bf %...you VS me?

MsNewBooty83
MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hey guys, im having a little trouble understanding why i look fat at 20.8% body fat, when im appaerntly in the 'athletic female' range. my goal was to get down to 18%, because i felt like thats where i would need to be to get the 'look' i want.

age 28
height 5'7
weight 145(at time of test)
body fat % 20.8 (116lbs of lean mass)

the 7site skinfold test came out like this..
chest: 7mm
midaxillary: 14mm
tricep: 18.5mm
subscapular: 13mm
abdomen: 19mm
suprailiac: 17mm
thigh: 22mm

i found this http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/02/body-fat-percentage/ and this http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages i seriously think i look in the 30% range. im not looking for compliments here or for someone to tell me to love myself, so save that, lol...and ya, i understand that not everyone looks the same and we all carry it differently. BUT im wondering what other ppl look like at the same % as me. shoot me! lol. bonus if u match my height and weight, but i know that would be alot to ask for.

comparrision, challenge and competition is really motivating to me. so im hoping someone around here will step up and show me what theyve got! lol

Replies

  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    :)
  • SMJ1987
    SMJ1987 Posts: 368
    You don't look fat in your pictures. If you want a "fitness model" look I think their BF% is usually around 12-13%. At least that's what my sister's was when she was competing.
  • allisonmrn
    allisonmrn Posts: 721 Member
    Well, I am considerable shorter than you at 5"2". I am currently 16-17% BF (112lbs). I dont have caliper measurements like you do but

    Chest: 34
    Waist: 25.5
    Belly button: 27
    Hips:33
    Bicep: 10.75
    Thigh: 19.25

    I have pics in my profile that are 19% BF I think, You are welcome to look at them or add me. You look great though. Good luck on your journey. xx
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
    You need more muscle. I'm 5'7 and 180lbs and look about the same. If you want that "lean" look you need to have more muscle overall, not just lose more weight. If you want to look toned and lean, you need some muscle to show off once the fat goes away. When I'm at my smallest I'm still 160lbs.
  • Drussander
    Drussander Posts: 266 Member
    Sorry to disappoint, but you look pretty healthy to me based on your pics. Remember, we all tend to sometimes view ourselves with a more critical eye. Are you an athletic female?
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
    You're not fat.

    As it says in the article,

    "Does everyone look the alike at the same body fat percentage?

    No, not at all. Body fat percentage isn’t an indicator of your amount of lean body mass. The amount of muscle your body has is going to make a significant difference in your overall look. "

    Everyone is going to look different, even if they're the same weight, and even if they have the same bf%.
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
    My last skinfold test a month or so ago was 22.7%
    Height: 5' 7"
    Weight at the time: 138

    I have multiple pics in my profile if you're curious, since our stats are relatively similar.
    Have a good night. :)
  • sz8soon
    sz8soon Posts: 816 Member
    Sorry I can't help you as I'm not even close to that myself. But girl, come on your a big sloppy mess, why don't you take care of yourself a little huh?

    you said no compliments, does that mean insults are ok? Nah I'm just teasing, I've got nothing for love for ya! Feeling ornery and thought I'd come bump your post.
  • dewgirl321
    dewgirl321 Posts: 296 Member
    You don't look fat, you look great! I agree with the above poster who mentioned bodybuilding competition body fat % - they are basically off the "nomal" chart. I don't have comparison pics, but I'm 142 @ 19.8%. I definitely feel like I have more fat to lose too. I think it depends mostly on how your body holds it. If you're pear-shaped you can prob get away with more fat - everyone's big concern seems to be the tummy. Maybe you're more apple-shaped like me and need even lower body fat to get the tummy you want. But just so you know, you don't look like 30%.
  • lauraniwa
    lauraniwa Posts: 131 Member
    As a note, the caliper test has a lot of variability to it.
    1) the person doing it has to have A LOT of experience (500+ tests on different individulas) before they would be considered "reliable" i.e. if they did your test again they would get approximately the same results
    2) Assuming the test is being done by a reliable, experienced practitioner, the calipers themselves play a huge role. The good kind run upwards of 1200$ a pair. This has to do with the appropriate tension setting for testing, and they need to have been professionally calibrated. At least once a year.
    3) Assuming 1 and 2, the test itself has a published reliability of +/- 3-5mm as normal. So your 14mm arm could be retested on the same day as 11 or 17 and be considered within the normal variability of the test.
    4) Finally, there are a lot of equations to plud those numbers into...7 body site tests and up give the best results, but you'll still get a range of numbers depending on which sites and which equations.

    So really what I wanted to say is that you look great and don't worry too much about the test numbers. If you feel you still need to lean out that's for you to decide.
    Best of luck.
    Laura
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Everyone carries body fat more in various places so I would not zero in on specific spots to compare. Furthermore, some may have more a bit more muscle volume which makes the skin more taut. Personally, you do not look like you'd be 30% body fat - in fact, I'd say you are around the 20-22% range. If you wish to get down to 18% or below, then just keep sustaining a moderate deficit of 20% below maintenance. Reduce the deficit a few points the leaner you get, though.
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    i work out 5-6days/week. from 1-2hrs. im afraid my training 'technique', or lack there of, may be to blame. my week loks like this...
    monday- interval box, 1/2hr other cardio (stepper, elliptical, treadmil)
    tues- 1/2hr cycle, 1/2hr abs, 15min-1/2hr other cardio
    wed- 45min cycle, 15min calisthenics,
    thurs- 1hr full body strength training, 35min other cardio
    fri- 1/2hr cycle, 1/2hr abs
    sat-off
    sun- every 2nd off(ish)

    *my days vary from a 600cal-1200cal burns, when factoring in other daily exercise that may or may not happen, lol
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    You're not fat.

    As it says in the article,

    "Does everyone look the alike at the same body fat percentage?

    No, not at all. Body fat percentage isn’t an indicator of your amount of lean body mass. The amount of muscle your body has is going to make a significant difference in your overall look. "

    Everyone is going to look different, even if they're the same weight, and even if they have the same bf%.

    ya, i know, but i still wanna see!
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
    You're super cute and look great where you are. If you want to look leaner, switch your focus from Cardio to lifting. Just my humble opinion girl ;)
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    I'm 5'7"
    140ish
    25.5% BF
    102.2 LBM

    Your build looks similar to mine. I had to get down to 14-15% body fat before I felt like I was looking cut in my torso. I think I would have to get down to 9-10% before I'd even see a hint of abs. I hold almost all my fat in my waist and mid section, unfortunately.

    From your photos, it looks like your arms and legs are nice an lean, you probably even have some nice definition in your legs and arms (small photos, hard to tell). You are in excellent shape and do have a very athletic body. But if you want to get into show condition you are going to have to start working toward extremely low body fat. That look won't be sustainable, either. You'll be able to keep a very low body fat percentage for a couple of weeks at most, but then you'll you have to let your bf% go back up for health reasons.
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    As a note, the caliper test has a lot of variability to it.
    1) the person doing it has to have A LOT of experience (500+ tests on different individulas) before they would be considered "reliable" i.e. if they did your test again they would get approximately the same results
    2) Assuming the test is being done by a reliable, experienced practitioner, the calipers themselves play a huge role. The good kind run upwards of 1200$ a pair. This has to do with the appropriate tension setting for testing, and they need to have been professionally calibrated. At least once a year.
    3) Assuming 1 and 2, the test itself has a published reliability of +/- 3-5mm as normal. So your 14mm arm could be retested on the same day as 11 or 17 and be considered within the normal variability of the test.
    4) Finally, there are a lot of equations to plud those numbers into...7 body site tests and up give the best results, but you'll still get a range of numbers depending on which sites and which equations.

    So really what I wanted to say is that you look great and don't worry too much about the test numbers. If you feel you still need to lean out that's for you to decide.
    Best of luck.
    Laura

    lol thank you :) i pay to have the fitness profiles completed. this is the 3rd test ive had done. im pretty sure its accurate. there are alot of other things that are measured during the test.
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    I'm 5'7"
    140ish
    25.5% BF
    102.2 LBM

    Your build looks similar to mine. I had to get down to 14-15% body fat before I felt like I was looking cut in my torso. I think I would have to get down to 9-10% before I'd even see a hint of abs. I hold almost all my fat in my waist and mid section, unfortunately.

    From your photos, it looks like your arms and legs are nice an lean, you probably even have some nice definition in your legs and arms (small photos, hard to tell). You are in excellent shape and do have a very athletic body. But if you want to get into show condition you are going to have to start working toward extremely low body fat. That look won't be sustainable, either. You'll be able to keep a very low body fat percentage for a couple of weeks at most, but then you'll you have to let your bf% go back up for health reasons.

    ya, i think ur right!
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    My profile is at roughly 23% bf (on myself, so I'm consistent but may or may not be accurate), but I lost my period, so I dunno, maybe accurate? 145 lb (that's why I responded) much shorter though, 5'3"

    I honestly can't estimate what your body fat looks like from your profile pictures, the poses are weird. But I'm always up for a competition, even if I'm currently losing :)
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    i work out 5-6days/week. from 1-2hrs. im afraid my training 'technique', or lack there of, may be to blame. my week loks like this...
    monday- interval box, 1/2hr other cardio (stepper, elliptical, treadmil)
    tues- 1/2hr cycle, 1/2hr abs, 15min-1/2hr other cardio
    wed- 45min cycle, 15min calisthenics,
    thurs- 1hr full body strength training, 35min other cardio
    fri- 1/2hr cycle, 1/2hr abs
    sat-off
    sun- every 2nd off(ish)

    *my days vary from a 600cal-1200cal burns, when factoring in other daily exercise that may or may not happen, lol
    The amount of exercise you do is comprising too much of the deficit. It should be much smaller than the calories less you eat. Like Thistimeismytime said: switch your focus to moderate/heavy weight training instead of cardio. If your goal is to maximize the amount of body fat lost while maintaining lean body mass, then the less cardio you ought to do. You can remove it completely, to be honest, and just eat a few hundred calories below maintenance and lift weights.
  • HC82
    HC82 Posts: 22
    Hi Msnewbooty! :)

    Here is a website where you enter in your own height and weight and it shows you pictures of people of the same height and weight.

    http://www.mybodygallery.com/photos-16329-body-shape.htm#img

    Kinda neat!
  • tempest501
    tempest501 Posts: 329 Member
    You are looking really good to me. Maybe tried and add some muscle and once that starts to come through you will get more of what you are thinking. Also, check this girls channel out my wife has been using her as a sort of role model and seems to be working for her. She idles bikini competition etc

    http://m.youtube.com/user/karaleigh83

    hey guys, im having a little trouble understanding why i look fat at 20.8% body fat, when im appaerntly in the 'athletic female' range. my goal was to get down to 18%, because i felt like thats where i would need to be to get the 'look' i want.

    age 28
    height 5'7
    weight 145(at time of test)
    body fat % 20.8 (116lbs of lean mass)

    the 7site skinfold test came out like this..
    chest: 7mm
    midaxillary: 14mm
    tricep: 18.5mm
    subscapular: 13mm
    abdomen: 19mm
    suprailiac: 17mm
    thigh: 22mm

    i found this http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/02/body-fat-percentage/ and this http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages i seriously think i look in the 30% range. im not looking for compliments here or for someone to tell me to love myself, so save that, lol...and ya, i understand that not everyone looks the same and we all carry it differently. BUT im wondering what other ppl look like at the same % as me. shoot me! lol. bonus if u match my height and weight, but i know that would be alot to ask for.

    comparrision, challenge and competition is really motivating to me. so im hoping someone around here will step up and show me what theyve got! lol
  • AlphamaleBAMF
    AlphamaleBAMF Posts: 373 Member
    hey guys, im having a little trouble understanding why i look fat at 20.8% body fat

    I'm totally not seeing it.

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