Body fat tested & now soooo confused!

I did a hydrostatic bodyfat test today. I am absolutely shocked at the result - 15.9%! While I am thrilled with this number, it has me completely confused as to what I should be doing now.

The stats:

Height - 5'6.75"
Dry weight - 152
Lean body weight - 127.8 pounds
Body fat weight - 24.2 pounds (I swear this is all in my butt!)
RMR - 1757 calories

So - I don't think I need to lose anymore body fat and I don't want to lose any lean mass so I think I should just maintain. However - I am not happy with the amount of body fat (visually) on my bottom and back of my thighs. So, heavy leg days are in order. I love doing legs so no problem.

How many calories should I be eating as a general rule (assuming no exercise - I have no issue eating back my exercise calories.) I use a Fitbit so I generally have been letting it calculate my exercise but adding in weight training on the Fitbit site. I generally get 150-175 calories burned for about an hour of weigh training. I enter it as light/moderate weight training instead of heavy/power lifting. I work out with a trainer and work pretty hard but I don't know how to define heavy/power lifting so I opt for the lower number.

Sorry if I am rambling - I am just so confused as to where to go from here!

@ninerbuff & PSULemon

Replies

  • moondawg14
    moondawg14 Posts: 249 Member
    I did a hydrostatic bodyfat test today. I am absolutely shocked at the result - 15.9%! While I am thrilled with this number, it has me completely confused as to what I should be doing now.

    The stats:

    Height - 5'6.75"
    Dry weight - 152
    Lean body weight - 127.8 pounds
    Body fat weight - 24.2 pounds (I swear this is all in my butt!)
    RMR - 1757 calories

    So - I don't think I need to lose anymore body fat and I don't want to lose any lean mass so I think I should just maintain. However - I am not happy with the amount of body fat (visually) on my bottom and back of my thighs. So, heavy leg days are in order. I love doing legs so no problem.

    How many calories should I be eating as a general rule (assuming no exercise - I have no issue eating back my exercise calories.) I use a Fitbit so I generally have been letting it calculate my exercise but adding in weight training on the Fitbit site. I generally get 150-175 calories burned for about an hour of weigh training. I enter it as light/moderate weight training instead of heavy/power lifting. I work out with a trainer and work pretty hard but I don't know how to define heavy/power lifting so I opt for the lower number.

    Sorry if I am rambling - I am just so confused as to where to go from here!

    @ninerbuff & PSULemon

    You can't target fat loss by exercise. If you still have fat on your body that you want to get rid of, you need to keep eating at a deficit until it goes away.

    If that's you in your avatar, I wouldn't worry about butt fat. I wouldn't be able to take my eyes off those guns! those sexy,sexy guns!

    If you're not happy with your butt, and want to change it, and you're not killing yourself to get down to some single-digit BF number... I say go for it. Just keep some perspective and see how your results turn out.

    Good luck!
  • iiijeniii
    iiijeniii Posts: 82 Member
    I know I can't target fat loss but I was more thinking that if I built up my legs and butt more it would look better? So eat at maintenance or surplus?

    and that is me ... thanks!:blushing: I am very lean above the waist but I think all 15.9% is in my butt!!!
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Depending on your fitness goals, I would start bulk/cut cycling while following a resistance training program.
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    squats and lunges!! I had a bit of a 'fatty' bum I thought and didn't like it... but wow, doing lunges, squats, leg presses and so on REALLY lifted it and made it a much nicer shape :D
  • kavanaghev
    kavanaghev Posts: 75 Member
    I have the same problemish. I had a couple of bodpod tests done and I am 16% BF but I do not look it AT ALL. I have a tummy, weird butt, and flabby inner thighs, but I really do not want to go any lower, because I also want to get pregnant and do that whole deal. I'm coming to terms with the possibility that I won't be able to look the way I want to look because of the way I genetically carry my fat, unless I am willing to risk not getting pregnant (which I am not right now). So I am just going to continue lifting and doing my thing eating at maintenance until I am done having kids with the hopes that I can then lean out to where I want to be and I'll have a rockin' bod underneath it all.
  • Shadowcub
    Shadowcub Posts: 154 Member
    One other thought for people who have lost significant weight, are now at a healthy body fat%, but still "look fat" is to consider having excess skin removed, with or without spot lipo. (When we lose weight, fat cells shrink. But what I've ready many places is that they never really go away. Thus the lipo to permanently remove those empty fat cells and "sculpt" the body shape you want.)

    This won't work for somebody still losing, but if you're basically at your goal and still want things to be a bit different, it's worth looking into.
  • fluffykitsune
    fluffykitsune Posts: 236 Member
    How long have you been at this weight? How long have you been dieting / losing weight?

    Its quite possible that your body's skin just hasn't adapted to your new body yet (it can take months, years..)
    I'd maintain and don't stress it. You might be pleasantly surprised in 3 months!
  • iiijeniii
    iiijeniii Posts: 82 Member
    How long have you been at this weight? How long have you been dieting / losing weight?

    Its quite possible that your body's skin just hasn't adapted to your new body yet (it can take months, years..)
    I'd maintain and don't stress it. You might be pleasantly surprised in 3 months!

    I was at 254 in Jan 2008 - 165 in July 2009. Maintained that until January 2013 but changed shape got smaller. I've lost the last 15ish in the last 6 months. It could be just loose skin that won't go away, I guess. I have worked with a personal trainer since March of 2008 to the present. I will definitely be picking his brain on thes too. I'm pretty sure that I just need to bulk (:noway: ) up my legs to make them more aesthetically pleasing to me. I'm really just not sure what to do with my calories. ... and I am very scared of getting fat again (although I know that won't happen.)
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    I'm coveting your beautiful LBM... nice work! Now read this. I think it will answer your question:
    http://gokaleo.com/2012/09/19/body-composition-that-last-five-pounds-and-how-to-deal-with-problem-areas/
  • iiijeniii
    iiijeniii Posts: 82 Member
    I'm coveting your beautiful LBM... nice work! Now read this. I think it will answer your question:
    http://gokaleo.com/2012/09/19/body-composition-that-last-five-pounds-and-how-to-deal-with-problem-areas/
    Thanks for the compliment and the link! It was very informative!
  • iiijeniii
    iiijeniii Posts: 82 Member
    Any more thoughts? Headed to work out with my trainer, so I will for sure discuss this with him also.