Sustainable & Healthy Body Fat Percentage
paxbfl
Posts: 391 Member
I've recently lost almost 50 pounds, and am now seeking to reach the best possible body fat percentage that I can maintain long-term and be healthy.
I'm 46, 6'2", fairly muscular
Weight: 207
Fat-Free Mass: 177.4
Fat Weight: 29.6
Body Fat Percentage: 14.3%
(These measurements are from a high-end body fat scale. Might not be 100% accurate obviously but my research suggests it's in the ballpark.)
I'm thinking 12% would be a reasonable & healthy goal that I could sustain long-term. Not sure if it makes sense to go any lower at my age. I'm happily married and don't plan to compete in shows or anything.
Thoughts?
I'm 46, 6'2", fairly muscular
Weight: 207
Fat-Free Mass: 177.4
Fat Weight: 29.6
Body Fat Percentage: 14.3%
(These measurements are from a high-end body fat scale. Might not be 100% accurate obviously but my research suggests it's in the ballpark.)
I'm thinking 12% would be a reasonable & healthy goal that I could sustain long-term. Not sure if it makes sense to go any lower at my age. I'm happily married and don't plan to compete in shows or anything.
Thoughts?
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Replies
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Back when I worked out daily for many years, I maintained at 8 - 10% BF with not much problem. I tried 6% but just could not stay there easily enough to like it. I am going to shoot for around 10%BF again, and I am the same age as you.
46 yrs old
6'2"
225 lbs @ 17.3%BF right now.
12% BF is a good manageable place to be I think also.0 -
How lean you can get and be "comfortable" in terms of hormones, etc. is highly dependent on genetics.
I think 12% is a number that just about anyone would be able to maintain very easily.0 -
I think it boils down to what your goal is. Do you want to maintain six pack abs (which are visible around 10%) or do you just want to maintain a lean/athletic body (which it seems you currently are)? Married or not, who wouldn't want to get a few looks when you take your shirt off at the beach? I think your definition of comfortable would consist of the number of calories and how much exereise you put in once you're at your BF% goal.0
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You are currently at a healthy and sustainable BF%. With some dedication anything in the double digits is sustainable. 10-12% seems to be the sweet spot for looking good and feeling good whilie still being able to lead a pretty normal life.0
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Thanks for the replies. You've basically supported what I've been thinking. I'm going to continue on my goal to stay around 12% - look good and feel good without getting too extreme about it.0
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Probably a silly question but what makes 8 % bf so much more difficult to maintain than 12 % bf ? I mean maintenance calories would be differ by 50 cals at max.Am i missing something here ?0
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I mean maintenance calories would be differ by 50 cals at max.Am i missing something here ?
There's the rub. How easy is it to eat an extra 50 calories? It takes a lot of discipline to keep that 50 calories out of your mouth. I mean, that's one big apple slice a day.0 -
There is more to it than just eating 50 less cals a day. I am at work now, and really don't have the time to get into it all. Maybe someone else will chime in and explain it.....
And I can tell you from personal exp. That the diff between maintaining 8% and 6% BF is a lot more than just eating a couple less cals a day ......0 -
This Is what I meant by sustainable. I want to be healthy (above all else) and I want to look and feel good. But I also want to be able to have a beer and a slice of pizza now and then. I'm not going to eat cottage cheese and protein shakes for every meal. So 6-8% probably isn't in the cards for me.
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:huh:I mean maintenance calories would be differ by 50 cals at max.Am i missing something here ?
There's the rub. How easy is it to eat an extra 50 calories? It takes a lot of discipline to keep that 50 calories out of your mouth. I mean, that's one big apple slice a day.0 -
Do you have a shirt off pic of you at 17% bodyfat?0
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no, i don't. As I keep almost all my BF in my mid section, and cannot stand it. So, I look fairly lean every where except around my waist. I have an extra 3-4" still there ......0
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Do you have a shirt off pic of you at 17% bodyfat?
You are on the Eat Train progress group right? There is a bf % section there where you will find men on various levels of bodyfat0 -
12-14 would be a reasonable bodyfat to sustain without having to "diet" constantly.
I held well at around 12 for several months, still going out and drinking and eating wings on occasion.0 -
Probably a silly question but what makes 8 % bf so much more difficult to maintain than 12 % bf ? I mean maintenance calories would be differ by 50 cals at max.Am i missing something here ?
Hormones. You might be able to maintain a certain bodyfat in theory, but when Test pulummets a and sexual desire disappears, I doubt that's a place you'll want to hang around for long. Along with this comes strength loss, being perpetually hangry, etc.
This is not to say that nobody can comfortably maintain 8%, but a lot of people run into problems at that level. Again, how low you can go and remain comfortable is a matter of genetics.0 -
Probably a silly question but what makes 8 % bf so much more difficult to maintain than 12 % bf ? I mean maintenance calories would be differ by 50 cals at max.Am i missing something here ?
Hormones. You might be able to maintain a certain bodyfat in theory, but when Test pulummets a and sexual desire disappears, I doubt that's a place you'll want to hang around for long. Along with this comes strength loss, being perpetually hangry, etc.
This is not to say that nobody can comfortably maintain 8%, but a lot of people run into problems at that level. Again, how low you can go and remain comfortable is a matter of genetics.
Thank you! That makes a lot of sense0 -
Thanks Fire rock, I was going to reply, but have been slammed here at work this week ...0
