Body Fat Percentages of Men and Women - Pictures & Descriptions...

[Showbread]

I'm always shocked at how high the percentages get for women. I'm probably about 30%, but like the woman in the picture I really don't have much visible excess fat. Well, except in the chest region.

 

[Halla74]

I'm always shocked at how high the percentages get for women.

Hi there!

Remember, women need ~5% more body fat just to remain healthy in order to support the optimal functionality of their vital organs.
A woman at 25% body fat is most comparable to a man at 20% body fat; and based on the pictures in the OP - considering the variation in bone structure, muscle density, and overall weight distribution - I'd wager there are some seriously beautiful women in this world whose body fat is ~30%. Just sayin'

I'm probably about 30%, but like the woman in the picture I really don't have much visible excess fat. Well, except in the chest region.

I'm sure the visible fat in your chest regions is a serious impediment to the overall quality of your life, LOL!
Seriously though, we are ALL our own WORST CRITIC.
Information like this is intended to serve as a baseline to evaluate your current state with a goal state.
IMHO, it is not intended to be a newfound source of dissatisfaction or insecurity.
So long as you both are true to yourselves and to each other - Love thyself, and love your significant other as they are, and if that acceptance manifests, then great experiences are possible between you.



-Halla74

 

[Sunny Ghost]

Don't worry about your BMI; it is largely irrelevant.

NOTE:
Body fat percentage IS NOT THE SAME as BMI



My recommendation is to not use BMI at all.
I will post links to better methods of determing your actual body fat percentage in a bit.

For purposes of knowing your true level of physical fitness AND optimizing your self-esteem, I reccommend:

(A) Knowing your somatotype (ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph)
(B) Being aware of your food intake & quality of foods eaten
(C) Being aware of your level of physical activity
(D) Accepting your body's unique characteristics so that you can set realistic goals that are a benefit not only to your physical appearance, but also of benefit to your physical health, self-esteem, and overall happiness.



-Halla74

I've been somewhat self conscious lately. A person I hardly know (though have known as an acquaintance for around 10 years) said I looked like I was getting fat. Asian's are blunt man. I know, cause of growing up with my mama and her friends. (She's Korean and most of her friends are Asian, of course.) I had a lot of body image issues growing up but got over that around age 25, even though I've been heaviest since that age. I'm 5'8" and from highschool up to age 25, I weighed in between 120-135. (18-19% BMI). Now I'm between 155 and 160, and I don't carry the weight too well. A lot of people still think I look thin, but my family and other Asian friends tend to think otherwise.

I thought the body mass index was an indicator of body fat. I realize it's not fully accurate, but gives a round about idea.

I feel like the body descriptions (somatotype, etc) are usually too vague and not accurate to my body. I'm also not an "apple", a "pear", or an "hourglass." Not a "celery" either.

 

[Solar Plexus]

Hey there!

This is a good question, but one that cannot be answered without appropriately factoring out my distinct life experience from that of the risks of physical injury (be it acute, cumulative, and/or hereditary) that all human beings are at risk for simply by living.

First I'll address what I could have prevented, and when I say "prevented" I mean "lessened the probability of occurence" - because there is no guarantee that lessening (or even eliminating) the amount, duration, and scope of one or more activities will definitively ptevent an injury of any kind. Does this make sense? If not please let me know.

So, a majority of the cumulative damage done to my tendons, jonts, cartilage, and ligaments was caused by competitive powerlifting, which I did for three years when I was in high school. My freshman year I weighed about 155 pounds; by the end of my junior year I weighed 185 pounds. The majority of my training was centered on simple, compound barbell movements (bench press, squat, deadlift) - but I also integrated a variety of other barbell & dumbbell exercises into my routine because I wantes to have a balanced, proportionate physique. I never intended to be a powerlifter; I got involved with it because it is a natural stepping stone into bodybuilding. Long story short, I placed ninth in the state championship in the 189 pound weight class. That was good enough for me; I built the muscular foundation I wanted and was ready to move on and focus entirely on bodybuilding.

Muscles heal. Tendons and ligamemts don't heal well at all. And cartilage will progressively become degenerated in all joints over tthe human lifetime. So, back to my statement about preventio /risk. By pursuing powerlifting as I did, I without a doubt increased the likelihood/risk of developing chronic injury in my tendons & ligaments. BUT - that is most true for only my shoulders. My back injury (herniation at L4/L5 disc) was due toegenerative disc disease, which my Father has. In addition to the herniated disc (removed and repaired by fusing L4 and L5) I've also got three bulging discs not far from the site of ths herniation. So, in all honesty, I don't know how much of my disc issues are hereditary or self-induced; I'll never know and I honestly don't care to, I'm just rolling with it all.

A final caveat. I know people who have herniated a disc by simply picking up a gallon of milk at a bizarre angle. I know one of my shoulder surgeries (SLAP tear, left arm) was caused by me slipping and falling backward on my friend's deck; I caught myself with my left arm but severed my bicep tendon as the price of breaking the fall. Also, baseball players, swimmers, and tennis players all have similar numbers of shoulder injuries as weightlifters bodybuilders. This is why I am reticent to make any statements about what injuries of mine could have been prevented/attenuated if I pursued weightlifting any differently than I chose to.



In general, yes, but honestly I don't think any more so than any other sport.

More specifically, for a given person:

(Genetic Predisposition) + ((Physical Activity * Intensity) * (Years)) + (Random Risk) = Probability of Injury from Cumulative Strain

Thanks for the info. That explains a lot. I'm not really interested in acquiring a competition level physique, so maybe I can avoid some of the injuries you've mentioned.

Wrist pain is most commonly from:
(a) Tennis Elbow
(b) Golfers Elbow
(c) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
(d) Repetitive Movements, such as Hammering Nails or using a Screwdriver

It's good you are aware of it. The wrist brace is a smart move too. Icing it a few times per week never hurts. If it gets too bad to where you can't hold a barbell or even a briefcase then PM me and I'll send you a link where you can buy a neoprene counterforce brace that wjll shut the tendonitis down when you're lifting.

I noticed the pain was mostly a factor after doing heavy chest and shoulder press exercises. It may have been due to not keeping my wrists straight enough. I started wearing two different types of wrist braces that keep it more stabilized and I've noticed a dramatic decrease in pain.

Thanks, again, I'll let you know if this problem is exacerbated in the future.

In closing I will say that doing more reps and less weight is probably a good idea for most people. Also, always use proper form; you will get better results with less weight and also be less prone to injury. Stretching is also largely overlooked by a majority of recreational athletes/gym rats. These are the things I wish were emphasized as being more important than being a fucking enormous meathead by society. I also wish coaches explained the differences between the ability of muscle to heal as opposed to the limited ability of tendons & ligaments to heal.

The bottom line? Even if you sit on your ass and never take any physical risks in your lifetime - you will still wind up with one or more chronic/degenerative injury(ies) by the time you are middle aged, and you won't have had a whole lot of fun. We are frail, helpless and weak at birth and at death. What work we choose to do with our bodies while they serve us is our choice to make, and the affect on our bodies or the feats we might accomplish are our risks to take. The only thing that is certain is that one day we will die, and the story of our lives will be written by the words we spoke, and the actions we took while living for what we believed in.



-Halla74

I used to stretch before every workout, but then I read info online that suggested there really wasn't much benefit to it. I stopped a couple of months ago and haven't really noticed any more cramping. Perhaps, I should implement it back into my routine.

Great points! I agree, the overall risks seem to be worth the positive benefits of staying physically fit and strong. I appreciate all the feedback! umpyouup:

 

[Halla74]

Thanks for the info. That explains a lot.

You're very welcome; I'm glad the info I provided was useful to you.

I'm not really interested in acquiring a competition level physique, so maybe I can avoid some of the injuries you've mentioned.

I think I understand what you are saying, but am going to re-word it a bit just to clarify my perspective on the statement above:

(1) Whether one has the interest to acquire a competition level physique or not is not near so much a factor in their ability to minimize their chances for taking on cumulative damage from resistance training; it is HOW they LIFT that MATTERS MOST. Remember, good form, not too much weight, and proper pre-workout warm up + post workout stretching are your friends, no matter what your goal is.

(2) The lifts most prone to an acute injury (that experienced DURING THE LIFT) are indeed powerlifting-centric exercises. Some injuries as such heal and do not pose future impediment to the affected athlete, while others begin as an acute injury - and then evolve into a chronic malady.

I noticed the pain was mostly a factor after doing heavy chest and shoulder press exercises. It may have been due to not keeping my wrists straight enough. I started wearing two different types of wrist braces that keep it more stabilized and I've noticed a dramatic decrease in pain.

Advice from someone who has had three shoulder operations and worked with four different orthopedic surgeons:

(a) The worst lifts for your shoulders (as in damaging them) are (i) flat barbell bench press, (ii) behind the head military press, (iii) clean and jerk, and (iv) behind the head lat pulldown.

(b) For bench press, do not make your grip much wider than shoulder width apart. The wider the grip, the more physics works against you, your cartilage, and the comfort of your golden years.

(c) Incline bench press is safer for your shoulders than flat bench press. Always start with incline, and pre-exhaust - then move to flat bench and use lighter weight to get the same stimulation due to being at or near failure from your work on the incline bench.

(d) Dumbbells are almost always safer than barbells when it comes to bench and shoulder/military style presses.

Thanks, again, I'll let you know if this problem is exacerbated in the future.

You're very welcome. Please keep me posted! I wish you great progress in your achievements at the gym! umpyouup:

I used to stretch before every workout, but then I read info online that suggested there really wasn't much benefit to it. I stopped a couple of months ago and haven't really noticed any more cramping. Perhaps, I should implement it back into my routine.

Thank you for bringing this up; I did not address it adequately earlier.

(1) Do NOT stretch BEFORE your WORKOUT.
(2) Do 15 - 30 minutes of CARDIO before your WORKOUT to WARM-UP.
(3) Stretch AFTER your WORKOUT for maximum benefit.

Great points! I agree, the overall risks seem to be worth the positive benefits of staying physically fit and strong. I appreciate all the feedback! umpyouup:

We're on the same page for sure!
There is more potential BENEFIT than RISK to living an ACTIVE LIFE and EXERCISING.



-Halla74

 

[cafe]

Glad to hear I'm not the only woman who gains it in the belly.

I think I might be around 25% but could be anywhere between 20-30%. I've lost seven or so pounds in the last few months and it has translated into an inch smaller in my (already small) chest. Two inches smaller in my waist (which is proportionally thick). Two-three inches smaller in my hips (which are average-ish). Still feel a few inches of fat layering my stomach muscles.

I started at 86 lbs from my teens to my early to mid-thirties. Which even for my height (5'2-3") was pretty thin, but I was able to carry four pregnancies to term gaining about 20lbs with each one and none of them were low-birthweight (7lbs 5oz-8lbs 4oz). Had no problem breastfeeding (9-16 mos). Periods were always regular.

This makes me think my healthy weight is pretty low. By my early forties, I was up to 125. Have been working toward getting to 115, but I'm wondering if 110 would be better. I'm fairly sedentary, but not an overeater as a rule. Have been reducing fat and sugar mostly and it's working with surprising ease. Going to try to walk a half hour a day with the old people at the mall and if we can afford it, maybe try yoga.

Trying to decide if 110 or 115 is best or if it even matters.

 

[Showbread]

Glad to hear I'm not the only woman who gains it in the belly.

Nope, I definitely do too. I've never had a flat tummy. I've also never been anywhere near that thin though. I'm 5'3-5'4 and the thinnest I've been as an adult was about 137, size 6. I don't think I would ever want to be much smaller than that. I'm 143 and a size 8 now. I am fairly large chested though, and I have kind of broad shoulders. I was about 25 pounds heavier when I was 14 and my breasts stayed essentially the same size with nearly 30 pounds of weight loss.

 

[cafe]

Nope, I definitely do too. I've never had a flat tummy. I've also never been anywhere near that thin though. I'm 5'3-5'4 and the thinnest I've been as an adult was about 137, size 6. I don't think I would ever want to be much smaller than that. I'm 143 and a size 8 now. I am fairly large chested though, and I have kind of broad shoulders. I was about 25 pounds heavier when I was 14 and my breasts stayed essentially the same size with nearly 30 pounds of weight loss.

I'm a 32A almost no matter how much I weigh. Currently pants size 6-8. So very much pear-shaped, I guess.

 

[Showbread]

I'm a 32A almost no matter how much I weigh. Currently pants size 6-8. So very much pear-shaped, I guess.

Yeah, so totally different body types then. I've stayed a 34DD between about 15 pounds of fluctuation over the last 4 years. Pretty much an hourglass/apple shape.

 

[heal1079]

I am in the category of 30%.

 

[Amethyst]

I used to be in the 35% range, but my diet changed from the broke college diet to a more normal one and now my guess is around 20-25%!

Eat more healthy fat! Fat is good for you, and stay away from frappucinos!!

 

[Codex]

I'm about 32% probably. Would like to get down to 20%-25%.

 

[SiegfriedSchtauffen]

15% but currently I'm not training at all, I'm just eating clean (and not too much) and walk whenever possible instead of using a car even to go out to the toilet. With training at least 1 hour per day I can easily reach 10%. This is not genetics, I born as a fatty kid (4,5kg) from a very fat mother, I was 40% fatty till the age of 10 and I reached about 30-35% again for a few months when I was about 25. In my opinion keeping a good body weigh and composition is much more than 50% food quantity/quality and the rest is about physical activity. For me health is #1 so I've experimented a lot with food/training to find out what works for me.

 

[Chrysanthea]

Male and probably about 13~14%. Though my eating habits aren't too well, and I haven't been getting much exercise at all. Neither seem to affect my weight that much, as when I used to eat relatively healthily, I was still close to the aforementioned range... maybe about 12-13%. Though once I start taking female hormone supplements I am bound to gain more weight, which is what I need on my body.

 

[Kullervo]

Male, between 19-20% at the moment. I am in the process of moving down to 15% from 22%.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Trigger warning!

To keep things on topic..I don't know exactly, but I expect it's pretty low.