I got my body composition analyzed!

I'm not exactly pleased with the results, but I can't imagine how much higher it would have been had I not been relatively fit before surgery. I wish I would have done this before surgery, though, to see if I've lost much lean muscle! Anyway, I will divulge the dirty number to you guys. :) I am 46% body fat, UGH. I am going to retest in about 4-6 months again to see how things have changed! It also measured my RMR (resting metabolic rate), which was about 1300 cals per day. It's not as accurate with RMR as a machine that measures O2 consumption, but it's relatively close. I would estimate my RMR is slightly below that number thanks to the ol' Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, but that's good to know. Oh! I had this done at my university using the bodpod system. It was pretty awesome. My DH did it as well, and he was slightly displeased with his results and wants to cut off a few % points, lol. He measured in at 20.3%, and wants to be around 17% or so.

Anywho, after that, I went up to the ellipticals and did 30 mins, some stretching, and some pushups afterward and then came home and had a salad. I'm going to reactivate my BodyBugg and see if that will help me track things a little better.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday! I am sitting here writing this instead of finishing up a paper. heh.

Abby

Thanks for sharing, Abby. I think body fat percentage is as important, if not more important,as BMI. I plan to use it as a part of my goal down the road. Think about how much lower the percentage of fat will be as you keep moving down the scale. Exciting!

Amy

Amy, I totally agree--I kind of think BMI is BS for many people. It doesn't take into account lean muscle mass. A friend of mine who is a dancer and a master kettlebell instructor is pretty much all muscle, and according to BMI scales, she is overweight!! I would kill to be as "overweight" as she is. :) But yes, I am looking forward to the update in 6 mos or so to see how things have changed! 

Abby

My scale measures body fat %. I didn't buy it until about a moonth after my surgery when I had already lost around 30 lbs but when I first used it I was 44%, too. Now I am right around 30%. That makes me feel like I could stand to lose a lot more weight to get to a better %.

Actually, 22-30% falls into the "moderately lean" category for women, so 30% is not all that bad! The scales that measure body fat have never been accurate for me, so I don't use them. :) 

Abby

Abby, I had one of those done too. Mine pre-op was 43% now it's 34%, according to my surgeon's office, I've lost 31% of my excess weight. Mine is still very high but hey, it's heading in the right direction. They also did the RMR on me as well, mine was very high. It probably has dropped now but it was high at the time.

We all start at high numbers or we wouldn't be in this boat together. But we aare all improving as we go.

Liz

Oh for sure, we are all in the same boat, which is why I felt ok telling my number and why I am not in a corner, rocking and sobbing because the number is so high, lol. I am really kind of excited to see what it is in 6 mos! 

Abby

Abby, that's wonderful!

I first had mine tested by my surgeon about a month after surgery when I was down 40 pounds (29 pre-op), and it was 45%. Just before I had plastics I had them do it again (11 months later) and it was 20%. My lean body mass had gone from 117 to 105 pounds, but my body fat had gone from 98 pounds to 27 pounds.

You're so right when you say that for us, in particular, body fat percentage is more accurate as a health measure than is BMI.

Congrats again on your start!

Wow, that's really interesting to see the differences for you! I am even MORE interested to see mine when I am at goal now! :) How does your surgeon test? 

And thank you! :) 
Abby

He's actually surprised that I prefer body fat comp to BMI, but willing to use it.  They have the standard Tanita scale that uses bio-impedence.  It's not as accurate as the water methods, but it comes close enough since what I'm doing is tracking change, and that change showed a lot of difference.

I have an HMO, so I'm lobbying for my PCP to refer me to someone who can do the water submersion test.  First I have to find a site, then figure out network... but I'll get it at some point.

Until then, the Tanita will do.