Just got my fitbit

[Heggybhoy82]

Can anyone tell me what my body fat % should be set too?? Thanks.

[Heggybhoy82]

Ah found it i think. I'm 13stone 5pounds, height 5.9, so that makes me overweight but it actually asks for a body fat goal so I put 20%???

[Dominique]

Body fat is estimated for you if you happen to have a Fitbit Aria scale (or equivalent). If you don’t have one, nor any other way to estimate your body fat %, there’s not much point in entering a goal. If you want to get a rough idea of where you stand at the moment, you can compare yourself to the people at various BF% in this link. If you already have a scale you’re satisfied with, but would like to add a device dedicated to measuring body composition, you may want to consider the Skulpt Chisel. It’s cheaper than the Aria (or competing smart scales from Withings) and probably more accurate.

[Heggybhoy82]

Thanks just have normal scales is body fat goal necessary then if your just looking to get fit and lose weight?

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

Body fat % is just a number. If you are currently carrying a fair amount of fat (as suggested by your BMI of 27.6), losing weight will likely lower your BF%. What you want to avoid is losing too much lean mass (muscle), so as not to end up "skinny fat".

A good (and cheap) way to assess whether you’re losing fat is to take regular measurements of your waist (put the tape at the level of your navel): your waist should be shrinking as you lose weight (and fat).

[Heggybhoy82]

Cool thanks