Body Fat Percentage
meganruth22
Posts: 8 Member
I'm new to this group and have a quick question for you ladies. What is a good range for body fat percentage? I just gained some weight on vacation and am at 30% which just sounds so high! I was told that this is in the healthy range and I don't look bad but I would like to be more toned and lean. What is considered the healthy range for young women? (I'm 23.) And what are some of your BFP goals?
Thanks
Thanks
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The little readout I got the last time I had a metabolism test done says women's body fact percentages should be:
20-39 - 21% to 32%
40-59 - 23% to 33%
60-79 - 24% to 35%
I got a little smiley face, because I was at 31%. I've lost weight and gained muscle since then (not a lot but a little) as that was in February, so it should be lower now. I'll go back in October and test again, I think.0 -
My scale says im at 21.5%. I really want six pack abs though and I read that unless one can get below 20% that will be unrealistic. How thin is too thin though?
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I've got 4 pack abs (had just about a 6 pack a month ago before going on holiday to Italy - nom nom!) and for me, it has been the biggest slog. I few months back I got my bf% checked, and I was on 15%, which I was told is not necessarily healthy. It's also too low for most women, including me, to be fertile (not all, as there are some lucky ladies who are genetically predisposed to be just dandy and healthy when very lean) so there are risks. You also may lose bone density, so I lift to try and counteract that.
I'm now working on losing the holiday fluff and getting the definition I want back. It is hella difficult, requires a lot of discipline, and can be rather unhealthy, both physically and mentally. But it is possible, even for someone like me whose body clings to the weight like a koala to a tree! Give me a shout if you want to chat 0 -
Here's a picture I've seen posted in some of the forums. I'm at 29% right now, and am working toward 20-25%
As for some nice stomach advice, this thread is written by a smart & amazing lady.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p10 -
I'm at 30% working towards 20% 0
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I am currently at 26.7% according to my scales (but I do think they're perhaps a little kind!) - I am aiming for 23-25%.0
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I'm at 31% and only WISH I looked that nice in a bikini!0
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I was 17% once. And the epitome of good health. And I still had menses, which since I was 52 was a royal PITA, so I got an IUD and that was the end of that!
I think I'm around 25% now, maybe as much as 30% and I really want to get back to at least 20%, maybe less.0 -
Follow-up question... How does one determine their body fat %? Do I have to get calipers? Or do you go to a gym where they offer that service?0
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I think I might be at the 25 to 30 percent if I go by these pictures. I weigh 107 pounds and 5"2". My BMI is 19. I have very slight buns, hips and legs. My weight goes straight to my belly and arms.0
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Im curious too--where do you get it bf% tested? My scale has the ability to measure this but I wonder if it is accurate.0
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Scale is very inaccurate.. Closest to accuracy is calipers or tape measure0
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@dixiewhiskey Thanks so much! So sounds the most accurate I can do at home is take measurements and use an online calculator.0
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My scale indicates I am 19.3%. I believe that is low, I think I am closer to 22%0
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Tape measure and online calculators offer a pretty decent approximation - I'm around 26% now, going for around 21%0
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I am currently at 35% body fat. I workout 6 days a week and burn about 570 or more per workout and eat 1300 calories or less a day. Question when will the body fat start leaving?0
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Does anyone know a nice online calculator that takes many measurements into count? I know I used one some time ago but just can't find it, no matter what I google.
When they only ask for waist and hips, I'm always worried it's not quite specific. Of course that isn't it anyway, but especially after measurement mistakes can happen, it'd relax me.
I assume I have a bf % of around 26% but I'd like to double check to have a mark where I start again in my journey 0 -
I have liked the calculators here.
There are 3 - so taking avg of diff methods is safe too
http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/
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Mine is currently about 24%, according to scales. I'd like to get to 18-19%, I'm pretty sure that's when I'll be down a dress size.0
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I have liked the calculators here.
There are 3 - so taking avg of diff methods is safe too
http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/
Surprised at how different the 3 come out! I got 27% on the first one, -10.2% for the second (?!) and 21.3% on the last one. My scales weigh me at 26.3%, similar to the first one which sounds about right so perhaps my scales aren't too wildly inaccurate!0 -
Hey everyone, I'm new to the group. I was reading about everyone body fat testing. I recently did this myself. The gold standard for testing body fat is hydrostatic body fat testing. That's where they submerge you in a warm tank of water to measure displacement. It's highly accurate. I was frustrated b/c my scale has only changed 3lbs in 7 months. But I've lost 8lbs of fat and gained 5lbs of muscle. Scales can be very inaccurate. There are companies who do mobile testing with big trucks. Hope this might help for those really wanting to know! 0
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In my opinion it is hard to tell from the pictures, because we all distribute fat differently. My arms and legs look like the 15-22% pictures. But my tummy looks more like 30%. I carry NO FAT AT ALL on my legs and arms. Even when I was at my largest, they were still pretty slim. And then there is the bust issue. I carry a good bit of fat there.
I have calipers and have used several different calculators with those. I get a range of 16-25%, depending on how many sites measured. (If they include legs and arms, I get 16%. 25% for ab fat only.). Tape measure calculators give me 27-28%. And my scales say 35%.
So, basically, this is all worthless, except perhaps to track changes.
I've decided to forget about the numbers and go by what I like in the mirror. But that makes it tougher to track progress for sure!0 -
Actually, the most accurate way to get your body composition tested is by having it done in a "Bod Pod". It is the gold standard. And is within 1% accuracy! No other method is this concise. Depending on where you live, you may not have access to this method of testing. But, I highly recommend it if you want the accurate results.0
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The Bod Pod is not the Gold Standard. For one thing, it has shown about a 3% accuracy in tests, not the 1% you claim. It's about as accurate as hydrostatic testing, but in one study it was found to vary more per person which makes it harder to track trends. So while hydrostatic testing might be off for you by 2%, it is off by 2% every time. While BodPod might be off by 2% one time and 5% another and 1% another.
The absolute best method is a DEXA scan but they can be hard to find and expensive. A lot of places that do DEXA scanning for bone density don't do the rest of it. So just getting your regularly scheduled DEXA scan (if you are over 50 and get them every couple of years like I do) won't tell you what your body fat % is.
The interesting thing about calipers is that they can be the most accurate or the least! It totally depends on the skill of the tester. So if you have a great tester, this method is fine and very cheap. But if the tester isn't very good then this is the worst method. It also tends to underestimate visceral fat.
Another method is bio-impedence. This is the method many scales use. It's a decent method but it's impacted quite a bit by how hydrated you are. I find my scale is off by quite a bit. When I had around 17% body fat, it was saying I had 9-11%! (This is below essential body fat for a woman so since I had visible body fat, it was clearly not correct.) The other thing is that it really is an estimate more than the others. I can get different readings on my scale if I say I'm younger or say I'm a man!0 -
I had a DEXA scan done last week and I have 13bf but my BMI is 15.6 or something ridiculous like that (I have AN and Addison's disease). I also suffer from Osteoporosis
And I still look flabby because of the lack of bone density and the daily steroids I take. If I were at a healthy weight right now I think I'd be so happy at 25% bf or something like that. I don't get menses anymore and it's just stupid when you look at my body because the prednisone/hydrocortisone changed where the actual fat deposits, regardless of the low amount of actual essential fat I still hold due to the anorexia and the Addison's.
If you have an Endocrinologist, they can refer you to exercise science/sport science testing centers with the DEXA and other tests tailored for exact measurements, inc the body pod. Cardiologists, too. I have to get DEXAs every 3 months for Addison's and when my endo won't ask, my cardiologist does.0 -
I have no idea what I am0
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