My body fat percentage is 18.9?

psychoQueenie
psychoQueenie Posts: 28 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
My body fat percentage is 18.9. So how low should my body fat percentage be I'd I want to get abs (female) I don't want them to be too defined just a little. Also, any way I can tone up my thighs? My thighs measure 21 inches at the widest point and I want them to be smaller. I'm 5'5 and 112 pounds

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    At 5'5 112 it's probably a lack of musculature problem more than an over fat problem. How was your body fat measured? 18.9 seems like a very exact number. Electronic devices that measure body fat are incredibly unreliable. calipers have a fair margin or error as well. Many women find they have visible abs at around 15% body fat but that's not a rule of thumb, everyone is different. It also assumes that the women has built enough lean mass as well.
  • psychoQueenie
    psychoQueenie Posts: 28 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    At 5'5 112 it's probably a lack of musculature problem more than an over fat problem. How was your body fat measured? 18.9 seems like a very exact number. Electronic devices that measure body fat are incredibly unreliable. calipers have a fair margin or error as well. Many women find they have visible abs at around 15% body fat but that's not a rule of thumb, everyone is different. It also assumes that the women has built enough lean mass as well.
    I'm not exactly lean as you can say. I have flabby skin on my thighs lol. I barely have any fat on my upper body. I feel like if I start to tone up I will see muscle definition and abs.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,321 Member
    18.9 is pretty dang lean for a gal. How did you measure?
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    What were you using to get this measurement?

    My roommates scale gives me 17.4% (ha!) but I am really more like 24-25%

    At 18%, you'd likely have visible abs as a female.

  • psychoQueenie
    psychoQueenie Posts: 28 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    18.9 is pretty dang lean for a gal. How did you measure?
    I'm lean it's just that I don't exercise (core exercises) so there won't be visible muscle definition. I measured my neck, forearms, wrist, hips, waist, height, etc.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,321 Member
    A visual representation...

    Women+Fat.jpg

    Measurements can be very inaccurate just so you know. Have looksy at the chart and determine where you fit in.

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    edited August 2015
    psychoQueenie wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    18.9 is pretty dang lean for a gal. How did you measure?
    I'm lean it's just that I don't exercise (core exercises) so there won't be visible muscle definition. I measured my neck, forearms, wrist, hips, waist, height, etc.
    Then I think your solution is clear. You don't need to lose more fat, you need to gain some lean mass for a stretch of time, then reduce any fat put on during that time and you should be in good shape. I'd spend at least half a year trying to gain mass, if not a whole year. Women gain lean mass extremely slow. You should shoot for around 1 lb a month of weight gain. So 6-12lbs over 6-12 months. If you gain slowly fat gains will be minimal and can be dealt with quickly once you have finished your mass gaining phase. This will of course need to be accompanied by exercise, specifically resistance training (weights).

  • psychoQueenie
    psychoQueenie Posts: 28 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    psychoQueenie wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    18.9 is pretty dang lean for a gal. How did you measure?
    I'm lean it's just that I don't exercise (core exercises) so there won't be visible muscle definition. I measured my neck, forearms, wrist, hips, waist, height, etc.
    Then I think your solution is clear. You don't need to lose more fat, you need to gain some lean mass for a stretch of time, then reduce any fat put on during that time and you should be in good shape. I'd spend at least half a year trying to gain mass, if not a whole year. Women gain lean mass extremely slow. You should shoot for around 1 lb a month of weight gain. So 6-12lbs over 6-12 months. If you gain slowly fat gains will be minimal and can be dealt with quickly once you have finished your mass gaining phase. This will of course need to be accompanied by exercise, specifically resistance training (weights).

    thanks :) that helped a lot. ill keep that in mind.
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