Body Fat Percentage

all the web calculators put me at 21 - 23%.

I think they see 6'1 and go WTF? Female? no way... and then they barf out a number that I have no idea if it's even close.



Some guy at the bar said I was close to 10% after pinching me repeatedly tho... good thing he was cute. :laugh:

<--- 13.8% lots of time on the stepmill, high protein, low carb, moderate fat

thats already really low for a woman hon.
13% is lower than a lot of female athletes.
you are unlikely to menstruate (ie be infertile) at that body fat percentage, as women need a higher % than men to maintain a healthy hormonal profile.
how come you want it so low? if thats you in your pic you look AMAZING!

Aw, thank you! I was just a little bit confused/misinformed about BFP at first. I understand now, and I do NOT want it that low at all! 17-19 is where I'd like to be.
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glad to hear this, i was a bit worried about you there!

I used a scale, not a website.
And wow thanks! I'm slow..
I was sort of basing my goal from a male, honestly. Not a female.

Whoops..

Unfortunately scales are pretty inaccurate in general, for best results measuring body fat %callipers are the way forward. Unless you're really rich then you can go for the gold stand underwater tests.

^^ This.... I use an electronic one that is a hand held, still not the best as a dunk though. I tried a scale this weekend and it was WAY off. I know the electronic one I have is correct because I did both that and the calipers and they were about the same. They were the same so much I just stopped using the calipers. It was the same one the gym I went to back in the day had.

What brand of hand held caliper do you use? I'm looking at am Omron on Amazon.com that has really good reviews.

I got the accumeasure brand, always heard good things about it and was recommended by people I know. Has a nice "clicking" function (patented) that gives consistent readings.

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about 9 or 10%

This look on a woman would probably be about about 14-16%

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11-12% in this pic.

1. This site will show you where you want to be for BF% given your age...
http://www.accufitness.com/images/pdf/accufitness-accumeasure-bodyfatchart.pdf

2. Omron handheld units are within 2%, AccuFitness calipers can be within 1%, depending on human error (Amazon for both)

3. Scales that show BF% are typically off by 5-7% high

4. DEXA is accurate, but who can afford it consistently, and you don't even really need it if you use the Omron, its close enough

fyi...have used Omron for several years with multiple people, results are consistent given the same conditions. It works on the principle of Bio Electrical Impedance Analysis. As muscle is 75% water, the more muscle you have, the more water you retain in the muscle, and the faster the current flow or less resistance....the less resistance (impedance), the lower the fat%. The more fat you have, the less water in your muscles, the higher the resistance, the higher the fat%.

As a side note....believe the readings on the Omron, if it says your at 32% (example) and in the "red zone" from the accufitness chart, you need to see a Dr., stat. While its all fun and games for me to see how low i can tweak my body, for a lot of people a reading of 32% for example should have you scared to death. High Blood Pressure, Strokes, TypeII Diabetes, High Cholesterol,.....nothing to play around with.

finding a bod pod is pretty easy in the US. just go here:

http://www.cosmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1301&Itemid=414&lang=en

and down near the bottom it asks to put in your zip code and how far you will travel. Bod Pods are slightly less accurate than DEXA but far more accurate than Bio-Electrical Impedance (body fat Scales) and usually a test costs between 25 and 50 bucks, insurance isn't really required for this (I mean, come on, it's 50 bucks or less, well worth it for this type of assessment).

sorry but i'll have to pass on the Bod Pod, not that they're not accurate, but how often are you willing to dish out $25 - $50 for a BF analysis. The Omron handheld is under $30 and its yours and the results are within 1-2%, and unless you're in a fat loss competition, requiring 99% accuracy....its good enough. Its not like it will tell you that you're 40%, when you're really 25%....I've found first thing in the morning, after shower, pre-breakfast gives the most consistent results..

At one point, I really want to find out what my BFP was. But now I am just looking in the mirror. I don't even have a BFP goal anymore. I just want to be strong, and be able to lift heavier weights and do more pulls up.

finding a bod pod is pretty easy in the US. just go here:

http://www.cosmed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1301&Itemid=414&lang=en

and down near the bottom it asks to put in your zip code and how far you will travel. Bod Pods are slightly less accurate than DEXA but far more accurate than Bio-Electrical Impedance (body fat Scales) and usually a test costs between 25 and 50 bucks, insurance isn't really required for this (I mean, come on, it's 50 bucks or less, well worth it for this type of assessment).

sorry but i'll have to pass on the Bod Pod, not that they're not accurate, but how often are you willing to dish out $25 - $50 for a BF analysis. The Omron handheld is under $30 and its yours and the results are within 1-2%, and unless you're in a fat loss competition, requiring 99% accuracy....its good enough. Its not like it will tell you that you're 40%, when you're really 25%....I've found first thing in the morning, after shower, pre-breakfast gives the most consistent results..

Also the closest one is like 65 miles. No thank you. I think I'll order an Omron after payday this week. :drinker:

You do what you feel like you need to. For the record though, Impedance scales are generally considered the least effective way to measure body fat of all the electronic types by medical professionals that specialize in weight and nutrition, and while they might be fine for comparative analysis, they shouldn't be taken as an end-all be-all for your body fat %.

I'll give 1 word of advice if you go with an impedance scale, follow the directions very carefully, as even small changes in hydration and/or time of day can drastically effect the numbers.

Best of luck.

personally,
I prefer to drive to the Bod Pod that is about 40 miles away. Since you only need to check body fat about once every 3 months (body fat percentages don't change all that quickly unless you're dropping massive weight), and the test only takes about 15 minutes and the one I go to costs 30 bucks, so I'm happy with that.

thats already really low for a woman hon.
13% is lower than a lot of female athletes.
you are unlikely to

bwahhhahaaahahahaaaa :laugh:

the insane myths that society perpetuates!!!

Yeah, 13% is much, much too low for a woman. That's like 3% for a man, which is in the danger zone of affecting one's health.

really? tell that to Apollo Ono, who's at 2% body fat.

how does he keep winning? if he's is so dangerously close to "bad health"?


http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=athlete-body-fat

males can have between 2 and 4 % of essential body fat

Females need between 10 and 12% essential body fat

going lower is dangerous. this is not myth, it's well documented accepted truth in the medical community.

and I quote from the author of the article you posted, in that same article

Professor Mourtzakis wanted to emphasize the risks associated with an extremely low body fat: "While it is possible for some athletes to reach 2 percent body fat, I would certainly not support this approach for athletes. Achieving this range presents health risks, including increased risk of infection and injury. This approach often supports unhealthy eating behaviors and patterns that are reflective of disordered eating behaviors. It is especially important for athletes to maintain adequate intake of all macronutrients (that is, protein, carbohydrates and fats) to achieve optimal performance and maintain their health."

I had mine done a couple months ago and was 11.5 %, but I definitely don't look as ripped as the women in the photos at that percentage.

really? tell that to Apollo Ono, who's at 2% body fat.

From all the pictures I've seen of Ohno, there's no way he's 2% bodyfat. I call BS. At 2%, he'd be much more vascular and ripped to the bone, with clearly defined muscle striations everywhere. Look at a bodybuilder who's at competition-level bodyfat (which is usually somewhere around 3-5%) - Ohno is nowhere near that lean.

agree. He may have reached 2% for a short period of time, but not a chance he maintains himself at that.

From the Gym:

Body Comp Women men
Essential 10-13% 3-5%
Athlete 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Overweight 32%+ 26%+

I'm at 25% now with goal of 19%. I've shifted away from cardio and am upping my strength training. Doing my best to increase protein intake too.