Healthy Way to Lose Fat

I’m sure you have wondered what percentage of your body should be fat and what should be muscle.  There are many different ways to measure what a healthy body fat percentage should be and some are more accurate than others.  The most accurate way to measure body fat is an under water test.  Before I get into the real tests to determine fat percentage I need to explain the extreme faults of using graphs and especially the BMI chart.  BMI (body mass index) is the worst system for determining if someone is overweight.  The only 2 things that are taken into consideration with BMI are the height and weight of the person.  It doesn’t matter if your weight is muscle or where your weight is located.  All bodybuilders are considered obese according to their BMI’s.  This system should not exist and is completely pointless.

A measurement that is more important to consider is the waist circumference.  A male with a waist greater than 40 inches or a female with a waist of 35 inches or more have an elevated risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  Android obesity is the technical term for belly fat obesity and is a greater health risk than storing fat in any other part of the body.

• The fatfold test- When you use calipers to measure the thickness of a fold of skin on various parts of the body.  This is somewhat accurate but can vary greatly with each personal trainer that takes your measurement.
• Underwater Weighing- Considered the most accurate test for a healthy body fat percentage.  It measures density and volume to determine fat.
• Bioelectrical Impedance- Only water and muscle can produce an electrical current so this method sees how easily an electrical charge can go through the body.  The amount of water you have consumed can greatly affect the results.

So how much fat is healthy?

• Males at 22% body fat are unhealthy if they are under 40 years of age, otherwise it’s 25%.

• Women at 32% body fat are unhealthy if they are under 40 years of age, otherwise it’s 35%.

Body fat scales use the bioelectrical impedence to determine you body fat percentage while body fat calipers use fat folds.  Using a calculator to analyze your results is the most common way now, because it takes all the math out of the equation.  Knowing where you are starting will motivate you and know how to lose fat will help you in your pursuit of the healthy way to lose fat.

Don’t get discouraged in your weight loss goals.  For a guided plan for your specific gender Click Here!

It’s time to get healthy today.