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What's the ideal body fat percentage level?

  • 26-03-2008 9:28am
    #1
    Fruiti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭


    Hi all - I have a quick question in relation to measurement of body fat percentage. I've recently joined a gym and had a meeting with the personal trainer a few days ago. He measured my body fat percentage (with a calipers) and told me it's 28. I'm female, 25, 5'6, 118lbs. I've always considered myself normal weight and certainly never fat. But this BFP indicates that I'm veering into overweight category (based on my rudimentary google searches as to the ideal BFP). Would this be correct and aside from my workout sessions at the gym what else should I do to reduce it? I'm conscious that it could become very unhealthy.

    As mentioned, I've just joined the gym. In terms of other exercise, I walk 4 miles per day (to and from work - which I know isn't exactly taxing) and generally go for a swim at the weekend. It's probably not nearly enough to keep me fit. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)


Comments

  • #2
    Dragan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,497 ✭✭✭✭Dragan


    Eeeek!

    If you were happy the whole way up to now then why let someone with a fancy ruler harsh your mellow? :)


  • #3
    aye
    Closed Accounts Posts: 991 ✭✭✭aye


    did the trainer not give you a programme after your assessment?
    i would think it's a lack of muscle even tho you are slim, you can still have a lack of muscle.
    you shouldnt be too concerned about it, the trainer should give you a body composition weights program, and if you follow it the BF will go down.
    also walking 4 miles is better than the majority of people, so keep it up.


  • #4
    Fruiti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭Fruiti


    yep I got a programme and am determined to stick to it so we'll see what happens. I knew I was unfit and lacked muscle tone so hopefully the programme will help with that. Thanks! :)


  • #5
    crotalus667
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭crotalus667


    Fruiti wrote: »
    I'm female,

    Im male with a bf of 21-22 % which gives me a gut , mf female freind has a bf 24-25% which gives her visabull ab' s, the difference is in the boob's how did you get measured ??


  • #6
    aye
    Closed Accounts Posts: 991 ✭✭✭aye


    crotalus667 wrote: »
    Im male with a bf of 21-22 % which gives me a gut , mf female freind has a bf 24-25% which gives her visabull ab' s, the difference is in the boob's how did you get measured ??

    eh who told you this?
    women natuarlly have a higher body fat percentage than men.
    men then to get more fat on their stomach area, whereas women tend to get excess fat on their thighs and hips.
    the capilers don't measure the boobs!!!


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  • #7
    G86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,660 ✭✭✭G86


    That can't be accurate, I get mine measured with callipers by a personal trainer and its 17%, and I'd be aiming for 15%. I'm 5' '9 and just over 11 stone.

    Even when I started with him and was heavier it was 23%.

    I'm obviously no expert and only new to this myself, but I'd definitely question it being 28%.


  • #8
    crotalus667
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭crotalus667


    aye wrote: »
    eh who told you this?
    women natuarlly have a higher body fat percentage than men.
    men then to get more fat on their stomach area, whereas women tend to get excess fat on their thighs and hips.
    the capilers don't measure the boobs!!!


    It's the hand held one we where useing :rolleyes: I ordered one of thoes accu ones so Ill see that the difference is when they get here :cool:

    (ps the 2 of us guessed the boob thing:D )


  • #9
    aye
    Closed Accounts Posts: 991 ✭✭✭aye


    well girls do have more fat than guys naturally anyway.

    as for the hand held ones. they can be inaccurate based on your level of dehydration.
    they work by bioelectric impedance.
    They send an electric current through the body, and the body fat results are calculated based on the impedance of the current, as muscle contains much more water than fat. Hence the more muscle, the less electrical impedance.
    so if you are dehydrated, the results will be higher.

    the reason your abs arent visable and her's are could be because women get more excess fat on the thighs and hips areas.


  • #10
    aye
    Closed Accounts Posts: 991 ✭✭✭aye


    G86 wrote: »
    That can't be accurate, I get mine measured with callipers by a personal trainer and its 17%, and I'd be aiming for 15%. I'm 5' '9 and just over 11 stone.

    Even when I started with him and was heavier it was 23%.

    I'm obviously no expert and only new to this myself, but I'd definitely question it being 28%.

    are you male? if so then your BF % will be lower as men have more muscle.
    For men a normal bf% is around 15% to 20%, for women its 20% to 25%.
    the ranges here are averages.
    so 28% for a girl wouldnt be surprising at all.


  • #11
    rubadub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,386 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Fruiti wrote: »
    (based on my rudimentary google searches as to the ideal BFP).
    Do a bit more searching and you will realise BF% measurements are usually woefully inaccurate.

    The calipers are best for tracking a change in BF, i.e. if you overall total measured mm goes down or up you know you are losing/gaining. But even with calipers depending on what formula you use there can be massive variations, using the same figures.


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  • #12
    G86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,660 ✭✭✭G86


    aye wrote: »
    are you male? if so then your BF % will be lower as men have more muscle.
    For men a normal bf% is around 15% to 20%, for women its 20% to 25%.
    the ranges here are averages.
    so 28% for a girl wouldnt be surprising at all.

    No, I'm female. Though I do have a tendency to gain weight around my abdomen and not my hips/thighs.


  • #13
    aye
    Closed Accounts Posts: 991 ✭✭✭aye


    G86 wrote: »
    No, I'm female. Though I do have a tendency to gain weight around my abdomen and not my hips/thighs.

    you have a very good BF % then.
    the capillers cant vary based on the trainer as you said, because it a manual procedure.
    OP my advise would be not to get too caught up in the numbers, just when the re-assessment is done do it with the same instructor.


  • #14
    G86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,660 ✭✭✭G86


    aye wrote: »
    you have a very good BF % then.
    the capillers cant vary based on the trainer as you said, because it a manual procedure.
    OP my advise would be not to get too caught up in the numbers, just when the re-assessment is done do it with the same instructor.


    I think your ideal is relative to your own personal goals. I was actually speaking to my trainer about this last week. For example, when I was at 23% I'd be delighted to be at 20%, but now that I'm at 17% I can see I still have a bit to go to be at my ideal size. Plus, you have to take height into account, thats why I found it strange that the OP'S bf was 28% at her height and weight. I know whenever my bf is measured its always in the same places, subscap,arms,thighs and hip. Maybe it differs on where your measured? Would that be right to say?


  • #15
    Fruiti
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭Fruiti


    Hmm - well he measured just below my shoulder blade, arm, lower back and thigh - are these the usual places to measure? that's why I was worried - that even though I don't look big over a quarter of my body is all fat!!!! argh! maybe I'll get it done again, although the instructor didn't seem overly worried, he just said, "you're not overweight, you're just unfit"!:confused:


  • #16
    aye
    Closed Accounts Posts: 991 ✭✭✭aye


    Fruiti wrote: »
    Hmm - well he measured just below my shoulder blade, arm, lower back and thigh - are these the usual places to measure? that's why I was worried - that even though I don't look big over a quarter of my body is all fat!!!! argh! maybe I'll get it done again, although the instructor didn't seem overly worried, he just said, "you're not overweight, you're just unfit"!:confused:

    well first off he shouldnt have said anything of the sort! he should just have taken the calculation and left it.
    you're not overweight, but i wouldn't think you are unfit either with the walking and the swimming, you just have low muscle mass (this is a guess by the way!).
    i wouldnt be worried either, it will go down with the programme.
    i dont think you should be worrying about it either, its just a number!

    personally i have always been taught the places to take it from are the biceps, triceps, just above the hips and the shoulder blade area.
    some people do take it from the thigh also, just different areas.


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