# Body Fat Percentage



## Banjo (23 Jan 2010)

done a search but could find anything surprisingly.What is a good figure to aim for?


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## fido (23 Jan 2010)

Loosely speaking between 10-20% is considered normal. This range does shift upwards as you get older though.


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## jimboalee (23 Jan 2010)

Ah Banjo.

It took me weeks to collate some data.

There is 'advised Bodyfat % for age' and 'advised Bodyfat % for sporting activity'.

There is also 'body type', ie Ecto, Meso and Endos; and Body Frame size.

In the end, it's a very personal thing. 

For instance, my research found 6 levels of 'Athleticism' 
OK, Exellent, A1, 2xA1, Trim and Lean.

Unfortunately, 'Pro Cyclist' came lower than Lean.

Each has a curve for the subject's age.

And then again, it depends whether it was a North American organisation or a European organisation. Americans are allowed to be fatter.

And of course girls are different to men.

I'm not gong to give you any figure you should be, except to say "The fold of skin at the side of your belly should be less than half an inch".


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## Garz (23 Jan 2010)

5-15% for cyclists, however this is too broad a statement and I assume means non casual. There is no perfect % and age/gender make a difference. I would assume 15-20% would be fine for normal healthy people.


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## Garz (23 Jan 2010)

jimboalee said:
 

> I'm not gong to give you any figure you should be, except to say "The fold of skin at the side of your belly should be less than half an inch".



What about people that have higher than normal 'elasticity' skin levels jimbo?


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## jimboalee (23 Jan 2010)

Garz said:


> What about people that have higher than normal 'elasticity' skin levels jimbo?



I've never met the Rubber Band Man.


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## jimboalee (23 Jan 2010)

Why don't you strip off, stand infront of the mirror, grab the skinfolds around your belly and give them a waggle.

If you don't like what you see, it's time to do something about it.


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## potsy (23 Jan 2010)

Banjo said:


> done a search but could find anything surprisingly.What is a good figure to aim for?


Hi Banjo,I use this site as a general guide.
http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx?Tag=Calculators?WT.srch=1


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## jimboalee (23 Jan 2010)

potsy said:


> Hi Banjo,I use this site as a general guide.
> http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx?Tag=Calculators?WT.srch=1



A BMI calculator does not give fat % figures.

For cyclists, BMI calculator are best forgotten and skinfold calipers purchased.


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## Garz (23 Jan 2010)

But those of us with stretchy skin are not that accurate.


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## aJohnson (23 Jan 2010)

jimboalee said:


> A BMI calculator does not give fat % figures.
> 
> For cyclists, BMI calculator are best forgotten and skinfold calipers purchased.



I have one of those laying around somewhere. Never used it though.


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## Crankarm (23 Jan 2010)

If you can pinch more than an inch around your waist then you are a ..........................fat b4stard. 

As a physiotherapist once remarked, road cyclists are just lungs and a skellington.

Some people have so much fat that even a pork scratching is considered lean .

10-12% would be good going for an amateur cyclist. You don't want to go too low as where are you going to get your reserves of energy from on long cold rides?


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## Fiona N (24 Jan 2010)

Joe Beer, writing in, I think, Cycling+, had a really good article about BMI, body fat%, body type (endomorph, ectomorph etc.) and sex (since women have more fat than men generally and need a higher body fat % to remain healthy). It might be worth searching for if you're interested in this as so far nothing I've seen this thread has been exactly illuminating


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## Banjo (24 Jan 2010)

At the moment I am on 20% which apparently is at the high end of the OK bracket this is confirmed by pincing a good inch in one or two places so I guess I have a bit more work to do.Having shed nearly 4 stone of lard in 9 months its great to be nearly there but the last few pounds definitely take more shifting.

Thanks for all the replies.


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## jimboalee (25 Jan 2010)

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/a/bodyfat.htm

http://www.edb.utexas.edu/fit/bfstandards.php

http://www.weightlossforall.com/fat-percentage-ideal.htm

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0424.htm


You will be tested tomorrow.


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## walker (25 Jan 2010)

I've always sat around the 14% mark, and never strayed far from there regardless of training amount


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## buddha (25 Jan 2010)

I've just used one of those bathroom scales that 'calculates' body fat%.
It came up with 33%!!!!
Are they a load of carp, or am I about to die? (I can pinch about half an inch BTW)


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## Banjo (25 Jan 2010)

jimboalee said:


> http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/a/bodyfat.htm
> 
> http://www.edb.utexas.edu/fit/bfstandards.php
> 
> ...



Thanks for the links.

According to the "weight loss for all"link my age group should be between 

11 and 22 % so at 20 I am ok but as I am still aiming to lose a bit more should end up closer to the middle of the healthy range.


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## Banjo (25 Jan 2010)

buddha said:


> I've just used one of those bathroom scales that 'calculates' body fat%.
> It came up with 33%!!!!
> Are they a load of carp, or am I about to die? (I can pinch about half an inch BTW)



I dont imagine a cheap pair of scales will be very accurate but should tell you over time if your fat percentage is stable rising or falling.I think you have to use it as one indicator as well as your overall weight/height and the obvious fat you can pinch.PS I can pinch about an inch in places but its definitely getting less :-)


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## zacklaws (25 Jan 2010)

I bought a set of weight watcher scales which calculates, BMI, body fat etc, but after reading how inacurate they can be I bought a set of calipers as well. I found though that there was only a slight difference, around 1% of body fat and at my level, its nothing dramatic to worry about.


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## jimboalee (25 Jan 2010)

zacklaws said:


> I bought a set of weight watcher scales which calculates, BMI, body fat etc, but after reading how inacurate they can be I bought a set of calipers as well. I found though that there was only a slight difference, around 1% of body fat and at my level, its nothing dramatic to worry about.



How many pinch sites do you use. 
How do you get to read the Subscapular on your own????


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## zacklaws (25 Jan 2010)

Chest, Abdomen and Thigh.


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## jimboalee (26 Jan 2010)

zacklaws said:


> Chest, Abdomen and Thigh.



Mine are Bicep, Tricep and Suprailiac.

The fourth traditional site is the Subscapular, but one can't get to it oneself.

There is some jiggery-pokery with the tables in the book to get an 'estimate' of Subscapular.

I tested my back-calculations by having my Nursey friend do the tests on four sites and then I do the tests on three sites. Worked fine.

I've been using Slimguide calipers for about eleven years.
If anyone doesn't want to buy a pair, the SupraIliac fold mm measurement is close to 3/4 of your fat%. Well it is on me...

I have been told I have a habit of pinching my 'tummy'.


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## jimboalee (26 Jan 2010)

I have checked the tables.

EXAMPLE.


Triceps + Subscapular.

T + S = 20mm = 20.3% fat.

Triceps only.

T = 7mm + 20.2% fat.


Subscapular can be taken as 13mm.

Tricep + Bicep + Suprailiac + Subscupular = 40mm = 20.2% fat.

FOR A MAN.


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## zacklaws (26 Jan 2010)

Once I've done my measurements, rather than do the calculations, I just input them into the following website:-

http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

I don't really know how accurate the site is as I have never compared it to manual calculations, so long as the trend is downwards preferably and roughly matches the scales then I am not too concerned. A very quick check last night showed only a 4lb difference between calipers and the scales.

The main thing to do is always use the same scales and calipers providing they are not wildly inaccurate as all trends up or down will show.


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## Twenty Inch (26 Jan 2010)

jimboalee said:


> I have checked the tables.
> 
> EXAMPLE.
> 
> ...




With muscle flexed or not? I'm guessing not.


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## jimboalee (26 Jan 2010)

Twenty Inch said:


> With muscle flexed or not? I'm guessing not.



Relaxed.

I've just done some measurements and worked them through the '3 site Chest, abs, Thigh , ' formula I dug off the web.

0.25% different from my Slimguide method,,, On the lower side,,, 

So that's 1/4% between caliper methods, and the scales are 7% higher.


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## kewb (26 Jan 2010)

whats the difference between fat index and fat mass 
my fat index is 21% and fat mass 2 stone 6 lb 
measured using a machine in chemists btw .

am i hauling around 2stone in fat ?


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## jimboalee (26 Jan 2010)

I do all the measurements because I'm a technophile.

The simple measurement is :-

"How does your image in the mirror compare with the gold medalist in your sport?"

The closer it is, the happier you should be. 

Except darts,,,,


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## Rob3rt (26 Jan 2010)

kewb said:


> whats the difference between fat index and fat mass
> my fat index is 21% and fat mass 2 stone 6 lb
> measured using a machine in chemists btw .
> 
> am i hauling around 2stone in fat ?



Well id assume fat index is a percentage of your fat to body mass i.e. Body Fat Percentage = (fat mass/body mass)x100, and fat mass is an absolute number.

So if you weigh about 10 stone with a 20% body fat perentage (index) then I'd assume you are carrying about 2 stone of fat yes.

I am assuming definitions here based on general unit manipulation, I am an electronic engineer not a biologist or sports scientist, so I may be wrong. But it sounds quite logical to me.


Last time I tried to measure my own body fat percentage was over 4 years ago, It was using a device given away with tokens form special k cereal, it gave me a % of about 16% I seem to recal. I have no idea if this is accurate, Im 6'2" and weight about 13 stone 6 pounds, 1st thing in the morning. With a 34" waist. Wii fit flags me as overweight (based in BMI) if my weight goes up a couple of pounds through the day and eating etc. Which is absurd, based on my appearence, if I lost the amount of weight it says I shoud to be ideal I'd look ill! I am not ripped at all, but im pretty "skinny". I totally disregard BMI.


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## kewb (26 Jan 2010)

Rob3rt said:


> Well id assume fat index is a percentage of your fat to body mass i.e. Body Fat Percentage = (fat mass/body mass)x100, and fat mass is an absolute number.
> 
> So if you weigh about 10 stone with a 20% body fat perentage (index) then I'd assume you are carrying about 2 stone of fat yes.
> 
> ...



thanks rob,
im 5,11 and weight is currently 12stone (acording to machine in chemists )
wii fit has me in ideal range bmi wise, machine had me marked at 24.7 which is according to it just within normal (top end being 24.9 ) .
christmas excess few big rides and i,ll be like posh spice


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## Rob3rt (26 Jan 2010)

Worked that out and according to your body weight and fat mass values from the machine, then it comes up as like 20.2%.

The machine will have worked out the body fat percentage(using an electrical signal) then applied that scaling factor to your body weight to give the fat mass figure you have id imagine. So like 168 pounds x 0.21 = 35 pounds. Which is about 2 stone 7 pounds, some rounding error included. So it does closely match your values. Doesnt mean the estimate of body fat is correct, just means my guess at how the units worked wasnt far off, unless its a coincidence, hehe


I have no idea how well these electrical body fat things work, probly wont care to find out until I get to 13 stone.


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## jimboalee (26 Jan 2010)

kewb said:


> thanks rob,
> im 5,11 and weight is currently 12stone (acording to machine in chemists )
> wii fit has me in ideal range bmi wise, machine had me marked at 24.7 which is according to it just within normal (top end being 24.9 ) .
> christmas excess few big rides and i,ll be like posh spice



Hey kewb. 

Wii fit has me as obese with a BodyFat % of 18.

It can't see my legs,,,

For a cyclist, the ratio of thigh and waist is the telling measurement. A la Sir Chris.

If thigh/waist > 0.75, your doing fine.


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## kewb (27 Jan 2010)

jimboalee said:


> Hey kewb.
> 
> Wii fit has me as obese with a BodyFat % of 18.
> 
> ...



its a strange machine the wii fit ,handy, but confusing at times ,
this is the machine i got my measurements of fat mass etc from 
http://keito.com/productos-keito.php?idioma=1&model=k6
one of those grab two metal handles walk the green mile  (honestley you dont feel a thing but theres warnings for people with pacemakers or pregnant etc )
i will measure again in 4 weeks to see the difference if any .


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## jimboalee (27 Jan 2010)

kewb said:


> its a strange machine the wii fit ,handy, but confusing at times ,
> this is the machine i got my measurements of fat mass etc from
> http://keito.com/productos-keito.php?idioma=1&model=k6
> one of those grab two metal handles walk the green mile  (honestley you dont feel a thing but theres warnings for people with pacemakers or pregnant etc )
> i will measure again in 4 weeks to see the difference if any .



The current goes up one arm and down the other, as opposed to up and down the legs with the bathroom scales versions.

I don't know how repeatable the arm bioimpedance method is.
The leg bioimpedence scales I have are wild dependent upon hydration levels, prob due to the current passing through the lower abdomen.


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## normgow (28 Jan 2010)

Stand naked in front of a full length mirror.
Tense yourself then jump up and down.
If anything moves which shouldn't move, then you've got some fat to lose.


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## kewb (28 Jan 2010)

normgow said:


> Stand naked in front of a full length mirror.
> Tense yourself then jump up and down.
> If anything moves which shouldn't move, then you've got some fat to lose.



omg i dont want to lose that


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## kewb (28 Jan 2010)

jimboalee said:


> The current goes up one arm and down the other, as opposed to up and down the legs with the bathroom scales versions.
> 
> I don't know how repeatable the arm bioimpedance method is.
> The leg bioimpedence scales I have are wild dependent upon hydration levels, prob due to the current passing through the lower abdomen.



are these the sort of scales ,
http://www.scalesexpress.com/product.php?productid=16831&cat=259
might get a set of those never realised such a thing was in the shops .


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