[junooo]

I just have no idea how to calculate it properly. I have a pair of calipers and one of those funky scales at the gym I go to. I don't trust either.

Half a year ago my bodyfat% was 33%. I worked really hard and now my fat is noticebly looser and I look better (nowhere near done though). I am too scared to get on the scale and too annoyed at the calipers to really know what my bodyfat is. I feel like the scale has always told me I'm 35%, and the calipers are really difficult to use and also seem to measure between 25% and 30% depending on the angle.

Yes I've tried google, yes I've tried youtube, no I will not spend 600 euro on a dexascan unless someone pays it for me. Does anyone have any tips or tricks?

[DramaKing]

Do you mean BMI? Y ou just need to measure your weight and add your height into the equation. Don't remember what that is. Also, calipers measure distance.

[junooo]

Do you mean BMI? Y ou just need to measure your weight and add your height into the equation. Don't remember what that is. Also, calipers measure distance.

I do not mean bmi. I am a healthy bmi, I just have thunderthighs. Also, bodyfat calipers measure bodyfat%.

[DramaKing]

I do not mean bmi. I am a healthy bmi, I just have thunderthighs. Also, bodyfat calipers measure bodyfat%.

BMI seems like an easier and "good enough" measurement, but I guess I learned something. Just get a cloth tape measure and google "body fat calculator."

[loadman]

the most accurate test is that underwater one i forgot the name for it

[m1000]

Nothing is going to be quite as accurate as a dexascan. Measure your progress by simply looking in the mirror and keeping track of your weight loss every month. Congratulations on your recent weight loss and keep it up!

[junooo]

the most accurate test is that underwater one i forgot the name for it

It's super expensive as far as I know.

Nothing is going to be quite as accurate as a dexascan. Measure your progress by simply looking in the mirror and keeping track of your weight loss every month. Congratulations on your recent weight loss and keep it up!

Yeah but dexa is super duper expensive. I wish I had the money but I'm also saving up for something else. I now just measure my width.
And thank you.

[CL1B]

12-15% you see the outline of your abs, that's how I've done it for 20+ years and maintain my body.

In the winter when I train less I will see the outline become slightly more plump, indicating my winter weight gain.

That's also how all my peers check it I believe for their bulk/cut cycles. If you lose a lot of weight from 33% (which is morbidly obese) you 99% of the time need to have surgical procedure to remove the loose skin, easy to mistake for fat but it's not and it won't shrink ever. In EU you can have your insurance cover this for you because obesity is a considered something something and if not it's around 1200 EUR so about 1500 USD to get it removed. Also it's a quick procedure and often no wait list.

If i were you: Continue to lose weight until it's not advised anymore (lower end of good BMI and around 13-15% fat depending on ethnic and genes) and only then get the procedure; and don't rush it either.. You don't have to be done by X or X date, take it easy and if you don't have the funds save up for it easy and slow. The reason is because if you get it too early and lack the discipline to keep the weight down you might need to do the same all over again 5 years later due to yoyo effect that many people have.

And please do not let anyone or anything convince you there is another way to get rid of loose skin, it will only cloud your brain and waste your time and money.

Goodluck!

[junooo]

12-15% you see the outline of your abs, that's how I've done it for 20+ years and maintain my body.

In the winter when I train less I will see the outline become slightly more plump, indicating my winter weight gain.

That's also how all my peers check it I believe for their bulk/cut cycles. If you lose a lot of weight from 33% (which is morbidly obese) you 99% of the time need to have surgical procedure to remove the loose skin, easy to mistake for fat but it's not and it won't shrink ever. In EU you can have your insurance cover this for you because obesity is a considered something something and if not it's around 1200 EUR so about 1500 USD to get it removed. Also it's a quick procedure and often no wait list.

If i were you: Continue to lose weight until it's not advised anymore (lower end of good BMI and around 13-15% fat depending on ethnic and genes) and only then get the procedure; and don't rush it either.. You don't have to be done by X or X date, take it easy and if you don't have the funds save up for it easy and slow. The reason is because if you get it too early and lack the discipline to keep the weight down you might need to do the same all over again 5 years later due to yoyo effect that many people have.

And please do not let anyone or anything convince you there is another way to get rid of loose skin, it will only cloud your brain and waste your time and money.

Goodluck!

First of all: I am a woman. I am not morbidly obese and I never was. I had a 33% bf percentage and I fell just in the range of a healthy bmi. My fat stores mainly around my lower body, including and not limited to a fat ass, thunderthighs and a small pouch where my reproductive organ is.
I am not saying that the way that you calculate doesn't work, but seeing as we are probably a different gender: I think it matters. And I think that I will look way differently with bodyfat 15 than you do with bodyfat 15. And that is also why a 33 to 35% bodyfat is just considered fat and not super ultra mega obese.

I also have a bit looser fat, yes, but because I was never super mega ultra obese, I also think that the loose skin will not be a problem as much as you think it is.
But thank you for advising me to get surgery.

[CL1B]

First of all: I am a woman. I am not morbidly obese and I never was. I had a 33% bf percentage and I fell just in the range of a healthy bmi. My fat stores mainly around my lower body, including and not limited to a fat ass, thunderthighs and a small pouch where my reproductive organ is.
I am not saying that the way that you calculate doesn't work, but seeing as we are probably a different gender: I think it matters. And I think that I will look way differently with bodyfat 15 than you do with bodyfat 15. And that is also why a 33 to 35% bodyfat is just considered fat and not super ultra mega obese.

I also have a bit looser fat, yes, but because I was never super mega ultra obese, I also think that the loose skin will not be a problem as much as you think it is.
But thank you for advising me to get surgery.

Ah yeah that makes a huge difference, what I said applies to men where 33% fat is considered obesity. For you it maps completely different indeed, especially with that ass. Also makes measuring these things a bit harder. For women I can only imagine getting your core and legs in shape would help for the loose skin in your range (assuming, yes); Pilates, calisthenics and other concepts that focus on your core and a bit of leg work.

If working out is not your thing I highly suggest swimming to get the drive started, it affects your brain differently whilst still raising overall cardio and eventually prepping your metabolism for real cardio.

With your body type these are extremely effective as well, given it tighten you up whilst maintaining those feminine curves around those areas. Dropping a few % will also do wonders in terms of fitting in clothes. Especially if brands like Zara are like a lottery in terms of will it fit me?

Keep calories low throughout the day and heavier around your final meal and do not eat 3 hours before sleeping, eat sugars only when planning to move your body (as in walking or sporting) and food is something you crave; practice intermittent fasting to further gain control of your appetite and metabolism (I'd suggest 24 hours once every month).

The surgery is really only meant for excessive loose skin which is more common for men going from obese to normal, so sorry for the gender assumption and out of place advice!!

Goodluck though!

[junooo]

Keep calories low throughout the day and heavier around your final meal and do not eat 3 hours before sleeping, eat sugars only when planning to move your body (as in walking or sporting) and food is something you crave; practice intermittent fasting to further gain control of your appetite and metabolism (I'd suggest 24 hours once every month).

The surgery is really only meant for excessive loose skin which is more common for men going from obese to normal, so sorry for the gender assumption and out of place advice!!

Goodluck though!

I actually have everything down already. I have been lifting 4x a week, between 10k-20k steps a day and eating around 1500 calories.

I just wanted to know how to properly calculate bodyfat% because the calipers do not seem to work well when I use them on myself and I don't trust those fancy bf-scales.

[XtremeDiscount]

Those gym scales can be wildly inconsistent depending on hydration, food, time of day, etc. I wouldn't obsess over getting an exact percentage.

I'd use the same method under the same conditions every few weeks and focus more on the trend. Waist measurements + progress pictures + how your clothes fit will probably tell you more about your progress than whether you're technically 27% or 30%.

If you've noticeably changed after 6 months of hard work, that's progress regardless of what the funky gym scale says 😎 Keep at it.