Any females at 15% body fat??

monicalifestylefitness
monicalifestylefitness Posts: 37 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Just wondering if there’s any females in this category & how hard was it to get there?
I’m at 19% bf and weight 132 I’m 43 yrs old
Any tips on getting to 15%??
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Replies

  • Rose18l
    Rose18l Posts: 147 Member
    Lowest I had was 17% to be honest 15% is hard to get as a female and even harder to maintain even with great genetics.
  • GretaGirl8
    GretaGirl8 Posts: 274 Member
    how do you determine your body fat?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I'm not sure of my bf%.. 15% is pretty lean though and I think of bikini competitor leanness.. not something I would sustain very long.
  • KarenSmith2018
    KarenSmith2018 Posts: 302 Member
    I have never had my bf% measured by a professional. my scales say its 25%...... but given my definition and photo comparison my coach says it is around 15%. I do have a pretty lean figure, I CrossFit and run quite a bit. I am 172cm and 59kg. I don't try and maintain this level of leaness and eat "normally" i'd say. That being said I don't drink alcohol very often at all and we don't eat out all that much just because that's how we live life, not on purpose. Any reason you want to get to 15%? I am genuinely not bothered what my body fat is so long as i can do the things i want to do (lift, run etc.) and like how i look. It is really hard to get a good measure so just like muscle mass i kinda let it be.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm not sure of my bf%.. 15% is pretty lean though and I think of bikini competitor leanness.. not something I would sustain very long.

    I got down to 15% BF (DEXA and BodPod) and with my build I no way looked like a bikini competitor. In fact, I looked a good 2-3% higher visually. It's just because I happen to have no boobs and not a lot of muscle mass.

    OP, it wasn't very difficult to get there. It took me about 12-14 weeks of eating at a slight deficit and doing a combination of strength training and Interval cardio to go from ~23% BF down to 15%. Staying there however wasn't easy and I have gained body fat back. I haven't had a follow up DEXA to confirm just how much however. Guesstimating I probably maintain between 17-20%.
  • victoriarunner3572
    victoriarunner3572 Posts: 56 Member
    I wish
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    mom23mangos wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    I'm not sure of my bf%.. 15% is pretty lean though and I think of bikini competitor leanness.. not something I would sustain very long.

    I got down to 15% BF (DEXA and BodPod) and with my build I no way looked like a bikini competitor. In fact, I looked a good 2-3% higher visually. It's just because I happen to have no boobs and not a lot of muscle mass.

    OP, it wasn't very difficult to get there. It took me about 12-14 weeks of eating at a slight deficit and doing a combination of strength training and Interval cardio to go from ~23% BF down to 15%. Staying there however wasn't easy and I have gained body fat back. I haven't had a follow up DEXA to confirm just how much however. Guesstimating I probably maintain between 17-20%.

    Oh for sure, it will definitely depend on body composition, where you carry fat and muscle. I would imagine if you compared 10 women at 15% they would all look very different!

    I think of the photo on the chart there (which again is just one example), that is probably why.
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
    The lowest I ever got was 15.9% but I had a hell of a time maintaining there for long. Unfortunately I gained a good deal of bf back when I dropped down to one workout a day, even with adjusting my calories.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    Davidsdottir wrote: »
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    I never have actually measured body fat with anything reliable enough to claim a percentage but I’m guessing at the end of my last cut for my weightlifting meet in October I was approximately 15%(could have been slightly more). For me it wasn’t super difficult to get to. A modest 250 calorie deficit (note I’ve done four or so bulk cut cycles in the last few years) but I couldn’t imagine maintaining it for any real length of time.

    Holy crap, you look incredible <3

    Thank you kindly :) Honestly I couldn't imagine sitting at that percentage long term just based on the lifestyle it would take to maintain. I'm much happier sitting closer to the 17% or so I probably am in my current profle pic between cutting down for meets.

    Your profile pic is also amazing
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,069 Member
    Up until I got fat (with my first true desk job), I was 13-15% most of my life. I didn't 'try' to maintain there most of the time, that's just where I ended up (at the time I was very active and pretty fit). I think it looked pretty good on me, I certainly didn't look too thin. Trying to (very slowly) get back to that, but the losses are very slow as I'm barely in a deficit as I try to increase my fitness (which is more important to me right now).
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Yeah right. I get to like 18% for a day and I'm like "*kitten* that let's eat"

    My complete disinterest in cutting cals is one of the reasons I'd never do a bikini competition.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Davidsdottir wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Yeah right. I get to like 18% for a day and I'm like "*kitten* that let's eat"

    My complete disinterest in cutting cals is one of the reasons I'd never do a bikini competition.

    Please. I wish I could cut on what you could. I'm miserable in maintenance.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Hence why I'm never in maintenance. Always gaining.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Davidsdottir wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    Yeah right. I get to like 18% for a day and I'm like "*kitten* that let's eat"

    My complete disinterest in cutting cals is one of the reasons I'd never do a bikini competition.

    Please. I wish I could cut on what you could. I'm miserable in maintenance.

    I know, I'm really sorry.
  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    I never have actually measured body fat with anything reliable enough to claim a percentage but I’m guessing at the end of my last cut for my weightlifting meet in October I was approximately 15%(could have been slightly more). For me it wasn’t super difficult to get to. A modest 250 calorie deficit (note I’ve done four or so bulk cut cycles in the last few years) but I couldn’t imagine maintaining it for any real length of time.


    *edit to add when I said not that difficult I guess I meant mentally. To get to that level I was weighing and measuring every calorie/macro that went in my mouth with zero booze or treats to ensure I had enough energy for my lifting sessions.

    WOW
  • monicalifestylefitness
    monicalifestylefitness Posts: 37 Member
    GretaGirl8 wrote: »
    how do you determine your body fat?

    I went to a facility that does hydrostatic testing.
    Basically they submerge your whole body in water. It’s the most accurate way of testing bf.
  • monicalifestylefitness
    monicalifestylefitness Posts: 37 Member
    Davidsdottir wrote: »
    I'm bulking right now, so not that low. 5'5", 136 lbs, 18.5%. When I cut, lowest I've gone is 16%. The secret: caloric deficit. (Shhh...don't tell anyone LOL) Seriously, when i cut I do TDEE minus 250 and my workouts are more running and Crossfit vs. the no cardio and powerbuilding I do while bulking.

    ETA I'm 36.

    Ok I’m not ready to do a deficit yet. Like you I’m liking the eating 2,000 calories a day. I think I need to eat that much based on my workouts. It just feels right.

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