At what body fat percentage....

DynamiteKid · 08-20-2007, 01:29 PM

should one start to lose fat?

2ndpassion · 08-20-2007, 01:48 PM

It's all depends on personal preference and your goals. What are your long term goals?

~David~ · 08-20-2007, 01:58 PM

12-15% Imo

DynamiteKid · 08-20-2007, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ndpassion

It's all depends on personal preference and your goals. What are your long term goals?

My ultimate goal is 17-18 inch arms @ 8% bf, 550lbs squat, 405 lbs bench, 700 lbs deadlift. I plan on reaching these numbers in about twelve years or so. Im currently at 16%bf.

Vivi Ornitier · 08-20-2007, 02:47 PM

I believe the best % of bf is between 13-18% for gaining.
So you should stay in between that and get close/on your goals before dropping bf in my opinion.

shamoo · 08-20-2007, 03:11 PM

I've read countless times that once you are over a certain BF % that your gains are not as good. I believe that is a load of crap. I am in the mid 20% range and am seeing great gains. Although I am not too eager to take my shirt off in public or wear a well fitting shirt, I don't plan on ttrying to drop bodyfat for quite some time. For me, I think people stress too much over BF and don't focus on their lifting enough.

Sik · 08-20-2007, 06:33 PM

I shed a bit if my ab definition goes away.

I understand the approach of "I'll lose it one day" but frankly I don't bust my ass day in and day out to personally know that if I lost the fat I'd look good. I like to look good.

Jericho · 08-21-2007, 07:16 AM

BF% should change as often as we change our tastes. Some days we want to be huge monsters that fill out any shirt, and some days we might want to sacrifice some size to have ridiculous definition. It's all about what you want.

My personal preference is somewhere in the middle. 8-10% would be far too hard to maintain. Over 18% is getting a little our of hand. I like to stay 12-16%. That way I don't kill myself dieting year round and if I chose to cut for whatever reason, it wouldn't take forever to become defined.

Finally, bf% is nothing but a number. Me, for example....my calipers tells me I'm ~15% yet I'm lean enough that the least little bit of ab flexing and my ribs poke out. Lesson, go by mirror, not necessarily numbers. Numbers, for the avg person, are best used as reference points for if you're improving or getting worse.

Jericho

dbcb314 · 08-21-2007, 10:56 AM

whenever you get past your comfort level.

for some people when their abs go away they freak out

i have been into the 20's before and didn't really give a shit.

steelsnow · 08-21-2007, 11:48 AM

seems like for me i put a lot of weight on in my abdominal area. hell, i got a 33" waist at the moment and my bf calipers tell me i'm at 12.4%. my goal is to look down and have no ridge in my stomach. you know what im sayin? i havent been to that point in so long, im not to sure what my BF would be. so given that, i think BF levels will be different for different people. some might look good at 13% because their bodies distribute the fat better than someone like me.

08-20-2007, 01:29 PM	#1
DynamiteKid Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 436	At what body fat percentage.... should one start to lose fat?

08-20-2007, 01:58 PM	#3
~David~ Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sliding down the Bell curve Posts: 568	12-15% Imo __________________ With IA from 01/01/07 Bench 242 x 1 Deads 330x 1 Squat 264x 1 "In sleep we are all equal." --- Spanish Proverb

08-20-2007, 02:47 PM	#5
Vivi Ornitier Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 116	I believe the best % of bf is between 13-18% for gaining. So you should stay in between that and get close/on your goals before dropping bf in my opinion. __________________ Age:26 Height:167 cm Weight: 72 kg (158.7 lbs) PR Deadlift: 1 x 145kg (345 lbs) PR Squat : 1 x 150 (385 lbs)

08-20-2007, 03:11 PM	#6
shamoo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: New York Posts: 1,075	I've read countless times that once you are over a certain BF % that your gains are not as good. I believe that is a load of crap. I am in the mid 20% range and am seeing great gains. Although I am not too eager to take my shirt off in public or wear a well fitting shirt, I don't plan on ttrying to drop bodyfat for quite some time. For me, I think people stress too much over BF and don't focus on their lifting enough. __________________ Avatar - Me @ 141 lbs. (Currently 207)

08-21-2007, 07:16 AM	#8
Jericho Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Posts: 1,420	BF% should change as often as we change our tastes. Some days we want to be huge monsters that fill out any shirt, and some days we might want to sacrifice some size to have ridiculous definition. It's all about what you want. My personal preference is somewhere in the middle. 8-10% would be far too hard to maintain. Over 18% is getting a little our of hand. I like to stay 12-16%. That way I don't kill myself dieting year round and if I chose to cut for whatever reason, it wouldn't take forever to become defined. Finally, bf% is nothing but a number. Me, for example....my calipers tells me I'm ~15% yet I'm lean enough that the least little bit of ab flexing and my ribs poke out. Lesson, go by mirror, not necessarily numbers. Numbers, for the avg person, are best used as reference points for if you're improving or getting worse. Jericho __________________ Training/diet log: http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=27069 "Remember there isnt a magical rep range per se....its what you feel comfortable in doing by and large.....its gaining 50-200lbs in that same rep range progressively over months and months of time thats going to do the magic" - Dante 250/335/415 = 1000

08-20-2007, 01:48 PM	#2
2ndpassion Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 127	It's all depends on personal preference and your goals. What are your long term goals?

08-20-2007, 06:33 PM	#7
Sik Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 623	I shed a bit if my ab definition goes away. I understand the approach of "I'll lose it one day" but frankly I don't bust my ass day in and day out to personally know that if I lost the fat I'd look good. I like to look good.

08-21-2007, 10:56 AM	#9
dbcb314 Strength Verified Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Pinellas County, Florida Posts: 9,737	whenever you get past your comfort level. for some people when their abs go away they freak out i have been into the 20's before and didn't really give a shit.

08-21-2007, 11:48 AM	#10
steelsnow Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: san francisco Posts: 850	seems like for me i put a lot of weight on in my abdominal area. hell, i got a 33" waist at the moment and my bf calipers tell me i'm at 12.4%. my goal is to look down and have no ridge in my stomach. you know what im sayin? i havent been to that point in so long, im not to sure what my BF would be. so given that, i think BF levels will be different for different people. some might look good at 13% because their bodies distribute the fat better than someone like me.

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