Body Fat Percentage???

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  • tinasullens
    tinasullens Posts: 203 Member
    BMI calculators are NOT reliable because there are too many things to take into consideration. They could calculate an athlete as being obese based on their weight to height ratio (muscle weighs more than fat overall).

    The best way, short of doing the hydrostatic body fat test, is to do the waist to hip ratio. Read more about it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist-hip_ratio

    I am a .75 according to this calculation; which is right on target.

    There is such a thing as "skinny fat". I've been there too. Read more about it here: http://www.alive.com//4209a12a2.php

    My lower body is where I have the most probs and what causes my body fat percentage to be higher when taken at a gym using the calipers. It's close to being pretty accurate though for an overall body fat percentage.

    I was once at 130 lbs. and 30% body fat, I'm only 5'4" tall (short). LOL! It is possible to still weigh the same or close to what you do now but have lower body fat percentage simply by adding more lean muscle mass to your body. Add in more strength training to your workout routine.
  • jtotheno
    jtotheno Posts: 123 Member
    Thanks for the info and the links guys, And Tina, according to that link about the waist to hip ratio, I am exactly perfect in that way, lol. Made me feel good to see that! I am a 0.7, which is supposed to be the most attractive in women :) Guess I am perfectly proportioned, and that is why I don't look "obese", even though I have a BMI of 31.
  • Firepatriot911
    Firepatriot911 Posts: 4 Member
    Go with what you know to be a proven and consistant method. For me, its using the U.S. Army standard. There are standards and directions for both M and F. Simply search AR 600-9. This is the publication with directions. Nothing fancy, only a pencil, a tape measure and the ability to read a chart (B-5 or B-6) to determine an accurate BF.

    There is a logrithimic formula that has been computed, and data made into an easy to read chart.

    Its consistent for Americas Bravest..therefore its consistent enough for me.

    Wishing everyone the best !
  • Alison_84
    Alison_84 Posts: 86
    I am 5'6", 156 pounds and wear a size 8 or 10 in some things (Canadian sizing). My BMI is 25.1 (overweight) and my body fat percentage, according to my at-home scale, is around 28%.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    I am 5'6 and currently weigh 185.5 lbs. My body fat % is 34.7 and my BMI is 29.9. Now even though my BMI states that I am hanging by a thread in the overweight category, my body fat percentage says that I am quite in the obese category. I think I would trust the body fat % over the BMI because body fat is what is harmful in excess because it is around your organs and BMI is just an estimate for anybody.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    It can't be said enough: BMI is a valid tool for use in evaluating large, diverse populations. BMI should not be used to evaluate individuals, since it cannot discriminate between "healthy" and "non-healthy" mass.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
    It can't be said enough: BMI is a valid tool for use in evaluating large, diverse populations. BMI should not be used to evaluate individuals, since it cannot discriminate between "healthy" and "non-healthy" mass.

    I agree completely! BMI is interesting to see where you MIGHT be but if someone wants to know about their own specific health, they need to look at their own Body Fat. BMI only takes in consideration an age, weight, sex, and height. It doesn't consider muscle weight, water weight, organ weight, and fat weight.
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