Body fat percentage of 37%, but my weight is 138 at 5'5". Seriously???
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myszka0611
Posts: 17 Member
Hey y'all wonderful board members! Started on MFP 31 pounds ago. A friend got me a Withings scale, which tells me my body fat percentage is now 37%. It steadily dropped as my weight dropped from 39% or so. I never gave it much thought. I weigh 138, am a 56-year old 5'5" female, want to get to 128. I wear a size 4/6 bottom, a size 8/10 top (DD boobs). I have bangin' legs (if I say so myself), no fat AT ALL on calves or thighs, slender hips and have little to no badonkadonk. I do have a gushier than I'd like tummy, but waist indents in, not out. Measurements 36-29-35.
I walk 5-7 miles a day, so I have *some* muscle tone. Not a lot, but some.
Out of curiosity I googled "37% body fat" and was told by multiple sites that that's obese! I'm a little put out by that. Apparently I should be at 25% for my age, so... what... should I diet down to 78 pounds? (Kidding...sort of). Since I have no fat on legs or hips, I'm guessing that means my midsection must be made out of butter... While jiggly, my midsection does not look like a Santa Claus' though, so I am flummoxed as to why I have such a high body fat percentage...? I don't see anywhere how to calibrate a fat sensor on Withings. Is my scale mocking me, or am I really fatter than my actual weight tells me I am? What say you?
I walk 5-7 miles a day, so I have *some* muscle tone. Not a lot, but some.
Out of curiosity I googled "37% body fat" and was told by multiple sites that that's obese! I'm a little put out by that. Apparently I should be at 25% for my age, so... what... should I diet down to 78 pounds? (Kidding...sort of). Since I have no fat on legs or hips, I'm guessing that means my midsection must be made out of butter... While jiggly, my midsection does not look like a Santa Claus' though, so I am flummoxed as to why I have such a high body fat percentage...? I don't see anywhere how to calibrate a fat sensor on Withings. Is my scale mocking me, or am I really fatter than my actual weight tells me I am? What say you?
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Replies
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Those scales are notoriously inaccurate. If you like what's in the mirror then the numbers don't matter. Due to gender and age, if you haven't been involved in fitness your whole life it's possibly you have lower lean mass and would benefit from a form of resistance training.0
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The scale is not likely to be accurate. I wouldn't worry about it.0
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Not likely. Your lean body mass would then be 87lbs and even at 25% body fat that would leave you at 116lbs, which would be like a size 0 at your height and underweight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Maybe get a dexa scan.
Maybe lift some weights/resistance training
But like others said those scales should be taken with a grain of salt. Especially body fat percentages.0 -
The scale is probably wrong, though ladies can hide a lot of fat...I get 20% by caliper and 21% by calculation based on measurements/height/weight and 20% on the handheld machine, and the fiancé measures at lower body fat % but looks much more padded than I do, and weighs about 55lb more than me (same height). Like, we could have the same # of pounds of fat and he would look fatter!
In any case, the answer would be to build some muscle to change that ratio, and maybe some of the fat would burn off in that process, but do not seek to lose all your fat. You need some of that fat, maybe more than you think.0 -
I could have written this post. I have dropped 42lbs and my last BF (Feb 2016) reading was 32%, just 4% lower than 2 years ago and up 2% from the previous measurement. I'm 5'8" and 135lbs. It took me a while to process that 2% jump and it really messed with my head.0
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The scale is probably inaccurate but it's usually not way off. I would incorporate good quality foods, body fat is where the calories in calories out thing is debunked.0
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gataman3000 wrote: »I would incorporate good quality foods, body fat is where the calories in calories out thing is debunked.
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gataman3000 wrote: »I would incorporate good quality foods, body fat is where the calories in calories out thing is debunked.
Hey its true, stay under your calories and eat twinkies all day and see if your waist size goes down.0 -
The scale is probably a little off with the %, but probably not significantly. My measurements are pretty similar to yours (36,29,38 a size 8), BUT I'm 5'4" and 170lbs. I've spent a lot of time working on building muscle and losing fat and my body fat is roughly 28%. The small difference between your waist and hip measurements does suggest visceral abdominal fat that isn't going to be as visually obvious as subcutaneous fat. I would focus on strength training and building muscle rather losing "weight".0
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The scale is probably a little off with the %, but probably not significantly. My measurements are pretty similar to yours (36,29,38 a size 8), BUT I'm 5'4" and 170lbs. I've spent a lot of time working on building muscle and losing fat and my body fat is roughly 28%. The small difference between your waist and hip measurements does suggest visceral abdominal fat that isn't going to be as visually obvious as subcutaneous fat. I would focus on strength training and building muscle rather losing "weight".
Have you had a DEXA scan?0 -
gataman3000 wrote: »gataman3000 wrote: »I would incorporate good quality foods, body fat is where the calories in calories out thing is debunked.
Hey its true, stay under your calories and eat twinkies all day and see if your waist size goes down.
Yes, because that's exactly what everyone else in this thread posted.0 -
gataman3000 wrote: »gataman3000 wrote: »I would incorporate good quality foods, body fat is where the calories in calories out thing is debunked.
Hey its true, stay under your calories and eat twinkies all day and see if your waist size goes down.
Do we have to link to the twinkie diet again?
OP, those scales lie. Don't even worry about it.0 -
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I doubt it's even possible to be 37% body fat at your height and weight. You probably aren't at 25%, but I'd imagine you are < 30.0
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gataman3000 wrote: »I would incorporate good quality foods, body fat is where the calories in calories out thing is debunked.
Not debunked. Less important, but not debunked, and certainly not UNimportant.
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My scale goes up and down on fat readings by 10%. Part of it is how hydrated or sweaty I am at the moment. I believe it to be very inaccurate and prefer tape measure and the mirror.0
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Home scales have some accuracy issues, but you also have to follow the right procedures consistently when you use them. Here is a brief list:
https://withings.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/208969538-My-fat-mass-data-seems-inaccurate-What-should-I-do-
Try this and see if things even out. While a 37% body fat at your height and weight is not completely out of the question, it is unusual enough to suggest that you are getting less accurate readings.0 -
You don't have to look fat to be fat. It's called skinny-fat. Set macros 12c/18p/70f. All good.
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The scale is probably a little off with the %, but probably not significantly. My measurements are pretty similar to yours (36,29,38 a size 8), BUT I'm 5'4" and 170lbs. I've spent a lot of time working on building muscle and losing fat and my body fat is roughly 28%. The small difference between your waist and hip measurements does suggest visceral abdominal fat that isn't going to be as visually obvious as subcutaneous fat. I would focus on strength training and building muscle rather losing "weight".
Wow you must have a ton of muscle! I'm about the same measurements as you 31-29-37 (size 8) and I'm 129 lbs. my Aria scale tells me I'm between 31-32% fat in the morning but my measurements when put into a body fat calculator estimates me at about 29%. I really need to get some more muscle!!!!0
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