Bioelectrical Impedance vs tape measurement for

[Bonnie]

From your post with that body builder it says " IF you can't SEE the distinct muscles there is a layer of fat over top " Also from personal experience I know that is maybe muscle underneath, but fat over top. Otherwise Id see all the muscles.

What is with the left shoulder, are those traps behind her or is something in the back ground combined to make her have a hunch back appearance ?

[Boss Man]

There will be some fat, otherwise the person would be unhealthy. Obviously I'm to trying to suggest anyone here thought she had 0% fat, as that's treating people like morons which I wouldn't do .

[Bonnie]

I beg to differ I don't have very much fat, can see all of arm muscle & am quite healthy

[Boss Man]

That's not what I mean. I mean the individual will have some kind of fat layer over the muscle, even at the percentage they're at. I was inferring that going too low is unhealthy. Pro female bodybuilders used to go to 6%, then it was 3% and it may be 6% again now. Both levels are not for me, sustainable for the long-term health. Even guys shouldn't go that low permanently.

Most females don't need to drop below 10%, because for both sexes, there is a point where long-term sustainable fat levels can be bad for health, depending on how low the individual goes.

Hopefully that explains things with more clarity .

[Bonnie]

3 % is pretty damn low. I have no idea what mine is. So what happens with continued low fat levels ? What if that is where your body naturally stays, even if you eat healthy ?

[Boss Man]

You body wouldn't stay that low, permanently. It affects hormones I believe in some way. One female on another site I used to use, said hers had dropped to 8%, because she was very active and careful with food choices and when she was pregnant she had some kind of issue and it nearly caused her a miscarriage, the problem resulted from too low .

Amir Khan the boxer went to 1.5% once time, at least for a fight, but would never be able to sustain it, nor would it be wise if he tried. To do it, you'd need pretty much a protein rich diet with virtually Zero Carbs or fat. That's how pro bodybuiders do it sometimes. Small meals with mostly just protein a few timws a day with minimal water intake at any one time.

Plus if you did that, you'd be consuming virtually no Omega Fats or possibly things like Beta-glucan and plant sterols, so without substances like that, there's a chance you'd probably ramp up your LDL Cholesterol and run the risk of increased heart attack and stroke risk.

Plus Omega Fats like 3 and 6, are essential ones your body can't make. Omega 9's like Oleic Acid, Erucic Acid and Nervonic Acid are produced in the body so are not essential.

Khan I beleive just sweated a lot of water off before that fight as well, (I forget the opponent), and probably did go on a Ketotonic diet, but the regular production of Ketones from all the burning could affect the blood PH I believe in the long-term..

In Diabetics, it certainly can contribute to Ketoacidiosis, which can be fatal.

[scottgaran]

Many top level female bodybuilders get to about 10% which is extremely low for a woman. The menstrual cycle stops and hormones go crazy. It is bad to get this low. They do it for a competition but never stay there.

[Bonnie]

Think I'll check with the university to see if they have the underwater weighing & how much it is, no point bothering with calipers.

[scottgaran]

Calipers are OK, but the ones I use have a + or - 3 % error. That can be a diff of 6 %. By no means perfect.

[skully]

The girl in the picture is a big girl (physically) as in big-boned, but her muscles show and are defined, even if she has some that's obvious, she still looks very lean. She probablly have more muscle than body fat, hence her % might actually be low. idk.

i'd like to have such definition someday. But hey, gotta work with small body frame (damn you!).

I think a healthy range of is between 15-20% & I'd like to be in that range (know for a fact I am). I mean, I can see a small lining of abs, but they're covered with lots of fat...about 2in or so.

[Boss Man]

The 10%-12% fat level Scott is raditionally for Figure athletes. Unless the rules have change for pro BB recenly, it was 6%, then 3%, maybe back to 6% again, but I did hear a possible move towards a 10% level or so 2-3 years back, but I'm not sure if any organisations actually went with it, so you might be right .

[scottgaran]

Hey Boss, i may have misspoken. i know the trend was to get away from some of this to get back to the more feminin look, but I don't think they have achieved it!