Realistic goal for dropping body fat percentage

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skapo72
skapo72 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know that with weight loss, a realistic goal is maybe 1-2 pounds a week. What about with body fat percentage? I just started tracking it, and I'd like to know what to expect. I lift weights and I run about 3 times a week. Should I expect it to drop every week, every other week?

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  • AmmB23
    AmmB23 Posts: 12 Member
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    I've wondered this myself! Hope someone has an answer.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    The method that you're using to measure your body fat percentage is unlikely to be accurate enough to track your progress. The margin of error is likely to exceed the overall percent change that you would achieve. The only accurate way to measure body fat percentage is with a hydrostatic tank or a DEXA scan, neither of which is likely to be something you're able to access on a regular basis.
  • sherbear702
    sherbear702 Posts: 649 Member
    edited December 2014
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    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    The method that you're using to measure your body fat percentage is unlikely to be accurate enough to track your progress. The margin of error is likely to exceed the overall percent change that you would achieve.

    I disagree with that. Even if your precentage isn't accurate, you can still track the progress. As long as you're using the same faulty method consistently, you'll still see a drop in the precentage (assuming your losing fat).
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    if you are losing one to two pounds a week, then you are already losing body fat. As for what is a "reasonable" goal that is going to depend on where you are in your progress. For a beginner then just dropping weight will lose to less body fat, so whatever your weight loss goal is will be appropriate.

    If you have been dieting for a long time and have had an aggressive goal of say two pound per week loss, then you would benefit from eating at maintenance for a two to four weeks and then setting weight loss for .5 pound per week goal...

    OP - how long have you been dieting for?
  • vinniesooner
    vinniesooner Posts: 119 Member
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    Bumpity Bump Bump - Also curious.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    sherbear702 wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    The method that you're using to measure your body fat percentage is unlikely to be accurate enough to track your progress. The margin of error is likely to exceed the overall percent change that you would achieve.

    I disagree with that. Even if your precentage isn't accurate, you can still track the progress. As long as you're using the same faulty method consistently, you'll still see a drop in the precentage (assuming your losing fat).

    Nope. Have you used body fat calipers? Even trained professionals can get different readings off the same person the same day... and that's if you're using the most relevant skinfold equation. Since the OP didn't mention being trained in body fat calipers, I'm guessing she's using a body fat scale. I have tried several. They're so inaccurate that if you weigh yourself, walk around the bathroom and weigh yourself again you can get a completely different reading. Hydration level, level of callouses on feet, when you last ate, when you last exercised, how big your last meal was, if you have any sweat or lotion on your feet, etc, etc. all impact the reading.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    skapo72 wrote: »
    I know that with weight loss, a realistic goal is maybe 1-2 pounds a week. What about with body fat percentage?

    It's a math problem :-

    Let's say you start at 170 lb and 30% fat. ie 51 lbs fat and 119 lbs of non-fat.

    If you lose 1 lb/week of weight and 70% of that is fat then the fat goes down 0.7 lbs/week and the non-fat 0.3. This gives a reduction in body fat of about 0.25% per week :

    v5dz8z9pga1z.png

  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
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    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    sherbear702 wrote: »
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    The method that you're using to measure your body fat percentage is unlikely to be accurate enough to track your progress. The margin of error is likely to exceed the overall percent change that you would achieve.

    I disagree with that. Even if your precentage isn't accurate, you can still track the progress. As long as you're using the same faulty method consistently, you'll still see a drop in the precentage (assuming your losing fat).

    Nope. Have you used body fat calipers? Even trained professionals can get different readings off the same person the same day... and that's if you're using the most relevant skinfold equation. Since the OP didn't mention being trained in body fat calipers, I'm guessing she's using a body fat scale. I have tried several. They're so inaccurate that if you weigh yourself, walk around the bathroom and weigh yourself again you can get a completely different reading. Hydration level, level of callouses on feet, when you last ate, when you last exercised, how big your last meal was, if you have any sweat or lotion on your feet, etc, etc. all impact the reading.

    Do you use the gas gauge on your car? It sucks at telling you exactly how much gas is in your car but my guess is, you don't ignore it.

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