I'm a fat skinny person

Megooo19
Megooo19 Posts: 199
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone,

So I need some advice. I'm 140lbs, 21 years old, and 5'7" tall. I've been working out since last september and have slowly made my way up to running 3 miles 3-4 times a week. I just started using MFP about a month ago because I really need to start eating better foods for my body.
January 11th I got a skin fold test done and they calculated me at 24.9% body fat! Which was way higher than I thought I'd be at. After that I breifly went on the zone diet but found that it was too much math and then I started on here. On March 24th I went back in for another skin fold test. I've only lost about 2 pounds, so I thought that maybe I'd gained muscle and lost fat and couldnt tell by the number on the scale. I was at 24.7% body fat! My boyfriend had lost 2%. I just dont know what I'm doing wrong. I felt totally frustrated and gave up, but now I'm starting over and want to know what advice you have to offer.

Replies

  • durbanski
    durbanski Posts: 183 Member
    I would focus more on the goal of weight loss as a opposed to body fat percentage. If a body hates to do anything its give up part of itself. As your body loses weight it will gain tone, if you continue to work out as you have done. Different bodies need different amounts of exertion to respond.

    Just stay on task and routine. In time your body will reflect the work you've done just be patient and don't give up.

    Take care,

    Dustin
  • venomcupcake
    venomcupcake Posts: 1
    Hi there, i am 15 mins old in MFP and i have the same problem with you as well. IS there anyone who can address this?
  • Candyrot89
    Candyrot89 Posts: 25
    Truth be told..I dont think you should be so obsessed with these percentages. If you're running 12 miles a week thats awesome! Why such a focus on things that honestly don't really matter? You look amazing. I say stop stressin' and realize how ****ing gorgeous you look...who cares if you're body fat percentage hasn't changed. Remember you're a woman not a man, so you're boyfriend probably has an easier time with it. Enjoy the body you have created rather then over analyzing it.
  • durbanski
    durbanski Posts: 183 Member
    Another thought is to include some form of muscle building regiment. Find different kinds of exercise that can work your body in different ways.
  • durbanski
    durbanski Posts: 183 Member
    Truth be told..I dont think you should be so obsessed with these percentages. If you're running 12 miles a week thats awesome! Why such a focus on things that honestly don't really matter? You look amazing. I say stop stressin' and realize how ****ing gorgeous you look...who cares if you're body fat percentage hasn't changed. Remember you're a woman not a man, so you're boyfriend probably has an easier time with it. Enjoy the body you have created rather then over analyzing it.

    Yeah! what she said! :)
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    To lose body fat, you need to be doing exercises that will burn fat. You need to incorporate strength training (do this BEFORE cardio if you're going to do both in one day) 3x per week with a rest day in between so your body can recuperate and not burn out. Strength training helps burn carbs and sugar, which is what gets converted into fat the easiest (versus protein) and then when you do cardio, you burn easier. As you gain more muscle, you'll burn fat easier. With cardio: run, jog, elliptical, stationary bike, roller blade, ice skate, swim, ANYTHING to get your heart rate up because this burns fat. I like do "light" cardio when I lift weights and then the next day do a hard cardio session.

    Doing this, I've lost 2% body fat in one month.
  • safiresp04
    safiresp04 Posts: 29
    To see a decrease in your overall body fat %, you need to incorporate weight training. If all you're doing is cardio, sure you're building some muscle, but overall, you're actually burning off your muscle - especially if you aren't giving your body enough of the calories and nutrients that you need. Make sure you eat enough and find a way to incorporate some weight training 2-3x/week. Don't worry - you won't "bulk up" - women aren't genetically able to build muscle like men. Instead, you will sculpt some lean muscle, burn more fat, and slim down overall.
  • rjadams
    rjadams Posts: 4,029 Member
    I am sorry is 24% really that bad? I thought women were supposed to be in the low 20's for Body fat percentage. Maybe I am misinformed.
  • mrsyac2
    mrsyac2 Posts: 2,784 Member
    To decrease your fat percent you need to increase the amount of lean muscle mass- Your fat percent isn't in the overweight range it's actually in the normal range- Your probably seeking to gain definition- You need to not only do cardio but also resistance training don't be afraid to lift weights let alone lift heavy. You can gain muscle and not gain weight and look 10-15lbs smaller gotta love muscle for that.
    That is how you will decrease your fat percentage. I know people that are 120lbs but their fat percentage has them showing as overweight or obese because they have no muscles. Muscles are good
  • Megooo19
    Megooo19 Posts: 199
    Thanks guys. I just want to make sure I remain healthy as I get older and it just seems like my body fat is on the verge of an unhealthy percent. I do stretch and do situps after I run and sometimes I lift weights, but I always do it after I run.
  • mariena
    mariena Posts: 39 Member
    Ditto on the weight training. Keep up the running; that is great cardio, but you need to lift weights. And not girly 5lb weights. As a female if you really want to see muscle definition and reduce your body fat, you need to lift heavy weights. I recommend a weight heavy enough that in a set of 12 reps you should be struggling by the 8th rep.
  • Lisa0711
    Lisa0711 Posts: 1,405 Member
    I agree with adding some strength training. I used to do all cardio and I can tell a huge (positive) difference since I've incorporated weights into my routein. If you work out at home, there are a TON of DVDs you can buy to help. As previous posters said, muscle burns more calories than fat. You'll be burning calories even after you're done working out when you add in strength training!

    Good luck achieving your goals!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    You are fine, you are in the "Healthy Range" and near the low end of it, you are not "skinny fat" you are Healthy.
    Women
    Age 20-40 yrs - Under fat (Under 21%), Healthy Range (21-33%), Overweight (33-39%), Obese (Over 39%)

    Men
    Age 20-40 yrs - Underfat (Under 8%), Healthy Range (8-19%), Overweight (19-25%), Obese (Over 25%)

    Hope this makes you feel better.
  • Megooo19
    Megooo19 Posts: 199
    Maybe I've been going off the male % all this time?

    I thought the nutritionist at the gym said overweight range was 25% or more, maybe she was talking to my boyfriend. That does make me feel better thank you.
  • sbacue
    sbacue Posts: 2
    I'd start doing weight training every other day...light weights, lots of reps. That will give you muscle, but not bulk.

    Another thing, the skin fold test is one of the least accurate ways to measure body fat percentage (there is a good 4-10% margin of error)...also human error contributes if the tester doesn't really know what they're doing. The underwater weighing tanks, or even better, a DEXA machine, both are more accurate. I would check with either your local gym or your doctor to see about getting this done.
  • gennyvieve
    gennyvieve Posts: 83
    you are totally in the healthy range! if you want more definition hit the weights. you'd really only need to worry if you had blood tests that put you in unhealthy areas---like high cholesterol, blood sugar, etc..... pinch tests aren't always all that accurate--if you're really that concerned about it do a tank test, they cost about $75+, and you'll get weighed in a tank of water, and they give the most accurate readings of muscle mass, bone mass, and fat.....but it sounds like you're in good shape. the question is, are you happy? forget about all the numbers---how do YOU feel about your body? all the numbers in the world aren't worth a damn compared to how you feel about your body----listening to our bodies will always be the best indicators!
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
    i have the same problem as you, good luck with the strength trianing tips, i know i will use them
  • stratdl
    stratdl Posts: 303 Member
    Maybe I've been going off the male % all this time?

    I thought the nutritionist at the gym said overweight range was 25% or more, maybe she was talking to my boyfriend. That does make me feel better thank you.

    I did a quick search and there's quite a few sites that say 25% is borderline obese, but I don't believe it, because I think it's confusing BF% with BMI. And, in my opinion, BMI is a nasty little number that means nothing.

    ...although I will say I prefer my BMI number (23) to my BF% (29.1% according to BodPod, 27% according to impedence, and 25% according to calipers). Too bad the BodPod is the most accurate of the three tests. I must have some visceral fat to get rid of. Dang....
  • losehealthy
    losehealthy Posts: 3
    Thanks for sharing. I have yet to find a way to drop the fat. When I work out I rarely ever see the number on my scale decrease. I think it’s because I’m built like a brick **** house. Pardon my French but it’s the way I feel. I should do something like polities and some cardio I guess. I UNDERSTAND!
    My brother in-law has been a member of the Army and through it he has passed on some knowledge to me. I should start to apply the knowledge if I want to see results.
    One thing is your resting heart beat. It might be interesting to see what it is if you haven’t already.

    Take care
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