Quiz of the Day: What is my TRUE Body Fat Percentage?

Here is my photo taken this morning at 11am (I had breakfast with carbs and water loading).

I finally did DXA scanner examination this morning at Bodycomp Imaging office with Peter Schwagly in Vancouver.

It's my first time to try this exam to measure my TRUE body fat percentage.

The answer is

My body fat is 13.6% (4 weeks after bodybuilding competition).

Yes.

Surprised right?

You still can see my abs and belts clearly.

Some people may say 13.6% is FAT right?

My bodyweight is 84.6kg,

Muscle mass is 70.1kg

Fat mass is 11.5kg.

Peter told me that 8kg is essential fat mass (= borderline).

What if my goal is cut to the border line with 8kg fat mass, it means I need to cut 3.5kg (from 11.5kg to 8kg) fat mass.

On the weigh-in day, I was 80kg. It means I achieved my "limit" or over borderline already when I was preparing for the competition.

I definitely lost some muscle mass as well when I was cutting. But I'm not surprised.

Reminder, when we are having hypocaloric diet, our job is to maintain muscle mass and lose fat. However, it's very hard to maintain muscle mass when you're have calories deficit.

Pete told me that if I want to cut more fat and maintain muscle mass (less than 8kg fat mass), I may need to take sport enhanced drugs (steroid).

But what is the point to do that.

It's fascinating to me that people always mention that the bodybuilder is 4-5% fat, but the percentage is based on what kind of measurement? We don't really know.

Some of my trainees always mention that they want to cut down to 10%, that's their goal. Alright.

Now, I will tell them that they need to sacrifice their job to make it happen, because they want to get leaner than me.

To be True 10% body fat is a full-time job. And the trainee cannot stay at 10% after the bodybuilding show or photo shooting anyway.

One more thing is that I confirmed that I've got scoliosis. That's why my hip shifts to the right hand side at the bottom of the range when I'm doing squat. And my handstand bodyline is not straight. Now I know the reason.

Moreover, my bone density is pretty good. It proved that STRENGTH TRAINING is essential for 40 years-old men.

So, you may ask that what is the points of doing skinfolds measurement or other methods?

For the reference.

You don't have to do DXN every Monday, but you can do skin folds measurement every Monday.

Personally, I don't care about the body fat percentage, I only concern the total skinfold numbers. And I would like to measure sub-scap and umbill consistently.

Note:

Honestly, I cannot get below 10% without drugs.

It makes sense that I couldn't get even leaner before the competition.

Let's do simple Math:

If Bodyweight is 80kg (weigh-in), fat mass is 8kg.

My body fat is 10%.

Do you remember that I was sick two days before the competition.

Weigh-in was 80kg (dehydration), I think I hit 8kg.

That is my limit.