What's your body fat %?

124

Replies

  • nicehormones
    nicehormones Posts: 503 Member
    Women should be 25% or below to be considered in normal range. Men should be 15% or below to be considered normal range. My body fat is currently 14.9% and I get it tested monthly by a trainer at my gym. Most personal trainers can measure your skin folds and calculate it for you. There are some home devices as well.
    That is incorrect.
    A healthy range for women under 40 is 21-33% and a healthy range for men under 40 is 8-19%
    asset.aspx?id=11

    I'm right around 23% (that's basically in the middle of what the scale, calipers, and measurements put me at, since all have a margin of error of up to a few % points). At my heaviest, I was close to 56%.



    If this is correct, then my scale isn't just inaccurate, it is wayyy off. It says I'm at 32% right now and still look pregnant in my tummy and have a ton of fat so I know that can't be healthy... I wish I could get real measurements done :/
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    Women should be 25% or below to be considered in normal range. Men should be 15% or below to be considered normal range. My body fat is currently 14.9% and I get it tested monthly by a trainer at my gym. Most personal trainers can measure your skin folds and calculate it for you. There are some home devices as well.
    That is incorrect.
    A healthy range for women under 40 is 21-33% and a healthy range for men under 40 is 8-19%
    asset.aspx?id=11

    I'm right around 23% (that's basically in the middle of what the scale, calipers, and measurements put me at, since all have a margin of error of up to a few % points). At my heaviest, I was close to 56%.



    If this is correct, then my scale isn't just inaccurate, it is wayyy off. It says I'm at 32% right now and still look pregnant in my tummy and have a ton of fat so I know that can't be healthy... I wish I could get real measurements done :/
    This is the range supported by the American College of Sports Medicine, World Health Organization, and the National Institutes of Health.
    That being said, your waist-to-hip ratio is also an indicator of overall health so, if you carry most of your weight in your midsection, you still may be at risk even if your total body fat is at the top of the acceptable range.
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    Don't stress you will get it lower if you stay focused. Don't get too hung up on numbers and percents...just continue to eat right and workout. :)

    I haven't been measured in a few years, but I am about the same size I was the last time I was measured and mine was around 30%...I hope to lower it though and I have a feeling I will if I continue to eat right and exercise. :)
    The guy at the gym told me it should be around 18-20%...but even at my smallest I don't think it was ever that low... I have done a bit of research on various sites as well...and from the sounds of it women should be around 20-25% on average...we naturally pack on a bit more fat than men... Athletes percentage is a lot lower though.
  • nicehormones
    nicehormones Posts: 503 Member
    Women should be 25% or below to be considered in normal range. Men should be 15% or below to be considered normal range. My body fat is currently 14.9% and I get it tested monthly by a trainer at my gym. Most personal trainers can measure your skin folds and calculate it for you. There are some home devices as well.
    That is incorrect.
    A healthy range for women under 40 is 21-33% and a healthy range for men under 40 is 8-19%
    asset.aspx?id=11

    I'm right around 23% (that's basically in the middle of what the scale, calipers, and measurements put me at, since all have a margin of error of up to a few % points). At my heaviest, I was close to 56%.



    If this is correct, then my scale isn't just inaccurate, it is wayyy off. It says I'm at 32% right now and still look pregnant in my tummy and have a ton of fat so I know that can't be healthy... I wish I could get real measurements done :/
    This is the range supported by the American College of Sports Medicine, World Health Organization, and the National Institutes of Health.
    That being said, your waist-to-hip ratio is also an indicator of overall health so, if you carry most of your weight in your midsection, you still may be at risk even if your total body fat is at the top of the acceptable range.

    Yeah, I am hoping to get it down.. It will be the last to go, I am sure. I guess body fat% accuracy of my scale does not really matter now as long as I see the numbers go down, I am happy. I can always worry about accuracy later once I am around my goal weight, I think ;)
  • davecreed
    davecreed Posts: 151 Member
    I dont care what any experts say...I need/love/want some extra fat percentage on my girlfriend to fill out the front and back lol :P just exercise and try and make better food choices and look in the mirror. forget the scales and fat calipers...theyre only good for monitoring you diet, not for monitoring your happiness.
  • surfrgrl1
    surfrgrl1 Posts: 1,464 Member
    I'm at the high end of the overfat category. But it has come down from the obese category, and I'm working on it! Every day!!
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
    Coming out of basic training in the army i was 195 lbs and 20% body fat. If someone is trying to tell me that "normal" for a man is below 15%, that person has a highly distorted view of what "normal" is....

    Maybe "socially desired is below 15%" would be more accurate and I'd agree with that but "normal" guys don't run around with six packs visible.
  • melrose09
    melrose09 Posts: 271
    Coming out of basic training in the army i was 195 lbs and 20% body fat. If someone is trying to tell me that "normal" for a man is below 15%, that person has a highly distorted view of what "normal" is....

    Maybe "socially desired is below 15%" would be more accurate and I'd agree with that but "normal" guys don't run around with six packs visible.

    According to ACSM, the 50% percentile for men age 20-29 is 16.6% bf.
  • melrose09
    melrose09 Posts: 271
    Recent body compistion scan at a medical clinic put me at 26% down from 34%(my estimated over a year ago). My goal was 25% so guess I need to pump a bit more iron LOL

    I REALLY want to get this done! I'll see if my doc will/can do it. We have to see Navy Medicine and our facility is not the greatest.
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    I am at 11-12% I want to get down to 5 or 6%

    competing?

    Oh maybe if I get the time. Really I just want to look good for summer!


    Just curious, that's usually where most men compete at. I'm at 13% now going to do a recomp over summer get down around 10% or lower, then bulk (clean bulk) next winter. would like to end up at 200 lbs at 12% bf (probably have to cut again in spring though)
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Here is a free site to check body fat
    Here:
    http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

    Mine is 17% - down from 33%

    That site gave me 25%, which is what I estimated from looking at the pics on the Leigh Peele site. So, guess I'm between 25% and 27% then, the caliper gave me around 27% from measuring the suprailiac, back of arm, etc.
  • ElizabethKathrynJ
    ElizabethKathrynJ Posts: 37
    I started out at 34.5 and nowI am at 31.7. I'm pretty proud of myself(:
  • InvidiaXII
    InvidiaXII Posts: 315 Member
    The trainer at my gym said my body is 27% fat. I'm 5'9" and 145 lbs, so I'm not too "big", but the trainer said I have zero muscle-- trying to change that! They said I should aim for under 20%.
  • kbee784
    kbee784 Posts: 27
    My scale at home says 17.3% but I'm honestly not sure how accurate body fat scales are.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    I dont care what any experts say...I need/love/want some extra fat percentage on my girlfriend to fill out the front and back lol :P just exercise and try and make better food choices and look in the mirror. forget the scales and fat calipers...theyre only good for monitoring you diet, not for monitoring your happiness.

    I really liked your response to hers ty for being so sweet and kind :flowerforyou:
  • PepeGreggerton
    PepeGreggerton Posts: 986 Member
    20% Started at 35%
  • missmacknz
    missmacknz Posts: 39
    I used that and I am similar height to you and got around 60% so don't cry it isn't just you :P

    Edit I tried to reply to someone elses post but it hasn't worked! Sorry!
  • bergsangel
    bergsangel Posts: 131
    Every body is VERY different. I started at a size 4-6, 123 pounds at 5'2" and my body fat % was 33...yikes! This was one of those crazy machine things also. I have only been working out and eating well for about 5 weeks and get another eval soon. I am hoping to eventually be at 22% but it may take awhile. Anyhow, my point is, I have always been thin and NO ONE would think mine was 33%...
  • bergsangel
    bergsangel Posts: 131
    Damn, everybody is saying that this http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html is accurate...then I'm really 50.2%?! I'm gonna cry...I may weight 180 at 5'2 but no really? 50%?! Everyone tells me I don't look like someone of 180 at all. O.o

    I'm your height and 123 at 33%...just fyi It's not as bad as it sounds. Something to work on yes, but not to get caught up on!!
  • caseysray
    caseysray Posts: 57 Member
    Mine is about 24% and I have some cushion to lose. My goal is to be about 18% body fat.
  • bloodguilt
    bloodguilt Posts: 126
    What should it be?

    I just found out for the first time ever what mine is...33%. How bad is that?

    Mine is 10.8% and I am looking to hit 8% before summer. :-)
  • Inlet
    Inlet Posts: 135
    14%.
    It's not that I have very little fat as much as it is I just have a lot of muscle.
    And only carry fat on my legs anyway. At 21% (5'6") I was a size 10 jeans and extra small shirt, and at 14% I'm a 4-6 and small shirt. :-/I'm a completely different shape now.
    Plus I'm a runner.
    I think body type and quantity of muscle put me so low.
  • Jesung
    Jesung Posts: 236 Member
    Here is a free site to check body fat
    Here:
    http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html

    Mine is 17% - down from 33%

    That site gave me 25%, which is what I estimated from looking at the pics on the Leigh Peele site. So, guess I'm between 25% and 27% then, the caliper gave me around 27% from measuring the suprailiac, back of arm, etc.
    Pretty sure I'm not 9.7% bf (I wish) lol
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
    I am 5'5" 135 pds and 43. I also have PCOS, IR, and hypothyroid. I am at 27% bf...it was hard enou to get to that point. I am not really trying to lose the last 2%.. If it happens great. During this whole journey..I lost 40 pounds but only 6% of body fat...
  • Sadore
    Sadore Posts: 27 Member
    I'm 5'4" and 127 pounds. My BF% was recently 18-20% (varies, but on same machine at my gym). I'm pretty solid, but don't look muscular. I'd like to be a bit lower, I guess, because I'd like to look more defined.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I'm about 12%...that's consistent with when I was hydrostatically weighed about 1.5-2 years ago--I lift heavier, still watch my diet, and run more.
  • speedycakes
    speedycakes Posts: 152 Member
    Mine is 24%, meaning 1/4th of me is fat. :( At my lowest i was 19%
  • tdrinkard85
    tdrinkard85 Posts: 54
    I've tried to calculate mine on several different websites, and they all give me a different number. 27%, 33%, & 41% (which can't be possible, because I'm not obese.)

    You don't have to be obese to have a high body fat percentage. Google the term "skinny fat."
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
    Coming out of basic training in the army i was 195 lbs and 20% body fat. If someone is trying to tell me that "normal" for a man is below 15%, that person has a highly distorted view of what "normal" is....

    Maybe "socially desired is below 15%" would be more accurate and I'd agree with that but "normal" guys don't run around with six packs visible.

    According to ACSM, the 50% percentile for men age 20-29 is 16.6% bf.

    Considering that they also say that over half of our population is overweight and that 1/3 of adults are obese, I find it hard to believe that the average is 16.6.
  • snowbab
    snowbab Posts: 192 Member
    18.4 apparantly accoriding to an online test *shrug*
This discussion has been closed.

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