High Body Fat Percentage

Hi!

I got my measurements done at the gym last night and although I am only a size 10, 10 stone and my BMI is normal, my body fat percentage was really high! It was 38% I think. I can't find the paper that he wrote it down on now :/

So ... my question is, what can I do about this? What is the best way to bring down your body fat percentage quickly? It's quite scary to think that 38% of my entire body is made of fat at the moment!! I didn't think my diet was that bad but I guess it must have been.

Any advice appreciated ^_^

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,268 Member
    If that percentage is correct, which it probably isn't exactly right, your lean body mass LBM (muscle mass) is low for your size. Sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise ,low protein consumption during bouts of weight loss and genetics are probably the major factors. Consuming more protein, doing weight resistance in a progressive fashion, consuming the proper amount of calories can help to change that ratio.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Lift things up and put them down :happy:
  • xRedHeaterx
    xRedHeaterx Posts: 37 Member
    Yes it seems high, top of the average scale being 31 percent according to wiki, for women. Weight training/weight bearing exercise may be the answer.

    I wonder how they measured it at the gym. Most methods other than dunking can have quite a large margin for error I believe.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    Heavy lifting mixed with cardio. I promise.
  • kimthomasandaimee
    kimthomasandaimee Posts: 25 Member
    Yes my Lean Body Mass was too low. I remember they said that too but that it could be brought up. Somehow!

    Anyway ... more protein. Weight lifting. Hmm .... things can only get better.

    Only been a member of the gym for three days now so won't expect a miracle change too soon ^_^
  • kimthomasandaimee
    kimthomasandaimee Posts: 25 Member
    Just dug out my stats.


    Height: 167.5cm
    Weight: 64.6kg
    Body Fat: 36.1 (Not AS bad as I remembered but still pretty poor!)
    BMI 23
    Visceral Fat 5
    Skeletal Muscle Percentage 26.2
    Resting Metabolism 1365
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
    Protein is really important. If you lift and eat protein, you will really see results. Protein shakes and bars help - just make sure they don't have a lot of carbs (especially sugar) in them. You want to gain muscle, not fat. Otherwise, eat eggs, (or egg whites or commercial products like eggbeaters), chicken breast, fish. I cut up lean chicken breast and eat it for lunch rather than deal with lunch meat.

    Get into it... there are classes available now that incorporate lifting - they have made lifting more attractive and enjoyable to women as opposed to the old days of lifting in the weight room with HE MEN or just doing a circuit (like I do).

    Good luck - this is not a terrible problem to have. As you lift, continue doing some kind of cardio... eat protein... and you'll get lean, firm, and very sexy.