[graaja]

Originally Posted by NPV

Been wondering about this for some time now, found the right opportunity to ask you and others here
What is a simple and easy way to calculate body fat percentage ?
I've seen a calculator that uses waist and neck circumference and age(?) to calculate body fat percentage. Are there any simple lab tests (blood ?) that can help ?

The neck and waist measurement is a crude method to estimate body fat %

The 7 site skin fold method is a more accurate method to estimate fat percentage. In this method, the skin fold at various parts of the body is measured using a skin fold caliper and the body fat % is derived from this. A couple of web pages for this calculator.

https://www.trainermetrics.com/fitne...ckson-pollock/

https://www.free-online-calculator-u...fold-test.html

I think the most accurate method would be a CT scan and body composition analysis.

Weighing scales that display body fat % do this based on resistivity of the body. This is very inaccurate and can have huge errors.

[PGA]

I wanted to post this query on our thread 'Calling Docs......' but realized that this maybe a better place since the answer may come from those who have experienced it.

Prior to posting of this thread by graaja, my BP hovered around 140/95. My efforts to contain through conventional means were not showing any results which meant restricting all kinds of fats and sugars beside going for long walks. Weight for averagely built 56 years old 173 cm high male was going up 3 kg every year topping at 85. CBC parameters were not great either.

I started my IF regimen two days after graaza posted the thread, I continued seriously for six months than partly seriously for next six months and now occasionally, resulting in steadying my weight to 75.

I have been noting my BP for last one year and it's steady in 120/75 region.

Now utilizing my knowledge of fluid mechanics, a question arose in my head that I may have unclogged my arteries which has resulted in lowering of BP. Everything else has remained same in my life.

May I request for validation of my FM understanding.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by PGA

...resulting in steadying my weight to 75.

I have been noting my BP for last one year and it's steady in 120/75 region.

It is great to know that you have been able to reduce your weight and also stabilize your blood pressure using IF. Please continue with this as a lifestyle and stay healthy and fit.

I am not an expert, but some reading on relationship between obesity and hypertension points to the fact that excess visceral fat (fat around the internal organs in the abdomen area, especially the kidney) exerts pressure on the blood vessels which in turn increases the pressure in the blood vessels. When you reduce the visceral fat, this pressure goes away and the blood pressure reduces.

Your understanding on fluid mechanics is right, but with a small correction that it is the pressure exerted on the blood vessels externally (like pinching a hose pipe) that causes this high BP.

[sixersiddu]

Thanks for this thread dear graaja! It has been an eye opener towards health and lifestyle for me. I had heard about IF but had lot of apprehensions(acidity, muscle loss, weakness etc.) but ever since I read your posts, all vanished and IF has been part of my life style since 1.5 years. My acidity has also gone! Coupled with strength training, IF has helped my to shed 18 kilos and maintain it effortlessly(not much cardio, 5k or 10k run on Sundays). I feel its a big win for a 40 year old like me. I have shared this link with so many people and I have been able to convince them to adopt IF as a lifestyle. I had made up my mind that whenever I get my membership approved, my first post would be this post of gratitude! Thanks a lot!

[graaja]

Originally Posted by sixersiddu

…IF has been part of my life style since 1.5 years. My acidity has also gone! Coupled with strength training, IF has helped my to shed 18 kilos and maintain it effortlessly(not much cardio, 5k or 10k run on Sundays).

… I had made up my mind that whenever I get my membership approved, my first post would be this…

Thank you so much for your very kind words and gesture

It is a fantastic transformation losing 18 kilos and with the strength training, you should be very fit. You must be a great inspiration in your family and friends circles. And I am sure you will guide many in the path of fitness. Please keep up this fantastic lifestyle and keep inspiring!

And thank you once again for sharing your experience.

[cryptarchy]

This is so inspiring and results speaks for itself. I am going to start 16:8 from today, that is 16 hours after dinner. I am not overweight but I want to achieve a lower body fat percentage. I workout daily in the morning after breakfast. Since I will be skipping breakfast during this process, do I have to be concerned with loss of energy during workout. I do strength training with advanced level difficulty. Do I have to be worried about losing muscles?

[sixersiddu]

Originally Posted by cryptarchy

Since I will be skipping breakfast during this process, do I have to be concerned with loss of energy during workout. I do strength training with advanced level difficulty. Do I have to be worried about losing muscles?

Personally I don't feel the loss of energy during my workouts. A cup of black coffee before the session gives me the required energy boost.

We should not worry about muscle loss as long as we are doing strength training and eating adequate protein rich foods. Hope this helps!

[graaja]

Originally Posted by cryptarchy

This is so inspiring and results speaks for itself. I am going to start 16:8 from today, that is 16 hours after dinner. I am not overweight but I want to achieve a lower body fat percentage. I workout daily in the morning after breakfast. Since I will be skipping breakfast during this process, do I have to be concerned with loss of energy during workout. I do strength training with advanced level difficulty. Do I have to be worried about losing muscles?

It will take some time for the body to get used to workout in fasted state. When I started my workouts in fasted state (I was into triathlons then), I used to hit the wall about 3km into my runs. But after a couple of weeks, I could easily do 10+ kilometers of runs in fasted state and continue the fast for 3 to 4 hours more. When you start working out in fasted state, start slow and listen to your body. You will get used to this soon.

About muscle loss, as long as you are having a diet rich in protein enough to support your muscle building goals, body does not burn muscles if you workout in fasted state. Breaking up muscles to meet protein goals is not such a short time process.

It is a myth about having protein immediately after workout. Our body is not designed to work with such tight timing requirements. If it were, our ancestors would have lost all their muscle mass. So go ahead and workout in fasted state and have enough protein in your meals to match your workout intensities and muscle building goals.

[am1m]

Update on the cholesterol front:

One year results:

September 2021 - Total: 237 Tri: 114 LDL: 187 HDL: 48
September 2022 - Total: 177 Tri: 80 LDL: 118 HDL: 53

After incorporating 4 things:

*IF (not extreme, just having early dinner (by 9pm) and late breakfast (11am) the next day.)
*Cut out the obvious sources of sugar (all sweets, all desserts, ketchup, biscuits).
*Cut out deep fried snacks.
*Added more vegetables and fruits to the diet.

Continued to eat:

*The whole egg.
*Cheese.
*Red meat (though in smaller quantities than before).

Exercise levels have remained more or less the same but what I did do on that front was try and do something light for a short time everyday instead of just intense stuff over the weekends.

Also a major change- reduced the time I spend in traffic drastically since March 2020. Continue to work from home and plan most of my trips in the city around the Metro. Not sure how much this helped, but I think that has reduced my exposure to pollution and my stress levels a lot and both do affect cholesterol levels.

(Longer post with more context:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shift...ml#post5336518 (Fat to Fit - A journal of my fitness journey))

[shashant]

Originally Posted by am1m

Update on the cholesterol front:

Continued to eat:

*The whole egg.
*Cheese.
*Red meat (though in smaller quantities than before).

Thanks for sharing. I have similar Cholesterol level as you had in Sep 2021.
Question I have is how many whole eggs you can safely have with borderline cholesterol.

Exercise and weight is not an issue for me.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by shashant

Question I have is how many whole eggs you can safely have with borderline cholesterol.

That is a question for a dietician I think, and should be based on your existing eating habits and family history. When I tested for high cholesterol levels a year ago, the doctor told me to only eat egg whites and at most one or two a day. I tried that for some time, but the hassle didn't seem worth it, just the egg white left me hungry, and I felt bad about wasting food. So treated it as a experiment and went back to eating the whole egg. Seems to have worked out for me, I eat at least a couple of boiled eggs on most days. But that is not my only source for protein. Better to consult a dietician who can take an overall view and answer based on your case.

(And like grajaa keeps saying, I too am beginning to think/realize that sugar and sweets are more harmful than eggs, red meat, or fat in the diet! But everything has to be in balance I guess.)

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by shashant

Question I have is how many whole eggs you can safely have with borderline cholesterol.

This is an old myth. Dietary cholesterol doesn't impact your cholesterol levels. That bad advice led to billions of egg yokes being thrown away every year. Plenty of people including doctors still believe in this outdated myth.

The biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats and carbohydrates in your diet—not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food.

Although it remains important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes, for most people dietary cholesterol is not as problematic as once believed.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutriti...l/cholesterol/

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Plenty of people including doctors still believe in this outdated myth.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutriti...l/cholesterol/

Samurai San, that article does mention that certain people might be more sensitive to dietary cholesterol and it can affect their levels. So there must be some grounds for that. I'd still advise people to consult a doc and a dietician to get a case by case picture based on their history.

In general, I've seen doctors tend to err on the side of caution and their tendency is to try and eliminate the cause of the issue itself. For example an ortho will say stop the activity (like running or exercise) that affects the body part facing an issue (say the knees), even though that might affect the overall health of the patient (lack of exercise). While a physio will try and work with the patient to ensure that the movement can continue but with better form or lesser stress. And in general a physio has more time than an ortho to listen and advise. I guess it's the same with cardiologists and dieticians. Better to consult both in case one has problems related to diet. (Just my thoughts based on personal experience with orthos and physios.)

[shashant]

Originally Posted by am1m

That is a question for a dietician I think, and should be based on your existing eating habits and family history.

Yes I need to find a good dietician, had a casual discussion with one GP and he told to reduce egg yolk to one only. Other thing is that you can not trust the reports, I got test done twice within 2-3 days interval at different labs and their result had 20% variance.

Originally Posted by Samurai

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutriti...l/cholesterol/

Thanks for sharing the link. Study seems inconclusive and talks about categorizing people in 'Responder' and 'Non Responder' group based on dietary cholesterol consumption. Have to try it for 3 months and see which group I falls into.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by shashant

Other thing is that you can not trust the reports, I got test done twice within 2-3 days interval at different labs and their result had 20% variance.

I wouldn't go so far as to say don't trust the reports, but agree that variance is possible. I've been careful to get the tests done at the same hospital at around the same time of the day. I guess what matters is the trend over a year more than the values. If the numbers show they are heading in the desired direction then what you are trying works. Another thing i've realized is that incremental changes that you can sustain work better than trying to suddenly adopt a completely different lifestyle.

Good luck with your journey!