Body fat percentage

Question
QUESTION: I have a BMI of 24.2 and though a little out of shape, the correct weight for my height.
However, my by fat percentage is a staggering 40%!! This puts me in the obese category. How can this be? My fat body content has been measured in many different ways and each time comes up at 40+ percent!
This really frightens me and dont know how to tackle it. I hope you can help me.
Thank you.

ANSWER: Hi,

You don't say you are female, but I am assuming Georgia is a female name :-))

Women do have higher fat levels that men, but 40 % is high, should be no higher than 25 % really.

There are 3 ways I perform body fat measurements, 1) 8 site skin fold test, 2) electrical impedance test, and 3) water displacement test.

I would go to 3 different fitness experts and have at least the first 2 measurement methods performed.

If you are still 40 % I would need to get a detailed list of everything you eat on a daily basis and how much and what type of exercise you do each week.

Thanks.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your prompt reply, and yes I am a female. :0)
I have  indeed done the skin fold test and the electrical tests. One by standing on a a type of weighing scales and the other via sticky pads to my ankles etc. All three give the same result of 40%.
Diet wise, I am limited because of Crohns Disease and am on a gluten free diet and cannot eat any fruit or veg, nor fish as all these make my gut react badly to them.
My diet normally consists of:
Breakfast:  toast and marmalade with lowfat spread or porridge, sweetened with fruit sugar.
Mid morning: sometimes nothing or ginger oat biscuits.
Lunch: White meat only, potato, usually new ones boiled.
Evening meal: (about 6pm) Sandwich (2 slices) of marmite, low fat cheese spread or jam.
Coffee during the day and the occasional piece of chocolate.
I am not a big eater, or able to tolerate high fat or oily products so always eat low fat foods. Its possible my portions might be a bit large sometimes, but certainly not on a regular basis!
I have to admit though, that I do very little exercise and find doing so makes me incredibly tired, needing many hours of sleep afterwards.

I wonder if a lot of the problem is that the bread is made up of potato flour and rice flour, as is a lot of Gluten Free foods.

Any help you can give me would be great. I am worried that because so much of my body is fat, that I am due a heart attack at any moment!!!  

Answer
Hi,
Thanks for the reply.

Ok, so it looks like you have gone over the fat tests a few times.

I trained someone before with Crohn's Disease, and you are limited to your diet I know. Funny you say Marmite, I am English living over here in the US and it reminds me of home, although I can抰 stand the stuff (marmite, not England !).

Your diet seems ok, nothing bad or in excess. Potato flour and rice flour are mainly complex carbs with little sugar, so they tend to get absorbed slower in the body and don't store as fat as quickly as say basic sugars ( glucose, fructose).

I think aerobic exercise maybe the key here. Have you joined a gym or fitness center? The best exercises will be cycling or walking on a treadmill on an incline, or the elliptical stepper machines. No running or rowing, too much dynamic stress on the knees/back for most people.

When you said you get tired after exercise, how much do you do per week or day?

Also have you had a checkup with the doc to check glands like thyroid to see if they may have an effect on tiredness?

If you decide to start a new regimen of exercise I suggest you get checked by your doc anyway.

I hope this helps.

Thanks.  

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