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What is the right per cent of body fat??
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marw



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PostPosted: August 1, 2006 3:14 AM    Post subject: What is the right per cent of body fat?? Reply with quote

At my Health Club tonight, I had a session with a personal trainer, and he measured my total body fat. He told me it was 26 percent. Is this good or bad? I asked him and he was rather vague about, refused to be pinned down. Sort of said something like: "...well, for your age.....blah, blah...."

I would like to know for sure what this means. Anyone know?

Thanks Smile

P.S. If you need to know this to answer my question, I weigh 103 pounds and am 5'2" tall. I guess that would mean that roughly a fourth of my body wieght is fat?? Yuk! That doesn't sound good. I have been working my buns off to develop muscle....so I am not pleased with this much fat.
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Lori



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PostPosted: August 1, 2006 7:52 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Margaret,

It's my understanding that 20-27% is a healthy range for women (women's bodies require more fat than men's). Not sure why the trainer hemmed & hawed & commented on your age. You are within a healthy range, period!

That's great, Margaret! Keep up the good work and stay cool!

Very Happy Lori


Last edited by Lori on August 1, 2006 9:11 AM; edited 1 time in total
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Mary Dude



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PostPosted: August 1, 2006 8:59 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Margaret - I'm thinking that 26% is a respectable number for a woman! I'm still fighting my way down...at my high weight %body fat was high 40's. I'm down under 34% and excited about it! I believe 34% is the Army maximum for females at my age.....
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kevin
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PostPosted: August 1, 2006 9:04 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

a recent study of marines on active duty showed that the average female marine had a body fat percentage of 23.1%. considering that the marines as a whole are among the fittest people on the planet, i'd say you're doing very well in this regard. Smile

btw: it seems to me the reason your personal trainer hemmed and hawed was because he doesn't have a clue.
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Melody



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PostPosted: August 1, 2006 9:29 AM    Post subject: Check here it explains it all Reply with quote

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm
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marw



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PostPosted: August 2, 2006 1:32 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, everyone, for these replies. I feel better about it, and learned something, too! Smile

ya' know, I was a little annoyed at the frequent references to my age that this trainer made, anyway. (at least this was a free session, and I didn't have to pay for it.)

So Kevin, I think that is right, he doesn't have a clue.

Melody, thank you for the web site. It was very informative. I'm going to check some of the other pages indicated there, too.

btw: the way he calculated it seemed strange to me: he told me to squeeze this box as hard as I could with my hands.....I don't have a lot of strength in my hands, and told him that, but he said that had nothing to do with it. He never did answer when I asked him what did, either! Rolling Eyes
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Last edited by marw on August 4, 2006 3:14 AM; edited 1 time in total
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Barbara K.



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PostPosted: August 2, 2006 1:43 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very Happy How is body fat caculated?

Blessings,
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kevin
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PostPosted: August 2, 2006 8:55 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

barbara wrote:
How is body fat caculated?

the most accurate way is by hydrostatic weighing (underwater weighing), but the marines developed a simple and extremely accurate model of anthropometric measurements to predict body fat percentages. there's a very good explanation of this method (and accompanying charts) in "the marine corps 3x fitness program for men and women" by martin cohen, which is out of print, but you may be able to get a copy at your library. if not, amazon has used copies starting at 39 cents:

buy it on amazon

Smile
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Barbara K.



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PostPosted: August 3, 2006 3:38 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very Happy Thank you Kevin. I think I'll pass on the book though. I have enough to read for the moment.

Blessings,
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Free



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PostPosted: August 5, 2006 7:10 PM    Post subject: Re: Check here it explains it all Reply with quote

Melody wrote:
http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm

I would go with Melody's link. I had a personal trainer and nutritionalist. If you want to be 'fit' your body fat should be 24% or less of your total weight. Exercise and eat plenty of protein in your diet and you should have no problem adding lean muscle mass and loosing fat.
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marw



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PostPosted: August 7, 2006 2:46 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Free. Many personal trainers know their stuff. This guy didn't. This is a pretty hard-sell place, and he was annoyed because he knew I would not be signing up for Personal Training on a regular basis. Basically he was trying to blow me off. I'm not even sure his analysis of my body fat is correct, but at any rate I don't think 26 per cent is bad. I am very thin and really do not want to lose any more. I am very well muscled in my legs, hips, abs, and back. I could use more upper body work (probably where the extra 2 percent is Rolling Eyes ), but I'm not overly worried about it.

I was also ticked off about those references he made to my age. Actuallly I have a doctors release, based on my cardio stress test, to work my heart at the same rate a much younger person would....up to 150 beats. I was in VERY good shape when I took the stress test, like someone 20 years younger, and I had just quit smoking then, so I imagine it is better now.

Thanks for the info. Knowledge is power. THe more we know, the better we can fine-tune. Cool Smile
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Free



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PostPosted: August 8, 2006 11:36 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gyms have 'trainers' and they have 'salesmen'. The real trainers care, they don't push a sale. The salesmen don't care about anything or anyone but the sale ... they can really ruin the 'gym experience'. I've deal with a couple as well and know what you feel as far as the agitation goes with them.
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marw



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PostPosted: August 8, 2006 11:42 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know what you mean, Free. I think the Personal Trainers care, too....or at least many of them do. This guy was also the salesman who sold me this Club, so I was surprise he was working as a trainer. However, this club is not bad....still I may return to the YMCA when this year of Membership is up. I will have to see how I feel about it. I left the "Y" which I liked because they got different machines in, which I didn't like! Rolling Eyes
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Free



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PostPosted: August 8, 2006 11:45 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am still at the gym where I had a bad experience with the 'salesman'. The gym is great. The salesman didn't last and no longer works there. Heh!
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justtheprincess



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PostPosted: August 10, 2006 5:56 PM    Post subject: ewwww... Reply with quote

I don't like those links. I am right on the border of acceptable and obese!!!! I don't eat bad foods, I just eat lots of good food.

I gained 40 pounds this last 6 months. Stress and worry and not taking care of myself has really taken it's toll on me. I have corrected this, since letting everything go to God that I can't handle. I've lost 8 in the last 3 weeks (5 water and 3 good lbs), which is what I wanted to see.

I want to be happy, healthy, joyous and free and I'm doing it!
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