When I go to the CDC & NIH web sites and put in my height and weight, it says I have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 29.7. It goes on to say that the Overweight range is 25-29.9. Obese is 30 or greater. It is basically saying that if I gained two more pounds, I would be obese regardless of my body fat percentage.
THIS KINDA BOILS MY BLOOD.
So I went and dropped $75 at the Tom Landry Fitness Center today to get a DEXA scan. A DEXA scan is usually used to check your bone health. However, it is a great body fat calculator. In fact, it is 98% accurate, and it can tell you exactly where your fat is. Well I went in and did the scan. It is like a Star Trek device that moves over your body, irradiating every inch with x-rays. The results:
I am at 13.7% Body Fat! That's right... This "obese" guy is 13% Body Fat. Shapeup.com says that men under 39 should be between 8% and 19%. I am right in the middle of that range now.
I found this chart online for professional athletes. It looks like 13.7% is inline with athletic levels.
| Average Body Fat Percentage of Athletes | |||||
| Sport | Male | Female | Sport | Male | Female |
| Baseball | 12-15% | 12-18% | Rowing | 6-14% | 12-18% |
| Basketball | 6-12% | 20-27% | Shot Putters | 16-20% | 20-28% |
| Body building | 5-8% | 10-15% | Skiing (X country) | 7-12% | 16-22% |
| Cycling | 5-15% | 15-20% | Sprinters | 8-10% | 12-20% |
| Football (Backs) | 9-12% | No data | Swimming | 9-12% | 14-24% |
| Football (Linemen) | 15-19% | No data | Tennis | 12-16% | 16-24% |
| Gymnastics | 5-12% | 10-16% | Triathlon | 5-12% | 10-15% |
| High/long Jumpers | 7-12% | 10-18% | Volleyball | 11-14% | 16-25% |
| Ice/field Hockey | 8-15% | 12-18% | Weightlifters | 9-16% | No data |
| Racquetball | 8-13% | 15-22% | Wrestlers | 5-16% | No data |
So, What have we learned here:
- Measuring weight alone is BS. I could gain 10 pounds, but if my waist stays the same, I will be under 10% BF.
- BMI is BS period.
- DEXA is pretty cool. I plan to do it again in 6 Months.
Saw this and thought of you.. ignore the "women's" guide and just read the point. Curious on your opinion. http://katshealthycooking.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/a-womans-guide-to-weight-loss/
ReplyDeleteI love it. I think this is a great list. Anything that says eat more often in smaller amounts, pushes working out a variety of ways and prescribes a lot of water makes sense to me.
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