Question about lean body mass

Your BF% might be lower than 22%, actually. You can estimate it using online calculators (there have been links posted all over the forums -- I'll see if I can find one) by inputting your measurements (waist, hip, neck, that sort of thing). You look phenomenal, by the way.

No specific info for you at this point, but want to second @theoriginalja - you have a phenomenal body!!

Oh my, you look amazing. I doubt your fat% is that high. You should try having a professional measure it with one of those things, it's much more accurate:

In my honest opinion, your body fat is WAY less than 22%. I'm 5'3'', 104-106 lbs, and I am about 20%. You look way, way, way, more muscular than I am. In fact, I look flabby compared to you

I don't go to a gym, so I am not sure where to find someone to measure me with the calipers. I found a place for bod pod that charges $65, so I will see since it's not cheap.

But does anyone know if there is an essential amount of lean body mass? or what is the average, normal or good amount to have?

At 18% body fat, my lean body mass would be 88.56 lbs, and it would be 91.8 lbs at 15%. I don't think I am as low as 15% though.

Thank you.

For women, at least, I'm pretty sure body fat is actually more important. If you go too low or too high on the body fat, you start screwing with your hormonal balances and reproductive system function (ie - if it's too low, you stop having your periods and can't get pregnant, because your body doesn't have the fat stores to handle it). Your lean body mass is made up of the parts of your body that aren't fat, so bones, organs, and muscles. You can't grow your organs or your bones in size, but you can grow your muscles and increase bone density through good strength-building workout routines.

Here's a chart for BF% ranges:

http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/

If you're worried about your lean body mass levels, start a heavy lifting program such as StrongLifts, or advanced bodyweight training like You Are Your Own Gym. As a woman, you won't bulk up (we don't have the testosterone to support bulking up like guys do), but it will help you build what you have and how you can and make your great body look even better.

If you do do that, make sure you start eating at least at maintenance, or even a surplus, to help your body get the nutrients and fuel it needs to the building that it can.

I think it all depends on what your goals are and what type of work you are willing to do to get to those goals. I too think your bf is lower than 22%. I'm at 13.8% and I know this from doing a recent dexa scan. Online calculators were wrong- they would say anything from 18% and higher- they are based on averages and if you fall outside of average, then it will probably be off. Visually though, you look less than 22%.

Having said all of that, I am similar to you- my lbm is just under 90lbs and I am on the low end of the bmi spectrum. I workout doing things I enjoy, I lift weights to give my muscles shape and I eat at least ~2000cals perday. Yes, I might be considered too thin or too small, but this is my natural shape/body type and I'm not going to break my neck trying to change that when I'm happy with my lifestyle and my body. I do try to make sure I eat enough though so I don't lean out even more and shrink! That is my choice though and you need to decide what is right for you! So no, I don't think you can really say what is too much or not enough lbm. I think the real question is, are you content with your body size and how you look? If not, then figure out what your goals are and how to meet those goals.

Thanks for the input.

Not quite sure what exactly is my concern. I just hear people saying "oh that's too skinny for that height.", and my weight is on the low end of the healthy BMI for my height. I think my BF% is ok, so my logic leads me to think that if my weight is "too skinny" for my height then does it mean my lean body mass is too low. Is that the right logic? Or is it fuzzy logic? LOL.

As a couple of other posters have mentioned - its really your BF% you need to be concerned about (make sure its in the healthy range which yours is).

If you are happy with your asthetics - do not worry about it as you have a healthy BF%. You are looking absolutely fantastic by the way.

I also agree you are not 21% - unless you do a true scan/bod pod kind of thing you won't know for certain. The calipers aren't extremely accurate.

I'd venture to say 17% range.

Ok. That helped me put things in perspective. I just wasn't sure if LBM is a concern when BF % was ok. I am happy with my body. It's better than my body pre-kids, except for loose skin and I accepted that.

No one IRL had told me that I was too skinny. I just hear it on MFP sometimes. Like, when someone my height, who weighs a few pounds more, talks about want to lose the jiggle, some responses would be you are almost too skinny for your height or you would be too skinny if you lose more weight. That's what got me thinking about it, as I am adjusting my goals. My current goal is to work on my back muscle, so I can do a pull up.

girl.....what loose skin? If you have it I sure as h*ll can't see it.