One of the most objective indicators of body quality is not the numbers on the scale, but muscle to fat ratio. Today we will look at the question of how you can measure your body fat percentage at home, without resorting to the services of professional nutritionists.
Why measure your body fat percentage?
When you are losing weight, it is important not just to lose weight, but to get rid of fat. As a rule, even if you eat in a reasonable calorie deficit, For every 3 kg of fat, 1 kg of muscle will be lost. But in order to determine this accurately and, if possible, adjust your diet and physical activity, it is important to monitor the volume of subcutaneous fat, because the number on the scale will not always be indicative.
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. Women, for physiological reasons, have more fat cells than men, so it is always more difficult for women to build muscle mass.
If you are losing weight and monitoring the quality of your body, then try to measure your body fat percentage 1-2 times a month. This will help you avoid mindlessly dumping extra pounds, A systematically improve body composition.
How to measure body fat percentage?
There are several simple ways How can you measure the percentage of subcutaneous fat? Since each method is not 100% accurate, we recommend that you try several options for calculations at once.
1. From a photograph
The easiest way find out your body fat percentage, is to take a photo of yourself in a swimsuit and compare it with photos that show body quality at a certain percentage of body fat.
For men it looks like this:
For women it’s like this:
You won’t know the exact data this way, but you can imagine the approximate order of the numbers. Try to be objective when comparing photos, or better yet, ask someone to help you find a match.
2. Using body composition analyzer scales
Large fitness centers often have new generation electronic scales that measure the percentage of fat and muscle mass using modern technology. They work at the expense electrical impulses and are based on calculating the resistance of various tissues when current is passed through them. Such impulses can only be missed by organic mass that does not contain fat. Based on this, data is derived.
Also, such body composition analyzer scales can be purchased at home, but remember that this system far from ideal when calculating body composition. The numbers may be wrong.
3. Measurement of fat folds
The most convenient and accurate way to calculate the percentage of body fat is to measure the folds of fat using a ruler. You can use a caliper, or you can purchase a special device for measuring fat percentage -. Its cost is only 200-300 rubles.
What is the essence of this measurement method? You measure the thickness of the fold in four different places and based on this, calculate the percentage of subcutaneous fat in the body. Final result as close as possible to the real one, so this method is considered the most optimal to measure body composition.
So, using a caliper measure the thickness of the fold in four different places:
- Triceps: Midway between the shoulder and elbow joints on the back of the arm.
- Biceps: Midway between the shoulder and elbow joints on the front of the arm.
- Shoulder: The fold is taken just below the shoulder blade at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Waist: 8-10 cm to the right or left of the navel at the same level.
For clarity, it is shown in the figure:
Then you need to add all 4 values and find in the table figure of the amount received(first column). Please note that even with the same fold thickness in men and women, the percentage of fat will be different:
4. Using various calculators
There are many different calculators on the Internet that measure body fat percentage from data calculation about age, height, weight and volume. We offer you two calculators - you can try both and compare the data obtained:
This method is not highly accurate, since measurements are taken based on body volumes.
In the process of losing weight Don’t rely only on the numbers on the scale. You can maintain a stable weight, but lose fat mass and increase muscle mass. Or you can lose kilos, but at the expense of water and muscles. Track volumes, watch for changes in photographs, measure the percentage of body fat, and then you will be able to put together a more objective picture.
What do most women do when they want to evaluate their figure? That's right, step on the scale! What next? The current weight is compared with what it was a year ago, five, ten. Such a comparison can indeed say something, but in many cases it is similar to fortune telling by tea leaves. The fact is that with age, body composition changes, muscle tissue is gradually replaced by fat.
For reference, a woman’s body weight consists of the weight of the skeleton (12%), muscles (35%), fat (24%) and the mass of other components of the body; for men, the mass ratios are slightly different - the skeleton accounts for 15% of the total mass, muscles - 45% and fat approximately 12%..
Let's say the muscles decrease, but the fat increases by exactly the same amount - what's good about that? In other words, simply weighing yourself cannot be your compass in the world of beauty. We need a much more precise tool. What if we use calculators to calculate our ideal weight? In one column, write your height, and in the other, find your optimal weight. Then all you have to do is step on the scales, and the picture of your own condition becomes clear.
Meanwhile, not everything is so simple (they are simply not taken into account fully). And American insurance companies were the first to discover this. At one time, they actively used body mass index (BMI) to determine their risk level when insuring a client's life. After all, the higher the excess weight, the greater the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. However, even clerks far from medicine, after several years of experience, it became clear: there is no direct connection between height and weight.
How to find out your fat percentage?
One of the most accurate methods is to analyze body composition, estimate the waist/hip ratio, and measure skin folds.
Body composition analysis shows the distribution of your weight: what proportion of it is fat, and what proportion is everything else. Such an analysis can be done in many sports and health centers and fitness clubs. Some methods of performing this test are quite simple, others are much more complex. We will return to this later.
Measuring skinfold thickness .
To calculate the percentage of body fat, first of all you will need a thickness gauge - the device shown in the pictures. It can be purchased at any sports store. However, you can also use a regular ruler; to do this, you need to attach it to the fold, moving it a couple of centimeters to the base (as shown in the figure below.
Measurement Rules
Take all measurements while standing.
Take measurements on right side bodies.
Gather the fold with your thumb and index finger (as shown in the picture). Grab the skin wide enough so that the fat layer is folded between your fingers. Squeeze the fold hard enough (slight pain) to expel water from the fatty tissue.
Place the ruler or thickness gauge 2 cm away from your fingers (between the peak and the base of the fold).
To improve the accuracy of your body fat percentage calculation, take 2-3 measurements, but do not take 3 measurements in a row in the same place. You should alternate the following places alternately: triceps - stomach - thigh - triceps and so on.
To maximize the accuracy of your body fat percentage, ask for measurements loved one and compare with yours. Enter average results into the system.
It must be remembered that after a while, repeated measurements should be taken by the same people who did it the previous time.
To more clearly follow the measurement rules, a picture is shown below
Ultrasound
This method of examination is carried out using special equipment, similar to that found in ultrasound rooms. Ultrasonic waves penetrate deep into the skin and show the thickness of the fat layer on a measuring scale. Typically, ultrasound scanning is performed in several places. The data obtained in this way is used to calculate the total percentage of fat in your body.
Oddly enough, opinions about this method paradoxically differ. Some experts consider it very accurate, others argue that the device is, in principle, not capable of producing the correct result.
Method for measuring bioelectrical impedance (BER)
When using the BES method, a weak light is passed through your body. electric current. No more than a tiny pocket battery. The current is supplied through electrodes attached to the arms and legs. Fat tissue, unlike muscle tissue, does not conduct current. It turns out that the faster the current passes through the body, the less fat it contains. The obtained data is substituted into formulas that take into account height, gender and age. Thus, the percentage of fat in total body weight is calculated.
Weighing in water
The test goes like this: you sit in a chair suspended from a scale, exhale, and you are immersed in a tank of water. For about 10 seconds, while the underwater weighing is going on, you naturally cannot breathe. The whole procedure is repeated several times. In three maximum results the average value is displayed. Based on it, with the help of several complex formulas The percentage of fat in body weight is calculated.
This time-consuming and inconvenient method is used exclusively for research purposes. In addition, when weighing women, it is not particularly accurate due to the fact that formulas that work well for men give significant errors here. The reason is that there are large differences in the density of bone and muscle tissue between women - some have dense ones, while others have loose ones.
Formulas for calculations
Body fat percentage - calculated using formulas for the body circumference method developed by Hodgdon and Beckett. Men and women demand different methods measurements because men tend to store fat around their belly (apple shape) and women tend to store fat around their belly and hips (pear shape).
Formula for men:
Fat Percentage=495/(1.0324-0.19077(log(Waist-Neck))+0.15456(log(Height)))-450
Formula for women:
Fat Percentage=495/(1.29579-0.35004(log(Waist+Hips-Neck))+0.22100(log(Height)))-450
To determine the norm, data from the formulas are presented in the table below
It's time to pull yourself together and prepare for.....
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Frequently asked questions
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- First training program
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In this article, let's look at how you can build muscles at home. The main obstacle to studying at home is our laziness. However, if you overcome it and start exercising at least an hour a day, you will notice results within a couple of weeks. And you definitely need to give yourself at least one day off.
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Created 03/18/2016
Many women, in pursuit of perfect figure, sit on half-starvation diets and rejoice at every kilogram that goes away. Their obsession is to lose weight and reduce body size.
Here we will not talk about how to lose weight correctly. Let's consider the question of how to find out the percentage of fat and muscle mass in the body.
Do women who are losing weight think about how their weight is coming off? Often not. If you have lost a few kilograms and your body size has decreased by a few centimeters, this does not necessarily mean that the hated fat has gone away. You may have lost weight due to loss of water or muscle mass from your body. Therefore, it is useful to know how much fat is in the body and how much muscle and monitor changes in indicators. This will allow you to see what you need to work on: use intense training to lose fat or focus on strength training and nutrition for gaining muscle mass.
Our body is made up of different tissues. In scientific words - body composition.
There are various models describing body composition:
two-component model- the sum of fat mass and lean body mass
Body fat mass- the mass of all lipids in the body. Its content may vary widely.
There is essential fat, which is part of the protein-lipid complex of most body cells, and non-essential fat (triglycerides) in adipose tissue.
Substantial fat necessary for normal metabolism of organs and tissues. Women have a higher relative amount of essential fat than men. It is believed that the relative content of essential fat in the body is very stable and amounts to different people 2 to 5% lean body mass.
Nonessential fat performs the function of thermal insulation of internal organs. The content of non-essential fat increases with excess nutrition and decreases with insufficient nutrition.
The amount of fatty tissue in the body can vary significantly from person to person and vary individually throughout life. This may be due to both normal physiological changes during the growth and development of the body, and to metabolic disorders. The average percentage of body fat in adults usually ranges from 10% to 20-30% of body weight.
Non-essential fat consists of subcutaneous and internal fat. Subcutaneous fat is distributed relatively evenly along the surface of the body. Internal (visceral) fat is concentrated mainly in the abdominal cavity. It has been established that the risk of developing cardiovascular and other diseases associated with overweight body has a higher relationship with the content of internal, rather than subcutaneous, fat. There is the concept of abdominal fat, which refers to the totality of internal and subcutaneous fat localized in the abdominal area.
Lean body mass- body weight excluding fat. The components of lean body mass are total body water, muscle mass, skeletal mass and other components.
three-component models:
Sum of body fat mass, total body water, and lean body mass without fat
Sum of body fat mass, body mineral mass and soft tissue lean fraction
four-component models:
Sum of body fat mass, total body water, body mineral mass and residual mass
Sum of body fat mass, body cellular mass, extracellular fluid mass, and extracellular mass solids
five-level multicomponent model- the structure of the body is considered at the elemental, molecular, cellular, tissue levels and at the level of the organism as a whole
Determination of body composition is important in sports, dietetics, anesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care. It is used in the treatment of anorexia, obesity, osteoporosis and some other diseases.
Coaches and sports doctors use body composition measurements to optimize training regimens in preparation for competition. Studies of the strongest athletes have made it possible to establish optimal values for fat and muscle mass of the body. But there are still no uniform standards and they vary depending on the type of sport, specific specialization and level of training of athletes.
Various methods are used to determine human body composition. And there are formulas huge amount. We will not delve into and describe them all in detail, because research is carried out in laboratories and clinics by specialists and knowledge of all these subtleties is simply not necessary. Let's look at the simplest and most popular methods that allow you to calculate the percentage of fat tissue and muscle mass in the body.
Caliperometry
It consists of measuring the thickness of skin and fat folds in certain areas of the body using special measuring devices - calipers.
Today it is produced large number various models of calipers, differing from each other in design features, measurement accuracy, application conditions, price and other indicators. The accuracy of determining the thickness of folds with plastic calipers is usually lower than with metal ones.
All measurements are taken on the right side of the body. Holding the caliper in right hand, capture the skin-fat fold with a large and index fingers of the left hand, the distance between which, depending on the thickness of the fold, should be from 4 to 8 centimeters, and gently, without causing pain, lift the fold to a height of about 1 centimeter.
The caliper is positioned perpendicular to the fold, with the measurement scale facing up. The working surfaces of the caliper are placed at a distance of 1 centimeter from the large and index finger midway between the base and crest of the fold.
Carefully and completely release the pressure of the caliper arcs on the fold, then within 3-4 seconds, use the scale to determine its thickness, maintaining the fold in a raised position.
The fold must be taken quickly, since with prolonged compression, due to an imbalance of fluid in the near-surface areas of the body, it becomes thinner.
The skin in the measurement areas should be dry. It is not recommended to conduct examination immediately after intensive physical activity or overheating.
There are more than 100 caliperometry-based formulas for determining body composition. These formulas correspond to various schemes for selecting measurement sites.
The most popular schemes are:
- Along two folds: on the back of the shoulder and in the middle of the lower leg
- Along three folds: on the back of the shoulder, superior iliac and in the middle of the thigh behind
- Along four folds: on the back of the shoulder, superior iliac, on the stomach near the navel, in the middle of the thigh; or on the anterior and posterior surface of the shoulder, under the scapula, superior iliac
- Along seven folds: on the back of the shoulder, on the chest, axillary, under the shoulder blade, superior iliac, on the stomach near the navel, in the middle of the thigh at the back
- Along eight folds: under the shoulder blade, on the front of the shoulder, on the back of the shoulder, on the forearm, on the chest, on the stomach near the navel, on the upper thigh, on the upper leg
How to take folds
On the back of the shoulder- a vertical fold taken above the triceps muscle with the arm lowered and relaxed. Takes on midline the posterior surface of the shoulder in the middle between the acromion and olecranon processes
On the front of the shoulder- a vertical fold taken above the biceps muscle in the middle between the acromion and olecranon processes, the arm is relaxed and located along the body
At the back of the lower leg- a vertical fold taken on the midline of the medial surface of the calf at the level of the maximum circumference.
Superior iliac fold- a diagonal fold taken directly above the iliac crest, along its natural line.
Back mid thigh- a vertical fold taken from behind above the quadriceps muscle in the middle of the thigh of the right leg (measured in a standing position; the center of gravity is shifted to the left leg, the right leg is relaxed).
On the stomach near the navel- a vertical fold, which is taken at the level of the navel on the right at a distance of 2 centimeters from it.
Under the shoulder blade- diagonal fold (from top to bottom, from inside to outside), located at an angle of 45 degrees at a distance of 2 centimeters down from the lower corner of the shoulder blade
On the chest- diagonal fold (from top to bottom, from outside to inside), taken in the middle between the anterior axillary line and the nipple (in women, 1/3 of the distance)
Axillary- vertical fold taken at the midaxillary line at the level of the xiphoid process of the sternum
On the forearm- a vertical fold on the front surface of the forearm at its widest point
On the upper thigh- taken in a sitting position on a chair, legs bent at the knees at a right angle. The fold is measured in the upper part of the right thigh on the anterolateral surface parallel to the inguinal fold, slightly below it
On the top of the shin- The fold is measured in the same position as on the upper thigh. Taken almost vertically on the posterolateral surface of the upper part of the right shin, at the level of the lower angle of the popliteal fossa
How to Calculate Body Fat Percentage
Of the many formulas, the most popular is the Matejka formula, which is used for age groups over 16 years old. The formula for determining the mass of fatty tissue in the body (BAT) has the form
where d is the average thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer together with the skin (mm), S is the body surface area (m 2), k = 1.3.
For women, the value of d is calculated as follows:
Add up the thickness of seven folds of skin and fat in millimeters (on the biceps, triceps, forearm, back, abdomen, thigh and lower leg). Divide the resulting amount by 14.
The surface area of the body is determined by Dubois' formula:
For women (20-60 years old) with high relative body fat, the formula is:
Abdominal girth is measured at the level of the navel during the pause between inhalation and exhalation.
Surely, many will find it difficult to understand the body structure terms used above and where to measure folds. But making calculations will be difficult. Then you can use a simpler method.
You can measure folds at 4 points:
on the triceps approximately at the same distance from the shoulder and elbow joints
on the biceps, similar to the triceps, on the opposite side of the arm
on the shoulder blade the fold is pinched just below it at an angle of 45 degrees to the vertical so that the fold is directed along the line connecting the cervical vertebrae and sides
at the waist near the navel where is the most fat
All results (in millimeters) are added together. Fat percentage is calculated using the following table:
It provides data for women. For of different ages different indicators. This is because as we age, the amount of fat inside the muscles and in the abdominal cavity around the internal organs inevitably increases. When measured correctly, this method is 97-98% accurate.
Below you can see what the figure of women looks like with different percentages of fat.
How to Calculate Muscle Mass Percentage
To calculate muscle mass, the most accurate and common method is the Matejka formula. First you need to make the following measurements.
You need to measure the thickness of the fold with a caliper or caliper:
- on the front of the shoulder (biceps)
- on the back of the shoulder (triceps)
- on the forearm
- on the front thigh
- on the shin
Use a measuring tape to measure the girth:
- shoulder
- forearms
- hips
- shins
Formula for determining skeletal muscle mass (SMM)
where DT is height (m), k=6.5, r is the average value of the circumference of the shoulder, forearm, thigh and lower leg without subcutaneous fat and skin, determined by the formula
Shoulder circumference is measured at rest in a place greatest development; forearm girth - in the place of greatest muscle development on a freely hanging arm, the muscles are relaxed; calf girth - in the place of greatest development of the calf muscle; The thigh circumference is measured under the gluteal fold, the body weight is evenly distributed on both legs, located shoulder-width apart. The folds are determined in the same position and places as the girths.
To calculate muscle mass as a percentage, divide muscle mass by weight in kilograms and multiply by 100.
Bioimpedance analysis
Based on significant differences in the specific electrical conductivity of adipose tissue and lean body mass. The main conductors of electric current in the body are tissues with high content water and electrolytes dissolved in it. Fat and bones have lower electrical conductivity.
Measurements are made using instruments with built-in software. They differ in the frequency (or set of frequencies) of alternating current used, the indicators measured, recommended electrode placement patterns, and built-in formulas for determining body composition.
Inexpensive single-frequency devices are used to monitor body fat and skeletal muscle mass. More expensive dual-frequency and multi-frequency bioimpedance analyzers are used mainly in clinical medicine and scientific research.
A more accurate assessment of body composition can be obtained using devices that work by placing electrodes on the shin and wrist.
They produce hand-held bioimpedance fat analyzers that take information from shoulder girdle. There are bathroom scales that you can use at home. It is precisely these scales that we will focus our attention on.
When you step on the scale, a small electrical current runs up one leg, through your pelvis and then down the other leg. Because muscle contains more water, it conducts electricity better than fat. So, the more resistance, the more fat you have in your body. To calculate the percentage of fat mass and muscle mass, formulas are used based on the speed of passage of the electrical signal and other data that you enter: height, age, gender. Height must be entered with an accuracy of 1 centimeter. The results obtained are checked against the tables that are in the instructions for the scales. These tables indicate age and normal levels of muscle tissue, fat and water in the body.
Of course, such scales are convenient to use, but they do not give accurate results. Research has shown that the most best scales are only 80% accurate. With their help, you can only roughly assess whether your body composition meets established standards. Factors such as body type, elevated body temperature, hydration, recent physical exercise and the last meal. Even wet or sweaty feet, as well as large calluses on the feet, can skew the results. It has been established that different scales give different readings. Such devices may be less accurate for older adults, people in good physical condition, children, and people with osteoporosis. Some other diseases also affect accuracy - including muscular dystrophy, polio, cirrhosis of the liver, and heart failure. Additionally, these scales may overestimate body fat percentage in thin people and underestimate it in people with overweight. These scales are not recommended for use by pregnant women or if they have electrical implants such as a pacemaker or defibrillator.
The scales must be placed on a flat floor, and when weighing, stand straight and not move (you can view the result after weighing in the scale’s memory). You need to weigh yourself at the same time of day ( better in the morning on an empty stomach some time after you woke up and went to the toilet), do not do it immediately after training and weigh yourself in a room with a stable temperature.
There are no common standards for ideal percentage fat and muscle tissue in the body. It depends on age, gender, fitness and ethnicity.
According to some experts, a "healthy" body fat range is between 23 and 33 percent for middle-aged women and up to 35 percent for older women. Athletes tend to have much less body fat. Low fat content in female body- 10%. When trying to burn as much fat as possible, remember that having too little body fat can lead to health problems.
For women, the average muscle mass is 36%.
A slim body is beautiful, fashionable and healthy. At least, our time prescribes just such canons. Following them, many people strive to get rid of fat deposits as much as possible.
Why does the body need fat?
You've probably noticed that even with the same weight, some people look fit, while others, to put it mildly, are not ideal. The fact is that the ratio of bone and muscle mass in the body, as well as fat and water, is of key importance. Therefore, when thinking about a good figure, and indeed about health in general, first of all pay attention to the percentage of fat in the body. Please note: not only its excess is harmful, but also its deficiency. After all, fat serves as a source of energy and warms us. It (in particular, subcutaneous fat) protects bones and internal organs. The so-called visceral or essential fat, which surrounds the internal organs, is part nervous system. Fat is required for the absorption of vitamins, the synthesis of hormones, and the construction of new cells. Its deficiency negatively affects hair, skin and joints.
“A low percentage of body fat leads to problems with potency in men and with ovulation, conception and regularity of the menstrual cycle in women.”
What percentage of fat is considered ideal?
What is the norm? The answer to this question depends on many factors, ranging from your gender (the percentage of fat in the male body is lower) to your age (it increases over the years). In the table below you can see what the ideal amount of fat will be for you:
According to WHO recommendations, for men 20-40 years old an indicator below 8% is considered “unhealthy”, and for women of the same age the abnormal indicator fluctuates around 18%. The minimum percentage of fat that allows a person to survive is 3-5% for men, 8-13% for women. It must be said that bodybuilders, when preparing for competitions, sometimes reach such figures, but they never maintain such a figure for long. Still, the health risk remains.
How to Measure Body Fat Percentage
Now that you know the parameters, it would be good to understand how well you yourself meet them. There are many methods for measuring body fat. MRI, X-ray scanning, weighing in water and bioimpedance are quite accurate (a special device passes a weak current through the body and calculates the percentage of fat based on the speed of the signal). Special scales work on the same principle, which can often be found in fitness clubs and even purchased for home. It is quite simple, but not so accurate, to measure the amount of fat in the body using a tool called a caliper or an ordinary caliper or even a ruler. Grab the fold of skin on the abdomen with your fingers a little to the side and 5 cm, measure the thickness, and check the result with the table.
Or you can do it even simpler - compare yourself with images of bodies in photographs:
What to Keep in Mind When Assessing Your Body Fat Percentage
Have you discovered that your indicators are not ideal and now you know what to strive for? Be careful and attentive.
“In pursuit of a super-athletic figure, never go beyond the physiological norm of fat content”
However, the problem is that your own norm may differ from the standard one. Each person is individual, which means your personal “healthy” body fat may differ from the average. Therefore, following the chosen weight loss program, monitor the condition of your body. It may also happen that, wanting to show the world not only a wasp waist, but also pumped up abs, a girl will reduce the percentage of body fat, for example, from 18% to 14% and get... menstrual irregularities. The fat indicator is still within the average norm, but the individual characteristics body. Therefore, as soon as you notice any unpleasant symptoms, stop the weight loss program at least temporarily and consult a doctor.
And remember: in ordinary life There is no point in achieving extreme indicators. But bringing the percentage of fat in the body back to normal is useful, no matter how you look at it.
A healthy, slim and fit body is something that will always be in fashion. A lot of people are trying to get rid of excess fat deposits. But at the same time, not everyone knows what the norm of fat in the body is and how to determine it, but a lot depends on this indicator. Let's try to understand this issue.
Quite often there is a situation where two people who have the same weight look completely different. One is slender and fit, while the other, to put it mildly, does not look very ideal. The fact is that weight is, in principle, not an indicator that you should focus on when assessing your physical fitness. Muscle is much heavier than fat, hence the difference in appearance with the same number on the scale.
How your body combines bone and muscle mass, as well as water and fat, is key. Therefore, what the normal percentage of body fat should be should be known not only to those who are losing weight, but also to those who, in principle, monitor their health. Not only excess fat is dangerous, but also its deficiency, since fat has many important functions, in particular protective and reserve ones. A low percentage of body fat provokes problems with potency in men and problems with the menstrual cycle and fertility in women.
Thus, fat performs the following functions:
- protects body organs;
- helps maintain normal temperature;
- promotes the preservation of nutrients in the body;
- softens joints;
- promotes energy accumulation.
To maintain health and lead a full life, a woman needs a body fat percentage of 13-15, and a man needs at least 5-9%. If this indicator is lower, then serious violations in the performance of their functions by bodies and dangerous consequences are possible. If the percentage of body fat is normal, a person will feel and look good, and his reproductive organs will work as they should.
Fat is especially important for the female body. It helps ensure normal synthesis of female hormones, promotes the proper functioning of the genital organs, ensures a normal menstrual cycle, and makes it possible to bear and give birth to a child. The amount of fat may increase with age. An excess of it can be a consequence of certain disorders, but quite often it is a consequence of a lack of physical activity and constant overeating.
Normal body fat
It is impossible to give an exact figure that would determine the norm of fat content in the body. But there is a range within which each individual person can have his own size. This is determined by many characteristics of the body. One person may have a higher percentage of fat than another person of the same gender and age, but he may feel much better.
The amount of fat in the body should not exceed the upper limit, but you need to pay attention to the lower limit, since the lack of fat in the body is fraught with serious consequences.
Normal fat percentage in a woman's body must remain within the following limits:
- age under 30 years – 15-23%;
- age 30-50 years – 19-25%;
- age from 50 years - 20-27%.
For men Normal body fat percentage looks like this:
- age under 30 years – 11-18%;
- age 30-50 years – 14-20%;
- age from 50 years – 16-22%.
In women with a normal physique, fat is located in the abdomen, chest, waist, and hips. If it accumulates on the arms, shoulders, legs, and knee area, this may indicate a tendency to swelling, metabolic disorders, and hormonal imbalances, so it makes sense to consult a doctor.
Fat indicators are also important in men. For them, this determines the functioning of many important systems, in particular, reproductive and digestive. However, it is easier for men to reduce their fat percentage, since their lipid metabolism is faster than that of women. Fat in men is evenly distributed throughout the body. If deposits accumulate in the abdominal area of a representative of the stronger sex, this indicates a violation of the gastrointestinal tract. If they are localized in the area of the sides, chest, hips, this indicates poor nutrition, as well as hormonal imbalance - an increase in the level of female hormones in the body.
The table below will show in more detail what the normal percentage of fat in the body of a woman and a man should be.
Visceral and subcutaneous fat
The human body accumulates two types of fat: subcutaneous (visible) and visceral (internal). located near the surface of the skin and can be seen and felt.
If you determine that your performance is not ideal, be careful. When trying to achieve an athletic figure, do not go beyond the physiological norm. In addition, keep in mind that each person is individual, and has his own “healthy” norm. For example, if a girl decides to reduce her body fat content from 18% to 13%, she may experience menstrual irregularities. The indicator will also correspond to the norm, but the individual characteristics of the body will play a role here. Therefore, when working to reduce body fat, monitor how you feel. If you feel unpleasant symptoms, then you should stop losing weight and consult a specialist. And remember that in ordinary life there is no point in achieving extreme performance. But normalizing fat levels is useful.
If the norm of body fat in a woman or man is exceeded, then you need to reconsider your lifestyle. Most often, it is enough to normalize your lifestyle, review your diet and exercise more. From physical activity, first of all, you need to focus on, since they are the ones who burn fat. , or a bicycle - you can choose whatever you want.
Also very important proper nutrition. Avoid crash diets, as they lose muscle and fluid rather than fat. Eat nutritiously, balancedly, in moderation. It is recommended to eat often and in small portions, exclude fast food, sweets, and baked goods. Healthy foods for reducing fat include lean sources of protein (meat, fish, eggs, dairy), grains, fruits and vegetables. You also need to drink enough water.
Knowing how much fat should be in the body of a woman and a man, you can adequately assess the condition of your body. Remember that excess fat is dangerous, but the same can be said about its lack. Fat is both a friend and an enemy in equal measure, and to ensure that it is only the first for you, control its percentage in the body.
How to find out your body fat level: video answer