Panorama BBC shocked me big time......

TheyCallMeTJ

Thats a very good BF%, you're at the low end of acceptable   A good region to aim for is between 14-17%.  That's the fitness range and a comfortable range to maintain on a healthy lifestyle.  You're not far from there.  And dont be surprised about it being lower than what your machine was giving.  My Impedence scales were giving me 20% BF measurement but the formula suggested something like 15%.  How do we know which to believe?  Well I visit a very good nutritionist occasionally who is also qualified in 21 point skinfold caliper measurments.  Very accurate and that measurement was around 14% so the US Navy formula certainly proved to be the more reliable which fitness experts generally vouch for.  I have been trained to take caliper measurments too but as I say it takes a lot practice to get right, I dont feel I quite got the art of it just yet!

Essential Fat        2-4%
Athletes        6-13%
Fitness        14-17%
Acceptable 18-25%
Obese        25%

Dan Baker

Worth noting that those ranges are for men and not women.  Didn't want to scare any women who might be reading as their ranges are much higher.

dvdphile

1st time I've ever tried that formula and I got a result of 23% which is classed as Acceptable. That's better than I though as I'm only 5'8" and weigh 13st 7lb. I obviously would like that to be much lower and would love a fitness level of body fat. Maybe my goal should be 20% and go from there?

I've just started the IF idea but I'm doing the alternate days like in the Panorama program. I'm doing my best to stick to around 500/600 cals on the fasting days. It's not as difficult as I thought and I'm not over hungry either!

On the UP days I'm not overeating either. I'm actually not able to eat as much as before, maybe the stomach shrinks a little? Anyway I'm going to stick with it as long as possible. Hope everyone else des too!

TheyCallMeTJ

Yes absolutley, how very sexist of me not to include both, thank you Dan

Women (% fat)       

Essential Fat        10-12%
Athletes        14-20%
Fitness        21-24%
Acceptable        25-31%
Obese        32%


Men (% fat)

Essential Fat        2-4%
Athletes        6-13%
Fitness        14-17%
Acceptable 18-25%
Obese        25%

MikeTV

Interesting. At the risk of bragging - I'm 11% (whether I use the suggested formula, or the website version). Which makes me an athlete! If only I'd known that before the olympics.

GuitarGuy

I actually never got off the ground with it in the end. Went through a bad break up the same day I started, suffice to say ice cream and booze came out. Probably start it once I'm round the corner.

TheyCallMeTJ

Awesome...lowest I got was 12.5% and that is my current target (but you might actually inspire me to reach your level

Well done, nice healthy target to go for, good luck

MikeTV

Cheers! It's nothing to do with fasting - just sensible eating and fairly regular exercise - about 3 times a week, 30 min swims. Obviously I'm not really an athlete by any stretch of the imagination! My BMI seems to be in the green - ie. normal and not under/over. My main impetus was a slightly higher than recommended cholestrol level. I'd be interested in whether I'd had any impact on that, and might get tested again.

Best of luck with your regime.

ajdj1

I used neck, waist, hip measurements and put them into this website which does the calculation for you - Body Fat Calculator 6 formulas to calculate body fat percentage (same method as TheyCallMeTJ). It won't be 100% accurate but at least gives some consistency if you use the same method.

I am female so puts me on in the 'fitness' range but quite close to athletic. The only bit of stubborn fat left to shift is on my hips, other than that I am not looking for weight loss.

This was what I was worried about when I started, but I have honestly had no cravings or hunger pains at all. The key for me is sugar. Previously I would use chocolate etc as a meal replacement and end up on a sugar rollercoaster where I always felt hungry. I've cut as much refined sugar as possible and this seems to be working really well.

I've been eating a lot of salad (as much colour on the plate as possible), veg, fresh fish (trout, cod), tinned tuna, chicken, turkey (turkey mince can be used in lots of different ways and very lean), pork, lean beef, low fat mozzarella, omelettes. Quark, low fat cottage cheese and 0% fat Greek yoghurt are all good in place of sauces or dressings. Having one cup of black coffee in the morning then lots of water (hot and cold) throughout the day. A couple of glasses of red wine at the weekend

qwerty321

For those that are doing 18-6. What are the times for eating and fasting?

Ive just finished a month of Ramadan but didn't really take any measurements or weight. Thinking of doing IF now and simply skipping lunch 2-3 days a week at work. So it would be around a 12 hours fast.