Body Fat percentage goal

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scarletfever2005
scarletfever2005 Posts: 141 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm fairly new here, and was looking for some advice. I am trying to git leaner and fitter. I had been using a scale at the house to measure my weight loss but my weight loss had slowed significantly. After some research I decided I needed to stop worrying so much about my weight and focus more on my body fat percentage( this was because while I wasn't really losing any weight anymore my measurements continued to change). So I purchased a body fat scale. So here is my question, in setting body fat reduction goals, how much can someone reasonably expect to lose each month? Is there a better amount to aim for kinda like the 2 pounds a week thing for weight?

Replies

  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    On a calorie deficit and heavy strength training I lose between 1% and 2% per month.

    Note: I do not use a scale to measure this, I use the US Navy’s BF% Formula.
  • Let_there_be_LIGHT
    Let_there_be_LIGHT Posts: 3
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    Wow, you can get body fat scales? I never knew.
    Thanks:smile:
  • aj_rock
    aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
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    Body Fat% is difficult, mostly because it depends both on fat levels and lean body mass. It's very difficult to reduce fat and increase lbm at the same time.

    Took a peek at your profile, and with type II diabetes you're definitely gonna want to get body fat as a whole down, and not worry specifically about %.

    In short, just follow a regular strength training program to prevent lbm loss, and keep dropping the fat!!
  • Fattack
    Fattack Posts: 666 Member
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    I'm losing under about 1% a month along with my actual weight loss. My BF% has more noticeably started to decrease since I started strength training 2-3 times a week :)
  • NewLeafEats
    NewLeafEats Posts: 37 Member
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    I wouldn't trust the body fat percentage a home scale provides. It's generally way off in terms of your actual body fat. Though it may be useful in watching the number decrease, but it's still not reliable. I had my body fat percentage taken using some machine at the hospital that placed sensors over various points on my body, and it measured about 20-22%. I went home and measured on my scale that includes a body fat reading, and it said 33%. A little research shows that the scale only really measures the lower half of your body, and even then, not real well.
  • scarletfever2005
    scarletfever2005 Posts: 141 Member
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    Thanks for the quick replies guys. I def. need to drop a lot of body fat no doubt. I just am the type of person who has to have data to keep motivated so measuring it (even with a method I know to be rather unreliable) is something I have to do. I also have to have goals or I lose motivation pretty quick.

    While I will be happy with any change at all (as long as the body fat percentage goes down) the nerd in me requires that I measure it and try to meet a goal.

    As far as my diabetes, I haven't had a blood sugar reading over 105 since March. and my a1c is about 5. I also haven't been taking any meds for it since March either. So I'm pretty happy about the way that's going right now. I didn't realize how unhealthy I had become until I found myself in the MD's office being told I was diabetic. Changed my lifestyle and things are improving. But I know I still have a long ways to go.
  • aj_rock
    aj_rock Posts: 390 Member
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    Here's a tip: If you really want to try and track BF%, use body measurements instead. Purchase a decent caliper and use that instead of a home bf% measurer, because they are generally inaccurate enough that you could take two measurements side by side and get like 5-10% variance. Wouldn't be very encouraging to measure 20% one day and 30% the next would it?

    Even without calipers, waist circumference is a generally accepted good approximation, and you dont have to worry about it randomly going up and down :)

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