What the hell does that mean??

[Ashzombwee]

I just got my body composition tested today...

Apparently my body fat is at 24.8% and my muscle makes up 32.5%

The lady at the gym said these are excellent numbers but I see room for improvement

What are good numbers to shoot for in both these areas??

Is it to much to hope that my body fat % will be down to 20 by the end of the next 6 week challenge??

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

[Pat G]

I know for guys, 10% body fat is an achievable goal. But I'm not sure if the number should be higher for a woman. You could research age and gender specific percentages.

Wikipedia says 14-20 % for a female athlete.

[sashi]

I found this site interesting to visualize various body fat percentages:

http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

[Oogiem]

That was really helpful.

On the female side I think I am aiming for 18-20% or a bit more. At my age we're told that a bit more fat is better than too thin. And based on pictures alone I'd guess I'm in the 30% range or thereabouts now.

[ebm1224]

yeah, i was told by folks at the gym that 20% was about right. but you gotta look at your body and such to see what feels right.

[Sloth the Enduring]

I just got my body composition tested today...

Apparently my body fat is at 24.8% and my muscle makes up 32.5%

The lady at the gym said these are excellent numbers but I see room for improvement

What are good numbers to shoot for in both these areas??

Is it too much to hope that my body fat % will be down to 20 by the end of the next 6 week challenge??

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Interesting question. 24% is in the normal range for women, since you've been living a normal life, it's a number you would expect. 20% is the edge of athletic. So, yes, I'm positive you'll do it, but can you do it in 6 weeks?

I ran some numbers, assuming you weigh 120# (based on your photos, that's probably high, but I wanted to be conservative):

If you lose only fat and maintain your lean mass, you'd have to lose 6.75# of fat. Losing a pound a week is doable, but it's hard to do without losing some muscle mass.

If you only gain muscle and maintain your fat, you'd have to put on an incredible 27# of muscle. Not without lots of steroids.

If you maintain your weight, gain muscle, and lose fat, you'd have to put on 5.4 pounds of lean while losing 5.4# of fat. Putting on a pound of muscle a week is pretty difficult.

I'd say that getting down to 20% in six weeks is too ambitious.

My advice, ignore the number for now. It's just a number, focus on the healthy lifestyle changes you're making. You've just started lifting heavy, your body composition is going to change in ways that you like. At the very least, give the program 3 months and revisit the number then.

[Ashzombwee]

@sashi I've actually seen this site before but I find it hard to compare myself to those pictures because I'm near 25% but I really don't think I look like the example for it...but maybe I do and I'm just in denial =P

@sloth-like I guess b/c I've been told I'm too skinny and don't need to lose weight I didn't expect my body fat percentage to be that high (I normally fit into smalls or extra-smalls making me thing I was...errr...well really small)...however I realize that there is a difference between being skinny and having a rocking fit body and I personally want the latter. I appreciate that you think I'm 120 however I'm actually quite a bit heavier than that. At the gym when I weigh myself I hover around 125 (124 last weight in =D) but when I had my body fat measured I was at 129 (yikes)...I had just eaten a decently sized lunch and was wearing more clothes then I normally do to weigh in but geez!! Okay now I'm rambling...back to topic thanks for all the info (so appreciated!!) I guess I'll try to aim for a 3% loss instead of almost 5% by the end of the next week challenge...its a long process but everyday I'm seeing improvements...

[aj_rock]

The 'lady at the gym' will always tell you there's room for improvement; that's how they get you to come back later

I will say that average adult females generally have around 36% muscle mass (from wikipedia), so I think that is actually your first step. I think I remember you saying you used to be into running a lot, which contributes to lower muscle masses (the type of muscle fiber involved weighs less).

Now, to get from 32.5% to 36%, running some numbers, you need gain about 7lbs, assuming it's all muscle mass. That alone will take your composition down a % point or two.

Since you're only increasing muscle mass from low-normal to normal, gaining that muscle while losing some fat shouldn't be too difficult

[ebm1224]

first off, there is not a huge difference between 120 and 124 (or even 129). it's not uncommon to fluxuate that much (esp women given our cycles and stuff). i think something to consider is where you carry your weight and what kind of build you have.

[alexgator]

I was going to ask this same question, so I'm glad I stopped by your thread first. I have no idea what my % is (way too high, I'm sure).

I'm thinking ultimately my goal will be to get down to 23%. I wonder if anyone could answer for me:

How much difference does a percentage make? I chose 23% because I like the idea of being < 25%. But really, would there be a noticeable difference between 23 and 25%?

I'm considering making my fat percentage my main goal instead of pounds, so any input would be appreciated :]

[Sloth the Enduring]

I'm thinking ultimately my goal will be to get down to 23%. I wonder if anyone could answer for me:

How much difference does a percentage make? I chose 23% because I like the idea of being < 25%. But really, would there be a noticeable difference between 23 and 25%?

I'm considering making my fat percentage my main goal instead of pounds, so any input would be appreciated :]

Hi Alex,

I think you ought to focus on your behaviors and lifestyle before you focus on the numbers (weight or bf); there'll be a much better chance of long-term success that way.

My goal was, I am going to do 20 minutes of circuit training 6 days a week (actually averaged 5.3). I ended up losing ~2.5% bf (it took me 3+ months, but I didn't change my diet). To get back to your question, 2.5% bf for me meant ~2.5" off my belly and 32" jeans instead of 34". It's a very noticeable difference to me, but very few other people noticed, or at least said anything. Since you are obviously not a middle-aged man, your mileage may vary.

If bf is your goal, you need to take stock of where you are at and figure out what a realistic rate of loss might be for you. There are online calculators that will give you a reasonable estimate of your starting point.

[alexgator]

Since you are obviously not a middle-aged man, your mileage may vary.

Oh, thank goodness you noticed!!

But seriously, thank you for your advice. In lieu of what you've said, I think I'm going to start with some basic fitness goals (# of push ups, squats, etc) and worry about bf% when I get a better handle on where I am fitness-wise. My diet only recently went downhill, so it should be quick to clean up again, but I've never focused on building muscle. I might just jump into the NF Beginner Body Weight plan and see where that leads me! Thanks again!