Skinny Fat? 5ft2, 7st 11lb , BMI 19 but body fat 37%

[lovingmatleave]

At gym today. First time in 3 weeks. Been eating lost recently as I really feel the cold and eat lots more bread, chocolate etc, so thought I'd weigh myself. Results were as above. Shocked I hadn't put on weight but my body fat was waaay higher. It has been about 20-25% in past. Husband thinks the machine was wrong but I am bit worried.

I googled it and the term skinny fat came up. Ie normal weight and BMI range but too much internal fat. In fact over 32% is obese! I have quite flabby upper arms and not much tone (which is why I joined the gym after 2 years off).I just had a bowl of greasy chips for lunch - could this have made it higher. If its correct reading what's the best thing I can do? Eat healthier or tone up more??

Tone up more, you're a TOFI. I wish there was less hype about obesity & more about inactivity. Sumo wrestlers are obese & have excellent health prospects & metrics.

Visceral fat. This is the fat round your vital organs. You can be thin and have lots of visceral fat. I think it relates to saturated fat

Thank lljkk for link. I do sound like a TOFI. I have a very sedentary lifestlye at the moment, including practically 8 hours a day sitting at work in front of a pc. for 3 days in a row. I know it is unhealthy.

Off to the gym tommorrow and will remeasure. Whatever the results I am definitely going to up my activity levels and toning exercises. I don't mind being heavier. I would rather put on half a stone and be fitter.

If it's one of those machines that you stand on and hold the sides to read the bodyfat TAKE NO NOTICE of the readings weight will be the only thing that's correct. It's only measures you top half boobies are fat. I am measured weekly using calipers from 12different areas of my body I am 12/13% depending on time of month if I step on those machines its about 20% they are no indication of a true reading

As pumpkinpie says, don't set any store by machines, even the fat measuring ones at the gym. Results will vary wildly. Get a friendly PT to do it with callipers to give you a much more accurate figure, check it every couple of months to see changes. Having said that, I'd agree it sounds like some changes are in order to benefit your health .

I wondered how accurate those machines are. My home ones said I'm 15% fat, but the gym ones told me I'm 9% !! Surely that can't be true? I'm slim but normal iykwim - BMI about 18 I think.

If you are really 15% BF you are close to dangerously low body fat levels Ibroke, well into athlete category and close to where you would expect menstruation to stop and fertility to be affected, possibly long term (google female athlete triad). 9% is definitely too low, so it may be worth getting your levels checked by a professional too so you can take any necessary action wrt diet .

Of course you may be a man ibroke, in which case you needn't be concerned with health risks in respect of 9-15% BF!