Do you know your number?

karensoxfan
karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
This is a spinoff from a BMI topic, and I understand that lots of MFP members dislike BMI as a tool for classifying whether someone is underweight, "healthy" weight, overweight or obese. I agree with those who think body fat % is a better indicator, but I'm the first to admit I don't know my own body fat %. I don't belong to a gym, and I've never asked my Dr. to measure it. I know I'm overweight, and I've discussed that with my Dr.'s, but I'm interested to know whether most people, even active people making a concentrated effort to lose weight (or maintain weight loss) know their own body fat %?

Do you know yours?

If so, what is it?

Finally, does anyone know what body fat % range is considered healthy*? *Assuming there are separate healthy ranges for men & women.

Replies

  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    I'm somewhere around 12.5%. But there's a margin of error because I measured at home, unprofessionally, with calipers.

    Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

    Also see the link in my sig for a site with pictures of people and their body fat %
  • ojell
    ojell Posts: 748 Member
    I don't know my actual body fat by measurement, but according to my BMI I'm at the low end of OBESE! :( I was SHOCKED to see this! I would have NEVER thought that...I just thought I was chubby. :( I don't like the BMI scale though. I think I would be TOO SKINNY if I followed it. I dunno.
  • christy_frank
    christy_frank Posts: 680 Member
    Mine is 30.2% :sad:

    BUT.... I am working on it & my goal is 22%.

    I am 5'6 & 145 lbs.
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
    Mine is 2..........much. I don't even want to check it until I get another 40 lbs off.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    I'm somewhere around 12.5%. But there's a margin of error because I measured at home, unprofessionally, with calipers.

    Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

    Also see the link in my sig for a site with pictures of people and their body fat %

    Well equipped with links, man. Mad props. Now, I just actually have to measure my stats. Haha.
  • nayagan
    nayagan Posts: 13
    http://cgi.ebay.ca/Mini-Weight-Loss-Body-Fat-Calculator-Diet-Analyzer-BMI-/190529652931?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5c73c8c3#ht_4227wt_902

    I got one of these. Its not the best and its accuracy is +/- 5 percent which doesn't make sense for athletes. But if you are above 25 percent its worth it just to see it go down. Its a motivator. I went from 26% to 17% in about a year. Make sure you measure in the early morning without drinking water, this helps with reliability of the fat percentage.
  • Kate_UK
    Kate_UK Posts: 1,299 Member
    My body fat % is 24.5 according to my scale. But I don't know how accurate that is.Or what my healthy level is. My BMI is 22.6

    Body fat % are different between women and men becuase woman naturally carry more 'healthy' fat than men because fo the way our bodies work and in prepapartion for pregnancy etc
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    BMI:

    Start: 43%
    Current: 36.9%
    Goal: 24.7%

    Once I reach that, I may readjust for slightly lower. We'll see.
  • wheelieblade
    wheelieblade Posts: 323
    too much, no idea how much tho not chcked, too scared, bit like getting on the scales :sad:
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    Last question first:

    Description Women Men
    Essential 10-13% 2-5%
    Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
    Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
    Acceptable 25-31% 18-24%
    Obese 32%+ 25%+

    My BF% is around 30% at the moment (very high end of "acceptable"). But I don't need someone else to measure me or a chart to tell me I need to lose fat, at this point.

    The problem comes when someone looks at a chart and believes it more than what they see in the mirror; i.e. they look in the mirror and see jiggles but the chart says they're healthy so they're done or they look in the mirror and see a healthy body but the chart tells them they're overweight so they try to lose more.

    If someone wants a discreet BF% number, there are online calculators that use measurements that anyone can do themselves. Will it be exactly perfect? Probably not. Will it give them a general idea of how close/far they are to where they want to be? Yes.
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member

    Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

    From that link, here's the chart:

    Body Fat Percentage Categories (Women)
    Essential Fat 10-12%
    Athletes 14-20%
    Fitness 21-24%
    Acceptable 25-31%
    Obese 32%+

    Body Fat Percentage Categories (Men)
    Essential Fat 2-4%
    Athletes 6-13%
    Fitness 14-17%
    Acceptable 18-25%
    Obese 25%+

    I'm preetty sure I'd be in the obese category here for awhile, but am I the only one who thinks it's a little odd that the categories jump from acceptable to obese, without an overweight (but not obese) category in between?
  • callipygianchronicle
    callipygianchronicle Posts: 811 Member
    I don't know, but I want to know. An online calculator suggested 53% when I started. But I have read those online tools are way off. Hoping to have it tested in the near future and hopefully a few more time over the next year.
  • LovelySnugs
    LovelySnugs Posts: 389
    it is a good piece of information to have, but definitely get it done professionally. once, i looked up like 4 different BF% calculators and tried them all at the same time (though they all required measurements from different places. it was weird). my numbers? 29.2%, 30%, 31.45%, and 49%. i know my goal is 20%. but i don't know yet exactly how i wanna get there, cuz i'm not sure what my current status is, fat-wise.

    just some information.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Yep. I know mine and I honestly disagree with it. I think it is way to generic to be accurate. I am 5'4.5" and I weigh around 150... it tells me I am "Overweight", but I would be "healthy" if I weighed 145. I don't see myself as "overweight". The only place I really carry any weight is in my hips from having two kids. I ignore it.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member

    Here's a chart of BF% ranges for men and women
    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/body-fat-chart.php

    From that link, here's the chart:

    Body Fat Percentage Categories (Women)
    Essential Fat 10-12%
    Athletes 14-20%
    Fitness 21-24%
    Acceptable 25-31%
    Obese 32%+

    Body Fat Percentage Categories (Men)
    Essential Fat 2-4%
    Athletes 6-13%
    Fitness 14-17%
    Acceptable 18-25%
    Obese 25%+

    I'm preetty sure I'd be in the obese category here for awhile, but am I the only one who thinks it's a little odd that the categories jump from acceptable to obese, without an overweight (but not obese) category in between?

    According to this one, I am in the "acceptable" category -- almost to fitness.
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    Yep. I know mine and I honestly disagree with it. I think it is way to generic to be accurate. I am 5'4.5" and I weigh around 150... it tells me I am "Overweight", but I would be "healthy" if I weighed 145. I don't see myself as "overweight". The only place I really carry any weight is in my hips from having two kids. I ignore it.

    Are you saying you ignore BMI or BF%?
  • amm703
    amm703 Posts: 111 Member
    Started at the gym 3 months ago and I was at 29%, was just measured the other day and was thrilled to be at 21%
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    I measure myself at home with one of these:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006WNPU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000FJQ48I&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=12377GYAXWQ3G3G014SM
    41V35b2nt1L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

    I measure myself every morning before I eat/shower/anything under consistent conditions to get an accurate idea of trending.

    One day I had the opportunity to do the water weighing method. They had me at 16.3% body fat when my handheld version said 17.7%
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Are you saying you ignore BMI or BF%?

    BMI is a really crude metric. I always ignore it. BF% is much more meaningful - it actually gives some insight into body composition.
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    BMI is something used to measure populations. It was never intended to evaluate individuals, because it cannot discern between "healthy weight" and "unhealthy weight".
  • shaunshaikh
    shaunshaikh Posts: 616 Member
    oops, dp
  • ecp2698
    ecp2698 Posts: 267 Member
    I don’t know mine but I really wish I did, because at this point, I would rather focus more on body fat % loss, not necessarily weight loss. I have never looked into buying something to measure it, nor have I looked into a place I could go to get it measured. I really should, though!
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    I don’t know mine but I really wish I did, because at this point, I would rather focus more on body fat % loss, not necessarily weight loss. I have never looked into buying something to measure it, nor have I looked into a place I could go to get it measured. I really should, though!

    Em - I bet you're in either Athletic or Fitness! :)
  • foodforfuel
    foodforfuel Posts: 569 Member
    Mine: BMI=28.45 BF%=39.35
    I track mine every two weeks when I record my measurements. Just by plugging numbers into the calculator, not anything I believe to be 100% accurate.
  • ktblueyz
    ktblueyz Posts: 72
    21% :(
  • purple_punk
    purple_punk Posts: 174 Member
    mine is 27.36 i'm very shocked :noway: BF from that site that i.e...
    thought it'd be more
  • UpToAnyCool
    UpToAnyCool Posts: 1,673
    21% :(

    Hey - that is in the fitness range, why the frowny face?

    My BF% is currently 25.9%, determined by BodPod anaylsis, and my goal is 22%.

    When I get there I'll decided if I think I want to go for the Athlete range. Perhaps that is your goal ktblueyz! :flowerforyou:
    I'd be happy to be at 21%!!! Not judgin' - just sayin'!
  • ecp2698
    ecp2698 Posts: 267 Member
    [/quote]

    Em - I bet you're in either Athletic or Fitness! :)
    [/quote]

    Aw thanks Karen, I would bet Fitness, though, not athletic. I am curious though!
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
    About 15-16% by home digital calipers. I would guess closer to 18% in reality. Would like to be 15% in reality (and look like average of Leigh peele's example 15% women)
  • avenathus
    avenathus Posts: 113 Member
    I measure myself at home with one of these:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006WNPU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000FJQ48I&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=12377GYAXWQ3G3G014SM
    41V35b2nt1L._SL500_AA300_.jpg

    I measure myself every morning before I eat/shower/anything under consistent conditions to get an accurate idea of trending.

    One day I had the opportunity to do the water weighing method. They had me at 16.3% body fat when my handheld version said 17.7%

    I got measured at the gym with this thing! I'm at 19.9% (or was 3 weeks ago when they measured me)
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