Body Composition Analysis
By increasing muscle mass and burning fat, you thereby change the body composition that was given to you by nature. Tracking the process using floor scales is a thankless task. While burning fat, you may not see much progress in weight, because the same workouts simultaneously add muscle mass. While gaining muscle, you may not see growth, since at the same time you are burning fat. In a word, scales are an unreliable guide that does not divide weight into good and bad. Also, you shouldn’t always trust a biased look in the mirror. Thus, the best monitor of your progress will be to check your body composition.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR BODY PARAMETERS?
Understanding the relationship between the basic parameters of the body will allow you to set specific goals to achieve your goal of losing and maintaining weight, as well as gaining muscle mass.
Having learned for the first time your basic parameters of the body, in the future you can track the dynamics of changes in these parameters, and therefore the qualitylosing weight (you need to lose weight with fat, not water and muscles) or gaining weight (you need to gain weight with muscles, not fat).
In addition, quite often many people give up their attempts to lose weight or gain weight, without even having time to really start, because after going to the gym for several weeks or going on a diet, they do not see the result in the mirror. You may not see the results in the mirror, but you can’t fool the device. It records the slightest changes, which encourages you to go further towards your goal.
Therefore, diagnosing body parameters is simply necessary for all people. After all, at any age we can have a beautiful body and good health.
HOW TO MEASURE THE BASIC PARAMETERS OF THE BODY?
The method for calculating human body composition is based on the results medical research and scientific developments. Special device (body analyzerTanita) to determine body composition is able to determine required parameters body.
HOW DOES THE BODY COMPOSITION DEVICE WORK?
When you stand on the platform of the Device, the monitor sends weak, harmless pulses of electrical current that pass through your entire body. Since muscle tissue contains a large volume of water, it acts as a conductor of electrical current. Fat tissues contain little water and are objects of resistance to electrical impulses. The resistance of various body tissues is compared with age, gender and weight. Based on these data, the Device calculates the main indicators of body composition.
PARAMETER 1 - WEIGHT
You will find out your weight and your body mass index.
Body mass index - this is a value that allows you to assess the degree of correspondence between a person’s mass and his height and, thereby, indirectly assess whether the mass is insufficient, normal or excessive (obesity).
Based on individual body parameters, the Body Composition Device is also able to calculate your optimal weight. The optimal weight is individual - this is the weight characteristic only to this person, based on the basic parameters of his body.
This is exactly the weight that is easiest for the body to maintain.
Knowing your optimal weight will help you create the right program for changing and maintaining weight.
Changing your eating habits and improving key body composition parameters can help you manage your weight and maintain your results over time. long period time.
PARAMETER 2 - MUSCLE MASS
Muscles play important role, since they act as the main consumer of energy and actively participate in calorie consumption. The more physical exercise, the more it increases muscle mass, accordingly, the level of energy or calories consumed increases. An increase in muscle mass allows you to increase your metabolic rate, which leads to the reduction (burning) of excess fat deposits, because.Each additional kilogram of muscle mass burns an additional 30 kilocalories per day.
Protein is necessary for the normal functioning of muscles and the entire body.
Protein reserves in the human body are practically absent, and new proteins can be synthesized only in two ways:
From amino acids supplied with food;
From proteins in the body's muscle tissue.
Low-calorie diets contain little protein, and the body is forced to use its own muscle mass. This leads to you losing weight, but not by burning fat, but by losing muscle. The same thing happens during intense physical activity, as they requireincreased protein content in the body. The larger your muscle mass, the more protein you need.
Determining muscle mass is especially important when you begin to both lose weight and gain muscle mass. When losing weight, so that the weight loss process takes place precisely by losing excess fat and maintaining muscle mass. When gaining muscle mass - in order for the weight gain process to take place due to an increase in lean muscle mass, which is quite rare, since people trying to gain weight rarely follow the correct balanced diet and they usually eat whatever they can get their hands on and in large quantities. As a result, weight gain occurs not only due to muscles, but also fat (and in large quantities).
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PARAMETER 3 - PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT
First of all, we are talking about subcutaneous fat. Very inIt is important to control the amount of fat.
A decrease in body fat and a simultaneous increase in muscle mass are a clear indicator of the effectiveness of an exercise program and the rationality of weight loss.
Exists physiological norm fat mass, which is necessary for health and hormonal balance in the body. To know You can see the recommended percentage of body fat adjusted for age in a separate section.
It is very important to know the amount of subcutaneous fat, since every kilogram of fat contains 1.5 km of additional blood vessels, which significantly increases the load on cardiovascular system. Excess fat puts increased stress on the spine and joints; moreover, excess fat content is fraught with increased accumulation of toxins and waste in the body, since fat is a waste depot, and a violation hormonal status, both in women and men.
PARAMETER 4 - INTERNAL FAT
Internal (visceral) fat is concentrated in the area abdominal cavity and indicates the degree of obesity of internal organs.
During a weight loss and muscle gain program, it is important to monitor the dynamics of changes in internal fat content.Since this type of fat increases the risk of developing a number of diseases such as heart disease vascular diseases, diabetes etc.
PARAMETER 5 - METABOLISM (Basal Metabolism)
Basal metabolic rate (daily calorie consumption by the body at rest, necessary to support life activities). The higher the metabolism, the more calories are burned; the lower, the higher the likelihood of obesity with all the ensuing consequences. You will find out how many calories you can consume per day, i.e. the number of calories necessary for life, taking into account your physical activity. By adding to this figure the number of calories you spend on daily activities, you will calculate the total energy needs of the body per day and can easily solve your goals of losing weight or gaining muscle mass.
PARAMETER 6 - WATER
The percentage of water in the body is one of the key indicators of youth and well-being.
It also directly determines how easy it will be for you to lose or maintain weight, as well as gain muscle mass.
Approximately 50-65% of a person's weight is water. In muscle tissue the water content reaches 75%. It plays a major role in the functioning of all organs of the body:
Provides an environment where all biochemical reactions of the body take place
Regulates body temperature
Carries nutrients, oxygen, enzymes, hormones into cells
Removes toxins and metabolic products from the body
Supports normal joint function
Provides natural moisture to skin and other tissues And etc.
If there is a shortage of water, kidney function will deteriorate, the load on the liver will increase, the body will become sludge-laden, metabolism will deteriorate, etc.
Maintaining your body's water levels is critical to the success of a weight loss and bulking program.
Body water content:
|
Norm: women |
Norm: men |
|
50-60% |
60-70% |
PARAMETER 7 - BONE MASS
Bone mass deficiency can occur when unbalanced diet and lackphysical activity. It is especially important for athletes to maintain normal bone mass.
The human body contains more than 1 kg of calcium. It gives strength bone tissue and is necessary for normal functioning nervous system and muscles. With the participation of calcium, blood clotting occurs.
That is why it is necessary to eat a balanced diet and maintain normal calcium levels in the body.
Bone mass scale
|
Norm: women |
Norm: men |
||||
|
up to 50 kg |
50-75 kg |
from 75 kg |
up to 65 kg |
65-95 kg |
from 95 kg |
|
1.95 kg |
2.40 kg |
2.95 kg |
2.66 kg |
3.29 kg |
3.69 kg |
Source
: World Health Organization (WHO)
PARAMETER 8 - METABOLIC AGE
Metabolic age is determined by the Device based on the integration of all of the above body parameters and differs from chronological age.
Chronological age
is age in calendar years. Metabolic age depends on your metabolism and general chemical processes in the body, in fact, this is the age of your body. Therefore, it is especially important to ensure that yourMetabolic age was at least no higher than Chronological age.
The duration of such an analysis of the main parameters of the body is about 30 minutes. The cost is FREE.Anyone can take it by making an appointment with.
As you understand, these body parameters depend primarily on our diet and lifestyle. In order to adapt to a new diet, the body only needs about twelve weeks. Therefore, I suggest you consider an example of changes in the parameters of the human body that have undergone
DYNAMICS OF CHANGES IN BODY PARAMETERS:
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These are the numbers of a specific person, since each person is purely individual and pursues different goals, so these numbers will also be individual for each (perhaps better, perhaps not). It all depends on your desire, perseverance and following the advice of a personal trainer.
If you divide your body fat mass by your body weight and multiply by one hundred, you get your body fat percentage.
Measuring body weight is not a tricky matter, but how to measure body fat mass?
Most often, body fat is determined by eye. Let's try and do it.
Body fat distribution
There is a method for determining body fat that is based on pinching a caliper. This method has the disadvantage of accurately estimating the amount of body fat, since fat is not evenly distributed in all people.
It is commonly believed that in men, fat is concentrated in the abdomen, and in women - in the buttocks.
Age and body fat
Doctors generally believe that with age, fat mass in the body increases, and muscle mass decreases.
In nature, this phenomenon is not observed in animals. In nature, with age, an animal becomes weaker, produces less, eats less and loses total body weight: both muscle and fat.
In people, as they age, a person moves less, but gets as much as he wants, so fat grows with age and muscle disappears. This is a normal but unnatural phenomenon.
People who increase the amount of physical activity with age also experience an unnatural phenomenon - they begin to look younger than their peers, having the same percentage of fat and muscle as young athletes.
Causes of Low Body Fat Percentage
The most obvious signs of body fat percentage are the appearance of muscle fibers and veins. The more muscle fibers and veins are visible to the naked eye, the less fat there is in the body.
If veins are crawling along the stomach and buttocks, then most likely you are looking at a person with a low percentage of body fat.
3 - 4% fat content in men
Only competitive bodybuilders can have such a low body fat percentage. In order to get this percentage, you need to have high muscle mass and low fat mass.
As a person who has been behind the scenes of bodybuilding competitions many times, I can say my opinion: such a percentage of fat is impossible for a person without a skillful combination of anabolic steroids and central nervous system stimulants.
6 – 7% fat content in men
This percentage of fat is possible for any person who spends a lot of time in physical labor. This could be a person with a working profession: a digger, a loader, or an athlete with extensive training experience, often in cyclic sports.
Also, this percentage of fat can be achieved with moderate physical activity 3-6 hours per week and a balanced diet with limited calories.
10 - 12% fat content in men
This is the normal fat level for modern man, who keeps himself in shape with 3 hours of training per week and tries to stick to proper nutrition.
His muscles don’t split, and his veins don’t crawl down his stomach, but his abs are visible through the layer of skin and fat.
12-20% fat content in men
12-20% body fat is a normal body fat percentage for women. A man with such a percentage of fat, even if he goes to the gym, looks feminine: the veins are not visible, and the muscles look smooth.
With this percentage of fat, several centimeters already hang over the belt.
Most modern men have this percentage of body fat. For example, most often, a man 180 cm tall and weighing 80 kg looks exactly like this.
25% fat content in men
At this percentage of body fat, the waist to hip circumference is 9/10. In a word, man is not yet a sphere, but already a cylinder. Such a person still looks normal in clothes. Standard patterns are made specifically for such figures.
30% fat content in men
30% fat is already the beginning of obesity. The waist looks larger than the hips, and even more inches hang over the belt.
40% fat content in men
At 40% fat, the waist size can reach up to 145 cm. With this amount of fat, it is difficult for a person to walk: going to the toilet raises the pulse to 150 beats per minute.
For example, with a height of 180 cm, such a man can have 70 kg of dry weight with a body weight of 120 kg. That is, 50 kg of body fat is the same 40 percent.
The amount of body fat in women
If it is normal for a man to have 8-12 percent body fat, then for women it is normal to have 12-20%, because a woman is by nature weaker and softer: she has less muscle and is covered with more fat.
This is how nature intended, but not all women agree with nature and therefore at fitness competitions, we can see women whose body fat percentage is less than 12%.
10 - 12% fat content in women
Less than 12% body fat is found only in women who place highly in athletic competitions, usually in bodybuilding and fitness.
With such a low percentage of fat, not only does the woman’s breast fat disappear, which is unnatural, but her periods also disappear.
A woman with such a percentage of fat becomes incapable of conceiving and bearing a fetus.
12 - 20% fat content in women
This percentage of fat is typical for women of model appearance - lingerie models.
This percentage of body fat can be healthy or unhealthy depending on genetics. It is the borderline value of the norm and the boundaries can be race or nationality.
For example, such a percentage of body fat may be the norm for a mulatto woman and a pathology for a Siberian woman.
20 - 25% fat content in women
This is the level that most women have. The curve of the hips is clearly visible, and there are small body fat.
For example, a woman with a height of 163 cm and a weight of 59 kg with good development muscle has 25% of body fat.
25-35% fat content in women
With such a percentage of fat, it’s time to think about diet and training, although there are many men who will accept such a woman for who she is.
35% - 45% fat content in women
Trouble and waist are growing. The hips become more than 100 cm, and the waist more than 80 or even 90 cm. The stomach begins to hang noticeably. The face and neck take on a rounded shape.
Even in clothes it is clear that this woman has a body.
More than 45% fat content in women
The skin loses its beauty and clearly visible folds appear. The hips become noticeably wider than the shoulders: their circumference goes beyond 115 cm, and the waist - beyond 100 cm.
For example, with a height of 163 cm and a weight of 90 kg, a woman has 45 kg of dry mass and 45 kg of fat - 50% fat content.
If you are watching your body fat percentage then be my friend.
Today's topic of the article will be dedicated to girls who are not completely happy with their figure and would like to change it a little or more thoroughly. When we talk about overweight, then we mean those extra fat deposits that prevent us from feeling comfortable and liking ourselves in the mirror. Those ugly extra pounds are defined by nothing more than percentage of body fat. Today we will find out what should be the norm of fat in the female body, and also determine what percentage of body fat is in a woman is the lower threshold, after which problems with health and reproductive function begin. In general, in this article we will analyze in detail and bit by bit how the female body and its nature reacts to changes in the percentage of fat and a decrease in the fat layer on its body. I think it will be interesting for every girl to know what normal body fat which is acceptable and which is dangerous...
Minimum percentage of fat in the female body
In fact, there is no one value that would accurately state that “this” indicator or “this” is perfect percentage fat in the female body (and in the male body too). Fat norm for each person is determined individually and is based on many factors - gender, age, activity level, lifestyle, genetics, dietary habits and others. But despite this, scientists were able to determine minimum range of female body fat percentage, below which women should not go, due to the appearance of significant disturbances in the vital functions of the body. This percentage varies from 13 to 16 depending on age differences (Table 1).
Table 1 Minimum acceptable fat content depending on the woman’s age
|
AGE |
≤ 30 | 30 – 50 | 50+ |
| Fat percentage | 13% | 15% | 16% |
As we can see, the lower threshold of a woman’s normal body fat percentage increases the older she gets. This is also associated with a decrease in its motor activity, and with metabolism in general.
Normal percentage fat in the female body
Now let's move on to looking at the average normal body fat percentage for women. As we already know, there are no two completely identical organisms, therefore this indicator will not be one specific number, but a range of several values, which will characterize the acceptable percentage of fat for female body. In Table 2 you can see what these values are for different age groups of women.
Table 2 Normal percentage of fat in the female body
| AGE | ≤ 30 | 30 – 50 | 50+ |
| Fat percentage | 16 – 20% | 18 – 23% | 20 – 25% |
But it is worth noting that even within these values there may be disruptions and irregularities in the menstrual cycle in women.
For example, if for a twenty-year-old young girl the normal fat percentage is 19%, (this is what happened “historically”), and when she lost weight, then the fat percentage dropped to 17%, but still remained within her normal range and fits into the range “safe” minimum fat percentage, then the girl may still develop disturbances in the functioning of the ovaries at a more serious level. And all because normal body fat indicated in tables 1 and 2 or prescribed in physiology textbooks is still more conditional meaning, which only approximately determine this normal percentage . But in fact, the body itself decides what is the ACCEPTABLE percentage of fat for it, what is MINIMUM, and what is EXCESSIVE. And we, unfortunately, do not participate in this distribution.
How to measure your body fat percentage?
There are several ways to measure your body fat percentage. The infographic below shows the most popular (picture clickable).
But keep in mind that the resulting figure will only be approximate, since this method is not the most accurate of all those presented above.
Low or negative body fat percentage energy balance?
There are studies that show that low fat percentage does not in any way affect the absence of menstruation and the appearance of amenorrhea in girls. It's all about negative energy balance, not fat percentage per se. When a girl starts to lose weight and lose her kilograms, she does it by calorie deficit, that is, it spends more energy than it receives from food, thereby creating negative energy balance.
So, it is this factor that is key in stopping menstruation and disrupting a girl’s reproductive function, and not the low percentage of fat itself.
If you believe these studies, it turns out that, in principle, a girl can have 6 packs on her stomach and not have problems with her cycle. Is it really?
If we think logically, then to get the desired muscle definition, just NEED TO REDUCE its fat component, that is REDUCE body fat percentage to its minimum (13-14%). And this in turn can ONLY be done through a calorie deficit, which is created by reducing the amount of calories consumed from food and increasing energy expenditure during training.
And here the question arises: are there girls who perform in the “” or “Body Fitness” nominations and at the same time their cycle does not disappear? How is this possible? After all, most of them bring their body fat percentage below minimum permissible norm at 13%.
I allow this option:
to those girls who were able to keep their menstrual cycle during drying and a strict diet (and there are not so many such girls), they still managed to maintain their energy balance at the proper level, without creating a large calorie deficit due to supplements sports nutrition And .
After all, in order to prepare and compete in bodybuilding and bikini fitness competitions, you definitely need additional help in the form of a special one, there is no other way. Training and strict nutrition deplete the body’s energy reserves so much that sometimes girls not only lose their cycle, they simply faint right on stage. This all shows how illiterate and incorrectly the coach or the girl herself approaches the issue of preparation and preparation for competitions. It is clear that the diet of performing athletes contains the minimum possible amount of carbohydrates (the main source of energy), but, perhaps, some also do not receive the normal amount of proteins and fats from food. We cannot know this for sure, but it is true that sports nutrition supplements can partly reduce the energy balance created in the body of athletes.
Where am I leading with all this? And besides, if you want to have a low percentage of body fat (less than 15%) in order to see your six-pack on your stomach, you need to take this issue VERY seriously! Firstly, you need to find out your minimum percentage of fat with which your body continues to function normally, and secondly, do not forget about additional nutrition for athletes.
remember, that norm of fat in the female body is still directly related to the negative energy balance created. The higher it is, the faster you lose weight and reduce your fat percentage. And if at this time you do not help your body and do not support it in the form of additional sports nutrition and vitamins, then you risk losing your cycle, and subsequently getting more more problems with your health:
And one more important point, which I would like to talk about. After the girl fully realizes that her weight loss is not at all the result she dreamed of, and she decides to increase her fat percentage to her “historical” norm, then this girl will inevitably face the realities of her weight loss. Unfortunately, not all the consequences of this weight loss will go away as completely as they appeared. Yes, she will most likely be able to return her menstrual cycle to normal in a couple of weeks, but, for example, the loss of some minerals that are responsible for bone strength may be an irreversible process for her. The consequences of amenorrhea never go completely without a trace, this is a scientifically proven fact. So, remember this if you suddenly want to lose weight and reduce your normal fat percentage to a minimum.
Fat percentage from low to high
Well, let's summarize all of the above.
So, minimum percentage of fat in the female body should be 13-16% depending on the woman’s age. Below this threshold, women begin serious problems with your health, remember this.
Normal percentage of body fat in a woman ranges from 16 to 25%. Falling into this range, a woman looks and feels good, all her organ systems and most importantly her reproductive function are in perfect order.
We didn’t discuss the diagnosis of obesity here, but I will say that more than 32% body fat indicates that a woman is already included in the “overweight” category.
I hope this article was useful to you and you learned a lot of useful and necessary information for you.
And I wish you to be healthy and not focus on six-pack abs, because health is a thousand times more important than some six-pack. We have only one, and it can be easily and irretrievably lost! And we have six cubes, they are with us forever and you can always buy them if you wish =))
Sincerely yours, Janelia Skripnik!
Probably everyone understands that the percentage of body fat is important indicator.
It should not be overlooked, focusing only on kilograms and the arrow on the scale when losing weight. Because we want to get rid from fat, not muscle.
In addition, people with the same weight can look completely different. Therefore, knowing exactly how much fat is in the body is much more useful.
Subcutaneous and visceral
How to determine quantity visceral fat? Excess is easy to notice by the disturbed proportions of the body: the stomach noticeably protrudes forward.
What percentage of internal fat should women and men have? No more than 15% of total body fat, regardless of gender. You can also understand that the norm of visceral fat is exceeded by simply changing your waist. For women, the dangerous figure will be 80 cm, for the stronger half of humanity - 90.
Of course, these are not ideal and not completely reliable methods, but they are the only ones available to people at home!
Why is it necessary to know?
Muscle is heavier than fat, so even with the same weight, two people can have completely different body quality. The lower the percentage of body fat and the higher the percentage of muscle, the more prominent the body will be. So beautiful, athletic body - not kilograms on the scale, because the “quantity of the body” does not always correspond to its “quality”. Women have strength physiological reasons more fat cells than men, so building muscle mass is always more difficult for women.
A beautiful body really means a lot of work on yourself. Don't look for "miracle diets" magic pills or the cunning technique of the third wife of the Chinese Emperor Ding, and daily nutrition control, regular classes in the gym and a desire to understand how it all works. Like the work of a sculptor who calmly and methodically carves a beautiful statue out of shapeless stone.
If you are losing weight and monitoring the quality of your body, then try to measure your body fat percentage at least once a month. This will help you not mindlessly lose extra pounds, but systematically improve your body composition.
Besides:
- You can track changes in your fat mass both while losing weight and while gaining muscle. This is much more revealing than the arrow on the scale.
- Knowing your lean muscle mass can help you
The norm for women and men: what should it be
So, what is the normal percentage of body fat for a woman?
- up to 30 years – 15-23%;
- from 30 to 50 years – 19-25%;
- from 50 years old - 20-27%.
Normal body fat percentage for men:
- up to 30 years – 11-18%;
- from 30 to 50 years – 14-20%;
- from 50 years old – 16-22%.
If there is more than 32% fat, a person develops obesity.
More visual tables:
How to find out on your own at home?
Exact way There is no way to find out how much fat is in the body. There are more precise methods, There is simple methods, which show this approximately.
How to determine from a photo
Cheap and cheerful: to determine your body fat percentage, you need to find a body shape that is as similar as possible to yours:
For girls and women, an athletic build is characterized by 14-20% body fat, good physical shape - 21-24%, average body fat - 25-31%. At the same time, a fat level below 10% is extremely dangerous for the female body and leads to the cessation of .
For men, 6-13 percent body fat means a toned, athletic physique and fairly defined abs, 14-17% means good physical shape with a small amount of fat in problem areas, 18-25% means an average level of shape, and above 25% means obesity.
On the positive side: This is the fastest, free and easiest way. To determine your body fat percentage, you need to find a body shape that is as similar to yours as possible.
From the negative: requires your assessment of yourself, which is not always objective. We may unconsciously “throw off” a few pounds in our minds and compare ourselves to the slimmer version in the photo. In a word, with a probability of 80% this method is a “finger in the sky.”
How to measure with a caliper
Caliper- a special device that measures the thickness of the skin-fat folds in different parts of the body. Based on the obtained figures, the percentage of subcutaneous fat is determined using special tables or formulas.
How to measure body fat with a caliper -!! only for women!!
- Posterior shoulder: the fold is taken vertically in the middle between shoulder joint and elbow.
- On the side: The fold is taken from the side diagonally in the middle between the lower rib and the hip bones.
- On the stomach: The fold is taken vertically at a distance of +-2.5 cm away from the navel.
% fat = (A-B+C) + 4.03653, where:
- A = 0.41563 x (sum of all three folds in mm),
- B = 0.00112 x (sum of all three folds in mm squared),
- C = 0.03661 x age in years.
Measurement common for women and men
We add the resulting numbers in mm and find out the percentage of subcutaneous fat using the table:
On the positive side: inexpensive, fast, you can do it yourself at home, fairly accurate indicators.
From the negative: You need practice to learn how to use it correctly or someone else's help, calculations using formulas are required.
How to calculate online
There are also many fat percentage calculators online based on different body measurements. So you can easily calculate online. For example, these:
On the positive side:
From the negative: the calculation is unreliable.
How to calculate with scales and analyzer
How scales determine the amount of fat and muscle in the body: the device passes a weak current through you and calculates tissue resistance.
On the positive side: fast, suitable for regular home use.
From the negative: the same as for bioimpedance - not always accurate indicators, since the figure can be affected by water balance (edema). High-quality scales will cost more than 10,000, but it’s better to refuse cheap ones - it’s a waste of money. When repeated measurements, fluid loss may show on the scale a decrease in the percentage of fat mass, although in fact it has remained unchanged. The only way to use such scales is to track the trend - let the number lie, but what is important is its increase or decrease over time.
How to Calculate Body Mass Index from Lyle MacDonald
The method is only suitable for untrained people , i.e. for beginners who have not yet started training strength training. For the happy owners of visible muscles built in gym above the “norm”, this method is not suitable.
To determine your body fat percentage, you need to know your body mass index: BMI = weight in kg/height in square meters
How to check with professionals
How to calculate quantity by bioimpedance analysis
A weak current is passed through the body using electrodes attached to the ankles and wrists and then measured. electrical resistance fabrics. Even in physics lessons, we were told about the resistance of electric current with different conductors. We know that water is an excellent conductor. We also know from anatomy lessons that the muscles of the body are 75% water, while human adipose tissue contains the least amount of it. This means that an electrical impulse easily and quickly passes through muscle tissue, but is delayed on its way through adipose tissue.
On the positive side: fast, does not require any activity.
From the negative: the cost and location are vague, the need to visit a clinic, the use of equipment of varying quality. Not always accurate indicators, since the figure may be affected by water balance (edema).
How to understand how much using underwater weighing method
The method is based on Archimedes' principle: immersed in water solid loses as much weight as the fluid it displaces weighs. Since dry body mass and fat mass are different in density, by comparing body density after regular weighing and underwater weighing, the percentage of fat mass is determined. The method is complex and rarely used.
Video
Video about body fat percentage and its definition different methods. Fat test:
Previously, to determine general state health used mass index human body. Today for this purpose it is tracked body fat percentage.
You can find many articles on this topic that include determining this indicator using tables, formulas or other methods. This material discusses the main ideas of these articles, and the result is presented in pictures for a visual representation of the state of male and female body depending on this indicator.
To have an idea of what this material is about, you need to understand several terms and concepts.
How is this percentage calculated? The amount of fat in kilograms is divided by body weight and then converted into a percentage. For example, with a total weight of 80 kg of a man and a fat mass of 13 kg, the percentage of fat content will be 16.
Fat distribution
Everyone has their own characteristics of the body and organism, including the distribution of fat deposits. So, some women have a small amount of fat on their abdomen, but excess fat in the triceps and thighs. For others it's the other way around. As for men, in most cases, fat deposits are mainly observed in the abdominal area. The pictures clearly show in which parts fat is most often deposited in females and males.
Features of the figure
They are also different for everyone, so people with the same percentage of fat will look different in appearance. As an example, we can cite models and athletes for whom this indicator is absolutely the same, and the differences are visible to the naked eye.
Age
The photographs depict people in the age category of 25-35 years. It should be noted that The older a person gets, the more fat his body contains.. For example, men aged 20 and 50 years old have the same percentage of body fat, but for the first (young) it will be 15%, and for the second – 20%. This is due to the tendency of fat to increase with age around organs and in muscles.
Muscle grooves
In the process of pumping up the body, a relief is formed, the muscles become more noticeable and resemble grooves in appearance. It is also important to have an understanding of what vascularity is. As the percentage of body fat decreases, veins appear on the body - this is the meaning of this term.
3-4%
This percentage of fat content is typical for the period of preparation for sports competitions. IN in this case increased vascularity is observed - veins are visible on almost every muscle. Even the muscles on the buttocks have small gaps, and the absence of them indicates a very low fat content. The norm for men is considered to be about 2% fat content. This is the amount necessary for the body to function normally, since fat protects the organs in the abdominal cavity and thoracic region.
6-7%
This indicator is not as categorical as the previous one, but it is still not normal for most representatives of the strong field. The fact is that this is reflected in the appearance, for example, the face looks emaciated, which causes concern among people around. This percentage of fat content is typical for most models; their muscles are clearly defined, and there is clear vascularity, including the muscles of the limbs and abdomen. When the abdominal muscles are clearly visible, the muscles are clearly separated - this indicates low fat content.
10-12%
Is normal level for a man. Of course, the abdominal muscles are not as clearly visible as in the previous case, but the abdominal muscles are clearly visible. This is exactly the condition and body shape that most men strive for. He is also considered attractive by the fair sex. This percentage of fat is characterized by grooves only in the arms and shoulders, and not in every muscle.
15%
This level corresponds to men with a fit and slender figure. The contours of the muscles are clearly visible, but there is no visible separation between them. Typically, the grooves are covered with a small amount of fat. However, this does not negatively affect the shape of the body - the figure is beautiful, despite the fact that there is no obvious muscle definition.
20%
This level of fat content is characterized by not very clear identification of muscles and blood vessels. In most cases, men develop a small belly. For example, the male population of New York City generally has a body fat level of 20-25%. But in other places this figure may differ. As a rule, a man with a height of 180 cm and a body weight of 81 kg has a body fat content of about 20% fat.
25%
In this case, there is a significant increase in waist size, muscles and blood vessels are practically not visible. If a man is 180cm tall, his minimum waist size can reach 91cm. Also, this percentage of fat content is characterized by a slight increase in neck volume and small fat folds. But all this is perfectly hidden by clothes. Men with more high level fat content than specified in this paragraph, face the problem of obesity. Abdominal obesity is recognized if the waist circumference exceeds 101 cm.
30%
This indicator is characterized by the distribution of fat throughout the body, including the formation of fat deposits in the waist, hips, back, and calves. Visually, the waist looks larger than the hips, the muscles are not visible at all, and the stomach sags.
35%
When body weight constantly increases, the amount of fat also increases, more of which accumulates in the abdominal area. At this level, an even more saggy belly is observed, the waist as such disappears completely (its volume can exceed 101 cm). This type of belly is called a “beer belly.”
40%
As in the previous case, fat deposits are concentrated in the waist and abdominal area. Waist size can exceed 145cm. With this indicator, a person faces a number of problems with movement, especially on stairs. It's difficult to bend over. These are the first signs of obesity!
10-12%
The minimum level that can be observed only in women involved in. Vessels and muscle grooves are clearly visible. For normal functioning of the body, a fat content of 8-10% is acceptable. What is the reason for this difference compared to the minimum indicator for men (2%)? This is due to the high fat content in the area around the uterus and mammary glands, so there is no need to strive for a male figure, since this poses a health hazard for the fair sex. The girl in the photo is probably at the upper limit because the vessels are hard to see.
15-17%
Corresponds to the second level of fat content in males. This indicator is typical for the majority of models advertising underwear. However, most of them may encounter problems associated with impaired functionality of the body. The muscles of the limbs, shoulders, and abs are clearly visible. Because of low level fat content, the shape of the hips and buttocks is not clearly expressed.
20-22%
Most female athletes have this percentage of fat in their bodies. A small amount of fat is observed on the limbs, the abdominal muscles are clearly visible. Minimum level of separation between muscles.
25%
Characteristic of most representatives of the fair sex. Such a woman cannot be called too thin, but not too fat either. A small layer of fat is present on the buttocks, the curve of the hips is clearly visible. This level is typical, for example, at 163 cm height and 59 kg body weight.
30%
Unlike men, in whom fat accumulation is observed mainly in the abdominal area, in the majority of women it is deposited in the buttocks and thighs. The latter are clearly expressed with a rounded shape. 30% fat content is the upper limit for the average woman.
35%
The hips increase even more, and the neck and face acquire rounded shapes. The hips can exceed 100cm, the waist – 80cm. The stomach begins to sag.
40%
Hip circumference can exceed 106cm, waist – 90cm, hip – 63cm.
45%
This level is characterized by the appearance of noticeable folds and the condition of the skin worsens. Hip circumference can exceed 115cm, waist – 90cm. The shoulders look noticeably narrower than the hips.
50%
The hips become even larger, noticeably exceeding the width of the shoulders. The condition of the skin worsens, the fat is clearly visible. Hip circumference can exceed 115cm, waist – 101cm. Example: if a woman is 163 cm tall and has a body weight of 90 cm, half of it is muscle mass, the remaining 50% is fat.
How to reduce body fat percentage - Video
Based on: builtlean.com
