Depressed over my body fat percentage

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warriorsdontbitch
warriorsdontbitch Posts: 130 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I have lost 110ibls but I still have a 52.3% body fat. I weight 187 at 5'3. I feel so discouraged. I used one of those online body fat calculators. I can't believe that after all that hard work and time my body fat is still so high. I don't I've lost muscle because my skin and body is starting to shape up and I dont have much loose skin just fat still. Not sure what to do or how to proceed because I am only 40ilbs away from my goal weight. And I can't help but wonder if these last 40ilbs will even matter. This year FOR EXERCISE, i'VE BEEN walking and doing JM videos for my strength. So I've been trying hard to preserve my muscles. Right now I am doing Killer buns and thighs , ripped in 30, and 6 week 6 pack. I do ripped in 30 5x week and the other two workouts 3x week. I am losing weight. I think I am losing inches based one the fit of my clothes since I did not take measurements in the beginning. I net about 1200-1500 calories a day. Part of me just wants to quit because I still have a long way to go. And it already took so long and so much effort to just get here in the first place. Right now , I just want to binge on my fav foods. Any advice or suggestions thanks
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Replies

  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    I really don't believe the on-line calculators are an accurate way to measure body fat AT ALL. Don't use them! Try to get your body fat measured by a professional (if you use a gym, the trainers can often do it for you, with calipers). Seriously, all the progress you have made is amazing and DO NOT go off of this body fat number.
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    If this makes you feel any better, I just did an on-line calculation of my body fat, and it was not accurate....I know my true body fat % because I recently got measured at the gym....
  • ooCaitrice
    ooCaitrice Posts: 33 Member
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    Ohh you don't need no calculators. Just grap some old clothes you used to fit in an felt good in. That should be your calculator and scale :smile:

    I don t belive in bodyfat at all.
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
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    First, buy a set of body fat calipers - Accumeasure can be bought online for about 6 bucks.

    Then you will have a true number with which to work.
  • satxtrap
    satxtrap Posts: 120 Member
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    Girl, you lost 110 lbs of saturated fat! Celebrate that. Really. That's huge and a testament to your drive. Now as to that supposed BF%. If it's really got you all tied up in knots I really suggest finding a place that will do a DXA scan on you and getting an accurate readout of BF/Lean Mass/Bone percentages. I got mine done for $80 and having the right numbers really got me started back in the right direction for BF loss. I was thinking that I needed to get down to the 180's to be closer to my healthy range. Bzzzz! Wrong answer. My DXA scan results said I had 171 lbs of lean mass. For me getting done to 210 would be out of the bad zone and be fine.
    Don't sweat it. :)

    Edit:
    I notice in your profile that you live year round in Africa. A DXA Scanner might be hard to come by over there I suppose.
  • debbiestine
    debbiestine Posts: 265 Member
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    congratualtions on your weight loss- you are doing it! But remember it's 80% what you eat and only %20 exercise- so take a good hard look at what you are eating- do you have a clean diary? It's not public so I don't know what to tell you. Do you want to make it public and then ask for advice?
    keep up the good work and repeat after me, "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13 (that includes exercise and eating well!)
  • warriorsdontbitch
    warriorsdontbitch Posts: 130 Member
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    Girl, you lost 110 lbs of saturated fat! Celebrate that. Really. That's huge and a testament to your drive. Now as to that supposed BF%. If it's really got you all tied up in knots I really suggest finding a place that will do a DXA scan on you and getting an accurate readout of BF/Lean Mass/Bone percentages. I got mine done for $80 and having the right numbers really got me started back in the right direction for BF loss. I was thinking that I needed to get down to the 180's to be closer to my healthy range. Bzzzz! Wrong answer. My DXA scan results said I had 171 lbs of lean mass. For me getting done to 210 would be out of the bad zone and be fine.
    Don't sweat it. :)

    Edit:
    I notice in your profile that you live year round in Africa. A DXA Scanner might be hard to come by over there I suppose.

    Yeah, I am from the USA but right now I am doing a year of volunteering in Africa. And I am pretty sure I won't be able to find a DXA scanner. Sometimes, it can be frustrating to be going through this wlj in Africa. But if I can succeed here then I know that I can maintain the weight loss when I return to the US.
  • JustMaxine55
    JustMaxine55 Posts: 29 Member
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    Part of me just wants to quit because I still have a long way to go. And it already took so long and so much effort to just get here in the first place. Right now , I just want to binge on my fav foods. Any advice or suggestions thanks


    You think youre depressed now? How are you going to feel when you quit, gain that weight back and then look at all the time and effort you wasted?

    Get over it, it's just a number! You have lost 39 freakin' lbs!!! Dwell on that number instead! Nobody ever ask you what your bodyfat percentage is. They want to know what you wiegh!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    here, read this.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/02/body-fat-percentage/
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    Through online calculators I am anywhere from 30% -60% bf. That is quite a range huh? I wouldn't worry about what they say. What I would do is start using some actual weights for strength. You can get sets that you can adjust the amount of weight you lift. The ones I have now go from 10-40 pounds depending on what I put on it and it cost $30 or so at Walmart. Little weights can't do it all!
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    So I have lost 110ibls but I still have a 52.3% body fat. I weight 187 at 5'3. I feel so discouraged. I used one of those online body fat calculators. I can't believe that after all that hard work and time my body fat is still so high. I don't I've lost muscle because my skin and body is starting to shape up and I dont have much loose skin just fat still. Not sure what to do or how to proceed because I am only 40ilbs away from my goal weight. And I can't help but wonder if these last 40ilbs will even matter. This year FOR EXERCISE, i'VE BEEN walking and doing JM videos for my strength. So I've been trying hard to preserve my muscles. Right now I am doing Killer buns and thighs , ripped in 30, and 6 week 6 pack. I do ripped in 30 5x week and the other two workouts 3x week. I am losing weight. I think I am losing inches based one the fit of my clothes since I did not take measurements in the beginning. I net about 1200-1500 calories a day. Part of me just wants to quit because I still have a long way to go. And it already took so long and so much effort to just get here in the first place. Right now , I just want to binge on my fav foods. Any advice or suggestions thanks
    You are at a wall you need to punch through.
    And please IGNORE those here who advise that you cease measuring body fat with the system you currently use.
    Just look at it as another way to track progress. Body measurements don't lie as well as the scale or the man in the mirror.
    It's ABSURD to run off and pay money for something you can have for free. In fact, depending on how you're built, just measure either hips or belly, and leave it at that.
    Anyway, I use this one for body fat:
    http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html
    Again, it's just a tool - a definitive number to gauge results.
    KEEP PUNCHING!
    You can do this - Good Luck :flowerforyou:
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    Hey, look at your progress so far!!! You have come a long way! Noone said this was gonna be easy. You need to keep pushing on!!!

    Heavy lifting helps drop body fat. I would strongly suggest doing a turbo fire and chalean extreme hybrid. This is what helped me cut down on a big % of my body fat!
  • sweetsarahj
    sweetsarahj Posts: 701 Member
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    I feel you. My body fat percentage is 30 and although I've been working hard for a year and dropped two clothing sizes, my body fat did not change. My trainer said that even the machines that measure it can be up 5% inaccurate. Also, he said that the ones you step on (scale type) always measure women higher than reality because women store more fat in their lower body. To get a more accurate result, you should really step on a scale, get that reading, then use one of the hand-held ones, and average it.

    But really, You have come so far and how many sizes did you lose? How do you feel about how you look? These are the important questions i think..

    good luck with your journey.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Don't go by the online. That may not all be fat. I have more lean muscle then I should so I show that I have a high PBF when I really don't (I do buy not as high as those calculators show). Many gyms or doctors can measure lean muscle go have that done and maybe you are not where you think you are.

    You don't want to lose muscle so even if you are not in the "healthy" BMI, if it is lean muscle you want to have it. Muscle burns more calories so if you have more you get to eat more.
  • alasin1derland
    alasin1derland Posts: 575 Member
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    if all you have access to is online calculators, try cross referencing some different ones online, i feel like its not even possible for it to be that high with what you currently weigh. p.s. your are doing great!! don't let anything discourage you. you have accomplished way to much to even consider being discouraged. you are an inspiration to others.
  • jhardenbergh
    jhardenbergh Posts: 1,035 Member
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    Don't take this the wrong way, but those online calculators aren't accurate especially when you take into account the measurements of people that lost a ton of weight. The measurements will be off, especially if you have loose skin. The online calculators are off for me as well. If you want an accurate measurement do a bod pod test or water test. It will be more accurate. Be weary of the scales that do it to those can be off some. Especially if it's bought at a regular store and isn't a professional graded one.
  • LarStar
    LarStar Posts: 102 Member
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    You're doing SO awesome! Don't be so hard on yourself and keep pushing through! You're rocking it. Depending on where you are in africa, you could have one of those water/fat monitoring scales sent to you (they're about 65 bucks US.)They give you an acurate measure of fat percentage and you can also monitor the fat coming off week by week.

    Don't get discouraged because you have climbed mountains and lost a ton of weight with all your hard work. The internet lies :) Also, I've heard that the more measurements you can put in to those online fat calculators, the better because if you have wide hips for example and big boobs, the calculator will estimate based on those two measurements. So, knowing that, each person's body fat is distributed differently through their body, so it is impossible for a site like that t give you an accurate reading.

    Keep at it girl, You're an inspiration!!!
  • Lynn_SD
    Lynn_SD Posts: 83 Member
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    You can buy a scale online and have it shipped to you. It measures weight AND bodyfat %. They are not too expensive, you can get one that also measures %water, muscle (lean body weight) in pounds/kg and bone mass. I bought mine a few years ago, the Tanita "Ironman" Inner Scan Body Composition Monitor. The bodyfat% IS pretty accurate.

    As others said, I doubt that number from online calculator is accurate and you shouldn't be discouraged as you have lost over 100 lb! Do you know what your bodyfat% was to begin with? Also, don't go by BMI as that measurement is not too accurate in us petite gals (you are only 5' 3").
  • girltrvlr
    girltrvlr Posts: 12
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    Kudos to you for all the working out you are doing!! Amazing! As far as the fat % calculators, those online calculators do not take into consideration the muscle mass that you are building (which is heavier) that is replacing fat you are losing. Remember, intially you might go through a period when you gain muscle and seem to weigh more but your clothes are loose. As others have said the water test or bod pod test are the most accurate. Try not to focus on the numbers, take one day at a time and keep that body moving! Don't weigh/measure every day or even week, it can be defeating especially if you have been busting your butt and don't see significant changes. Just take a measurement/weigh every couple of weeks and watch how much more excited you are when you do just on the scale. Go girl!
  • delonda1
    delonda1 Posts: 525 Member
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    First off CONGRATS ON LOSING THAT MUCH SO FAR! That in itself is an accomplishment and just remember you are in a better place than where you started

    2nd your problem is you are using an ONLINE body fat measurement... that is just an estimate. It can not calculate for sure what is going on. You need to either purchase one that you can use or if you are a member at a gym they should have one. Dont get me wrong you are about an inch taller than me and usually to be in a healthy Body fat percentage is somewhere between 110-150lbs ish if i believe so. so think you arent that far off from the higher end (which is still healthy). Dont beat yourself up. Keep doing what you are doing and dont starve yourself because you have figured out something that has been working for you.

    GOOD LUCK!

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