Questions about body fat?
aidayazd95
Posts: 46 Member
Hey guys,
I already made a thread a week ago? I still have some questions and needed help with the whole burning body fat.
So I’m already at a normal weight (BMI 21)
Never been on the overweight side but i’ve been close to (BMI 25) which is considered overweight.
I’ve always been at a normal weight and so I don’t know if that really helps but so.
At the moment I’m kind of lean maybe?
My face is still chubby and carry very little fat in my belly.
So my questions are
1. How do I find my exact Body Fat percentage?
2. Based on my picture (not sure if it’s enough) what do I need to do to burn the Body Fat?
Like more cardio? Be on a caloric deficit? What macros should I follow?
Right now I do boot camps twice a week (my kind of cardio) sometimes 3x cardio/ week.
And try to lift weights everyday.
I don’t do heavy ones yet as I’m still a beginner.
Like I use dumbells to do lunges squats and some other leg/glute workout,
Use the cable machines to do back.
I go by for example (Monday upper body) (Tuesday lower body) then again (Wednesday upper body) and repeat.
Do biceps/triceps/shoulder maybe once or twice week. Don’t really do those and almost never chest.
Mainly I workout on legs, glutes, back and abs.
What do you guys suggest?
Thank you!
I already made a thread a week ago? I still have some questions and needed help with the whole burning body fat.
So I’m already at a normal weight (BMI 21)
Never been on the overweight side but i’ve been close to (BMI 25) which is considered overweight.
I’ve always been at a normal weight and so I don’t know if that really helps but so.
At the moment I’m kind of lean maybe?
My face is still chubby and carry very little fat in my belly.
So my questions are
1. How do I find my exact Body Fat percentage?
2. Based on my picture (not sure if it’s enough) what do I need to do to burn the Body Fat?
Like more cardio? Be on a caloric deficit? What macros should I follow?
Right now I do boot camps twice a week (my kind of cardio) sometimes 3x cardio/ week.
And try to lift weights everyday.
I don’t do heavy ones yet as I’m still a beginner.
Like I use dumbells to do lunges squats and some other leg/glute workout,
Use the cable machines to do back.
I go by for example (Monday upper body) (Tuesday lower body) then again (Wednesday upper body) and repeat.
Do biceps/triceps/shoulder maybe once or twice week. Don’t really do those and almost never chest.
Mainly I workout on legs, glutes, back and abs.
What do you guys suggest?
Thank you!
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Replies
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Bump0
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aidayazd95 wrote: »So my questions are:
1. How do I find my exact Body Fat percentage?
2.. Based on my picture (not sure if it’s enough) what do I need to do to burn the Body Fat? Like more cardio? Be on a caloric deficit? What macros should I follow?
1) DEXA scans and hydrostatic testing are the most accurate methods for measuring BF.
2) In order to lose body fat, it doesn't matter what type of exercise you do.
What matters is that you are burning more cals than you consume. CO >CI, where CO=TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and CI=all cals consumed.
See: https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/
3 -
Your genes are in charge of where you hold onto body fat, so the real answer is to choose your parents wisely. Since we're all beyond that point, we have to have some level of acceptance; you can lose our gain weight to suit your goals and physique preferences, but if you're at a healthy weight and feel like your face is chubby, you can eat too maintain your weight, or you can continue to lose - probably a bad idea - until your face looks the way you like, but the rest of you will get even more lean too.
Don't lift weights every day. Beginners tend to get the best results lifting 3x per week. Also check out some of the programs like strong lifts or strong curves.5 -
To lose body fat either....
Eat at a (small) caloric deficit - if you actually want to be lighter.
Type of exercise is an irrelevance for fat loss.
Or....
Gain muscle while maintaining your weight so you will lose fat at the rate at which you gain muscle (which for a female is slow). If you take that route you really need to optimise your lifting as what you are doing sounds very hit and miss.
See list of programs pinned to top of this forum.6 -
Your stats are very similar to mine. Im going to keep my eye on this thread. Thank you for posting1
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To lose body fat either....
Eat at a (small) caloric deficit - if you actually want to be lighter.
Type of exercise is an irrelevance for fat loss.
Or....
Gain muscle while maintaining your weight so you will lose fat at the rate at which you gain muscle (which for a female is slow). If you take that route you really need to optimise your lifting as what you are doing sounds very hit and miss.
See list of programs pinned to top of this forum.
This is essentially what I and others told you in your other thread.
Consider the possibility that how you see yourself may not be accurate. In you profile pic, you look lean and healthy. There is no 100% accurate way to determine your exact body fat but looking at you profile pic, you look around 18% give or take.
That is considered lean athletic for a woman. Women need more body fat than men for reproductive health.5 -
Okey I see.
Thank for the answers so far.
Is it still possible to loose body fat with low impact workouts?0 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »Okey I see.
Thank for the answers so far.
Is it still possible to loose body fat with low impact workouts?
You are missing the point - it's not your exercise choice that causes you to lose fat.
Are your "low impact workouts" challenging enough to your muscles to force then to adapt and grow?
Bear in mind that women can't typically add muscle fast even with optimal training so you have to consider if your exercise choice is actually appropriate and supporting your goals?
If not either change your exercise or change your goals because you seem to have a conflict between what you want and what you do.3 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »Okey I see.
Thank for the answers so far.
Is it still possible to loose body fat with low impact workouts?
Not sure what you mean by low impact workouts. Examples? Walking is a low impact workout but won't help you recomp. And most cardio, while good for overall health, is not really a factor for recomp. Keep doing some, but that is not what is going to help you lean down without getting to an unhealthy underweight position.
The recomp people have recommended to you means eating at maintenance and resistance training, weight lifting, in order to build muscle. This creates an energy demand that will cause your body to use fat stores for. So, you get a lean athletic look by building muscle and reducing body fat.
The key to this is the eating at maintenance and resistance training. Not losing body weight but losing body fat while building muscle. And as a woman, you won't get bulky, just a better body shape.3 -
Let's take a step back -- what exactly are you trying to accomplish? Is it possible that your "problem" is to little muscle rather than to much fat?4
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aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?2 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
1 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt you'll be able to do that without significant strength training... especially in any kind of healthy or sustainable manner. 15% is extremely lean and won't likely happen without significant work, consistency and time.
I'd suggest you pick 1 priority... 15% bf or little/no strength training. Decide which is more important to you and then accept what that means relative to your other goals.4 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt most female athletes maintain as low as 15% year round. You'll need to commit to a progressive strength program and strap in for the long haul. That is a long term and difficult goal, for sure. Is there a reason you chose that number?4 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt you'll be able to do that without significant strength training... especially in any kind of healthy or sustainable manner. 15% is extremely lean and won't likely happen without significant work, consistency and time.
I'd suggest you pick 1 priority... 15% bf or little/no strength training. Decide which is more important to you and then accept what that means relative to your other goals.
I guess the flip side to all this is that while 15% may not be realistic, you can absolutely continue to improve you numbers.
Make sure your diet is really dialed in... I can't emphasize this enough. Without the proper diet, any workouts you are or aren't doing will be largely insignificant. Once your set on diet, focus on higher intensity workouts. Strength training is recommended for a number of reasons, but that doesn't necessarily mean weight lifting and only weight lifting.2 -
I guess stick to little strength training.
Because I feel little pain in my knees from yesterday’s leg/glutes workout.
I don’t want to hurt my knees.
But okey maybe not really 15% lol
But at least down 20% like 19% would be good too.1 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt most female athletes maintain as low as 15% year round. You'll need to commit to a progressive strength program and strap in for the long haul. That is a long term and difficult goal, for sure. Is there a reason you chose that number?
The reason why I chose that is because I want to burn the body fat and like I’m already kind of lean but my face is still on the chubbier side 😒
1 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt you'll be able to do that without significant strength training... especially in any kind of healthy or sustainable manner. 15% is extremely lean and won't likely happen without significant work, consistency and time.
I'd suggest you pick 1 priority... 15% bf or little/no strength training. Decide which is more important to you and then accept what that means relative to your other goals.
I guess the flip side to all this is that while 15% may not be realistic, you can absolutely continue to improve you numbers.
Make sure your diet is really dialed in... I can't emphasize this enough. Without the proper diet, any workouts you are or aren't doing will be largely insignificant. Once your set on diet, focus on higher intensity workouts. Strength training is recommended for a number of reasons, but that doesn't necessarily mean weight lifting and only weight lifting.
I eat really clean, try to eat only nutrient dense foods but could be i eat my calories high due to nuts because i eat them a lot.1 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt you'll be able to do that without significant strength training... especially in any kind of healthy or sustainable manner. 15% is extremely lean and won't likely happen without significant work, consistency and time.
I'd suggest you pick 1 priority... 15% bf or little/no strength training. Decide which is more important to you and then accept what that means relative to your other goals.
I guess the flip side to all this is that while 15% may not be realistic, you can absolutely continue to improve you numbers.
Make sure your diet is really dialed in... I can't emphasize this enough. Without the proper diet, any workouts you are or aren't doing will be largely insignificant. Once your set on diet, focus on higher intensity workouts. Strength training is recommended for a number of reasons, but that doesn't necessarily mean weight lifting and only weight lifting.
I eat really clean, try to eat only nutrient dense foods but could be i eat my calories high due to nuts because i eat them a lot.
Clean doesn't have anything to do with it. If you want to eat clean for your own personal reasons/preferences, that's fine... but it won't help you get lean.
Get your calories in check and make sure your macros are reasonable.
On a side note... any maybe I'm way off base here, but it sounds like you need top stop reading magazine covers. In the very best case scenarios, those articles are incomplete and misleading. Best case.6 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt most female athletes maintain as low as 15% year round. You'll need to commit to a progressive strength program and strap in for the long haul. That is a long term and difficult goal, for sure. Is there a reason you chose that number?
The reason why I chose that is because I want to burn the body fat and like I’m already kind of lean but my face is still on the chubbier side 😒
You want to lose more weight because you have a chubby face? Could you ask people you know and trust in real life if they think you have a chubby face? I doubt very much you are storing stubborn fat there. I hope this doesn't come off negative, but this might be a perception issue.7 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt you'll be able to do that without significant strength training... especially in any kind of healthy or sustainable manner. 15% is extremely lean and won't likely happen without significant work, consistency and time.
I'd suggest you pick 1 priority... 15% bf or little/no strength training. Decide which is more important to you and then accept what that means relative to your other goals.
I guess the flip side to all this is that while 15% may not be realistic, you can absolutely continue to improve you numbers.
Make sure your diet is really dialed in... I can't emphasize this enough. Without the proper diet, any workouts you are or aren't doing will be largely insignificant. Once your set on diet, focus on higher intensity workouts. Strength training is recommended for a number of reasons, but that doesn't necessarily mean weight lifting and only weight lifting.
I eat really clean, try to eat only nutrient dense foods but could be i eat my calories high due to nuts because i eat them a lot.
Clean doesn't have anything to do with it. If you want to eat clean for your own personal reasons/preferences, that's fine... but it won't help you get lean.
Get your calories in check and make sure your macros are reasonable.
On a side note... any maybe I'm way off base here, but it sounds like you need top stop reading magazine covers. In the very best case scenarios, those articles are incomplete and misleading. Best case.
Haha but I never read magazines,
But can I ask why?
1 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt most female athletes maintain as low as 15% year round. You'll need to commit to a progressive strength program and strap in for the long haul. That is a long term and difficult goal, for sure. Is there a reason you chose that number?
The reason why I chose that is because I want to burn the body fat and like I’m already kind of lean but my face is still on the chubbier side 😒
You want to lose more weight because you have a chubby face? Could you ask people you know and trust in real life if they think you have a chubby face? I doubt very much you are storing stubborn fat there. I hope this doesn't come off negative, but this might be a perception issue.
Well that and my belly fat (the lower one)
Others tell me i don’t have but I know I do,
Especially in pictures it shows the most.
And don’t worry tell me anything i’m ready to listen.
2 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt most female athletes maintain as low as 15% year round. You'll need to commit to a progressive strength program and strap in for the long haul. That is a long term and difficult goal, for sure. Is there a reason you chose that number?
The reason why I chose that is because I want to burn the body fat and like I’m already kind of lean but my face is still on the chubbier side 😒
You want to lose more weight because you have a chubby face? Could you ask people you know and trust in real life if they think you have a chubby face? I doubt very much you are storing stubborn fat there. I hope this doesn't come off negative, but this might be a perception issue.
Well that and my belly fat (the lower one)
Others tell me i don’t have but I know I do,
Especially in pictures it shows the most.
And don’t worry tell me anything i’m ready to listen.
The problem is that most women of a healthy weight will have a little fat in their lower belly, plus the lower belly will naturally stick out sometimes because you've got organs in there doing their thing. Some people also just naturally have full faces, it's not something you can diet away. Maybe you just need to focus on fitness and having some fun right now. It sounds to me like you are being nitpicky super critical of yourself and your perceived flaws, and maybe you need more realistic standards. :flowerforyou:6 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt most female athletes maintain as low as 15% year round. You'll need to commit to a progressive strength program and strap in for the long haul. That is a long term and difficult goal, for sure. Is there a reason you chose that number?
The reason why I chose that is because I want to burn the body fat and like I’m already kind of lean but my face is still on the chubbier side 😒
You want to lose more weight because you have a chubby face? Could you ask people you know and trust in real life if they think you have a chubby face? I doubt very much you are storing stubborn fat there. I hope this doesn't come off negative, but this might be a perception issue.
Well that and my belly fat (the lower one)
Others tell me i don’t have but I know I do,
Especially in pictures it shows the most.
And don’t worry tell me anything i’m ready to listen.
The problem is that most women of a healthy weight will have a little fat in their lower belly, plus the lower belly will naturally stick out sometimes because you've got organs in there doing their thing. Some people also just naturally have full faces, it's not something you can diet away. Maybe you just need to focus on fitness and having some fun right now. It sounds to me like you are being nitpicky super critical of yourself and your perceived flaws, and maybe you need more realistic standards. :flowerforyou:
Really you think so?
I just wanted to loose a little bit more just about 5 lbs like reach BMI of 20.
1 -
aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt most female athletes maintain as low as 15% year round. You'll need to commit to a progressive strength program and strap in for the long haul. That is a long term and difficult goal, for sure. Is there a reason you chose that number?
The reason why I chose that is because I want to burn the body fat and like I’m already kind of lean but my face is still on the chubbier side 😒
You want to lose more weight because you have a chubby face? Could you ask people you know and trust in real life if they think you have a chubby face? I doubt very much you are storing stubborn fat there. I hope this doesn't come off negative, but this might be a perception issue.
Well that and my belly fat (the lower one)
Others tell me i don’t have but I know I do,
Especially in pictures it shows the most.
And don’t worry tell me anything i’m ready to listen.
The problem is that most women of a healthy weight will have a little fat in their lower belly, plus the lower belly will naturally stick out sometimes because you've got organs in there doing their thing. Some people also just naturally have full faces, it's not something you can diet away. Maybe you just need to focus on fitness and having some fun right now. It sounds to me like you are being nitpicky super critical of yourself and your perceived flaws, and maybe you need more realistic standards. :flowerforyou:
Really you think so?
I just wanted to loose a little bit more just about 5 lbs like reach BMI of 20.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with you trying to lose another 5 lbs. Just that you need to understand that it is not the kind of thing you can expect to see steadily drop off the scale, and it may very well not do anything about the places you think are your trouble spots, as your face and lower belly may very well be totally normal. Don't compare yourself to airbrushed models or insta celebrities who use lighting and poses to change how they look, and often only maintain their photo ready physique for a month or two out of the year because it's too difficult to maintain.2 -
Right!
I get it, Thanks 1 -
My wife can gain 10 lbs and none of it goes to her face. If I gain five, there's a significant difference in my face. You sound a bit like me. I wouldn't worry about an arbitrary number, like 15%, to shoot for. 20%, for a woman, if actually really lean already. I tend to agree with Kimny. It might be a perception issue, not your look. I understand that but you look great in your profile just as you are. Perhaps just a few pounds, like me, that you have to watch that "blow up" your face a bit. But it's a slippery slope.2
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aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »aidayazd95 wrote: »
I get that part... but take a step back, what's the bigger goal/reason? Is there a BMI number you want to hit? A certain weight? Do you want to be able to say you're sub 25% BF? Is there a look or aesthetic you're going for?
Well yeah, get down to like 15% BF
And maybe BMI to like 20
But mainly BF 15%
I doubt you'll be able to do that without significant strength training... especially in any kind of healthy or sustainable manner. 15% is extremely lean and won't likely happen without significant work, consistency and time.
I'd suggest you pick 1 priority... 15% bf or little/no strength training. Decide which is more important to you and then accept what that means relative to your other goals.
I guess the flip side to all this is that while 15% may not be realistic, you can absolutely continue to improve you numbers.
Make sure your diet is really dialed in... I can't emphasize this enough. Without the proper diet, any workouts you are or aren't doing will be largely insignificant. Once your set on diet, focus on higher intensity workouts. Strength training is recommended for a number of reasons, but that doesn't necessarily mean weight lifting and only weight lifting.
I eat really clean, try to eat only nutrient dense foods but could be i eat my calories high due to nuts because i eat them a lot.
Clean doesn't have anything to do with it. If you want to eat clean for your own personal reasons/preferences, that's fine... but it won't help you get lean.
Get your calories in check and make sure your macros are reasonable.
On a side note... any maybe I'm way off base here, but it sounds like you need top stop reading magazine covers. In the very best case scenarios, those articles are incomplete and misleading. Best case.
Haha but I never read magazines,
But can I ask why?
I only said that because it seems like you've got some misconceptions that are commonly spread through mass-media outlets... exercising to lose fat, eating clean, etc. My bigger point was to not buy into headlines and taglines, wherever they may be coming from.3 -
Oohh so much to say on this one, but to answer your questions...
1- I've tried everything and for you, most methods will likely be more accurate for you than they would be for myself because you don't have loose skin like I do...
But, there just isn't a reliable way... Even Dexa has been found to be off by as much as 4% from time to time...
Don't shoot for accuracy but rather precision and trend it... I use calipers to pinch my abs, and my suprailiac crest, and measure my waist... Along with other various muscles in comparison...
This won't give me an accurate bf%, but will give me precise measurements that don't fluctuate wildly... Which is key...
2- Diet... And I don't mean to diet, rather your diet0
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