Body fat percentage?

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Greycap

Greycap

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OK, I've known that I'm a bit on the lean side with 173 cm and 60 kg - body mass index 20 which is perfectly normal - but recently I bought a scale that calculates the body water percentage, muscle percentage and body fat percentage. According to the scale:

My body water percentage is around 67% - perfectly plausible for a young man.
My muscle percentage is around 45% - perfectly plausible for a quite fit young man.
My body fat percentage is around 7% - no 🤬 way. Can't be. Professional athletes have figures like that, not office clerks who have biking as a hobby.

People with better knowledge - can it really be?
 
I always thought that if you can see your abs then you have <10% body fat.

So... can you?
 
My body fat % was 5% last time I measured, but I don't believe that even if I am 6ft and weigh 64kg with a BMI 19.1.

And yes I can see my abs although they are not defined at all.
 
For comparison, professional climbing cyclists aim for a body-fat percentage of max, if not under, 7%.

So, do you look like Andy Schleck? If not, your scale is probably trolling you.
 
I probably could see my abs if there was something worth seeing. And while I don't look quite like Andy I'm about as thin.

The odd thing is that if that the scale is trolling me it's being very consistent in doing it. I'd understand if it freaked out once but it has given figures around 7-8% for three days in a row. And if those figures are correct, how on earth have I got myself in such a form with no "sports diet" of any kind? Does not compute, not at all.
 
Well, if you want truly accurate figures, you should go see a doctor, I suppose. But, anyways, getting that low a body fat percentage also depends on your metabolism, I think. I at least remember being told that by one of the trainers at my gym.

A friend of mine, for example, is an absolute hard gainer. Whatever he does, he doesn't gain any weight - whether it's muscle or fat, doesn't matter. He hasn't been doing anything but playing League of Legends, but his body fat percentage should be way less than 10%, easily.

I, on the other hand, am the complete opposite. Fast gainer to the max. I put on wieght, both muscles and fat, as if it's nothing, even though im on a sub-2000 calories diet.

You shouldn't worry too much about it.
 
Greycap
The odd thing is that if that the scale is trolling me it's being very consistent in doing it. I'd understand if it freaked out once but it has given figures around 7-8% for three days in a row. And if those figures are correct, how on earth have I got myself in such a form with no "sports diet" of any kind? Does not compute, not at all.
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Probably metabolism in that case. My mother can eat whatever she wants, she doesn't get a pound heavier.

I eat one cookie and I instantly become 50 pounds heavier.
 
I highly doubt anyone is under 10% BF without working out unless they are anorexic. Even skinny people can have a surprisingly thick fat layer under their skin.


Luminis

A friend of mine, for example, is an absolute hard gainer. Whatever he does, he doesn't gain any weight - whether it's muscle or fat, doesn't matter. He hasn't been doing anything but playing League of Legends, but his body fat percentage should be way less than 10%, easily.
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The reason your friend doesn't gain weight is because he doesn't eat enough calories. A lot of people think they are a 'hardgainer' and they eat a lot, when in truth they snack on crap and live off of sugary foods.
 
MarinaDiamandis
The reason your friend doesn't gain weight is because he doesn't eat enough calories. A lot of people think they are a 'hardgainer' and they eat a lot, when in truth they snack on crap and live off of sugary foods.
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I would like to dispute this, I eat a well balanced and more than sufficient diet yet I don't gain weight. Sure I exercise, mainly cycling and dodgeball, but I wouldn't say its enough to burn off what I eat on a daily basis.
 
Greycap
The odd thing is that if that the scale is trolling me it's being very consistent in doing it. I'd understand if it freaked out once but it has given figures around 7-8% for three days in a row. And if those figures are correct, how on earth have I got myself in such a form with no "sports diet" of any kind? Does not compute, not at all.
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That would be the classic accuracy vs precision example.


Soloracer3
I wouldn't say its enough to burn off what I eat on a daily basis.
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It most likely is.
 
Soloracer3
I would like to dispute this, I eat a well balanced and more than sufficient diet yet I don't gain weight. Sure I exercise, mainly cycling and dodgeball, but I wouldn't say its enough to burn off what I eat on a daily basis.
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I need 3500-4000 calories to maintain my current size per day, and all I do is lift weights and run a bit. The human body burns a lot of calories even at rest, the recommendation of 2000 calories per day is likely less than is actually needed by most people.
 
MarinaDiamandis
I need 3500-4000 calories to maintain my current size per day, and all I do is lift weights and run a bit. The human body burns a lot of calories even at rest, the recommendation of 2000 calories per day is likely less than is actually needed by most people.
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I wish I was able to eat like that without becoming fat like hell :lol:

I've been on a sub-2000 calories diet for a month now (except for Sundays, I'm at about 3000 calories on sundays) and I've barely lost any body fat. And I'm mostly going with low fat curd cheese, fish and chicken and such... I'm at 15% body fat right now and it seems very hard to lower it any further. Despitre working out two hours per day t the local gym, six days a week.
MarinaDiamandis
The reason your friend doesn't gain weight is because he doesn't eat enough calories. A lot of people think they are a 'hardgainer' and they eat a lot, when in truth they snack on crap and live off of sugary foods.
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I can't vouch for his claims, but according to him, his diet is about 2500 to 3000 calories a day, mostly protein from meat and dairy products.
 
Luminis
I can't vouch for his claims, but according to him, his diet is about 2500 to 3000 calories a day, mostly protein from meat and dairy products.
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Protein takes more energy to break down than it provides your body with, so it probably feels like he is taking in more calories than he is actually getting.

This is the same reason that i'm not super-fat, a large part of daily caloric intake is from protein.

About your diet, if you cut your caloric intake by too much you actually make it harder to lose fat mass because your body goes into survival mode (famine survival mode) and begins burning muscle mass instead of the fat that you are trying to target.
 
Huh, that might be true, yeah. I guess I'll just try out what's happening if I'm increasing the amount of calories again. As soon as I'm back at the gym, that is.
 
I just re weighed/tested myself:
Height: 185cm
Weight: 65.8kg
Body fat: 3.2%
Muscle: 49.7%
BMI: 19.2
BMR: 1771

Now just to calculate what I eat, and wonder if its due to the reasonably high metabolic rate or exercise...
 
I doubt your body fat is 3.2%, considering elite athletes only get down to 5-7%...
 
Thats what the machine thingy said, how accurate it is is an entirely different matter though. Did say dad was 25% so its not totally broken. I'll try and do one of those calliper test things where you do the different pinch points on your body and work it out like that. Or I'll try a different machine.

Using this calculator: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/sfatcent.htm I get it to be 4.0% from my height and weight so not massively different.
 
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Soloracer3
Thats what the machine thingy said, how accurate it is is an entirely different matter though. Did say dad was 25% so its not totally broken. I'll try and do one of those calliper test things where you do the different pinch points on your body and work it out like that. Or I'll try a different machine.

Using this calculator: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/sfatcent.htm I get it to be 4.0% from my height and weight so not massively different.
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There is no way you are under, say, 8-10% bodyfat without A. Having starved yourself or B. Having followed a very well put-together fat loss plan.

To show how inaccurate those machines are, when I was 200lbs and fairly 'ripped' it said that I was at 5% bodyfat. After having measurements taken by my girlfriend using my calipers (which she's used many times, so my results are likely to be consistent but not necessarily 100% accurate) it came out at 15% bodyfat.

Even calipers aren't all that accurate unless they are in the right hands, the best way to use them is to take a measurement before starting your fat loss programme and at intervals during your fat loss to track your progress. If you need an accurate measurement you'll need to see a specialist!

EDIT: Just tried that link, at 5'9" and 200lbs I have an estimated bodyfat percentage of 38.1%... goes to show how rough the calculation is, as my actual bodyfat percentage is less than half of that, even though I actually weigh 210-215lbs!
 
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Yeah I've not done either of those things. I will try and carry out the calliper method but I doubt I'll be able to get something accurate. I do not want to loose any fat anyway so I'll just put it down to a mis-measurement in this case. An accurate measurement isn't needed either, its just more out of curiosity that I'd want to know.
 

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