LBM?? How do I calculate?

Kazzam33
Kazzam33 Posts: 210
in Motivation and Support
Might be a dumb Q but how do I calculate this? Do I need to get a calliper test?

Neeeeewb!

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Yes you need to find out your bodyfat %...that can be done in a variety of methods.

    Calliper being one of them. Keep in mind tho if the person using the callipers are not skilled it will be off...

    There are online calculators, dexa scans, bod pod tests, water dunk...or have someone who is good at looking at photos to determine it. (yes there are people like that here)
  • Kazzam33
    Kazzam33 Posts: 210
    Yes you need to find out your bodyfat %...that can be done in a variety of methods.

    Calliper being one of them. Keep in mind tho if the person using the callipers are not skilled it will be off...

    There are online calculators, dexa scans, bod pod tests, water dunk...or have someone who is good at looking at photos to determine it. (yes there are people like that here)

    Thanks, I will have a hunt online. Id rather not have a stranger pinch me with callipers so I will see if I can figure out another way.

    I'm getting a bit stuck on progress with the default settings on MFP keeping me at 1200 cals p/day (worked well for the first 12 weeks but is definitely slowing up nearing 20 weeks) so I am trying to work out my own macros so suit my situation but I'm having some trouble; being that I'm still quite new to this & the whole IIFYM ideal. Any/all help is appreciated.
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Do you go to a gym? A lot of them have a scale that also measures body fat. You'll find a bunch of different opinions on that here :bigsmile: but they're generally pretty reasonable and the important thing is the downwards trend anyway.
  • Kazzam33
    Kazzam33 Posts: 210
    Do you go to a gym? A lot of them have a scale that also measures body fat. You'll find a bunch of different opinions on that here :bigsmile: but they're generally pretty reasonable and the important thing is the downwards trend anyway.

    I'm exercising but not at the gym just yet. I have fancy scales but I've got no idea how to use them & I cant find the instructions for it.
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Maybe you can find the owner's manual on the internet.
  • bbb84
    bbb84 Posts: 418 Member
    I recently had a nutritionist tell me i was too fat for the caliper test... how fun was that :mad: ... It's all really an estimate anyway. Pick a method and stick with it, that way you can see progress.
  • Kazzam33
    Kazzam33 Posts: 210
    I recently had a nutritionist tell me i was too fat for the caliper test... how fun was that :mad: ... It's all really an estimate anyway. Pick a method and stick with it, that way you can see progress.

    Oh God! I could imagine them saying the same thing to me at this point. That would have felt awful. :sad:
  • Kazzam33
    Kazzam33 Posts: 210
    Maybe you can find the owner's manual on the internet.

    That's a brilliant idea... so simple I never even thought.
    Brain fart! :embarassed:
  • CynthiaT60
    CynthiaT60 Posts: 1,280 Member
    :bigsmile:
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
    Bodyfat scales are very inaccurate and calipers can be tricky.

    The cheapest and easiest way is to post your pictures and let the experienced people give you their opinion

    I posted a few pictures on some bodybuilding forums last year and all the estimates I got were about the same. It gave me a good idea of where I was.
  • Kazzam33
    Kazzam33 Posts: 210
    Bodyfat scales are very inaccurate and calipers can be tricky.

    The cheapest and easiest way is to post your pictures and let the experienced people give you their opinion

    I posted a few pictures on some bodybuilding forums last year and all the estimates I got were about the same. It gave me a good idea of where I was.

    Is that what they were talking about in the Terminator movies 'Judgement Day'? Where everything you know & love turns to ash & your entire world crumbles?? ... Haha, putting my awful pics up to be judged (Judgement Day) sounds almost as bad as having a stranger pinch my flabby bits but yeah, you're probably right about the experienced folk knowing what they're doing.

    I was just curious about setting my own macros so I was able to see how they would compare to the default MFP macros that I'm working with at the moment. I posted a topic a couple weeks ago that I was having a bit of trouble sticking to 1200cals that MFP set on the days that I wasn't exercising & didn't have any exercise cals to be able to eat back. That's what made me want to do a bit more research into how things should be set.

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