Body fat percentage for transsexuals

[Hypatia]

Women and men need widely differing percentages of body fat to be healthy. For women, the range is ideally 20-21%. For men it's 8-14%.

The Home Body Fat Test is something you can do yourself with a cloth tape measure. To start, you have to tell it if you're male or female. Depending on which sex you input, it tells you to measure mostly different body parts.

So this is where it gets complicated. I have a basically male skeleton, upon which two years of HRT have redistributed my body fat somewhat. My waist-hip ratio is currently .85, which is borderline female range. My breasts are B cup sized. My BMI (which isn't differentiated by sex) is 25.0, which is the lower borderline of the overweight range (I've been dieting and expect to have it under 25 very soon).

So... how can a TS like me calculate her body fat percentage? When I took the home body fat test as female, it gave me a result of 26.5. When I took it as male, I got a result of 19. So I thought just average them out for a tentative 22.75%. But I have no idea if this would be valid data. What to do?

[dawn]

You can buy weighing scales which also measure body fat percentage.
http://www.ciao.co.uk/Tanita_BF_664__5679759

[Keira]

The difference in the female test and male test has more to do with lean
mass than squeleton and also where fat is distributed.

Because of that, neither male or female tests will be conclusive unless you've been
on HRT long enough to have your muscles within female range
(could take 2-4 years).

[Hypatia]

Keira, I don't know how to measure the effect of HRT on my muscles until now. I began HRT just two years ago, but its effects have been slow to appear on me.

So is there no answer to transsexual body fat percentage? Or would it be an in-between figure?

[Lisbeth]

Women and men need widely differing percentages of body fat to be healthy. For women, the range is ideally 20-21%. For men it's 8-14%.

The Home Body Fat Test is something you can do yourself with a cloth tape measure. To start, you have to tell it if you're male or female. Depending on which sex you input, it tells you to measure mostly different body parts.

So this is where it gets complicated. I have a basically male skeleton, upon which two years of HRT have redistributed my body fat somewhat. My waist-hip ratio is currently .85, which is borderline female range. My breasts are B cup sized. My BMI (which isn't differentiated by sex) is 25.0, which is the lower borderline of the overweight range (I've been dieting and expect to have it under 25 very soon).

So... how can a TS like me calculate her body fat percentage? When I took the home body fat test as female, it gave me a result of 26.5. When I took it as male, I got a result of 19. So I thought just average them out for a tentative 22.75%. But I have no idea if this would be valid data. What to do?

Rather than worry about finding "the" number, worry more about figuring out how far out of range you are.

female: 26.1 / 21 = 1.26
male: 19 / 14 = 1.36

You have between 26 and 36 percent more body fat than you should.

[NickSister]

Clever idea lisbeth. 

[Hypatia]

I'm skeptical that the home test with a tape measure can be accurate at all. I will reserve judgment until I can get it measured by one of those high-tech methods.

My figure appears perfectly trim and svelte to onlookers, when I say I need to lose weight everyone tells me I'm crazy. But the BMI numbers keep going against me.

[NickSister]

I'm skeptical that the home test with a tape measure can be accurate at all. I will reserve judgment until I can get it measured by one of those high-tech methods.

My figure appears perfectly trim and svelte to onlookers, when I say I need to lose weight everyone tells me I'm crazy. But the BMI numbers keep going against me.

I don't think BMI is really considered a good measure these days as to whether you need to lose weight or not. For example you BMI says you are over weight but everyone says you are crazy. You should listen to everyone.

[Aiden]

BMI doesn't take into account a lot of factors that can effect weight, such as bone structure, musculature (some people have compact muscle), 'breasts!', etc

Posted on: August 03, 2008, 08:10:22 PMDecided to try it out, not sure how accurate it is or what it means lol

You have 32.6% body fat.

You have 65.2 Pounds of fat and 134.8 Pounds of lean (muscle, bone, body water)

[myles]

Great Question, I wish I knew the answer. I am pre everything FTM and have a BMI of 19-20%, low for a female. I just wanted to add a note about the body fat scales. I own 2, lost one at one point, of course found it a week after buying a new one. I have had a chance to do my bodyfat at a "body pod" as well as underwater tank, I then went home and stood on my body fat scale. It was off by 5% (high), on my workout sites I find this to be fairly common and some off by as much as 10%. I can use mine now I just know to take 5% off what it says but works as a great gauge to tell if I am going up or down. When (not if) I get to the Dr. for T I will ask what they have to say about body fat % and how to measure it as a transperson, and what they say about how long on HRT before you can switch genders for body fat%'s. Hopefuly soemone can get you and answer before I get there.
Great question!
Myles

[sd]

Ignore BMI, it's a useless number.
One look at how it is calculated will tell you there is something wrong with it since it only uses height and weight. There are guys who are ripped who do not fit into their BMI category. For a normal person it can be a (very) quick way to tell if you are way out of the norm, but for anyone who works out, TS, or any other number of things, it is widely innacurate.

Please do not base your fitness or anything else on it really, you can actually do more harm than good if you try to conform to it. If you do not look obese, do not worry about your weight.

[myles]

I agree with Leslie Ann, go by how you feel about yourself. I have to laugh because I threw my BMI number on there because I have not idea what my body fat is at the moment and could find out my BMI easily online.
I know if I get too low in weight I feel just as bad as if I get overweight.  I have a weight range where I feel good. Find a weight that you are comfortable and confident at and stick to that.
Myles