Unacceptable bf%

[Face]

Ok, went to the gym today and got my bf measured by a machine. Lets just say its a lot higher than I thought it would be, was quite a shock to be honest. The thing is that I am bulking at the moment and i wondered how I could lower my bodyfat percent while bulking, other than by upping the cardio and eating much cleaner, both of which I plan to do..... I can't risk it going any higher, I already feel like a fat bastard.....

[psyko1]

Re: Unacceptable bf%

Originally posted by Face
i wondered how I could lower my bodyfat percent while bulking, other than by upping the cardio and eating much cleaner,

hmmmm.............you tell me pal. try eating at subway;)

[sana]

those electric bf% monitors are notoriously inaccurate. go by how you look in the mirror instead of what a machine tells you.

[Face]

Well, I can see a vague outline of my abs and have pretty good cuts on my bi's and tri's. So where does that leave me????? Approximately of course.....

[sana]

it's basically impossible to say. everyone holds fat in different places. bouncer for example always has his abs, but he holds more fat inside his belly - even though there are abs, and veins all over.

i think you should go by the mirror and how you feel rather than trying to assess what you think your bf% is. it's just a number. doesn't mean much unless you're trying to compete.

[redsquirrel]

You could also invest in a $20 pair of calipers. They are a much more accurate way to gauge progress and more accurate than the machine. They come with a book on how to do the pinches, so almost anyone can do them for you.

I remember I got on one of those when I was dieting for my show, and it said my BF was like 18%....when the calipers had me at like 11%.

[Face]

I have them but I can't seem to measure very well with them. Get such big differences between consecutive measurements, must be doing something wrong :(

[redsquirrel]

Have same person do it for you every time. Your pinches will be inconsistent especially if you do it yourself. Ask someone at your gym to do it. That's what they get paid for.

[MDAM21]

i work at a gym, and we often use those machines to meausure bodyfat. they are so inconsistent and innacurate, but just get lazy sometimes and dont wanna deal with the calipers:). listen to sana...who cares about bodyfat? if u clean up your diet and do a little more cardio you will SEE results. thats what counts. give it a few weeks

[Face]

The reason I don't like to trust the mirror is cos my senses can lie

[MDAM21]

tru, but if u know you diet is clean, and you know your doing more cardio, and you give it about a month,,,senses or not, you will lose body fat

[mr8907]

your bf% if you say you can see your outline of abbs and are cut on your bi's and tri's going by myself i would say 12-15%.

[swollenmember]

whats a unhealthy bf%, we have an electronic bf machine here at my gym and it read 4.7%, I thought that couldnt be right.

[MDAM21]

4.7 is like contest body fat, you couldnt survive on that consistently, not enough fat for your vital organs

[Taleigh21]

From WEB MD:

How Much Fat is OK?

The American Council on Exercise provides the following ranges for body-fat percentage:


Women Men

Essential fat
10-12% 2-4%

Athletes
14-20% 6-13%

Fitness
21-24% 14-17%

Acceptable
25-31% 18-25%

Obese
32% plus 26% plus