How to calculate body fat. How much fat, muscle and water is in the body? Determining the percentage of fat "by eye"
Probably everyone understands that the percentage of fat in the body is an important indicator.
It should not be overlooked, focusing on losing weight only on kilograms and an arrow on the scales. Because we want to get rid of from fat, not muscle.
In addition, people with the same weight can look completely different. Therefore, knowing how much fat is in the body is much more useful.
Subcutaneous and visceral
How to determine the quantity visceral fat? Excess is easy to notice by the disturbed proportions of the body: the stomach protrudes noticeably forward.
What percentage of internal fat should be in women and men? 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 the waist. For women, a dangerous figure will be 80 cm, for a strong 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, therefore, even with the same weight, two people can have a completely different body quality. The lower the percentage of fat in the body and the greater the percentage of muscles, the more prominent the body will be. So beautiful, athletic body- not kilograms on the scales, because the "quantity of the body" does not always correspond to its "quality". Women, for physiological reasons, have more fat cells than men, so it is always more difficult for women to build muscle mass.
Beautiful body- It's really a lot of work on yourself. Not the search for "miracle diets", magic pills or the cunning technique of the third wife of the Chinese Emperor Jing, but daily nutrition control, regular classes in the gym and wanting to understand how it all works. Like the work of a sculptor who calmly and methodically carves a beautiful statue out of a shapeless stone.
If you are losing weight and monitor the quality of your body, then try to measure the percentage of fat in the body at least once a month. This will help you not mindlessly dump overweight and systematically improve body composition.
Besides:
- You can track the change in your fat mass during both weight loss and muscle gain. This is much more revealing than the scales.
- Knowing your dry weight muscle mass, you can use
The norm for women and men: what should be
So, what is the normal percentage of fat in a woman is considered:
- 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%.
In the presence of fat in an amount of more than 32%, a person develops obesity.
More visual tables:
How to find out on your own at home?
There is no exact way to find out how much fat is in the body. There are more precise methods, there are simple methods that show this approximately.
How to identify by photo
Cheap and cheerful: to determine your body fat percentage, you need to find a figure that is as similar as possible to yours:
For girls and women, an athletic physique is characterized by 14-20% body fat, good physical form - 21-24%, average level fat - 25-31%. At the same time, the level of fat below 10% is extremely dangerous for the female body and leads to the cessation .
For men, 6-13 percent of body fat means a toned athletic physique and a fairly embossed press, 14-17% - good physical shape with a small amount of fat in problem areas, 18-25% - the average level of form, above 25% - obesity.
From the positive: it is the fastest, free and easiest way. To determine your body fat percentage, you need to find a figure that is as similar as possible to yours.
From the negative: requires your assessment of yourself, which is not always objective. We can unconsciously “throw off” a few kilograms in our mind and compare ourselves with a more slender version in the photo. In a word, with a probability of 80%, this method is “a finger to the sky”.
How to measure with a caliper
Caliper- a special device that measures the thickness of the skin-fat fold in different parts of the body. Based on the numbers obtained, the percentage of subcutaneous fat is determined using special tables or formulas.
How to measure body fat with a caliper - !! only for women!!
- Back surface 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 bones of the thigh.
- On the stomach: the fold is taken vertically at a distance of + -2.5 cm away from the navel.
% fat \u003d (A-B + C) + 4.03653, where:
- A \u003d 0.41563 x (sum of all three folds in mm),
- B \u003d 0.00112 x (the sum of all three folds in mm squared),
- C \u003d 0.03661 x age in years.
Measurement common for women and men
We add the obtained numbers in mm and find out the percentage of subcutaneous fat using the table:
From the positive: inexpensive, fast, you can do it yourself at home, fairly accurate indicators.
From the negative: practice is needed to learn how to use it correctly or someone else's help, calculations are required using formulas.
How to calculate online
There are also many body fat percentage calculators on the internet based on various body measurements. So you can easily calculate online. For example, here are these:
From the positive:
From the negative: calculation is invalid.
How to calculate by weights with an analyzer
How scales determine the amount of fat and muscle in the body: the device passes a weak current through you and calculates the resistance of the tissues.
From the positive: fast, suitable for regular home use.
From the negative: the same as for bioimpedance - not always accurate indicators, since the water balance (edema) can affect the figure. High-quality scales will cost more than 10,000, and it is better to refuse cheap ones - money down the drain. When measured again, fluid loss may show on the scales a decrease in the percentage of fat mass, although in fact it remained unchanged. The only way to use such scales will be to follow the trend - let the number lie, but it is important to 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 haven't started yet strength training. For 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 the amount of bioimpedance analysis
Through the body with the help of electrodes attached to the ankles and wrists, a weak current is passed, after which the electrical resistance of the tissues is measured. 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, human adipose tissue contains the least amount of it. This means that the electrical impulse easily and quickly passes through the muscle tissue, but is delayed on the way through the adipose tissue.
From the positive: quickly, does not require any activity.
From the negative: the cost and location are vague, the need to visit the clinic, the use of equipment of different quality. Not always accurate indicators, since the water balance (edema) can affect the figure.
How to understand how much by underwater weighing
The method is based on the law of Archimedes: a solid body immersed in water loses as much in its weight as the liquid displaced by it weighs. Since dry body weight and fat mass- different in density, by comparing the density of the body after normal weighing and underwater, the percentage of fat mass is determined. The method is complex and rarely used.
Video
A video about the percentage of body fat and its determination by different methods. Fat test:
Knowing your body fat percentage is essential when you change your body. He will help:
- Determine the initial data, then to enjoy the changes))
- Estimate the approximate duration of the diet (about);
- Track the dynamics of changes in body composition on a diet (the ratio of muscle mass, bone and fat mass in the body).
There are many measurement methods, let's figure out how to find out your percentage of fat.
Body fat percentage is the ratio of adipose tissue to the rest of the body mass, which is muscles, bones, internal organs, and fluids.
A low percentage of fat is not necessarily an athletic and harmonious physique, and healthy body, basically.
Two people with the same percentage of body fat can look different. If the total body weight is large and there is little fat, then such a body will look athletic due to the large muscle mass. If there is little muscle and fat, then the body looks thin.
The percentage of body fat in a healthy woman is always higher than that of a man - a higher level of fat supports reproductive function.
Fat percentage rates for men and women are shown in the table below ():
And this is what it looks like (approximately):
Methods for measuring body fat percentage
Exactly the percentage of fat will not be shown by any plate, and no counting rhyme in the network.
However, you can build on something or use the same method to track progress. Let there be an error, but you will see the dynamics of changes.
How to find body fat percentage using BMI
Body mass index (BMI) is a widely accepted method for calculating optimal body weight. It takes into account only your weight, height and gender, and is calculated:
BMI \u003d body weight in kg / (height in meters x height in meters), for example, 80 kg / 1.86 m x 1.86 m = 23.1 kg / m2
Despite the fact that BMI does not correlate with body fat percentage, a rough estimate of its content can be estimated for individuals who are not very athletic, without large muscles (taken from https://shantramora.livejournal.com/149932.html):
If you have muscles and there are a lot of them, then it is better to count differently. For example, the body mass index of Arnold Schwarzenegger at the peak of his competitive form would show obesity:
Arnold's height is 1.88 m, and his weight on stage is 107 kg. BMI = 30 kg / m2, which corresponds to 26% body fat, which is not true.
Caliper
Caliperometry is a simple and affordable method for assessing subcutaneous fat. Suitable for persons with a BMI in the range of 18.5-25 kg/m2, since caliper models have limitations in measuring the width of the skin fold.
Fat is distributed unevenly throughout our body. It also surrounds the internal organs. Therefore, caliperometry has a high error, but it is quite suitable for tracking the dynamics of changes during weight loss.
It is necessary to pull the skin along with subcutaneous fat, excluding muscles, measure the thickness of the fold with a caliper, and then compare the values \u200b\u200bwith the tables or enter the values into the online calculator. You can find several methods of measuring and obtaining the result.
Your caliper may or may not contain a method for converting its values to body fat percentage, so use the link above.
On the website www.linear-software.com/online.html, you can choose 5 methods of measuring folds and one based on measuring girths with a measuring tape. Enter the values and click get result. Use the browser built-in translator if you do not speak English The measurements themselves might look like this:
For men
- Chest - Diagonal crease in the middle between the nipple and top chest muscle at the armpit.
- Abdomen - Vertical crease 2.5 cm to the right of the navel.
For women
- Triceps - Vertical crease in the middle between the top of the shoulder and the elbow.
- Supra Ilium - A diagonal crease over the superior anterior portion of the iliac crest.
- Thigh - Vertical fold in the middle between kneecap and inguinal fold.
Important when using a caliper:
- Carry out different measurements at the same time of day, in the same conditions, with the same caliper.
- Measure the creases on the right side of the body.
- The skin should be dry, without damage, without clothing.
- Practice first. Your measurements must be the same.
By circumference of body parts
For ordinary and obese people, in whom it is impossible to determine the percentage of fat with a caliper, the method using measurements of body girths is suitable.
You need to measure the circumference of the waist, hips and pelvis, and then substitute the data into the calculator.
Formulas
Using formulas, it is better to focus on several calculation schemes and take the average value.
US Navy Fat Percentage Formula
Based on the circumferences of the neck, waist, and hips (for women), the formula shows the result with an error of 1-3%, which is pretty good.
The formula itself looks like this:
- For men 86.01 x LOG (waist - neck) - 70.041 x LOG (height) + 30.3;
- For women 163.205 x LOG (waist + hips - neck) - 97.684 x LOG (height) - 104.912.
Where LOG is the decimal logarithm.
YMCA Formula
- YMCA for men (-98.42 + (4.15 x waist / 2.54) - (0.082 x (weight / 0.454))) / (weight / 0.454) x 100
- YMCA for women (-76.76 + (4.15 x waist / 2.54) - (0.082 x (weight / 0.454))) / (weight / 0.454) x 100
Formula based on BMI
Body fat percentage based on BMI = (1.2 x BMI) + (0.23 x age) - (10.8 x gender) - 5.4, where gender is 1 for men and 0 for women.
Online fat percentage calculator
In order not to bother with all these formulas, just enter your values into this calculator and get an approximate percentage of body fat. The data is the geometric mean of the above three methods for measuring body fat percentage:
Regular photos and by eye
Connect as many ways as possible to determine the percentage of fat.
Here's an example of how it should be:
Watch how your body changes in the photo and reflection in the mirror and compare yourself with, which show the approximate fat content.
Bioimpedance method
Based on the measurement of bioelectrical resistance of body tissues. Adipose tissue conducts electricity differently than bones and muscles. This is due to the lower percentage of water (about 50%) in fat compared to muscle (about 75%).
To take a measurement, a person is placed on a couch, electrodes are connected, and after a couple of minutes they are given a printout with data on body composition.
The error of the method is 3-9%. The price is affordable and starts from 1000 rubles in Moscow (clinics where you can do this). Of the contraindications, the presence of pacemakers and pregnancy. Electronic balance
Yes, modern smart scales can measure body composition and do it well based on the same bioimpedance analysis. In a review conducted by habr.com, the indicators of MGB smart scales and bioimpedancemetry on the MEDASS device are compared in a clinic:
There are no radical differences. The cost of MGB scales is 1990 rubles and will be beaten off after two trips to the clinic exotic
BOD POD
Plethysmographic body composition analyzer. It is an air chamber that measures the density of components human body. Based on measurements, you can get data ():
- body composition;
- Total weight;
- Fat mass;
- Fat-free mass;
- Thoracic gas volume (TGV) estimate;
- Thoracic gas volume (TGV) measurement;
- Resting metabolic rate (RMR) score;
- Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) estimate.
The method is considered accurate, the error is 2-6%, but I did not find where to make such an analysis in Russia.
DEXA and hydrostatic weighing
The two most accurate methods for determining body composition. Accuracy up to 2%.
The DEXA method is based on scanning the body with X-rays, hydrostatic weighing is carried out in water. Both procedures are expensive, complicated and inconvenient for regular measurements, for example, to track the progress of weight loss.
Conclusion
Modern methods body fat measurement For weight loss purposes, once every 2-4 weeks, you need to measure the percentage of fat in order to track the results of your diet (read about without harm to the body and without dietary restrictions).
Using even not the most accurate methods, such as caliperometry, you can see the visual dynamics of reducing the percentage of fat. Let the numbers be inaccurate, but it is important to decrease them over time.
Ideally, combine several methods and take an average.
Measure the body obesity index using a calculator, as well as find out the acceptable obesity rates for women and men, types of body fat.
Obesity Index Calculator
Body obesity index (BMI) allows you to estimate the percentage of body fat and is an alternative method for determining the body mass index (BMI).
- Female Male
Hip circumference, cm
20-39 40-59 60-79
Body obesity index in women (table)
| Age (years) | Below normal | Norm | Excess | Obesity |
| 20-39 | Less than 21% | 21% — 33% | 33% — 39% | above 39% |
| 40-59 | Less than 23% | 23% — 35% | 35% — 41% | above 41% |
| 60-79 | Less than 25% | 25% — 38% | 38% — 43% | above 43% |
ICU classification for men
| Age (years) | Below normal | Norm | Excess | Obesity |
| 20-39 | Less than 8% | 8% — 21% | 21% — 26% | above 26% |
| 40-59 | Less than 11% | 11% — 23% | 23% — 29% | above 29% |
| 60-79 | Less than 13% | 13% — 25% | 25% — 31% | above 31% |
The human body needs a certain amount fat for the normal functioning of life, energy conservation and protection of vital organs. Triglycerides, cholesterol and other essential fatty acids that the body receives from outside act as messengers and allow the protein to do its job. They are responsible for the chemical reactions that help control growth, immune function, reproduction, and other aspects of basal metabolism.
Important control the fat balance of the body to avoid adverse effects.
Fat and its role in the human body
Everyone should include fat in their diet, as it helps the body maintain its temperature, absorb nutrients, and provide much-needed energy. Its consumption is necessary every day so that the body maintains all functions.
But it's important to keep in mind that certain fats have positive functionality while others don't. The good ones work to keep you healthy internal organs, and protect the heart. Bad ones, on the contrary, worsen the functioning of the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of disease.
Fat in the human body performs several functions:
- Provides energy.
- Absorbs vitamins.
- Creates reserves for later use.
- Maintains proper body temperature.
- Protects the body.
Other functions provide work:
- brain;
- hormones;
- healthy balance of hair and skin.
Sources of Healthy Fat
It is important to always choose monounsaturated (MUA) or polyunsaturated (PUFA) fats. These species help reduce the risk of developing and also stabilize cholesterol levels.
Bad fats (trans and saturated) increase LDL cholesterol, which can raise blood pressure and harden arteries, increasing the risk of stroke and heart attack.
The norm of body fat for women and men
Essential fat is present in the human body - this is the minimum amount necessary for physical and physiological health. Ideal percentage additional body fat varies depending on various factors.
Affects these indicators:
- body type;
- heredity;
- age;
- activity level;
- eating habits;
The norm of fat for the male and female body is different. Women have a higher degree of body fat compared to men. female physiology, hormones, breasts and genitals need fat accumulation. In addition, they require more for ovulation, a healthy pregnancy, and continued feeding of the baby.
There are two tables for determining fat indicators. The first takes into account gender differences and the constitution of the body. The second one is also based on age-related changes. It is the last percentage chart that is used to measure fat using the caliper method.
Ideal body fat percentage
| Level | Men | Women |
| Vital | 2-5% | 10-13% |
| Sports | 6-13% | 14-20% |
| Fitness | 14-17% | 21-24% |
| Average | 18-24% | 25-31% |
| Above average | 25+ | 32+ |
Table number 2
| Age | Men | Women |
| 20 | 8,5 | 17,7 |
| 25 | 11,5 | 18,4 |
| 30 | 12,7 | 19,3 |
| 35 | 13,7 | 21,5 |
| 40 | 15,3 | 22,2 |
| 45 | 16,4 | 22,9 |
| 50 | 18,9 | 25,2 |
| 55 | 20,9 | 26,3 |
Types of body fat
Body fat causes health and beauty problems, from atherosclerosis to low levels of self-esteem, hormonal imbalances and obesity. To fight excess fat, it is important to study and determine its types.
Main types:
- brown;
- white;
- visceral;
- subcutaneous;
- in the abdomen.
They can be grouped into two main categories: visceral fat (surrounds internal organs) and subcutaneous fat (located under the skin and makes up about 80% of all fat).
Visceral fat
This type is the most dangerous. It is located on the cell surface of the internal organs and impairs their functioning. It can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, and is thought to be linked to dementia.
A large waist or belly is a sign of visceral fat, and losing it requires diet and exercise. This type of adipose tissue is involved in insulin resistance and affects the production of leptin, a hormone that controls appetite, learning, and memory.
To stay healthy, you should strive to reduce visceral fat as much as possible.
Fat in the abdomen
This type is part visceral, part subcutaneous, and it is impossible to determine which part of it is in which category. It is much more dangerous than fatty tissue on the thighs or buttocks, as it has more strong influence on blood lipid levels and increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. Men tend to accumulate it in their bellies, while women tend to accumulate it on their thighs and buttocks.
subcutaneous fat
It is considered less dangerous than visceral. The main areas where it is located are Bottom part bodies for women and top part bodies for men, although other variations are possible. Women also tend to accumulate it in their arms, covering the muscles of the triceps and on the inner surface of the knees or thighs. In men, it predominates on the hips.
white fat
Generates energy and produces hormones, which are then released into the bloodstream. It also produces adiponectin, a hormone that helps the liver and muscles use insulin and sugar efficiently, reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
brown fat
Often considered a type of muscle tissue as it burns white fat to support weight loss. Increasing brown fat may help treat obesity and other health problems. overweight.
Caliper fat measurement
To calculate the degree of body fat, a caliper caliper is used. To do this, the length of the folds in different areas is measured. The indicators are calculated using the Jackson Pollock method. Gender and age must be taken into account. Measurements are taken on the right side of the body.
For men:
- Take a chest measurement between the anterior axillary line and the nipple. The fold will be diagonal.
- Measure fat fold abdomen near the navel. The fold will be vertical.
- Measure the indicators on the front of the thigh, between the groin area and the knee. The position is vertical.
For women:
- Take a measurement of the triceps on the back of the arm between the shoulder and elbow. The fold will be vertical.
- Measure the waist crease. The fold will be diagonal.
- Take a measurement on the front of the thigh, between the inguinal crease and the knee. The position is vertical.
Carrying out calculations:
- Calculate body mass using the Jackson Pollock equation to further determine body fat percentage.
- For men, body density \u003d 1.10938 - (0.0008267 x the sum of all indicators in mm) + (0.0000016 x the square of the sum of indicators in mm) - (0.0002574 x age).
- For women, body density \u003d 1.0994921 - (0.0009929 x the sum of the indicators) + (0.0000023 x the square of the sum of the indicators) - (0.0001392 x age).
- Converting the density of the constitution into a fat percentage according to the following equation: percentage body fat = [(4.95 / male/female body density) - 4.5] x 100.
Important! Do not measure after physical activity due to fluid loss.
If you find a typo or inaccuracy, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
“Body fat percentage is a measure of body composition. Unlike weight, body fat is related to all important aspects of your body composition.” — Rob Fagin, author of Natural Hormonal Healing.
“Weight loss is the wrong goal. You should forget about your weight and instead focus on losing fat and gaining muscle!” — Dr. William Evans, author of Biomarkers.
Muscle versus fat
It may be true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but let's face the facts - muscle looks better than fat. Fat fills all the lines and "depressions" that separate from each other various groups muscles. It lies in a thick, loose layer, hiding under it the clear forms of muscles and giving the whole body roundness, softness and doughiness. Muscles are what give your body a chiseled and sporty look. But they have more than just aesthetic value. Your goal should be to build and maintain muscle, not only for beauty, but also for it to work for your body.
Muscles are secret weapon in the war against fat. Muscles are a "metabolic furnace", burning calories even when you sleep and watch TV. Muscles are active tissue, they are the catalyst for metabolism. Fat just sits idly in clumps on your body.
Unfortunately, most people do not pay attention to the amount of their muscles, because they worship the almighty volume too much. This is a huge mistake!
Most people are completely obsessed with weight. The problem with the weight indicator is that it doesn't tell you how much of your weight is fat and how much is muscle. Another problem is that the value of the weight can vary greatly throughout the day, depending on the level of saturation of water in your body. It can distort the real picture.
Losing weight is very easy. Losing fat for a long time without losing muscle mass is much more difficult. If you just wanted to lose weight, then I could show you how to lose 4-7 kg. over the weekend alone, simply as a result of dehydration, using natural diuretics. Bodybuilders and wrestlers always do this to fit the right weight class.
But what good is it if the weight shed is water and everything will come back in a few days?
If you want to have strong muscles, slender body and get off the diet slide once and for all, you should forget your weight concerns and instead evaluate your progress based on your lean body mass and body fat. Ignoring weight in favor of body fat is a major mentality change, but it is essential for long-term sustainable success.
Height and weight tables are outdated
One of the most common methods for determining your "ideal weight" is a weight-for-height chart. These tables, often used by insurance companies, doctors, sports teams And armed forces, tell you how much you should weigh based on your height alone. Although these tables are still popular, they are very inaccurate, especially for athletes and bodybuilders who have more muscle than most people.
With a height of 177 cm, a male bodybuilder weighing 90 kg will significantly exceed the norm indicated in the weight and height table. However, such an athlete may have a single-digit body fat level, and he will have a press with a pronounced “six blocks”.
On the other hand, people with a "normal" body weight can easily be classified as obese if you evaluate their body fat levels.
For example, at 48 kg. women can have 33% body fat. A man with a weight of 78 kg. maybe 27% body fat. Both are "acceptable" body weights, according to the charts, but their body fat levels are in the "obese" category. These low-weight people with high fat-to-muscle ratios are what I call "skinny fat people."
The table of height and weight does not give an idea of the state of the fat layer
The reason for this discrepancy between the so-called "ideal weight" and the ideal body fat is obvious:
"Ideal weight" from weight and height tables is not accepted at all fat layer into account; therefore, they cannot exactly recommend how much you should weigh.
Weight loss is not the same as fat loss. Losing weight is not helpful if the weight is being shed at the expense of muscle mass. Similarly, gaining weight is not the same as gaining fat (gaining lean body weight is always beneficial). So forget about ideal scales and focus mainly on the "ideal body fat".
Body mass index (BMI) - another useless indicator?
Determining the body mass index (BMI) is another popular way to find out how “useful” your weight is. Just like height and weight tables, BMI is a weak way to assess body condition, because it also does not take into account the ratio of fat to muscle tissue.
According to the textbook Physiology of Sport and Exercise by Wilmore and Costill, BMI is defined as
"A measure of being overweight or obese, determined by dividing weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters) squared."
I can still agree with the statement that BMI is a more accurate indicator of health and fitness than body weight alone, but the claim that BMI accurately reflects body composition is absolute nonsense!
Let me give you an example of how BMI fails as an indicator of body composition.
Let's take a performing athlete. In the off-season, he can weigh approximately 91.36 kg. and his height is 172 cm. Now let's substitute these figures into the BMI formula and see what we have come to:
1.72 meters squared = 2.96 meters.
91.36 kilograms / 2.96 meters = 30.86 BMI.
If we rate it physical state according to BMI = 30.86, then he is in a state of serious health risk, and he urgently needs to lose weight. But it is obvious that this is not the case. Even when he's not in competition mode, his body fat is rarely in the double digits.
Bodybuilders and other athletes have a large mass thin body than average person, and therefore will be classified as having overweight if you use BMI as a criterion for measurement. Conversely, someone can have a "healthy" BMI of 19-22 and dangerously high levels of body fat ("skinny fat person").
BMI is a poor indicator of your health, fitness, or ideal weight. Forget about weight and height tables and BMI; the correct solution is to test the fat layer.
Body fat testing
It is necessary to determine body composition so that you can separately observe fat and separately muscles. Instead of just looking at body weight, body composition analysis allows you to focus on body fat and lean body mass. Another reason for measuring body composition is so that you can control your progress and have continuous feedback. In the first chapter on goal setting, you learned how important it is to have a way to objectively measure progress. A weekly body composition analysis will measure and record the effects your diet and exercise program has on your body.
Many people mistake activity for achievement. They are obviously dieting hard and working hard in the gym - the problem is that they don't get results and don't even notice it because they don't measure results!
"Many people climb the ladder of success every day, only to find it's leaned against the wrong wall!"
If you don't measure your results with body composition testing, you may find yourself spinning your wheels (burning energy) but not getting anywhere, or even leading a procession heading in the wrong direction!
You can practice, practice, practice, but without constant feedback that body composition testing provides, you have no way of knowing if all this activity is getting you closer to your goal. The only goals worthy of your efforts are fat loss and muscle gain, not weight loss and weight gain.
For example, if you're losing weight but the type of weight you've lost is muscle, then you're going in the wrong direction and you should change your program! If you lose fat and keep your muscles, then your program works, and you do not need to change anything.
What is the average body fat level?
Average body fat percentage varies by gender and age group. Due to estrogen (the female sex hormone), women have 5% more body fat than men. The average woman has about 23% body fat and the average man about 17%. In both men and women, body fat increases with age, while lean body mass decreases.
According to Dr. William Evans of the Human Nutrition Research Center, the average person loses 3 kg. lean body mass every decade after age 20. The rate of muscle loss increases by the age of 45. Most people gain fat as they age, even when body weight doesn't change much; muscles contract as fat accumulates. The average male college student (aged 20) has approximately 15% body fat. The average sedentary middle-aged man has 25% body fat or more.
What is the “ideal” body fat level?
You should note that body fat levels are below average ranges, not necessarily ideal ranges. After all, who wants to be just "average"?
A body fat of 25% would statistically place a woman in the "average" category, but that level would not necessarily be ideal. The optimal percentage of body fat for a non-athlete is approximately 10-14% for men and 16-20% for women.
These ideal body fat goals are realistic, achievable for almost anyone, and can be sustained for the long term.
Desirable body fat levels for athletes can be even lower, depending on the sport. With these "ideal" body fat levels, you will look lean and mostly lean.
If you want to have a "tearing" appearance bodybuilder or fitness contest winner, you may need to lower them even further. Most men begin to show superior division when they shift their averages to the highest single digits. Women look muscular when they reach the lower end of the average (Table 1).
Nominal body fat scale
What body fat is dangerously large?
High body fat levels have been linked to over 30 health problems, including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and osteoarthritis.
Belonging to the category of "clinically obese" means that the body fat has reached such a level that these health problems are actualized. Men are borderline at 25% body fat and clinically obese at 30%, while women are borderline at 30% and clinically obese at 35% body fat.
High levels of body fat impair athletic performance. Research has shown that high levels body fat causes a decrease in performance when tested for endurance, speed, balance, agility and jumping ability.
To what level should the body fat be reduced?
The fat layer cannot be reduced to zero, since a small part of the fat is located inside the body and is necessary for its normal functioning. It's called "essential fat". Necessary fat is required for energy storage, protection of internal organs and protection from heat loss. Essential fat is found in the nerves, brain, bone marrow, liver, heart, and almost every other gland and organ in the body. In women, this fat also includes sex-related body fat including breast tissue and uterus. The required body fat is 2-3% for men and 7-8% for women.
Competitive bodybuilders and endurance athletes such as marathon runners achieve body fat levels of up to 2-4% in men and 8-10% in women (Table 2). With today's obsession with losing weight, the safety of lowering body fat to very low levels has often been questioned. Being very thin is undoubtedly more beneficial than being super fat. However, trying to maintain extremely low body fat levels for too long is not realistic or beneficial.
Table 2. Typical average body fat for athletes
| Men | Women | |
| Runners on long distances | 5-10% | 10-16% |
| Elite marathon runners | 3-5% | 9-12% |
| Sprinters | 5-12% | 12-18% |
| Jumpers & hurdlers | 6-13% | 12-20% |
| Olympic gymnasts | 5-8% | 11-14% |
| Bodybuilders, competition uniform | 3-5% | 8-12% |
| Bodybuilders, off-season | 6-12% | 13-18% |
| Football players, wingers | 9% | - |
| Football players, midfielders | 14% | - |
| Football players, forwards | 16-19% | - |
| football players | 7-12% | 10-18% |
| Baseball/softball players | 10-14% | 12-18% |
| basketball players | 7-12% | 10-16% |
| wrestlers | 4-12% | - |
| Cross country skiers | 7-13% | 17-23% |
| tennis players | 10-16% | 14-20% |
| Swimmers | 6-12% | 10-16% |
This is especially true for women. With rare exceptions, most women who try to keep their body fat within 10-13% may have problems with estrogen production, menstrual cycle and normal functioning of the reproductive system, bone density may decrease with age, which leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis .
Reaching these extreme body fat levels during competition is common practice. But trying to maintain this state for a long period can lead to serious problems. It is more useful and reasonable to train and follow a diet in a cyclic mode, changing the level of body fat in the season and in the off-season.
The typical female bodybuilder or fitness competitor maintains a thin (and beneficial) 13-16% body fat for most of the year, then drops to 8-12% during competition. Men can lower their body fat levels by up to 3-5% during the competition period, then increase it to 8-10% in the off-season.
Methods for measuring body composition
Scales, a tape measure and a mirror are all very useful, but they alone are not enough. But why not just use a mirror? After all, it really only matters if you're happy with your reflection when you're standing naked in front of a mirror, right?
The problem is that when you look at yourself in the mirror every day, it's often hard to "see" the daily and weekly changes because they happen so slowly. It can be frustrating and discouraging - a bit like watching grass grow.
In addition, most people find it difficult to objectively assess their progress. The most famous example of a distorted self-image is anorexia, but it works both ways: many bodybuilders and overzealous exercise athletes suffer from "muscle dysmorphia" - a term coined by psychologists, the meaning of which is best revealed as "reverse anorexia." These are people who always feel like they're not big enough or muscular enough.
Almost everyone has a distorted perception of their body image to some extent. You rarely notice changes in your physique as easily as others do. That is why you need an objective, accurate and scientific method to measure your progress. There are at least a dozen methods for testing body composition.
Various "experts" will probably always argue over which one is the best. After considering the pros and cons of each method, you will no doubt conclude that for your purpose of tracking personal weekly progress, skinfold testing is the easiest and most practical method.
Underwater weighing (hydrostatic)
Hydrostatic testing, or underwater weighing, has always been considered the "gold standard" in measuring body composition, compared to all other methods.
Possibly very effective indeed, hydrostatic testing has its drawbacks: the main - it is not always possible and convenient - is to submerge in water.
To measure your body fat using the hydrostatic method, you dive into the water while sitting on a chair that is suspended from a scale (imagine sitting in a giant groceries scale and then being dunked into a cistern or pool) . The rationale for hydrostatic weighing is the fact that fat floats while muscle sinks. The fatter you are, the more you will float, and the more you float, the less you will weigh underwater. The less fat you have, the more you will dive and weigh more underwater.
Hydrostatic weighing has other disadvantages as well. Several factors can affect the accuracy of the analysis. For example, African Americans have denser bones than other races, and as a result, they may have a lower percentage of body fat than hydrostatic measurement indicates. In addition, men tend to have denser bones than women, and also younger people tend to have denser bones than older people.
If race, age, and sex are not carefully considered, body fat estimates can be largely misleading.
Another factor that can affect the results of the analysis is your "residual volume". Residual volume is the amount of air remaining in your lungs after you fully exhale. Before diving into the tank, you must exhale all the air from your lungs. If you are unable to completely exhale all the air from your lungs before you dive, you will be recorded as having a higher body fat content than you actually have.
Hydrostatic weighing is most commonly performed in hospitals and university research centers. This can be an expensive undertaking, although at some universities you may volunteer to be experimented on by student scientists in their research projects. All things considered, underwater weighing isn't very practical, although it's fun to do it once, if only for "fun".
Bioelectric resistance analysis
Bioelectrical resistance analysis (BAS) measures body fat by measuring the electrical conductivity of your body tissues. The mass of a lean body, due to its high water content, is very electrically conductive. Fat, due to its low water content, exhibits insulating properties and is therefore less electrically conductive. The analysis is carried out by attaching electrodes to the skin of your right wrist and right leg. A weak electrical current is then passed through your body, measuring the resistance of your muscles, bones, and fat tissue. Measuring readings in units of "Ohm", determine the thickness of the fat layer.
Because the analysis is based on your body's water status, results may fluctuate depending on your body's hydration. If you are dehydrated from alcohol, caffeine, physical activity or intense sweating, the results may not be correct. Since your water balance also changes depending on the time of day, the results of tests performed in the morning can be very different from those at night.
The study shows that ALS is a fairly reliable and validated measure of body composition. However, this method tends to overestimate body fat in sports groups(such as bodybuilders). Body fat formulas have now been developed for the average population, which is why bodybuilders and athletes prefer "skinfold" testing.
ALS body fat scales and testing with a fat loss monitor
Relatively new method some of the ways to test body fat are "fat scales" and testing with a grip on the hand. The most popular scales are made by Tanita. The most popular "fat loss monitor" is made by Omron. Body fat scales and monitors work through ALS, although this is not the same thing as a standard ALS analysis done with arm and leg electrodes.
Manufacturers nimbly refer to scientific literature substantiating the reliability of the ALS, but few studies have been carried out to prove the accuracy of the ALS scale or "monitor". Most of the published research on ALS has been done by simply measuring ALS in a laboratory where you lie down and electrodes are attached to your wrist and leg. The results of these studies cannot be applied to a BAS scale or monitor because these methods do not measure whole body conductivity. The scale takes measurements only in the lower part of the body. Testing with a monitor only takes measurements in the upper body.
The advantage of using a BAS scale is the convenience and ability to take measurements at home - no other method can beat them in terms of convenience and ease of use. However, winning in convenience, you lose in accuracy. If you choose to use a scale, be aware that measurements taken at different times of the day may not give consistent results because your body's hydration level fluctuates throughout the day. If you think the scale is giving you consistent and repetitive measurements, then keep using it. However, don't be surprised if there are significant fluctuations and strange data. Until the scales have received due scientific confirmation, they are considered "experimental".
infrared method
The infrared method is based on the principles of absorption and reflection of light. Measurements are made by placing an optical fiber probe on the bulge of the biceps. The probe sends a beam of infrared light into the muscle where it is refracted and then the wavelength is measured to estimate total body fat.
The Futrex device is the most common of the infrared devices. Data on height, weight, age, gender, body type and activity level are entered into the device and the device prints the results. The advantages of this method are that it is fast, simple, and non-invasive (atraumatic). Disadvantages include the high cost of the machine (€3,999), questionable accuracy and reliability.
Girth and anthropometric method
These body composition methods that estimate body fat thickness consist of measuring the diameter of a bone or the girth of a limb at multiple locations. Girths are measured using a measuring tape, while bone diameters are determined using a device called an anthropometer.
Both methods are based on the assumption that there is a relationship between skeletal size, body measurements, and lean body mass. Diameters, or girths, are used in regression equations to determine lean body mass and thus calculate body fat content.
Determining the ratio of hip circumference to waist circumference is one example of applying the girth method. You may have seen these charts online or in fitness magazines. You just substitute your indicators, height and weight and - please! Do you have a body fat score? The analyzes are simple, but they are much less accurate than those obtained in other ways. Studies have shown a significant degree of inaccuracy in this method compared to the skinfold method and hydrostatic weighing. I do not recommend this method to you. Use it only if approximate values are sufficient for you.
Other Methods
There are many other methods used to measure body fat, such as body potassium, total body electrical conductivity, isotopic dissolution, urinary creatine excretion, total calcium, total nitrogen, total plasma creatinine, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging. tomography, ultrasound, neutron activation analysis, and dual photon absorptiometry. While some of these high-tech methods can be incredibly accurate and useful in the lab, none of them are practically suitable for your personal use in a diet program.
But if you want to get extremely accurate indicators of body composition, then only the “direct measurement” method is suitable; that is, physical dissection of the fat layer. True, you have to be a corpse to measure your body fat in this way, so this method is not very practical. I mention this not to play a joke, but to emphasize that all body fat testing methods are just estimates and not “direct measurements”.
Skinfold measurement. Testing "chips per centimeter"
When you choose a method for testing body fat, pay attention to its practicality, ease of implementation and consistency of repeated measurements. Record: skinfold testing.
Skinfold testing is based on the fact that most of your body fat accumulates directly under your skin. This type of body fat is called "subcutaneous fat". The rest of the fat is located around the organs ( internal fat) and in muscle tissue (intramuscular fat).
By measuring the amount of subcutaneous fat, "pinching" the folds of skin and fat in some places, you can get a very accurate estimate of the total percentage of body fat. A qualified tester can measure body fat with an accuracy very close to underwater weighing, the "gold standard" for body composition testing. Most importantly, skinfold testing is extremely practical.
This type of testing is done with a simple vise-like tool called a thickness gauge. The jaws of the thickness gauge clamp a fold of skin and fat and measure the thickness of the thick fold in millimeters. There are many different brands of thickness gauges on the market. But I recommend the Myprotein Caliper because it's one of the few inexpensive (plastic) models that can get fairly accurate results.
Skin Fold Test Formulas
With the help of thickness gauges, skin folds are measured in several areas of the body, and then the readings are added up. Then the amount is entered into the fat percentage table, which is attached to the thickness gauge. These tables are derived from mathematical regression equations, and they allow you to quickly convert measurements to millimeters.
Don't get too hung up on where skinfold measurements are taken. Some people are concerned that the bulk of their visible fat is concentrated in the lower part of their body, and try to take measurements of the skin fold in the upper part. Body fat formulas will give you a very accurate estimate of your total body fat using one to four measurements, even if they are all taken from your upper body.
Measurements taken from three places will be enough to make an accurate calculation. Most studies have shown that using more than four places does not significantly improve accuracy, but using fewer than three places can reduce accuracy.
How accurate is skinfold testing?
The skinfold technique is sometimes criticized for being inaccurate (this is especially true of manufacturers of other body fat testing devices). Compared to complex methods such as underwater weighing or magnetic resonance imaging, skinfold testing can seem too simple to be accurate.
In fact this species testing just takes a lot of practice. The biggest mistakes are pinching in the wrong place or taking the fold in the wrong way (for example, making a horizontal fold when it should be vertical). Skinfold analysis can be as accurate as the person doing it.
Dan Duchaine, author of Body Opus, once wrote:
“I don't know why the thickness gauges are so accurate. Although you may find more charming contrivances, the new clothespin can give a more accurate estimate than any other method other than dissection. The only disadvantage of using thickness gauges is the insufficient qualification of the operator; but practice makes perfect.”
When done correctly and by a qualified trainer, skinfold testing is almost as accurate as any other method designed to diagnose people with body fat in the 15-35% range.
For body fat greater than 35%, the accuracy of this method does decrease somewhat, and for lean people this technique is the most accurate.
Reliability and consistency of skinfold testing
Since there are many various types thickness gauges and skinfold formulas - it is important that the measurements are taken by the same person and that they use the same thickness gauge and the same formula each time. Accuracy is not as important as the reliability and consistency of repeated measurements.
Even with the most skilled testing trainer, the skinfold technique—and most other similar methods—are only three to four percent accurate. However, if testing showed that you have 12% body fat, then it does not really matter that your body fat is actually 15%. What matters most is that the method used in this case is reliable in the sense that you can notice the trend of your progress from one dimension to the next. In fact, this is the sole purpose of body fat testing - to evaluate progress.
How to calculate body fat and lean body mass (MBT)
On its own, body fat is nothing but a number - it doesn't really do you any good other than brag if it's low. The real value of knowing your body fat percentage lies in using it as a tool to monitor progress in terms of pounds of fat and muscle.
The next step in using body fat percentages is to divide your total weight into kilograms of fat and muscle mass. Then, you can guarantee progress in terms of percentage of total mass, body fat, MXT and body fat.
Your MXT is the total weight of all tissues in your body, excluding fat. This indicator includes not only muscles, but also bones and other tissues that do not contain fat. Because muscle is the largest component of lean body mass, tracking your MHT can tell you if you are losing or gaining muscle.
Tracking your MXT is one of the most useful and important goals of body fat testing.
To calculate your MHT in kilograms, you need to know two things: your body weight and your body fat percentage. First, determine how many kg. fat is available in the body, by multiplying the percentage of fat by weight. From this you can calculate your lean body mass by subtracting kg. fat from your total body weight.
Example:
Your body weight is 95 kg. The body fat content is 19%.
Multiply your body fat percentage by your weight to find kg. fat:
0.19% * 95 kilograms = 18.05 kilograms of fat.
Subtract kilograms of fat from your total mass to determine your lean body mass:
95 kilograms - 18.05 kg. fat = 76.95 kg. lean body mass
A simple criterion for determining your ideal weight
Now that you understand the importance of the ratio of body fat to body weight, and also that height-weight tables are worthless, how should you calculate your ideal weight? Well, first of all, it doesn't matter how much you weigh! If you have a muscular body without a single gram of visible fat, do you really care how much you weigh?
However, it is still reasonable to define a target weight in kilograms in the same way as a target body fat. You can calculate your "true" ideal weight if you know your current body fat and the fat level you want to achieve.
Ideal weight formula
To find your ideal weight, you must know your desired body fat percentage, your current weight, body fat percentage, and lean body mass. Then, to calculate your ideal weight, you simply divide your current lean body mass by the percentage of lean body mass without your target body fat.
The formula is:
Divide your current lean body mass by your desired fat content.
You are a man.
Your weight: 95 kilograms
Fat content: 19%
Fat weight: 18.05 kg.
Lean body weight: 76.95 kg.
Target Fat Percentage: 12%
Determine percentage of lean body mass by subtracting target body fat from 1: (1-0.12 = 0.88)
Divide your lean body mass by your percentage of lean body mass to find your ideal weight: (76.95/0.88 = 87.44)
So, your ideal weight at 12% fat is 87.44 kilograms.
Effect of water weight on MAT measurements
When using this formula, you must take into account the effect of water weight. Since your body is 70% water, allow 2-4% allowance for water weight. The more your total body weight and the more fat you have to lose, the more water weight you will lose.
Very often you can observe a loss of 1-3 kg. the first week you start exercising new program food and physical training. Because water is a fraction of lean body mass, your MXT calculations for the first week or two will be affected by water loss. It will look like you are losing muscle, but don't panic if you see a slight dip in MHT - it's just water weight.
After the first week or two, weight loss should stabilize at 1kg. per week or less and further reduction in lean body mass should be minimal. Remember that it is difficult - if not impossible - to lose more than 1 kg. fat per week. If you lose more than 1 kg, part of this volume is water or muscle.
Small reductions in the Moscow Art Theater are almost inevitable and are not a cause for concern. If you see repeated significant drops in your MXT score, then you are losing muscle and you must take immediate corrective action to prevent further losses.
Now that you know how to measure body fat and calculate lean body mass, you are ready to master Chapter 4, in which you will learn how to use your weekly weight and body composition measurements to monitor your progress.
You also need to know exactly what to do if:
- You lose lean body mass;
- You build up body fat;
- You lose fat for a while, then get stuck on a plateau;
“Nothing happens at all—you don’t lose anything and you don’t gain anything.
Would you like to know how to measure your body fat percentage but don't know how? Today it is as easy as shelling pears: just turn on the online calculator, and it will calculate the necessary. With the help of a special table, which will display the ratio of body weight and age, height, gender, you can find out exactly how to calculate how many calories the body needs for normal functioning.
If you are on the way to improving your figure, then, of course, you need to calculate the body mass index, the content of proteins, carbohydrates in food. Can help with all of this. body fat calculator. Of course, our physical form depends on how many calories we consume or burn daily. From the excess of these same calories, subcutaneous fat mass begins to be deposited, and soon you will need a diet or a good one. sport program to get rid of them.
Naturally, if you are planning to go on a diet, the first question will be: how to measure the amount of fat in the body. This problem has already been solved, since the calculator will calculate it by itself. The next step is to discuss plans with a dietitian. It is better to consult than to hurt yourself even more because of the wrong approach to fixing the problem. It is also important to understand that you need to limit yourself only in the amount of food, and you need to use everything in moderation. Meals should have a balanced amount of such components:
- carbons;
- proteins;
- fats.
low calorie diet can bring you a lot of harm, because it is not able to give human body everything you need for a normal life. Fatty acids are especially important, from which other substances are then synthesized in the body. They are extremely important for the growth of hair, nails, the renewal of skin balls and the normal functioning of organs.
So, the online calculator is not only the answer to the question of how to calculate the presence of fat in the body, but also your indispensable assistant in everything related to nutrition and figure.
How to measure body fat percentage
How does the calculator determine the presence of fat in the body? Naturally, he is able to calculate it using a number of formulas. But in order for the calculator to give a definition, you must specify all the necessary parameters, without which it will be impossible to make a calculation. What should be entered:
All instruments necessary for measurements:
- scales;
- measuring tape.
The analyzer will only show actual results if you have made all measurements accurately. That is why the tape must be used in such a way that it does not tighten the skin and does not hang freely, and it is worth making sure that the scales are accurate. It is also worth measuring weight in the morning and without clothes, without eating, and height - without shoes and with a straight back.
Lifestyle
This point is also important. How we live depends on the need of our body for different substances. There are different levels of activity:
Given the way of life and other above-mentioned indicators, you can correctly calculate the required number of different useful substances. Naturally, the whole diet will be significantly different. First you need to calculate the amount of protein that you need to consume daily, because protein is the building material of the human body, it is important for muscle tone, for the production of hormones. The more active your lifestyle, the more protein your body needs. Norms for fats and carbohydrates should be calculated based on the amount of protein.
If you are going to go on a diet, first analyze your indicators together with your doctor, then it will be easier to choose the type of diet that is most suitable for you. There are protein, and low-calorie, and many other diets. But whatever you choose, remember that health is above all. No need to starve your body or reduce the required rate of vital substances.
Explanation of the numbers
Body mass index- the ratio of mass to height. The smaller your figure, the smaller the index. It is measured in kilograms per square metre. But you need to pay attention to the fact that the formula does not take into account the characteristics of your body, so the results may not be true, for example, for athletes. The index may indicate that a person is overweight, but if their amount of body fat shows the category of athletes, then they are pumped up, not fat.
The ratio of height and waist - indicates the number abdominal fat. Everyone knows that its excess is very dangerous, since the work of the heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract, vessels. Thus, there are many complex diseases, which are very difficult to cure.
It should be noted that each organism has different levels of fat. They are different for men and women. Men are more muscular, and if they still have fat deposited, then this happens in most cases on the stomach. In women, fat is deposited not only on the stomach, but also on the hips.
Lean body weight- the mass of a person, excluding fat. Here, the mass index is very important in the calculations, because with it the calculator will calculate the required number of calories. If necessary, he will reduce or increase the rate.
Calories required each day are the calories that the body expends. Their number depends on lifestyle, activity. This is a very important indicator that is taken into account with every choice of diets.
Protein - it, of course, must be consumed daily, because it is one of the most important components in our body. Laying the right diet, first of all, calculate how much protein is required. Everything else is adjusted based on it.
Fat Percentage
So how much body fat is normal? For each it's own. For example, bodybuilders and athletes have a few percent less body fat than people who lead a less active lifestyle. Their bodies are basically muscles in very good shape. But it's not worth "degreasing" your body. There is no need to be a fanatic of a small and fragile figure, because this is not suitable for every organism.
Do you know what a lack of fat for the body turns into? First of all, the metabolism, the condition of the skin, hair and muscles, the functioning of organs worsens, the production of hormones, including sex hormones, stops, which causes serious illnesses.
Don't Predict Your Obesity, after all, excess weight is determined by the percentage of fat above 30%. If this percentage is less, you have a completely normal, healthy body. If the fat mass is only 5-10%, this is already a problem. You need to rethink your diet and exercise.
Both obesity and anorexia are terrible diseases. Because of them, the work of the whole organism as a whole is disrupted. The spine, heart, digestive system and even perspiration - all this depends on the mass of fat. And the appearance generally changes beyond recognition. Here already suffers not only physiological, but also mental health. A person does not like himself, which causes depression, apathy and even nervous breakdowns are not uncommon.
Other ways to calculate body fat
To date, the calculator is far from the only device capable of such actions. For example, to calculate obesity, use bioimpedance. But such a device is not very convenient, since it can be used exclusively at home. If you want to know the most accurate result, then this device will help you.
For those who do not want or cannot visit a medical laboratory, scales have been created that are able to determine the ratio of muscle to fat as a percentage. How does this device work? With the help of electrical impulses passed through the human body. Therefore, do not neglect the safety precautions when using these scales. Take measurements exclusively in a warm room and only at a body temperature of 36.6. do not take food or diuretic drugs as the results will not be accurate. Even a pre-shower can hurt you when calculating your body fat percentage.
Practice even weighing in water. Of course, only in laboratories. The patient's weight is measured first in air and then in water. The results are compared, and with the help of various formulas and differences in the density of adipose tissue in different environments, the percentage of body fat is calculated. This method is quite accurate and helps to correctly determine the degree of obesity.
You can also measure the amount of fat by simply measuring the fat folds on the body. You just need to pinch the fold in four places:
- on the triceps;
- on the biceps;
- in the navel;
- under the shoulder blade.
Doctors use a caliper - a special device to measure the thickness. But at home, a caliper or the most common ruler will do. According to the special table, determine your result. It is important to know that this table takes into account both age and gender of a person. Over the years, the amount of fat in the body still increases, and this is quite normal.
To quickly determine the percentage of body fat, the online calculator is best used daily, independently compiling a table or graph. This approach will help the user navigate and will clearly show real changes. In general, in order not to worry about the question of how to find out the percentage of fat in the body, it is important to lead an active life.
Be healthy and take care of your figure!
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