Below is a table I lifted from Wilmore & Costill, "Physiology of Exercise and Sport." So you can see that I currently fall into the "Elite Triathletes" category. I considered myself "fat" at 23%. Is that really fat? Depends on your perspective. It's considered "average" for American females. What the table doesn't show is what's considered "healthy." I got my personal notion of healthy from the book "Fit or Fat" by Covert Bailey. He said for a woman that 18-22% is healthy. You can believe that or not. But most women will look pretty good, with curves and all, in that range. But for me, I didn't like that extra layer of flab on my thighs, midsection or arms, and as I get older, it becomes even more difficult to keep it off. If you are a person interested in seeing your abs, you need to be at the bottom of the "healthy" range for bodyfat. For women, you might see them at 18% bodyfat; you might not. For men, it's more around 12%. But this will vary with genetics and where your body likes to store fat. It is true, though, that if you can see that six-pack, you are pretty darn lean.
Is 11-12% (my current bodyfat) "unhealthy?" I don't think so. Apparently, I have all my "essential fat." All 43,000 kcal of it! I can go a loooooong way on that many calories!
Let's do some math. When I weighed 128 at 23% bodyfat, I had 98.6 lbs. of lean mass. Now I weigh 112 at 11% bodyfat and I have 99.7 lbs. of lean mass. I doubt my bones or bodily organs gained much weight there, so guess what? I'm more muscular and yet leaner. I like it this way better.
What bodyfat is right for YOU? That's for you to decide, based on your health and performance goals. I've been called skinny to my face so many times, it's become a big joke to me. But do I turn around and call others fat to their faces? No. Not cool. But the other day, the first comment I received from another woman was, "You lift weights, don't you? You're so muscular." He he. I like that, too.
I'm fit AND healthy. By choice.
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Bodyfat Percentage Ranges
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Men Women
Essential fat 3-5 11-13
Elite distance runners 5-8 13-17
Elite triathletes 5-12 8-15
Average American 15-20 23-26
Overweight 20-25 26-35
Overfat (obese) Over 25 Over 35
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3 comments:
Covert Bailey. Now thats a name I have not heard in a loooong time. He and Kenneth Cooper really changed the face of endurance with their studies.
Thanks for sharing your story - it is truly inspirational!
Looking at the table your provided, I'm thinking I'll have to spring for a reasonably accurate body-fat test. My bathroom scale isn't incredibly accurate, and now I'm kind of curious as to what it really is.
Anyway, the book looks interesting; I'll have to check it out. Thanks!
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