Bodyfat

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Hey everyone , I go to curves and last time I got weighed and measured my body fat percent is at 29.9 percent , I know i'm not fat but not skinny either.I am not looking to lose alot of weight just wanting to tone up , don'tw anna stress about numbers even though it don't seem like a big amount that much , does everyone think 29.9 percent is that bad?Not sure what normal really is anymore.The lady at curves didn't really comment on it either way , just said it went down a little bit and said this number is the one you wanna see come down , any input on this is very appreciated , thank you!

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  • Kym1610
    Kym1610 Posts: 333 Member
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    I was thinking about this, this morning. Check out think link

    http://www.healthyforms.com/helpful-tools/body-fat-percentage.php
  • FlexAppeal79
    FlexAppeal79 Posts: 146 Member
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    Extremely hard to get accurate numbers on BF... So many factors are involved..... My numbers are closest according to my bodytype (lean and muscular) here:

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/body_fat_calculator.htm

    Yours may differ greatly as well... Hope this eases any anxiety :smile:
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
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    Generally 29.9 is considered an acceptable BF although anything over 30 is unacceptable so you are kinda riding the line.
  • RoanneRed
    RoanneRed Posts: 429 Member
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    Extremely hard to get accurate numbers on BF... So many factors are involved..... My numbers are closest according to my bodytype (lean and muscular) here:

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/body_fat_calculator.htm

    Yours may differ greatly as well... Hope this eases any anxiety :smile:
    If that's the most accurate of these sort of calculators then I'm thrilled - gave me about 3% lower than any others I've tried!
  • RoanneRed
    RoanneRed Posts: 429 Member
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    Lauren, you would probably achieve your aim of toning up by maintaining (or building a little more) lean muscle mass and reducing your body fat by 2-3% so the muscle tone is more visible - it probably won't take much.
  • DeBiKin
    DeBiKin Posts: 107 Member
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    If your picture is recent, you don't look like you are 29%. That is close to being 'technically' obese and you really don't look it. If you were at 29% I think you would feel somewhat fat and since you said you don't (and you don't look it) I think something is wrong with their calculation. There are different factors such as age but not everybody ages at the same rate either. If all you want to do is tone, then do that (which doesn't happen overnight) and don't stress over difficult, questionable numbers.
  • 321blueeyes
    321blueeyes Posts: 279 Member
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    I went for a dunk test last year - knowing that I needed to lose some but unsure exactly how much (20-30 lbs).

    The guy there told me that his experience is that most women seem to consider 22% "ideal" because they feel "thin", but still have some curves.

    I was 30.3% as of Jan 2011, this at 156 lbs (lean body mass 109 lbs) - I'm 5'2.5" and just turned 30 years old prior to testing. They say I am "on the bigger end of 'medium' frame" which was calculated by my ankle circumference 9.25".

    Originally I was thinking that a realistic (and sustainable) goal was 130 lbs - however according to their analysis my "ideal" 22% BF weight was 139 (assuming my lean mass 109 lbs didn't change and all I did was lose fat - great in concept but usually weight loss is some combination of both fat and lean mass). Their suggestion for an interim goal (25% fat) was 145 lbs. Don't think I ever really believed that - seemed too high to me.

    Now nearly a year later I have worked my way down to 142 lbs... but don't feel that I am done yet, so I continue to set my sights on 130 lbs. I'm hoping to take another dunk test sometime in Dec. so that I can "check in" on my body fat - I really don't think I am down to 25% yet as there seems to be too much "pinchable" flab and I feel rather chubby in a bathing suit (bikini out of the question!) and an unattractive fold of back fat.

    Their chart info here:
    Women age 20-29: Good 17-20%, Average 21-27%, Fair 28-30%, Poor 31+%
    Women age 30-39: Good 18-21%, Average 22-28%, Fair 29-31%, Poor 32+%
    Women age 40-49: Good 19-22%, Average 23-30%, Fair 31-33%, Poor 34+%

    With all that said, I don't know how accurate the calipers are... might depend on the person doing the measuring...
  • Lauren38570
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    Thanks for all the kind replies , well you are right different factors have alot to do with it , I am 5'4 and 148 now , last month I had breast implants surely that wouldn't cause me to weigh more or bring the body fat up.I am fairly curvy so that may be an extent of it.Yeah that pic is pretty recent , I done my first night of some crunches , got the ab roller , I really like it.I can actually feel it while I am doingthe crunches so surely it would work after feeling it lol It was at curves were they did the weighing and measuring and for the body fat they have u hold this thing and u squeeze the dies of it then that tells it.
  • FlexAppeal79
    FlexAppeal79 Posts: 146 Member
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    Thanks for all the kind replies , well you are right different factors have alot to do with it , I am 5'4 and 148 now , last month I had breast implants surely that wouldn't cause me to weigh more or bring the body fat up.I am fairly curvy so that may be an extent of it.Yeah that pic is pretty recent , I done my first night of some crunches , got the ab roller , I really like it.I can actually feel it while I am doingthe crunches so surely it would work after feeling it lol It was at curves were they did the weighing and measuring and for the body fat they have u hold this thing and u squeeze the dies of it then that tells it.

    That is called a hand held body fat analyzer.... You should try the link I sited and see if its different.... As for tightning and toning,
    as a personal trainer and nutritional consultant i can tell you that your kitchen can be the culprit... As they say.. Abs are made in the kitchen...lol. I NEVER claim to know it all or be right ALL the time, but from experience with myself and clients... small changes in what you consume makes BIG changes in your body... Hope this helps:happy:
  • dianita22
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    I have found that a small difference in body fat (2-3%) makes a biiiiiiiiig difference. I was at 17%, slacked off and am now at 19% and boy does it show, not to mention that now I am working twice as hard to get to where I was before. If you feel good, great, but I have no doub that at 29%, getting down to 26% would be an attainable and satisfying goal for you
  • Lauren38570
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    Yes it helped alot and i'll shoot for that!