Body Fat and Body Composition

**Kale** · 11-30-2009, 04:54 AM

First of all I am posting this here because this forum gets the most traffic and I cant think of another forum more appropriate so if someone wants to move it feel free.

Now having said that I had a seriously interesting day to day, I made an appointment at a sports science clinic for a body composition test as well as a fat burning range test. I have always been interested in the fat burning thing as there are so many opinions on what is optimal.

First of all the body fat test consisted of the caliper test across 6 sites. As some of you may know I am 54 years old and I am on 250mg Test E a week permanently, I workout four times a week reasonably heavy and I do NO fat burning or cardio at all. I was staggered to find that my BF came in at 11.4%. Now I have love handles, not huge but enough to piss me off and I had always assumed I was around 20% !!!! My Somatotype is Mesomorph.

The next thing that amazed me was the Fat Burning Test they do. They put you on a running machine for 9 mins with a mask hooked up to a computer. They then start you walking and the machine can actually measure at what heart rate your body starts consuming more fat than carbohydrates. I was amazed to find the the optimal heart rate for me is between 73 - 82 BPM !! I am sure my heart rate gets higher than that when I take a dump !!

I think this is a great test for Bodybuilders looking to find the optimal range for fat burning. The Clinic were insistent that this be done on an empty stomach, but not necessarily first thing in the morning. As long as you have not eaten for at least two hours you will get the maximum benefit.

**lovbyts** · 11-30-2009, 05:03 AM

Hmmmmm very interesting. 73 - 82 BPM??? wow that seems LOW. I know even on a treadmill or elliptical I get up to around 150+

I wonder if we have anything like that here in the states and what it cost to have done.

**ranging1** · 11-30-2009, 05:09 AM

thats awesome

im so gonna go find one in australia

google here i come

**Kale** · 11-30-2009, 05:19 AM

These are the guys http://www.racers-toolbox.com/ they normally deal with endurance athletes and I was the first Bodybuilder they had dealt with which was an education for them as well !!! I also told them I was juicing. The cost was about $120 US

**elpropiotorvic** · 11-30-2009, 06:03 AM

That is pretty sweet try to find one in canada

**lovbyts** · 11-30-2009, 06:24 AM

I did some Google searching and we have nothing like that here. Supposedly this is more accurage than any calipers due to human error.
http://www.getdunked.com/home/default.asp

**kalspic** · 11-30-2009, 08:44 AM

thats a pretty good price for all that. now the problem is finding a close one

**Kale** · 11-30-2009, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by lovbyts

I did some Google searching and we have nothing like that here. Supposedly this is more accurage than any calipers due to human error.
http://www.getdunked.com/home/default.asp

Way more accurate but good luck finding somewhere to get it done, and it wouldnt be cheap

***FireGuy*** · 11-30-2009, 11:20 AM

I am assuming that HR is measured at where you are burning the highest "ratio" of fat calories. I think it would be an error to assume that is where you should target your HR for true fat loss. I read a study the other day that stated while sitting on the couch watching tv the body burns more % fat calories vs exercise regardless of intensity levels. Obviously one needs to lower the fat ratio and up the intensity for effective fat loss or couch potatoes would be the leanest people on earth.