Body Fat % Goal vs. Scale Goal

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  • sandrahermione
    sandrahermione Posts: 87
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    Could anyone tell me what muscle percentage people are going for. I never hear anyone talk about it. My scale says 38 per cent at the moment but it does not add up at 53 per cent water, 26 per cent fat.
  • Wolverine13ft
    Wolverine13ft Posts: 19 Member
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    Your scale won't "add up" In fact it will get more off as you put on lean muscle. Muscle holds more water then fat. Since both muscle and fat have water in them. muscle% + fat% +water% will never equal 100%
  • raclark17
    raclark17 Posts: 1 Member
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    I agree! Focusing on my Body Fat % instead of the scale has helped to keep me encouraged through P90X. I have gained a lot of muscle and so the scale isn't moving much. However, I am feeling much better!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Could anyone tell me what muscle percentage people are going for. I never hear anyone talk about it. My scale says 38 per cent at the moment but it does not add up at 53 per cent water, 26 per cent fat.

    I'm not sure what your question is. Does this help? - http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ibw/
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    I weigh 298 lbs. Right now my current goal is getting ab definition for next summer, and I think I can get there. I could care less what I weigh. Another thing to consider is your bones are also being stressed by lifting and they will get more dense in addition to your muscles retaining more water. This will also add weight.

    Just remember to have patience. When I was in High School it took 3 years of consistant lifting to go from a freshman gootub, to a 3 sport letterman that looked the part, and that was with adolesent male testosterone. Stick with it and remember this stuff doesn't happen overnight...or in a month...or several months.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    Yep. I only weight myself for the instant gratification (or humiliation)... my goals are all speed/strength/body fat related. Nothing to do with weight.

    ^^^ This. I want to squat, dead, bench press, etc. triple digits. I do want to slim down some, but my journey to get my hormones right is turning out to be a long and arduous one. In the mean time, my journey on MFP has morphed from a quest for weight loss to a quest for health and strength.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    I try for both. I weigh faithfully and check bodyfat periodically. But every check for bf has been an improvement so guess I am dong ok.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
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    You might find the BMI and bodyfat percentage correlate quite well after a while and then of course as it gets lower, if you are aiming for being really lean, then I think the two diverge again...

    I too aim more for lowering my bf%...I still keep track of it all once per month...but as long as the bf% is going lower I am happy.

    I tend to disagree as I've found that after I lost the initial weight (reduced BMI) and began putting on muscle (reduced bf% and gained weight) my BMI increased. My goal is simply 14-15% bf. Currently around 17%.
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
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    Yes. At 18% now, would like to get down to 15%. The scale is just a correlation to my real goal.
  • testease
    testease Posts: 220
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    Body Fat % for sure. I have a weight class i compete in, so i still have to monitor the scale goal as well.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    I am currently 165 / 22.3% bf with a BMI of 23.7 (with 24.9 being overweight - so Im about 1.2 BMI points short of being fat)

    My goal is 18-20% bf ultimately and right now my short term goal is 21% bf. I am thinking this will probably put me at about 160 pounds, give or take a couple. My shoulderblades, spine, hipbones and ribs are all visible, my hamstrings, quads and calves are starting to show their lines, as are my obliques and a blossoming girl V. My shoulders are starting to show off nicely as well.

    Im happier with my body fat goal - it takes longer to change a 2 digit statistic than a 3 digit statistic, but it is so much more easier to see and feel the changes - and ogle the hell out of them!
  • rebeccap13
    rebeccap13 Posts: 754 Member
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    I'd love to eventually be 18-20% body fat... that's the end goal here.

    Working on 25% right now. The scale is kind of pointless to me now. I try to weigh less than once a month. My body composition and how I look in the mirror are meaning more and more everyday.
  • sandrahermione
    sandrahermione Posts: 87
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    Not really, I know about body fat but what percentage of muscle does your scale show? Mine says 38 per cent. What could I be aiming for?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Not really, I know about body fat but what percentage of muscle does your scale show? Mine says 38 per cent. What could I be aiming for?

    it shows muscle? Not body fat?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Could anyone tell me what muscle percentage people are going for. I never hear anyone talk about it. My scale says 38 per cent at the moment but it does not add up at 53 per cent water, 26 per cent fat.

    The scales are highly inaccurate, but there is also bones and organs and other 'stuff' that should make up the difference.
  • Marc713
    Marc713 Posts: 328 Member
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    Not sure if you can see my bio, but I would hate to be the weight my BMI says I should be. I'd actually like go GAIN weight, and lower my body fat percentage. Today I was 217 and when i checked my BF a couple days ago it was around 20.5-21% if I recall.....I'd love to be about 225 and about 10-12%. I have work to do! Luckily I'm starting to like cooking more and have learned to make some really good fish dishes and am exploring making my own healthy meals. Diet has always been my bane because I love working out.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I am aiming for a body fat % goal but as I am in the healthy/athletic range I really am going with the mirror.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Haven't been able to find a satisfactory method of measuring small differences in body fat at home, so I find it hard to go by.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    My ticker shows a goal weight, but ultimately my goal is to get and stay in the 18-20% range. I'm 20.7% now.
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
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    I use body fat as well.

    I'm at 21.2% as of last week and I'm aiming for 17-18%... if I get really motivated, 14% is the lowest I would go.

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