40% fat, even though I think I look closer to mid-to-low 30s (which is what I get when I plug my measurements into online calculators).
I'm ordering a set of calipers in the vain hope of getting a more accurate read out, but I'm worried that I'll have to get to borderline underweight to reach my target BF% if those scales are correct.
Current weight: 70.3kg
Current body fat (according to scales): 38.7%
Body fat according to Fat2Fit Military BF% calculator: 31.1%
Target BF% (at present): 22%
Height: 166cm/5'5.5"
Waist: 30.5"
Hip: 39"
Is there any chance that my boobs are throwing off the scales? They never shrink (much) when I lose weight so I tend to assume that they aren't fat-dominant.
The other thing that I wondered if it might be is that I have an unusually long torso and short legs.
Also, if I'm planning to bulk somewhere down the line, how low does my body fat have to be?
I know that body fat scales are hideously inaccurate, but it's starting to get me down a little that after three months of lifting and hitting my macros at least 90% of the time, my body fat has barely shifted according to those awful scales. Even the trainer I was working with (who I don't entirely trust for nutrition or measurements) was using the same scales.
I've lost over 7kg since my first weigh-in mid-January and I'm now close to a healthy weight according to BMI but according to the scale I'm still nearly 40% fat, even though I think I look closer to mid-to-low 30s (which is what I get when I plug my measurements into online calculators).
I'm ordering a set of calipers in the vain hope of getting a more accurate read out, but I'm worried that I'll have to get to borderline underweight to reach my target BF% if those scales are correct.
Current weight: 70.3kg
Current body fat (according to scales): 38.7%
Body fat according to Fat2Fit Military BF% calculator: 31.1%
Target BF% (at present): 22%
Height: 166cm/5'5.5"
Waist: 30.5"
Hip: 39"
Is there any chance that my boobs are throwing off the scales? They never shrink (much) when I lose weight so I tend to assume that they aren't fat-dominant.
The other thing that I wondered if it might be is that I have an unusually long torso and short legs.
Also, if I'm planning to bulk somewhere down the line, how low does my body fat have to be?
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Is there any chance that my boobs are throwing off the scales? They never shrink (much) when I lose weight so I tend to assume that they aren't fat-dominant.
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Is there any chance that my boobs are throwing off the scales? They never shrink (much) when I lose weight so I tend to assume that they aren't fat-dominant.
'Twas a little tongue in cheek... They're not THAT big. :-)0 -
On a serious note, you're focusing a bit too much on a number at the expense of the big picture.
Bodyfat is difficult to get a measure well, looking in the mirror and comparing your body to other pictures as a guide is a close enough estimate. What you really want to know is weather your bf% is improving. If you're losing weight, it is. If you're doing resistance training, you're maintaining muscle, thus most of the weight you're losing is fat. You don't need a measurement to tell you this, you can tell because you look better than you did a few months ago.
It's a useful tool to track progress, but the larger issue is still "how close am I to looking how I want to look, and what's the best way to get there?"0 -
On a serious note, you're focusing a bit too much on a number at the expense of the big picture.
Bodyfat is difficult to get a measure well, looking in the mirror and comparing your body to other pictures as a guide is a close enough estimate. What you really want to know is weather your bf% is improving. If you're losing weight, it is. If you're doing resistance training, you're maintaining muscle, thus most of the weight you're losing is fat. You don't need a measurement to tell you this, you can tell because you look better than you did a few months ago.
It's a useful tool to track progress, but the larger issue is still "how close am I to looking how I want to look, and what's the best way to get there?"
^ Great answer.0 -
On a serious note, you're focusing a bit too much on a number at the expense of the big picture.
Bodyfat is difficult to get a measure well, looking in the mirror and comparing your body to other pictures as a guide is a close enough estimate. What you really want to know is weather your bf% is improving. If you're losing weight, it is. If you're doing resistance training, you're maintaining muscle, thus most of the weight you're losing is fat. You don't need a measurement to tell you this, you can tell because you look better than you did a few months ago.
It's a useful tool to track progress, but the larger issue is still "how close am I to looking how I want to look, and what's the best way to get there?"
^ Great answer.
^^
that.
Also I have never used one of those scales so I can't speak to it but I know for myself that a) measurements are not useful for me for small level changes, either because I am incompetent at taking them or because mine can change quite a bit from water and glycogen retention and just general bloat and b) those bodyfat calculators are wildly inaccurate for a lot of people and I am one of them.
Oh and c) I used to think if I got to 25% I'd be happy. Then my trainer told me I was 25% by her caliper measures and I thought "no, you must have done it wrong." Then I got to the point where I visually felt I *looked* like 25% and it turns out I'm not all that happy with it. So like Rock said. Stop worrying about it. You'll get where your going when you get there. If you're pretty confident in your food and that you've got a good lifting program then keep calm and carry on.
PS: I said I'm not happy here but that's over simplified. I'm pretty comfortable with what I eat, how much I eat, and the exercise I do, and because I'm not willing or able to make changes to that, I am pretty comfortable with the body I have. Its not my ideal body but I like it better than my various lifestyle alternatives right now.0 -
My scale tells me 36%. I'm most likely in the low 20s. Just go by what you see in the mirror.0
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My scale is much kinder than my parents' scale, which helps illustrate what nonsense it can be. Another measure is waist to hip ratio. At your height and weight, mine would be far worse. I quite like this calculator:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/tools/hip_to_waist/hip_to_waist.shtml0 -
After using horribly inaccurate step on scales that measure BF% through your feet I've had success using the hand held kind of body fat monitor. The one I have at home is the Omron brand which I got at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK. I hope this helps!0
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After using horribly inaccurate step on scales that measure BF% through your feet I've had success using the hand held kind of body fat monitor. The one I have at home is the Omron brand which I got at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK. I hope this helps!
^ These are also horribly inaccurate for most people.0 -
After using horribly inaccurate step on scales that measure BF% through your feet I've had success using the hand held kind of body fat monitor. The one I have at home is the Omron brand which I got at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK. I hope this helps!
^ These are also horribly inaccurate for most people.
Yep.
I did a write up here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/830595-body-fat-estimation-methods0 -
My scale say i am 30%, online calculator are between 34% and 18%, my callipers on my own are at 16% ( I wish) and with the trainer I am at 22%-20%. I go by what I see in the mirror......anything else is like trying to have intercourse with ants.0
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My scale say i am 30%, online calculator are between 34% and 18%, my callipers on my own are at 16% ( I wish) and with the trainer I am at 22%-20%. I go by what I see in the mirror......anything else is like trying to have intercourse with ants.
I am stealing this0 -
Thanks everyone. I'm definitely over-stressing this. :-)0
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