@yourservant I mean in clothes we probably look close to identical! I feel like I spent a lot of my younger years obsessing over my measurements and the number on the scale, but now I mostly am working to not fall apart as I age.
Here’s body fat percentage results for someone who has never worked out
- Thread starter yourservant
- Start date
@yourservant That's so interesting because I'm 5'8" and weigh 155lbs, and mine is around 25%. But the thing is I still have a lot of visible fat imo (unless I just have body dysmorphia LOL) - so it's just weird that someone who is 5'8" and 135 is higher than me cause ik you visibly probably look thinner.
@yourservant Ah, what’s the threshold for “overweight” in body fat percentage?
darcylbridge
New member
@yourservant Was this a dexa scan? Looks like it. If so they commonly give you about 5% more BF than a caliper or other type of test. (Source I managed a gym and physiology center that used DEXA as tool for personalized workouts.) so take that with a grain of salt. That’s why you see fat on the top of your head and on your feet. However it’s a great tool to help you recomp.
@dawn16 A caliper test wouldn’t assume her nose, ears, and pads of fingers and toes are fat. It would measure body fat that you could possibly lose normally not “body fat” that could only be lost by cutting off your ears or nose. However for accuracy, yes, it is more accurate that what is not organ, muscle, or bone is considered fat.
In the end these are tools to use not something to stress over too much. I’ve had several dexa scans. It was amazing to watch my body gain muscle and drop fat. I think I was 34% on my first scan and 6 months later was 29%. Too bad that place closed because of Covid. Documenting the process of my prep would be cool
In the end these are tools to use not something to stress over too much. I’ve had several dexa scans. It was amazing to watch my body gain muscle and drop fat. I think I was 34% on my first scan and 6 months later was 29%. Too bad that place closed because of Covid. Documenting the process of my prep would be cool
@toliver
Does the whole idea of what essential fat mass / minimum healthy bf% not account for this sort of thing though? Presumably this is in the "essential fat" category? Which would correlate in a way to what you're saying about 5%ish because male essential bf is around 5% (the additional 10% or so for women is obviously part of the countable stuff in thighs/stomach etc.)
Never quite thought about it, convenient that lines up if it's not true haha
Does the whole idea of what essential fat mass / minimum healthy bf% not account for this sort of thing though? Presumably this is in the "essential fat" category? Which would correlate in a way to what you're saying about 5%ish because male essential bf is around 5% (the additional 10% or so for women is obviously part of the countable stuff in thighs/stomach etc.)
Never quite thought about it, convenient that lines up if it's not true haha
@yourservant Lmao my body fat percentage was THIRTY FUCKING SEVEN before I lost eleven pounds. I think it’s around 30% at the moment, but I can’t be too sure
biblenewsfeed
New member
@pennypule I can imagine 
I was like, ‘wait wtf 
’ when I got off the scale
I thought I’d be 33% max - but in my case, it was more believable bc I was a tad overweight (5’10, 78.5 kg) when I first started trying to lose weight (which was mostly changing my diet).
(I was a size 10 but now I’m a 6 - sometimes 8 in pants - even tho I still have a beer gut and bat wings
)
(Edited cuz numerous typos lol)
I was like, ‘wait wtf ’ when I got off the scale I thought I’d be 33% max - but in my case, it was more believable bc I was a tad overweight (5’10, 78.5 kg) when I first started trying to lose weight (which was mostly changing my diet).
(I was a size 10 but now I’m a 6 - sometimes 8 in pants - even tho I still have a beer gut and bat wings
)(Edited cuz numerous typos lol)
@yourservant Id say this is pretty normal for someone who is untrained. Skinnyfat is also another term but I find that somewhat pointlessly demeaning and it causes people to try and lose weight when they don't need too.
You just need to build muscle to improve body composition. If you spend a year lifting and gain 10lbs of muscle, you can be leaner at 145 then you were at 135. Ive seen it plenty of times.
You just need to build muscle to improve body composition. If you spend a year lifting and gain 10lbs of muscle, you can be leaner at 145 then you were at 135. Ive seen it plenty of times.
@yourservant This is really cool, thanks for sharing. You'll thank yourself for getting this now in two years time. Think of the healthy years you'll be adding to your life by building muscle and getting into an active lifestyle while you're young. I'm excited for you! I agree about focusing on high protein and progressive overload with heavy weights. If you don't already have a workout programme, I really recommend Sohee Lee's programmes (Lift at Home is what I'm doing atm) as an intro to lifting.
patrick1975
New member
@yourservant I am 33% Fat and have worked out 5-6 times a week for over ten years and have a healthy diet (80% of the time - usually have 1 meal out per week), my fat is all on my thighs, and i'd love to lose some but i have found in my 30s losing weight is impossible now! Such a slog! Anyway,
My doctor told me I don't need to sweat it too much, i am doing the right things and the fat I have isn't on the stomach area which is what would be more concerning for them health wise.
My doctor told me I don't need to sweat it too much, i am doing the right things and the fat I have isn't on the stomach area which is what would be more concerning for them health wise.
mattjorgdbb
New member
@patrick1975 Ahh, me too! I started at 32% in January (5’9”, 138lbs) and thought my body fat would plummet when I started lifting. Hahaha. After 6 months it’s now at 30 - managed to get it down to 28 but if I stop paying attention to diet it jumps back up. It’s all a LOT slower than I thought and requires way more diet discipline than I imagined.
I do notice some physical changes though in my clothes, so make sure you are documenting in many ways!
I do notice some physical changes though in my clothes, so make sure you are documenting in many ways!
@patrick1975 33% gang checking in!
I've done powerlifting and strongman for nearly 3 years and compete in the 72kg class.
Weirdly my bf % hasn't changed at all since I cut to get in the 72 class (down from 80kg). I definitely look leaner so I assumed I'd have recomped and be in the "healthy" bf range by now, but whatever I don't care too much.
I've done powerlifting and strongman for nearly 3 years and compete in the 72kg class.
Weirdly my bf % hasn't changed at all since I cut to get in the 72 class (down from 80kg). I definitely look leaner so I assumed I'd have recomped and be in the "healthy" bf range by now, but whatever I don't care too much.
@patrick1975 Me too… I workout every day but have 30% fat