What BF% am I in? I'm thinking 17%

[spykerwolf]

Hey guys. Played tennis all my life, but now I'm looking to get bigger and stronger.

I've been doing rippetoes' starting strength, but getting really discouraged since I'm wearing the excess fat around my stomach.

Can you guys please tell me what my BF% is?

86kg and 188cm. 23 years old.

http://i.imgur.com/pAhZvMz.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8rrPzo6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/be7e1E6.jpg

Thanks

[2fierce]

Looking at your pics your weight at 86kg and not much muscle mass, I'm thinking around 22-25%bf

[Leeroid]

At least 20. Skinny fat is the best way to describe your body

[Gym rat]

I would pick 20.5%

[maccaz]

I would pick 20.5%

probably closer to 20.6% imo

[AZIDE]

the number is pretty much irrelevant. either youre too fat or youre not. simple

[crazyfacials]

you look more of a 20.6666666 (recurring of course), this might make you think you need to do a cut but I'd go on a bulk and add a bit more muscle mass before thinking of cutting, I'm just a rapper though, Bibby might have better advice

[Leeroid]

If I were you I wouldn't cut. What you need is more muscle. Clean up your diet but eat enough to maintain your weight to perform a body recomposition

[HarryB]

By what measure? Underwater, calipers or .... dexa?

[spykerwolf]

The funny think is I though I was around 22%, but the people on the body building forums said I was around 17%. Thanks for all the feedback though. It sucks to be skinny fat!!! But determined to change that.

[Pseudonym]

I'd have guessed lower than 20%, personally. There's some faint definition around the torso - over 20% and I think that would just be podge.

Anyway...

the number is pretty much irrelevant.

^ This. Don't worry about the number - just go by the mirror. And as the others have said, go for a general recomposition through training and a good clean diet, rather than a calorie-restricted cut.

[2fierce]

Check out Stephen Adele approach to training and nutrition. A lot of info out there, it's trial and error really when it comes to training. Whatever your body responds best to and stay with it. With experience you can make tweaks here and there.

[jimmybro1]

Why do people carry what their bodyfat is. Obviously to fat no matter the number. 

[spykerwolf]

None the less I think I'm gonna keep bulking. Been reading allot and it seems most people recommend skinny fat noobs to keep bulking instead of cutting. I mean if there's no muscle and you cut, you'll only be skinny instead of skinny - fat

[HarryB]

Keep bulking? It's working out quite well at the moment.......

Just clean eat, make sure you're hitting enough to recover and have good workouts and then recomp your body. Rather than just focussing on bulking for the sake of bulking.

[jimmybro1]

None the less I think I'm gonna keep bulking. Been reading allot and it seems most people recommend skinny fat noobs to keep bulking instead of cutting. I mean if there's no muscle and you cut, you'll only be skinny instead of skinny - fat

Strong logic... what is health anyway

Have fun losing all that weight. 

[spykerwolf]

This is the article that changed my mind.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/skinny-fat-body-dilemma-bulk-cut

Jimmybro1, do you suggest I cut down first?

[jimmybro1]

This is the article that changed my mind.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/skinny-fat-body-dilemma-bulk-cut

Jimmybro1, do you suggest I cut down first?

I would diet down for a few weeks and lose at least 5kg, then bump the calories back up in small increments so you don't just put a heap of fat on (dreamers bulk). 

Just tidy up what your eating and do some cardio. Cardio is benifical with your training more than just losing weight, better blood flow means better recovery. 

If your serious about it you could count your calories can be a bit tedious though for a newbe. 

A lot of people claim when a newbe starts training they can have hypertropy occuring at the same time as weight loss whether this is correct not so sure. Thermodynamics doesn't agree with that statement. 

Never the less it is definitely not health to get "fatter" I wouldn't want to be a fat arse either presonally. 

 

[maccaz]

 

This is the article that changed my mind.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/skinny-fat-body-dilemma-bulk-cut

Jimmybro1, do you suggest I cut down first?

 

If your serious about it you could count your calories can be a bit tedious though for a newbe. 

 

 

Spyker check out myfitnesspal iphone or android app, takes the thinking out of counting calories and macros 

 

[Gym rat]

Get someone to helo you with your diet like seeing a trainer once a month that's if you can afford to see one.As for the cost of seeing trainer it can vary and it depends how much experince that they have under there belt

[Pseudonym]

This is the article that changed my mind.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/skinny-fat-body-dilemma-bulk-cut

Jimmybro1, do you suggest I cut down first?

Hmm. I have a problem with articles like this one that present things in black-and-white absolutes. It's not like you must either bulk or cut. In reality, things are much more grey.

You can take a middle ground - it's neither bulking nor cutting - it's a little bit of both. It's called recomposition, and it's what Leeroid and I touched on before.

By cleaning up your diet (generally eating less crap, and more protein) you can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. This will be particularly effective for you, because as a relative newbie to weight training, you're going to respond much quicker initially.

 

A lot of people claim when a newbe starts training they can have hypertropy occuring at the same time as weight loss whether this is correct not so sure. Thermodynamics doesn't agree with that statement.

It's not so much about total weight loss as it is about recomposition or repartitioning. Don't worry - I'm sure it's thermodynamically legit.

In fact, over the last week or two, I've just done it myself. I started training more intensely, and dropped a bit of bodyfat while maintaining my overall weight. Ergo, dropping fat and gaining muscle happened at the same time.

 

Get someone to helo you with your diet like seeing a trainer once a month that's if you can afford to see one.

Or just post up your diet here, and we can have a look at it. Basically, the general advice will be this:

- More protein

- Less sugar and processed carbs

- Less fat

[spykerwolf]

Thank you everyone who suggested something, my diet is definitely my biggest enemy since I have a sweet sweet tooth! I think I will cut down to 80kg, and then start a long clean bulk from there. Thanks for suggesting the Myfitnesspal app, I'm currently using it .

How much would I realistically be able to lose per week? Is 0.5kgs / week doable?

[jimmybro1]

Thank you everyone who suggested something, my diet is definitely my biggest enemy since I have a sweet sweet tooth! I think I will cut down to 80kg, and then start a long clean bulk from there. Thanks for suggesting the Myfitnesspal app, I'm currently using it .

How much would I realistically be able to lose per week? Is 0.5kgs / week doable?

0.5kg/wk is definitely doable and safe rate, although in your case 1kg a week mine be a better goal so you can start bumping those caloires back up as soon as possible. 

Just for interest what are you dieting calories and macros going to be? 

[spykerwolf]

Alright I'll aim for 1kg / week then.

At the moment using the calories suggested by Myfitnesspal - 1270, and 40/40/20.

Any tips/suggestions are welcome.

[jimmybro1]

Alright I'll aim for 1kg / week then.

At the moment using the calories suggested by Myfitnesspal - 1270, and 40/40/20.

Any tips/suggestions are welcome.

Wow thats some low caloires! 

Go to freedieting.com to find out your maintenance calories then take 500 away from that, 1270 is way to low.... 

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

I think you should be on more like 2,200 calories. The macro nutrient split sounds alright, could bump protein a little if you wanted.