don't just rely on BF%

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  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
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    Oh, yeah, I didn't mean I'm "fat", just "fatter" than 15-18%.

    I personally havent met many women that are 15-18%....and the girls who I know that are skinny...are fat skinny so to say!! so I am totally not sure where their bf% lies...but I think the point is...if you are happy with how you look to YOU, then bf% and weight doesn't make a damn bit of diff!! they are all just numbers :)

    it's all about healthiness and happiness :)

    good luck all!
  • pinkyleigh83
    pinkyleigh83 Posts: 148 Member
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    I'm at about 15% with a good amount of muscle & don't look like either of those women. Interesting how different we can be despite our weights/heights, bf% etc being nearly the same.
  • astrovivi
    astrovivi Posts: 183 Member
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    I keep trying to explain this to people. The important thing is to look at the raw numbers (kgs) of lean mass, fat mass etc and know where you are relative to the range you are aiming for (and what is healthy).

    I'm 21% BF but that's because my lbm is still low. I am still in the very lean category and can't afford to lose much more than 2-3kg of fat mass.

    % are very deceptive if you don't know what underpins them :)

    good read.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    Very good red, thanks!
  • ramonafrincu
    ramonafrincu Posts: 160 Member
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    good post guys! thanks a lot!
  • kieranjlee
    kieranjlee Posts: 4
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    Since I'm less concerned with aesthetics (both girls in the 15% picture look great to me), body fat percentage is more important from a health point of view in terms of visceral fat leading to a poorer health prognosis. I'm not sure where my body fat measure lies at the moment but I've lost about six inches around the middle in about 9 months.

    My primary goal is to get to 25% (I may be there already as I have not measure this) and ultimately 17% for health reasons. I don't need to look like either Neo or The Terminator
  • Doctorpurple
    Doctorpurple Posts: 507 Member
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    18-20% body fat for female is my ideal. All the body fat measuring devices said that I'm around that right now. But since they are inaccurate, I guess I will never know. I even tried dexa and hydrostatic and they gave me completely different results:noway:
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    women-both-15.jpg
    Yep, after looking at so many peoples %s I've noticed they can looks significantly better then me at a higher fat percentage yet look more chiseled. Even ones in the same weight and height range. Jelly.

    95 out of 100 men ask to choose. would choose the lady on the right.

    No one asked.
    ^This, 'ladies' aren't pikachu.
  • cerealaddict
    cerealaddict Posts: 20 Member
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    Interesting, thanks!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    So the weight on the scale isn't a good measuring criteria, BMI is irrelevant and now BF % shouldn't matter either....
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    So the weight on the scale isn't a good measuring criteria, BMI is irrelevant and now BF % shouldn't matter either....

    ::Look in mirror::
    Do I like or dislike?

    That's how I measure.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    So the weight on the scale isn't a good measuring criteria, BMI is irrelevant and now BF % shouldn't matter either....

    not saying BF% doesn't matter. It is just saying that the same %'s can look totally different depending on total weight and LBM.
  • kieranjlee
    kieranjlee Posts: 4
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    In terms of health, waist measurements and body fat are pretty good indicators for excess visceral fat. BMI is fairly good for the general population but obviously people with a lot of muscle mass need to take that into consideration. It's also important to understand that numbers can also vary across age groups, gender and race.

    As mentioned, 15% body fat for a female could potentially be unhealthily low so if you're looking to hit those numbers best to consult a medical professional.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
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    I wanna know what a woman in the low 20s for body fat with a good deal of lean mass looks like.

    I think it looks like me but I'm not sure. For some reason those picture collages never include "fatter" women with muscles.

    If the pic in your avatar is you at your current bf, then I think you're right in your estimation--as long as I am right in mine. I recently estimated my body fat to be in the low 20s, and I have a great deal of muscle. I don't look too different from your pic. [And no, my avatar isn't me. It's a still from Million Dollar Baby.]

    Btw, low 20's is what I have seen recommended as optimal for athletic women. One may not look like a VS model at that percentage, but it's good for your health and is more sustainable for the average person.
  • TallGlassOfQuirky
    TallGlassOfQuirky Posts: 282 Member
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    I wanna know what a woman in the low 20s for body fat with a good deal of lean mass looks like.

    I think it looks like me but I'm not sure. For some reason those picture collages never include "fatter" women with muscles.

    I was about 20(ish)% BF at the end of last spring at 5'10" and just a bit under 160 pounds so I would have fit your "low 20s ... good deal of lean mass" request pretty well.
    I looked like this (no bikini shot - I cover up a bit more than during my final rebellious CoryIda days):
    c25b6243-a34e-4ea9-80cf-8c15e1ade93c_zps40a5af93.jpg
    timeline10.jpg

    Now, I am in the mid 20's and 10-15 pounds heavier. I look closer to the 25% picture now than when I was really focused on fitness, but perhaps a bit more firm (except for the loose tummy skin).

    Anyway - I think the point of the article is to show that you shouldn't base your goal just off of a number - whether a number on the scale or a BF %. Base it on how you want to look, but even more importantly, base it off of how you want to feel and what you want to be able to accomplish.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    This is why I don't even pay attention to BF%. I'll get to my preferred body when I get there. I don't need it to be a specific number.

    I look nothing like any of those guys, and my BF% is anywhere from 16 to 23 percent according to all the various online calculators. I don't care anymore.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    Bump though once I get to my preferred body, I will be happy.
  • astrovivi
    astrovivi Posts: 183 Member
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    lol Chris, but the great unwashed will always just make it a "which looks better" disregarding context :p
  • astrovivi
    astrovivi Posts: 183 Member
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    only the total kg of fat mass and lbm matter ... are they a) in a healthy range for your age, height etc blah blah and b) look at your goals if you are seeking to be shredded/strong/whatever.

    % like any statistic when viewed as one number in isolation is ALWAYS a poor indicator of anything. primarily because it is a relative measurement but when viewed alone you lose the relative nature of it and so it becomes misleading.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    Awesome read! Thanks for posting!

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