Dirty words! Body fat! Belly fat! These words may be misconstrued
as dirty words. Some people think that they are fat because they do not
have the measurements of a supermodel. Really! The average person does
not (have measurements of supermodels, male or female, that is).
Essential Fats
In fact, fat is the main way that the body stores energy to fuel our daily activities. It is very essential to bodily functions such as regulating body temperature, and cushioning and insulating our vital organs and body tissue. Can you imagine not being able to walk briskly or jog for fear of having your heart or your lung slapping against your bones? Ridiculous? Definitely, we wouldn't be able to survive without some amount of essential fats, even a little belly fat. It's the excess fat that we can do without.
Estimate it!
Some fitness enthusiasts consider this percentage as the best way to assess your level of fitness and the fitness goal to work towards. Your personal trainer or fitness coach will likely use a skin-fold caliper to estimate your body fat or you may have a fancy digital scale at home that gives you the percentage reading.
Don't have either? No worries! Using a tape measure, a calculator, pencil and paper you can also estimate your body fat percentage in just a few minutes. Get creative... Do not have a tape measure? Use a belt, a string, a ribbon and then lay flat to measure with a ruler or something! Do not have a calculator? Find one on your phone, tablet, iPad or computer or simply phone a friend! Just do it!
Measure your hips; one thigh, calf, wrist, and forearm, and use the calculation appropriate for your age and gender:
Male 30 yrs or less: Waist + (Hips X 0.5) - (Forearm X 3.0) - Wrist = % Body Fat
Ex. 40 + ( 36 X 0.5 ) - ( 11 X 3.0 ) - 6 = 19%
Male 31 yrs or more: Waist + (Hips X 0.5)- (Forearm X 2.7) - Wrist = %
Female 30 yrs or less: Hips + (Thigh X 0.8) - (Calf X 2.0) - Wrist = %
Ex. 49 + ( 29 X 0.8 ) - ( 16 X 2.0 ) - 7 = 33.2 %
Female 31 yrs or more: Hips + Thigh - (Calf X 2.0) - Wrist = %
Percent Body Fat Norms for Men & Women
(Source: American Council on Exercise)
Description.......Women............Men
Essential Fat....10-13%............2-5%
Athletes..........14-20%..........6-13%
Fitness............21-24%.........14-17%
Acceptable......25-31%.........18-24%
Obesity........over 32%.......over 25%
Lean Body Mass
The male in the example, 19% fat, is estimated to be in the acceptable range 18-24%, has 35 lbs fat and 150 lbs lean mass if he weighs say 185 lbs. (185 x 19% = 35 lbs fat and 185 - 35 = 150 lbs lean mass).
The female on the other hand, with 33.2% fat, is estimated to be in the obesity range >32%, with 61 lbs fat and 124 lbs lean mass if she also weighs say 185 lbs. (185 x 33.2% = 61 lbs fat and 185 - 61 = 124 lbs lean mass). This female would be advised to lose some body fat, at least to get to the acceptable range of 25-31%.
So, before you consider fat a dirty word remember that we all need some cushion; men need 2-5% and women 10-13%.
Essential Fats
In fact, fat is the main way that the body stores energy to fuel our daily activities. It is very essential to bodily functions such as regulating body temperature, and cushioning and insulating our vital organs and body tissue. Can you imagine not being able to walk briskly or jog for fear of having your heart or your lung slapping against your bones? Ridiculous? Definitely, we wouldn't be able to survive without some amount of essential fats, even a little belly fat. It's the excess fat that we can do without.
Estimate it!
Some fitness enthusiasts consider this percentage as the best way to assess your level of fitness and the fitness goal to work towards. Your personal trainer or fitness coach will likely use a skin-fold caliper to estimate your body fat or you may have a fancy digital scale at home that gives you the percentage reading.
Don't have either? No worries! Using a tape measure, a calculator, pencil and paper you can also estimate your body fat percentage in just a few minutes. Get creative... Do not have a tape measure? Use a belt, a string, a ribbon and then lay flat to measure with a ruler or something! Do not have a calculator? Find one on your phone, tablet, iPad or computer or simply phone a friend! Just do it!
Measure your hips; one thigh, calf, wrist, and forearm, and use the calculation appropriate for your age and gender:
Male 30 yrs or less: Waist + (Hips X 0.5) - (Forearm X 3.0) - Wrist = % Body Fat
Ex. 40 + ( 36 X 0.5 ) - ( 11 X 3.0 ) - 6 = 19%
Male 31 yrs or more: Waist + (Hips X 0.5)- (Forearm X 2.7) - Wrist = %
Female 30 yrs or less: Hips + (Thigh X 0.8) - (Calf X 2.0) - Wrist = %
Ex. 49 + ( 29 X 0.8 ) - ( 16 X 2.0 ) - 7 = 33.2 %
Female 31 yrs or more: Hips + Thigh - (Calf X 2.0) - Wrist = %
Percent Body Fat Norms for Men & Women
(Source: American Council on Exercise)
Description.......Women............Men
Essential Fat....10-13%............2-5%
Athletes..........14-20%..........6-13%
Fitness............21-24%.........14-17%
Acceptable......25-31%.........18-24%
Obesity........over 32%.......over 25%
Lean Body Mass
The male in the example, 19% fat, is estimated to be in the acceptable range 18-24%, has 35 lbs fat and 150 lbs lean mass if he weighs say 185 lbs. (185 x 19% = 35 lbs fat and 185 - 35 = 150 lbs lean mass).
The female on the other hand, with 33.2% fat, is estimated to be in the obesity range >32%, with 61 lbs fat and 124 lbs lean mass if she also weighs say 185 lbs. (185 x 33.2% = 61 lbs fat and 185 - 61 = 124 lbs lean mass). This female would be advised to lose some body fat, at least to get to the acceptable range of 25-31%.
So, before you consider fat a dirty word remember that we all need some cushion; men need 2-5% and women 10-13%.
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