Question about body fat %
prncsstff
Posts: 16 Member
Right now I am a 5'0 female at 91 pounds without exercising. I measured my body fat using a measuring tape and some online guidelines and I am around 20% body fat. I want to lower that percentage and was wondering if I have to exercise to get a lower percentage or I can just increase my calorie deficit.
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Replies
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If you lose weight through diet alone you will lose both fat and muscle. So your body fat as a percentage will not change much even if the scale weight changes.
To save your muscle mass while controlling your diet you need to lift heavy weights and make sure you eat enough protein. You will still lose some muscle, but not nearly as much as you would by diet alone.0 -
Would cardio work or do I need to resort to lifting?0
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Mistraal1981 wrote: »If you lose weight through diet alone you will lose both fat and muscle. So your body fat as a percentage will not change much even if the scale weight changes.
To save your muscle mass while controlling your diet you need to lift heavy weights and make sure you eat enough protein. You will still lose some muscle, but not nearly as much as you would by diet alone.
i agree0 -
Cardio is for heart health health and creating a larger calorie deficit. Lifting weights is for preserving/building muscle.0
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Okay thanks for your reply!!Mistraal1981 wrote: »Cardio is for heart health health and creating a larger calorie deficit. Lifting weights is for preserving/building muscle.
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Your method of calculating body fat is not likely to be accurate at all. If you have access to a dexa scan facility this is fairly accurate.
If the body fat is accurate 20% is on the lower end for a female unless you are an athlete (which we know isn't the case).
I would say get yourself an accurate body fat reading before embarking on a weight loss diet, as you already have a low BMI which is just under 18...anymore weight loss will see you underweight and your health comprised.0 -
tiffanyyro wrote: »Right now I am a 5'0 female at 91 pounds without exercising. I measured my body fat using a measuring tape and some online guidelines and I am around 20% body fat. I want to lower that percentage and was wondering if I have to exercise to get a lower percentage or I can just increase my calorie deficit.
I am not sure if I am reading this correctly, or if you've made a conversion error or something.
Your picture is that of a person who is on the thin side of normal weight. Your BMI based on your stats comes to 17.8, which places you fully in the underweight and diagnosable with eating disorder range.
The option to lose weight is medically contraindicated and if you truly believe you should lose weight an in depth discussion with a medical practitioner who is aware of eating disorders would be life saving.
HOWEVER, if your desire is to increase your muscle mass and your strength and to improve your body composition, the correct answer is a slow bulking program where you eat at approximately 250 Cal above your MFP maintenance level while engaging in a progressive lifting program.
This does involved picking your true activity level, logging and eating back exercise calories, and quite possibly using a trending weight application to see your long term weight trend as opposed to daily variations based on water weight changes.
This is the only option that makes sense if you are 21yo, 5ft, and 91lbs.
Eating at a caloric deficit, or even at maintenance while increasing your exercise (which would generate a net deficit) is NOT an option that will end well for you at this point of time.0 -
I am definitely not trying to lose more weight, just trying to become less "skinny fat" and I was wondering if a calorie deficit would help me achieve that but I guess only muscle building will help with that. My logic was that eating less would lead to a lower weight which would mean less fat but I guess lifting is the only solutionI am not sure if I am reading this correctly, or if you've made a conversion error or something.
Your picture is that of a person who is on the thin side of normal weight. Your BMI based on your stats comes to 17.8, which places you fully in the underweight and diagnosable with eating disorder range.
The option to lose weight is medically contraindicated and if you truly believe you should lose weight an in depth discussion with a medical practitioner who is aware of eating disorders would be life saving.
HOWEVER, if your desire is to increase your muscle mass and your strength and to improve your body composition, the correct answer is a slow bulking program where you eat at approximately 250 Cal above your MFP maintenance level while engaging in a progressive lifting program.
This does involved picking your true activity level, logging and eating back exercise calories, and quite possibly using a trending weight application to see your long term weight trend as opposed to your weights day to day response to water weight.
This is the only option that makes sense if you are 21yo, 5ft, and 91lbs. Restricted eating is NOT an option that will end well for you.
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20% is perfect for a young, non-bodybuilding female. If you go much lower you'll start to screw with your hormones.0
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tiffanyyro wrote: »
I am definitely not trying to lose more weight, just trying to become less "skinny fat" and I was wondering if a calorie deficit would help me achieve that but I guess only muscle building will help with that. My logic was that eating less would lead to a lower weight which would mean less fat but I guess lifting is the only solutionI am not sure if I am reading this correctly, or if you've made a conversion error or something.
Your picture is that of a person who is on the thin side of normal weight. Your BMI based on your stats comes to 17.8, which places you fully in the underweight and diagnosable with eating disorder range.
The option to lose weight is medically contraindicated and if you truly believe you should lose weight an in depth discussion with a medical practitioner who is aware of eating disorders would be life saving.
HOWEVER, if your desire is to increase your muscle mass and your strength and to improve your body composition, the correct answer is a slow bulking program where you eat at approximately 250 Cal above your MFP maintenance level while engaging in a progressive lifting program.
This does involved picking your true activity level, logging and eating back exercise calories, and quite possibly using a trending weight application to see your long term weight trend as opposed to your weights day to day response to water weight.
This is the only option that makes sense if you are 21yo, 5ft, and 91lbs. Restricted eating is NOT an option that will end well for you.
It looks like you have a very unrealistic view of how you look. 20% body fat for a woman is low. It is what one would expect from an athlete not the average fit woman. Lowering your body fat percentage is something that makes sense if you are going for a bodybuilder's look, not just looking fit. And it will involve increasing your weight.0 -
If you want to lower your body fat percentage, you need to lift heavy and build muscle. Be warned, though, building muscle may cause your weight to go up, but it's not a bad thing0
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tiffanyyro wrote: »
I am definitely not trying to lose more weight, just trying to become less "skinny fat" and I was wondering if a calorie deficit would help me achieve that but I guess only muscle building will help with that. My logic was that eating less would lead to a lower weight which would mean less fat but I guess lifting is the only solutionI am not sure if I am reading this correctly, or if you've made a conversion error or something.
Your picture is that of a person who is on the thin side of normal weight. Your BMI based on your stats comes to 17.8, which places you fully in the underweight and diagnosable with eating disorder range.
The option to lose weight is medically contraindicated and if you truly believe you should lose weight an in depth discussion with a medical practitioner who is aware of eating disorders would be life saving.
HOWEVER, if your desire is to increase your muscle mass and your strength and to improve your body composition, the correct answer is a slow bulking program where you eat at approximately 250 Cal above your MFP maintenance level while engaging in a progressive lifting program.
This does involved picking your true activity level, logging and eating back exercise calories, and quite possibly using a trending weight application to see your long term weight trend as opposed to your weights day to day response to water weight.
This is the only option that makes sense if you are 21yo, 5ft, and 91lbs. Restricted eating is NOT an option that will end well for you.
I am glad to see your response.
Every time you restrict calories you lose lean mass in addition to fat. You are also changing your metabolic process. At a low fat level (and with a sufficiently large and/or persistent deficit) you are also generating brain chemistry changes. It is also much harder if not impossible to build new muscle mass while you are at a deficit. At your current level it is past time to move away from anything having to do with restricting calories.
You may want to post in the exercise/wait gain forums asking about a slow bulk.
Options other than progressive weight lifting would be progressive body weight exercises such as nerd fitness or convict conditioning or similar.
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tiffanyyro wrote: »
I am definitely not trying to lose more weight, just trying to become less "skinny fat" and I was wondering if a calorie deficit would help me achieve that but I guess only muscle building will help with that. My logic was that eating less would lead to a lower weight which would mean less fat but I guess lifting is the only solutionI am not sure if I am reading this correctly, or if you've made a conversion error or something.
Your picture is that of a person who is on the thin side of normal weight. Your BMI based on your stats comes to 17.8, which places you fully in the underweight and diagnosable with eating disorder range.
The option to lose weight is medically contraindicated and if you truly believe you should lose weight an in depth discussion with a medical practitioner who is aware of eating disorders would be life saving.
HOWEVER, if your desire is to increase your muscle mass and your strength and to improve your body composition, the correct answer is a slow bulking program where you eat at approximately 250 Cal above your MFP maintenance level while engaging in a progressive lifting program.
This does involved picking your true activity level, logging and eating back exercise calories, and quite possibly using a trending weight application to see your long term weight trend as opposed to your weights day to day response to water weight.
This is the only option that makes sense if you are 21yo, 5ft, and 91lbs. Restricted eating is NOT an option that will end well for you.
20% body fat is by no means skinny fat0 -
what you need/want to do is body recomp, which is a slow process and will require you to eat more, as you will be focusing on gaining and building muscle. start a lifting program - SL, NROLFW, pick one and go with it.
with your stats you are nowhere near 'skinny fat'. cardio and calorie reduction will NOT help you achieve what you want.0 -
I am concerned that you may not appreciate that your body fat, for a woman, is already on the lean side0
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tiffanyyro wrote: »Right now I am a 5'0 female at 91 pounds without exercising. I measured my body fat using a measuring tape and some online guidelines and I am around 20% body fat. I want to lower that percentage and was wondering if I have to exercise to get a lower percentage or I can just increase my calorie deficit.
I am not sure if I am reading this correctly, or if you've made a conversion error or something.
Your picture is that of a person who is on the thin side of normal weight. Your BMI based on your stats comes to 17.8, which places you fully in the underweight and diagnosable with eating disorder range.
The option to lose weight is medically contraindicated and if you truly believe you should lose weight an in depth discussion with a medical practitioner who is aware of eating disorders would be life saving.
HOWEVER, if your desire is to increase your muscle mass and your strength and to improve your body composition, the correct answer is a slow bulking program where you eat at approximately 250 Cal above your MFP maintenance level while engaging in a progressive lifting program.
This does involved picking your true activity level, logging and eating back exercise calories, and quite possibly using a trending weight application to see your long term weight trend as opposed to daily variations based on water weight changes.
This is the only option that makes sense if you are 21yo, 5ft, and 91lbs.
Eating at a caloric deficit, or even at maintenance while increasing your exercise (which would generate a net deficit) is NOT an option that will end well for you at this point of time.
Excellent post
And excellent response OPtiffanyyro wrote: »I am not sure if I am reading this correctly, or if you've made a conversion error or something.
Your picture is that of a person who is on the thin side of normal weight. Your BMI based on your stats comes to 17.8, which places you fully in the underweight and diagnosable with eating disorder range.
The option to lose weight is medically contraindicated and if you truly believe you should lose weight an in depth discussion with a medical practitioner who is aware of eating disorders would be life saving.
HOWEVER, if your desire is to increase your muscle mass and your strength and to improve your body composition, the correct answer is a slow bulking program where you eat at approximately 250 Cal above your MFP maintenance level while engaging in a progressive lifting program.
This does involved picking your true activity level, logging and eating back exercise calories, and quite possibly using a trending weight application to see your long term weight trend as opposed to your weights day to day response to water weight.
This is the only option that makes sense if you are 21yo, 5ft, and 91lbs. Restricted eating is NOT an option that will end well for you.
I am definitely not trying to lose more weight, just trying to become less "skinny fat" and I was wondering if a calorie deficit would help me achieve that but I guess only muscle building will help with that. My logic was that eating less would lead to a lower weight which would mean less fat but I guess lifting is the only solution
Yes you do need to resort to some form of progressive resistance, and eating at least maintenance calories
Do you need some programmes?0 -
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Dropping these here as decent programmes
Bodyweight
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
You are your own gym ...there's an app
Convict conditioning
Or free weights
Books
Strong Curves
New Rules of Lifting for Women or the new one Stronger
Structured online programmes
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/4-week-guide-starting-strength
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OP: women need body fat for normal healthy functioning. It you diet and reduce your fat stores further, you risk amenorrhea, which can hurt you bones, brain, and heart.
You are underweight. There are risks to being underweight, just like there are for being overweight.0 -
I would caution people against overreacting to the OPs reported body fat numbers. You cannot accurately measure body fat on yourself with calipers and online calculations are some of the more inaccurate sources out there. The same with BMI. BMI is a tool designed to analyze large populations--it is poor tool to assess individuals.
And quite frankly it doesn't make any difference. At 5'1" and 91 pounds, OP already has either a naturally low body fat percentage (since she is doing nothing unusual to achieve it) or, most likely, OP has a small frame and a physical structure with low levels of skeletal muscle.
The recommendations are still the same--if someone like this wants to improve, they need to maintain or gain muscle, not lose fat. Which means a lot of lifting and a modest amount of cardio. At that size, even a small increase in lean mass will likely make a noticeable difference. And it's better for long-term health as well.
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Thanks everyone for the detailed and helpful responses!0
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callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »what you need/want to do is body recomp, which is a slow process and will require you to eat more, as you will be focusing on gaining and building muscle. start a lifting program - SL, NROLFW, pick one and go with it.
with your stats you are nowhere near 'skinny fat'. cardio and calorie reduction will NOT help you achieve what you want.
I disagree, because the OP is apparently someone who is underweight and lacking muscle. In that case, recomp has nothing to work with. She needs to add something: muscle.
OP, in your case you should gain weight on the scale to lower your bodyfat percentage, lol. But it'll be by adding muscle, so eat to gain. And of course lift weights or do tough, progressive bodyweight resistance. Eat enough protein as well.
Your fat level is probably great! It's that you are lacking the other component (the part that makes folks shapely)
Good luck! 0
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