Hi everyone,
I am interested in hearing about your body fat percentages. I am interested in knowing what your starting body fat percentage was when you started lifting and the date, and what your BF% and weight is currently. I am also
interested in how you are figuring your BF%...whether through calipers, BF scales, or other methods. Just trying to get an idea on how I am doing personally in that arena, and through learning about others successes, in setting future mini goals for myself in lowering my BF% through strength training and my dancing.
Aphil

Well, I'll start...

I've said this before (and I'll say it again!) but I don't care about bodyfat percentages personally...

All of the methods of determining bodyfat % have a margin of error (+/-) some wider than others. Even the most accurate methods can vary from day to day or even hour to hour.

I stopped worrying about BF%'s a couple years ago - I now go by "look and feel" - i.e. clothes size. As long as I'm a size four (yup!) and see some definition when I look in the mirror then I personally don't give a rip about what the scale/calipers/etc say...it's not like the number is going to be branded on my forehead or anything

Just my two cents...

Afraid I'm still a little bit more hung up on numbers that our laid-back Mrs. J , so I'll give you my stats, for what it's worth.

My body fat % has always been done by a gym trainer, using calipers on nine sites (I think that's considered to be fairly accurate if the tester knows what he/she is doing, though there's still something like a 3% margin of error).

June 1, 2001 = weight 257, BF 57% (although it's not very accurate when you're superobese like I was)

May 11, 2002 = weight 135, BF 16% (goal)

November 15, 2002 = weight 132.5, BF 12.5% (gym contest)

Most recent - January 12, 2004 = weight 136, BF 15.9% (two surgeries in the past year set me back a bit)

I'd like to maintain at about 14-15%. I think that's sustainable without killing myself dieting.

Meg

I saw your post earlier, and was waiting for someone else to reply first. My thinking is that since everybody is so unique, and methods of measurement vary, comparison to other people's BF% really isn't an equal opportunity barometer of how I'm doing.

But I'll be happy to comply if you think it will help-

Starting weight, March 3, '03 was 248# and 41% BF

Started lifting 9/15/03, weight 208# and 32% BF (-25 inches)

Last Measurement 12/19/03, weight 188# and 28% BF (-15.25 inches)

My gym does the 9 site caliper pull and feeds the numbers into a computer program.

I would like to see 15% body fat, however, like Mrs. Jim, I'm going for 'the look' and the feel of clothes. My goal right now is to challenge myself to see how far I can take this. I'll know when I get there.

dip

Hello, I just finished Covert Bailey's "Ultimate Fit or Fat" -- the new version. He has developed an interesting paper-and-pencil formula for calculating body fat percentage and lean body mass. He has different formulae for men and women, and separate formulae for under-thrirty and over thirty. The measurements are in inches. In my case, the formula for body fat is

hips + thigh - (2 x calf) - wrist = % body fat

that is

43 + 23 - (2 x 15) - 6.5 = 29.5 % body fat

He calculates total pounds of fat like so:

(total weight) x (percent body fat) = pounds of fat

In my case: 185 x .295 = 54.575 pounds of fat

(Note the decimal point to the left, e.g. .295, not 29.5)

And lean body mass is derived:

(total weight) - (pounds of fat) = lean body mass

so 185 - 54.575 = 130.425 pounds of lean body mass.

Hope I did the math right, not my best subject, lol! I have no idea how accurate these formulae are, but Mr. Bailey claims the results are close to the water immersion method.

Hmmmm ... Interesting.... I bet everyone has their pen and papers out!

Thanks everyone! Yeah...I go by my "look" in the mirror mainly, and my clothing size...but I do keep track of my numbers in my diet/exercise journal once a month to keep track of my progress-each month I weigh in, have my body fat percentage calculated, and take my measurements on various parts of my body...I still like to see the "numbers go down" so to speak. I am not obsessive about it...but I like to look back and see where all the numbers where 2 years ago...and see that visual "on paper" proof of my progress.
You all are doing great, and having you all here to share with has been a great part of my motivation!
Aphil

Hey all,

Wow, Aphil, I remember you from way back! How you doin girl? Good to see you!!!!

Challenge 1 start:
Caliper = 40.8% body fat
Tanita scale = 44% body fat

Challenge 1 end:
Caliper = 36.9% body fat
Tanita scale = 43% body fat

Of course I prefer the caliper method but it is so darn difficult to get the same person scheduled to do it that I've pretty much let that measurement go. I know I am getting healthier by the way I look (cellulite is finally going away, woo hoo!) and by the trusty pants-o-meter.

For what it's worth.

Right now I'm on Challenge 3, down 40 pounds and counting. The scale seems stuck but I can tell by my clothes that I'm still getting smaller. Journaling like mad, and trying to keep my workouts..... I haven't been able to get an appointment at the gym to do the caliper test.
Right now the Tanita scale says I'm 41% body fat. I did the above calculation and it said I'm at 32%. I now have a new favorite method of body fat testing, ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!! Just kidding, the calipers are the only ones I take seriously.

have a good week all,

Jennifa

Hey girls, and welcome back Aphil!

This is interesting I just did the BF% calc with the above method... came out to 32%

I found this formula on L&S:

and this way I got 16.09%

Go figure...

Ummm ... I'm pretty sure that formula is a tad off -- I'm 1.6% BF with it and that's a little itsy bit low for me ....

OMG Meg -- I think you're a skeleton with that bf%....

LOL Meg! You would be a skeleton! I like that calculator, tho. Puts me at 4%.
HAHAHA!

ALL VERY INTERESTING
Curves had a doodad to calculate bf%, last year, at 190lbs, before weight training, i was 29%. then recently i tried my friends scale which reads bf%, supposably, and it said 30%, at 177lbs! but it asked for my hieght, which makes me think it's a generalized number calculated from weight and height--which for me is crap cause i, seriously, am big boned. i don't wear bracelets cause i can never find one that fits around my wrist! but, she mentioned, in order for it to work, you had to take your socks off. still, i think that's wrong- i figure i'm in the mid 20's by the way i look, there is no way i'm 1/3 fat! but i won't tell my friend, she's small boned and tall so it's probably somewhat accurate for her.
i'm gonna try a couple of those calculations.