I'm apparently obese? 5'6" 176lbs 26%
js8181
Posts: 178 Member
I had my second session with a personal trainer today. I was more flexible and stronger than I was the last time (a month ago) but my body fat was the exact same. Not only that, it put me in the 'obese' range. Now, I'm not dumb, I know I could lose a few pounds. Maybe even 20! But I really don't think I'm obese. Am I looking at the chart wrong, and is 26% not really obese? Or could there have been something wrong with the calculator? Here's my photo.
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Replies
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Don't know what calculations your trainer is using, but by using MFP's calculator for BMI, it says you're around middle-high of the overweight section, not obese.
editted to add: the calculator also states the highest normal weight for your height is around 155 lbs.3 -
I learned today, body fat doesn't have an overweight category. You're either normal or obese so don't be alarmed.
BMI is not the same as body fat.10 -
VintageFeline wrote: »I learned today, body fat doesn't have an overweight category. You're either normal or obese so don't be alarmed.
BMI is not the same as body fat.
oh i see thank @VintageFeline
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A quick Google search and I doubt your 26%. Probably about 20%. My guess is your personal trainer mislead you or made an error. I had a personal trainer tell me I was 32% at 115 pounds, possible? but not likely. I suspected it was his was of drumming up business.
Sure other fellas will chime in. Don't sweat the numbers anyhow.5 -
BMI isn't a percentage! BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters x Height in Meters ) )
It isn't a percentage of anything, it is just a number. So don't look at the BMI chart for BF%.0 -
I wouldn't sweat the numbers. I know it's easy to get fixated on them, but it's more important to judge your healthiness on what you see and how you feel. You're in no way obese based on your picture!
Just to put things into perspective, my father is a runner and he's also very, very muscular. He's a short guy who weighs about 160lbs, so BMI calculators always have him in the overweight category. My dad is an athlete who's all muscle, though, and could run laps around most people. He's always encouraged me to strive for feeling healthy before letting a number worry me too much.
Good luck with everything. 3 -
No, I realize that. I have 26% body fat according to the test this morning, and according to this, I am in the 'obese' category for men. http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/112/what-are-the-guidelines-for-percentage-of-body-fatjeebieheebies wrote: »BMI isn't a percentage! BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters x Height in Meters ) )
It isn't a percentage of anything, it is just a number. So don't look at the BMI chart for BF%.
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You appear to be carrying some extra fat in your upper body, so you could have a higher number without the more obvious appearance of a large belly. Hard to say more w/out knowing test methodology and conditions. The table you reference has nothing between "average" and "obese", so it's a lowish threshold. Based on the pic only, I would put you more in the 22-23% range, but there's not a big difference between that and 26%.
Also, depending on the methodology, 1 month might not be long enough for you to have changed enough to move outside the standard of error for the test. In other words, your fat may have decreased 1-2%, but the test is not sensitive enough to pick that up.2 -
As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!9
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If your trainer told you that his chart says your obese, quite frankly he's an idiot and uneducated for not knowing he gave you bad information. Or he's trying to get more sessions out of you. You are 28.4 bmi which is overweight but not obese. 25% body fat (1/4 of your weight) sounds like a lot but it really isnt. It's around average for men and definitely in average for women. Remember you have fat distributed everywhere and fat plays a very important biological function. You needn't be as concerned until your body fat gets over 30%. To put things in perspective, many athletes fall within 15-20% and bodybuilders have to go to extreme, often dangerous lengths to get to 4%. Sub 10% is extremely rare other than with endurance athletes.3
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rennickm1986 wrote: »If your trainer told you that his chart says your obese, quite frankly he's an idiot and uneducated for not knowing he gave you bad information. Or he's trying to get more sessions out of you. You are 28.4 bmi which is overweight but not obese. 25% body fat (1/4 of your weight) sounds like a lot but it really isnt. It's around average for men and definitely in average for women. Remember you have fat distributed everywhere and fat plays a very important biological function. You needn't be as concerned until your body fat gets over 30%. To put things in perspective, many athletes fall within 15-20% and bodybuilders have to go to extreme, often dangerous lengths to get to 4%. Sub 10% is extremely rare other than with endurance athletes.
I'm sorry but this paragraph just isn't correct. Men and women have different standards for body composition and health. And just because it is an 'average' value doesn't mean it is best for health. Also consider that BMI does not take into account body composition. Male athletes are certainly lower than 15-20%, and males can safely go as low as 4% body fat with no adverse effects since their hormones and reproductive systems are not dependent on body fat. As a personal trainer and exercise science graduate I can tell you less than 10% body fat for men is not dangerous, and your personal trainer is probably trying to help you. With that being said, if your trainer used skin calipers or bioelectrical impedance there is a really high chance the value was wrong.10 -
rennickm1986 wrote: »If your trainer told you that his chart says your obese, quite frankly he's an idiot and uneducated for not knowing he gave you bad information. Or he's trying to get more sessions out of you. You are 28.4 bmi which is overweight but not obese. 25% body fat (1/4 of your weight) sounds like a lot but it really isnt. It's around average for men and definitely in average for women. Remember you have fat distributed everywhere and fat plays a very important biological function. You needn't be as concerned until your body fat gets over 30%. To put things in perspective, many athletes fall within 15-20% and bodybuilders have to go to extreme, often dangerous lengths to get to 4%. Sub 10% is extremely rare other than with endurance athletes.
Perhaps you missed the OPs link to the source of the "obese" label. It's a national standard--not something the trainer made up. It actually shows that the trainer is trying to base the evaluation on the standards established by his professional organization. Certainly one can disagree with those standards, but then they would need equally accredited standards to do so.
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Ok thank you. But my question remains: am I obese? Or could my BF reading have been wrong?As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!
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The methodology was a machine where I stand on a sensor platform while also holding onto these handles. So all electronic.0
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Ok thank you. But my question remains: am I obese? Or could my BF reading have been wrong?As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!
Why does it matter. According to your BMI you're not obese. According to the body fat charts you are, because they have nothing in between normal and obese. You have some excess body fat, why does it matter what an arbitrary chart categorises it as if you are either happy or working to further reduce it?8 -
Well To be brutally honest: the answer is I have issues with my body and so a chart saying that I am obese gives me anxiety. :-/VintageFeline wrote: »Ok thank you. But my question remains: am I obese? Or could my BF reading have been wrong?As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!
Why does it matter. According to your BMI you're not obese. According to the body fat charts you are, because they have nothing in between normal and obese. You have some excess body fat, why does it matter what an arbitrary chart categorises it as if you are either happy or working to further reduce it?
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You are not obese by any standard I am familiar with.2
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The methodology was a machine where I stand on a sensor platform while also holding onto these handles. So all electronic.
That's bioelectrical impedance and is really dependent on how hydrated you are and can be iffy, so take it with a grain of salt and focus on health. The right body composition will follow.5 -
Ok thank you. But my question remains: am I obese? Or could my BF reading have been wrong?As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!As someone with an exercise science degree I can tell you 26% body fat for men is obese. More than 33% for women is obese. In our society we just aren't used to the standards. That isn't to say I think you look bad though!
Plus even if you are technically "obese" that isn't the same as what we coloquially know or call obese. If you start strength training it will shift your reading since it is a ratio. But you don't appear to be obese. If that makes any sense.2 -
The BMI Index is a bunch of malarkey, at 5'5" and 188lbs I'm well passed obese 4 months out of 12 even though I have quite a bit of muscle, the BMI Index does not take this into account.0
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Forget all the charts. Forget all the electronic machines. Forget the "experts".
In my humble opinion. Because I have eyeballs and you posted a photo, you are NOT obese, Not even close.
Now get past all that bull stick and keep working toward your goal!!7 -
I clearly acknoedged that men and women have different averages which in itself is obvious. He was asking if he was obese and I told him he is well within normal and 25% is within a normal and safe range. Many athletes fall within the 10-20 range. Going that low to 4% can indeed cause problems. Body fat has nothing to do with hormones? Really?rennickm1986 wrote: »If your trainer told you that his chart says your obese, quite frankly he's an idiot and uneducated for not knowing he gave you bad information. Or he's trying to get more sessions out of you. You are 28.4 bmi which is overweight but not obese. 25% body fat (1/4 of your weight) sounds like a lot but it really isnt. It's around average for men and definitely in average for women. Remember you have fat distributed everywhere and fat plays a very important biological function. You needn't be as concerned until your body fat gets over 30%. To put things in perspective, many athletes fall within 15-20% and bodybuilders have to go to extreme, often dangerous lengths to get to 4%. Sub 10% is extremely rare other than with endurance athletes.
I'm sorry but this paragraph just isn't correct. Men and women have different standards for body composition and health. And just because it is an 'average' value doesn't mean it is best for health. Also consider that BMI does not take into account body composition. Male athletes are certainly lower than 15-20%, and males can safely go as low as 4% body fat with no adverse effects since their hormones and reproductive systems are not dependent on body fat. As a personal trainer and exercise science graduate I can tell you less than 10% body fat for men is not dangerous, and your personal trainer is probably trying to help you. With that being said, if your trainer used skin calipers or bioelectrical impedance there is a really high chance the value was wrong.0 -
A quick Google search and I doubt your 26%. Probably about 20%. My guess is your personal trainer mislead you or made an error. I had a personal trainer tell me I was 32% at 115 pounds, possible? but not likely. I suspected it was his was of drumming up business.
Sure other fellas will chime in. Don't sweat the numbers anyhow.
20% is underestimating drastically. I would say 25% plus. Just eat in a deficit and lose weight till you are happy with how you look in the mirror.3 -
If we speak to the main issue here I think it's your anxiety.
Rather than focusing on absolute numbers (and I have to say that bio-impedence is a really sketchy way of getting a BF % reading that is accurate) focus on what you're doing.
You're getting fit - as seen by your strength and flexibility gains and that after a month you're still training. You're focusing on you and dropping weight so you are absolutely on the right path
That is something to be applauded.
Remember what you wrote?I had my second session with a personal trainer today. I was more flexible and stronger than I was the last time (a month ago)
The numbers are just a guideline to work from. The categories you get put in are neither here nor there. You are clearly not obese, you are probably overweight. Nothing to be anxious about .. just keep on keeping on8 -
Never go by charts, they lie! I'm 21 and am 5'4 and my smallest weight (155 lbs) I looked like skin and bones and was not healthy. It needs to be based on the amount of muscle youbhave. My personal trainer has a little hand held machine I can use to measure Mt fat and muscle mass and that will tell you if you are "obese" or not. Charts are dumb and are based on a certain population. Not everyone. My trainer er looked me straight in the face and said I really couldn't weight less then 160 without looking sick.2
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In my opinion the BMI chart is old fashion & needs to be updated. If you were the weight it says you should be for your height you'd look like a twig and personally I think that looks unattractive & unhealthy. Don't pay attention to that. Get to the weight that makes you happy when you look in the mirror and just make sure you're healthy.0
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Weight hasn't changed. But I feel like I have more definition. Is it possible to lose fat and get more muscle?
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Dude: relax. And keep on doing what you're doing.
a) Based on your picture, your BMI, and your own words (I can lose a lb or two maybe even 20), we can all agree that you're slightly overweight.
b) you're doing something about it.
c1 say your measurement said 24% body fat (i.e. normal range), based on a) would you stop doing b)?
c2 say your measurement said 26% body fat (i.e. obese range), based on a) would you stop doing b)?
Now, to your questions.
a) Bio-impedance analysis is inaccurate. In some cases off by 10%. This means that you could be 25% body fat and it will detect you as 15% body fat or 35% body fat. If you went down 1% and the error is 10% why do you think your 1% reduction would be detected? The mark 1 eyeball is more accurate than many bio-impedance devices. Frankly most (easily accessible) methods of measuring fat are inaccurate.
b) Yes, you can lose fat and gain muscle. A smaller deficit and a bit of extra protein help.
c) whether you're at the 23% Azdak thinks or at the 26% the machine thinks... again... what does it matter unless your question is: should I continue to exercise?
Create a small deficit (in the 500 Cal range, no more).
Continue to exercise.
Good luck.8 -
Whatever gyms use to calculate body fat % is usually inaccurate so I'm guessing your trainer is just giving you bad info. I stopped having my BF measured at the gym for the same reason.
So don't worry about it and keep going.2 -
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