Discouraged Body fat %

georgiag111
georgiag111 Posts: 424
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Discouraged big time so for first time ever I took a body fat calculator and dont know if I should believe them I weigh 119 so not overweight , I have the skinniest arms my thighs always been bigger due to muscle not fat they dont flop around - but my belly after 6 kids that is my area - so after doing my measurements it says 33% body FAT! that puts me WAY over I feel that I dont really have a ton of fat just alot of LOSE skin how accurate are these - yes so discouraged now :-(

I mean if I suck in I can lose about 5 inches just from sucking because such lose skin anyways ya.. How does body fat really work ? ( I am a size 8, 119 lbs and 5 foot 1 )
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Replies

  • fruitloops313
    fruitloops313 Posts: 48 Member
    oh honey don't get discouraged !!! You've been working so hard and kicking butt !!! Don't worry about the numbers!!!
    We've all seen the progress you've making :)
  • AHealthierRhonda
    AHealthierRhonda Posts: 881 Member
    I lost weight and inches as of todays measurements and my BMI went up 1/10! GO FIGURE!!!! Leaner thinner and it goes up???? Whatever! I feel good!
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    Discouraged big time so for first time ever I took a body fat calculator and dont know if I should believe them I weigh 119 so not overweight , I have the skinniest arms my thighs always been bigger due to muscle not fat they dont flop around - but my belly after 6 kids that is my area - so after doing my measurements it says 33% body FAT! that puts me WAY over I feel that I dont really have a ton of fat just alot of LOSE skin how accurate are these - yes so discouraged now :-(

    I mean if I suck in I can lose about 5 inches just from sucking because such lose skin anyways ya.. How does body fat really work ? ( I am a size 8, 119 lbs and 5 foot 1 )



    i dont know if i would belive that , thats not that far from me
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    I lost weight and inches as of todays measurements and my BMI went up 1/10! GO FIGURE!!!! Leaner thinner and it goes up???? Whatever! I feel good!

    Thats me I am getting thinner I fit in a 8 for crying out loud but my Body fat % went up WAY up I just dont get all this

    And thanks Claudia I am just SO frustrated all this work and I cant get it right
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    How was your body fat calculated?
  • evesacks
    evesacks Posts: 94 Member
    How was it measured? Most methods involve estimation, so it might not be that high.

    I have tanita scales, can get callipers done in gym and can do estimation with tape measure at home. All three are pretty close for me. I am 5 foot 4 inches, 120 lbs and around 20%. UK 8, which is US 4. But I do a lot of exercise.

    Its only likely to be that high at your weight if you don't have much muscle mass. Perhaps try a different method of having it measured.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    33% for a woman isn't that bad. Average is probably around 30%, maybe a little less. 20-25% is in pretty good shape.
  • kutterba
    kutterba Posts: 107 Member
    Don't worry about getting it "right." Don't worry at all! Concern yourself with being as healthy as you can be - and that includes a lot of things, not just body fat % - Ihave a WW scale & every time I check it says something different for bf %. It's just wacky! Feel free to check your numbers in about a year or so... Like the Army says "Be all you can be."
    :happy:
  • TAMMY_76
    TAMMY_76 Posts: 199
    girl that cant be right i weigh 135 and my body fat % is 19.6
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    I put in weight, Height , Wrist, Forearm,hips and waist measurements - Then on another site was my age, Weight, and Waist - my waist is what is killing me each time
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    and I know my waist is all wacked out due to the kiddos having back to back babies really messed up my waist I have such LOSE skin that when relaxed I can look like I am pregnant it just wont tighten up - but yet I can wear normal clothes ( I ave a picture of me in a swim suit if you look by clicking on my name) I dont get it at all how can my % be so high :-(
  • Riebop
    Riebop Posts: 275
    Most body fat calculations aren't very accurate. You'd have to go do the body pod or something like that to get a more accurate body fat estimate.
  • cobaltis
    cobaltis Posts: 191 Member
    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

    Pictures of body fat %, scroll down for the women.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Using one site that calculates it in different ways, my body fat percentage varied about 9%!

    From this site: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator
    Results:
    Using your measurements of a 25.75 inches waist and weight of 130 pounds your body fat percentage is estimated to be 23.69 % using the U.S. Army body fat algorithm, or 16.73 % using the U.S. Marine body fat algorithm, or 19.94 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or 25.33 % using the formula developed by the YMCA.

    I don't know what it really is. Judging by photos of body fat percentages, I'd say the US Navy method is the closest.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    Using one site that calculates it in different ways, my body fat percentage varied about 9%!

    From this site: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator
    Results:
    Using your measurements of a 25.75 inches waist and weight of 130 pounds your body fat percentage is estimated to be 23.69 % using the U.S. Army body fat algorithm, or 16.73 % using the U.S. Marine body fat algorithm, or 19.94 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or 25.33 % using the formula developed by the YMCA.

    I don't know what it really is. Judging by photos of body fat percentages, I'd say the US Navy method is the closest.

    Yeah, I think that's probably about right given your profile pictures. 25% sounds pretty close.
  • lyn267
    lyn267 Posts: 58 Member
    It could be right. Depends on your frame. I'm 5'4. Small frame. Before I joined MFP I was 128 lbs. Exercised about 4 times a week. I had my body fat % tested using a Bod Pod and it came up 40%. I thought that had to be wrong so I had it tested by a trainer with calipers. It came out the same 40%. I've since dropped 10lbs and upped the strength training. I'm planning on having my body fat % tested again in Oct (6 mo. from first time) I love to be 25% but I just don't think that's going to happen for me without extreme weight training. I think I might have to just settle for the low 30's. Good luck and if you find a way reach your BF% goal let me know.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    and I know my waist is all wacked out due to the kiddos having back to back babies really messed up my waist I have such LOSE skin that when relaxed I can look like I am pregnant it just wont tighten up - but yet I can wear normal clothes ( I ave a picture of me in a swim suit if you look by clicking on my name) I dont get it at all how can my % be so high :-(

    My guess, by looking at your profile, is that you are closer to 30%. So, I think your calcuation came out a little high.
  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
    Hello!
    This one seems pretty accurate to me. Other websites can give different results, thats why I simply decided to follow this one - seemed ok from the start.

    http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html
  • sonybalony
    sonybalony Posts: 335 Member
    I HAD to go check this out!

    http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi

    "Using your measurements of a 41 inches waist and weight of 215 pounds your body fat percentage is estimated to be 39.90 % using the U.S. Army body fat algorithm, or 29.70 % using the U.S. Marine body fat algorithm, or 50.06 % using the U.S. Navy body fat algorithm, or 44.89 % using the formula developed by the YMCA."

    I have never said this before in my entire life, but... I think I like the Marines best!!! ;-) (I've been an Army wife for 18 years and was in the Army prior to that!) lol

    With Friendship and Warmth from Missouri!

    Sonia
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    I don't want to discourage you but you have to keep in mind that body fat is not JUST on the surface (subcutaneous) but also is in between muscle fibers and around our internal organs. There is such a thing as skinny fat. A person can be thin but have very little muscle mass which in turn results in a higher percentage of body fat. However, I wouldn't trust the online body fat calculators. I would suggest you find someone who has the BOD POD and get your body fat measured accurately. I too was surprised that my body fat was 30%...however that is pretty much normal for the average woman. Good luck in your journey.
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

    Pictures of body fat %, scroll down for the women.

    interesting site.
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
    I dont get it either, I'm a size 6 147 5ft 5ins and my body fat I dont want to say but it up there, it just on my stomach, makes me sick I have lost inches around the middle but I would have to lose about another 5 to 6 ins
  • mikihainesy
    mikihainesy Posts: 98
    I don't want to discourage you but you have to keep in mind that body fat is not JUST on the surface (subcutaneous) but also is in between muscle fibers and around our internal organs. There is such a thing as skinny fat. A person can be thin but have very little muscle mass which in turn results in a higher percentage of body fat. However, I wouldn't trust the online body fat calculators. I would suggest you find someone who has the BOD POD and get your body fat measured accurately. I too was surprised that my body fat was 30%...however that is pretty much normal for the average woman. Good luck in your journey.
    Exactly what I was going to say. Don't take it for granted that just because you're skinny that the body is healthy. When I was in my 20s and training hard my body fat was low and it slowly crept up to 30 when I hit 30 and carried on with my age. I have been back doing alot of exercise and hence my muscle mass increasing and my body fat decreasing.
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    Thanks everyone - Yes I am discouraged I guess we all hit that point at some point during this I just need to stay motivated which is really hard lately

    More I look at all the calculators its probably 30-33% which makes me a Skinnier fat person which just is down right depressing
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    Thanks everyone - Yes I am discouraged I guess we all hit that point at some point during this I just need to stay motivated which is really hard lately

    More I look at all the calculators its probably 30-33% which makes me a Skinnier fat person which just is down right depressing

    Lift some weights, I will help a lot.
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    I try I am finally up to 5lb weights for a short time ( I have a ligament/ Joint disorder) and a torn ligament in my wrist for life no surgery can fix it since it is a decayed torn ligament
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Fat calculators, BMI, % calculators that send current through your body.... all complete bollocks.
    And doing exercise and lifting weights, getting fitter, these will throw these calculations off even further and make them seem worse.

    From the exasperation you show when talking about your size not being consistend with the numbers (which are normal for a women by the way), you know yourself it's not accurate.

    Keep doing what you're doing, and be happy in your clothes. Those are about the only indicator you can go off of.

    I gauge myself on how far/fast I can run, what I can lift, how long I can swing my kettlebells for.

    If I were you, I'd get some personal fitness goals lined up, and throw those calculations in the bin
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    I try I am finally up to 5lb weights for a short time ( I have a ligament/ Joint disorder) and a torn ligament in my wrist for life no surgery can fix it since it is a decayed torn ligament

    wonder if what you have is like (or same) as my cousins have
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    I try I am finally up to 5lb weights for a short time ( I have a ligament/ Joint disorder) and a torn ligament in my wrist for life no surgery can fix it since it is a decayed torn ligament

    wonder if what you have is like (or same) as my cousins have

    you can read my profile of what I have - basically I am VERY double jointed - 80% of my body if not more so i "tear" VERY easy my last tear was in my wrist which I tore almost 5 years ago but I didnt know it was torn just was hurting since i let it go for so long it decayed over time. My knee I have had several knee surgerys due to my ligaments getting lose - this next one they want to do is a complete open knee surgery ( been putting that one off) They said over time I will wind up in a wheelchair just because of the way my ligaments and joints are ..
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I'm hypermobile, too, but not to the extent you are. I have noticed that I hurt myself a lot less since I became an exercise nut. Now that my muscles are stronger, I don't pop out of joint as much. When I first started running, I was terrified to run outside because I was sure my ankle, knees or hip joints would give out on me and I'd have to crawl home.

    I hope it helps you as much as it helps me. *HUGS*
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