Got my BF% checked!

[LaDyBuG]

Hey everyone....i got my BF% checked for the first time a couple of days ago just to see where i was....so i can make sure that i'm making progress....I'm about to take my finals next week and plan to hit it hard after that and for the remainder of the summer....i'm a 20 year old female and i weigh about 123 lbs. and am 5'7''....my body fat % was 123.3%....i have no idea if that is good or not....i need your imput..also i would like to get some kind of idea of a good diet and workout that could lower that BF%.....i know you get these questions all the time...i just want to start off on the right track...thanks in advance....ladybug

 

[Night Fly]

I am assuming that is supposed to be 12.33%, not 123.3%, right?

 

[LaDyBuG]

oh...i didn't catch that...actually it is 23.3%...sorry..typo!

 

[MS]

How could we know if this is "good or not"?

What are your goals?? You've said you want to lower %bf, but at your hieght, age, gender and %bf you don't have much muscle IMHO. Are you looking for a career in modelling, or just out to catch a guy/gal, or just want to look good for a special up-coming occassion??

One other thing I would like to comment on is that %BF measurements are very inaccurate, As far as I'm concerned any number you give us is plus or minus 5%!!!! Perhaps you could give us some more info on your current diet, training, who measured your %bf and how, as well as any medium or long term goals if you have any.

 

[LaDyBuG]

thanks for the replies so far...i had my BF% checked using a digital caliper at gold's gym here in town.....he told me that it might be a little off....i am a college student and i work out off and on...so on the average about twice a week maybe..just whenever i get a break from studying and i basically eat whatever i want...this summer i plan to turn that all around and workout 4 times a week...weights and cardio and my boyfriend suggested that i get on an isocaloric diet...he figured up that i should eat around 1750 cals a day....does this sound right?? so i will start that after my last final on may 9....i also plan on drinking 1 gal of H2O a day and i'm going to start drinking a protein shake as well...right after my workout....tell me what you guys think....my goal is to decrease my BF%...but i don't know how much.....i also want to gain muscle....and no, i'm not into modeling....so i don't want to be a stick....please give me some feedback..thanks....ladybug

 

[keiko]

Well, the average for American women is about 22% and anything over 30% is clinically obese. Why not gain some muscle, and lose fat. You might end up weighing more but wearing a smaller size.

 

[LaDyBuG]

yeah...i want to gain muscle....and lose body fat....just wondering about the best way...and what my BF% goal should be....i'm clueless ...please enlighten me...thanks...bug

 

[keiko]

Do a search here on weight routines, etc. The best way to burn fat is to increase your metabolic rate, which is best boosted by increasing lean body mass ( muscles--by lifting weights). Your goal is whatever you want. If you want to to be very ripped --- a low BF%.