Getting Fit: Measuring your body’s fat content
One of the most frequently asked questions in the gym when starting a weight training program is, “Why have I gained a few pounds, when I am wanting to lose several pounds?” The answer is muscle weighs more than fat and the more muscle you have, the less fat you have.
Unlike weight, body fat is not always visible to the human eye. The definition of body fat is the amount of adipose or fat tissue you have in your body. When a person goes on a diet to lose weight, what they are really wanting to do is lose fat. Right? This means losing the fat off of your hips, thighs, stomach, and buttocks so that you can go from that size 10 down to a size 8. Or going from a size 38 waist down to a size 34. The size and volume of your body is what you’re wanting to see change. Your body weight includes everything from your bones, muscles, organs, water, tissue, or even what you ate for lunch.
FAT, on the other hand, is FAT!
Now, a certain amount of fat is needed in your body for essential body functions. Fat also regulates our body’s temperature and cushions our internal organs. However, most of us have to much fat in our bodies. So if you are really wanting to change your body’s appearance, you have got to lose the extra body fat that you’re lugging around.
So now, we need to figure out what percentage of your body weight is fat.
Today, most fitness facilities have a way to measure your body fat. Some examples are, skin calipers where you are pinching the fat, or a device that you hold or stand on to measure fat electronically.
To get a more accurate reading of body fat, you need to wait approximately 2-3 hours after eating or drinking to take a measurement. First thing in the morning would be best. Now, let’s say for example, that you weigh 150 pounds and you measure 10% body fat. This means that you have 15 pounds of fat and 135 pounds of lean body mass (bones, muscle, organs). Most of us however, have a percentage of body fat that is 25% or higher. This possibly means that we’re carrying around 20 pounds or more of fat. That’s like carrying around 2-3 bowling balls all day. Researchers for the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study showing that “a persons percentage of body fat was a more accurate way to measure weight related diseases.”
A persons weight also will fluctuate on a regular basis. Your weight on the scale is not always an accurate reflection of how fat you are. Isn’t that why your standing on the scale? You should therefore choose a more accurate way of measuring your body composition. I tell people weekly to go by how your clothes fit or by how you look in the mirror, rather than by what the scale says. You need to measure your percentage of body fat to truly find out where your body is. Here at USA GYM, we can measure your percentage of body fat.
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Body Fat Content Chart for Women and Men
Body Type Female Male
Athlete <17% <10%
Lean 17-22% 10-15%
Normal 22-25% 15-18%
Above Average 25-29% 18-20%
“Overfat” 29-35% 20-25%
Obese 35+% 25+%
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So remember, it is not what you weigh, but what your weight is made up of that really counts when wanting to change your size and appearance.
If you have any questions, please e-mail me at [email protected], label it “fitness question,” mail your question to Paige Northcutt, P.O. Box 7281, McMinnville, TN 37111, or come by USA Gym anytime.
Now go out and have a GREAT DAY!