If you are an athlete or just a person who is worried about his he alth, then you probably were interested in how to determine the percentage of body fat. There are several ways to do this. Each of them has a different level of difficulty. The fat calculator that is offered by many Internet users is often inaccurate, so we will look at the most correct formulas and other ways in which you can control your weight. To date, many new methods have been developed that allow you to find out the most accurate result, but they all require financial investments. Choose the most acceptable way for yourself and focus on it in the future.
Why calculate body fat
Every time you step on the scale, you notice a certain dynamic. You either get better or lose weight, albeit slightly. But not always the kilograms that you lose are fat. It can be muscle mass or simple dehydration. If you want to lose weight or get better, you should be interested in subcutaneous fat. In addition, the ideal weight formula is more accurate if you know how much excess deposits you have in your body.body. Therefore, it is imperative to find out this indicator, and today we will talk about how to do it.
The easiest ways to determine the amount of body fat
Weight by height and age is determined taking into account the amount of body fat. It may be large, but it will only be muscles, water and bones. Consider how to determine the percentage of body fat:
- Special scales that determine the amount of fat in the body. It is up to you to decide whether to trust this invention of mankind, since it is impossible to accurately check whether the information you receive is true.
- You can carefully examine yourself in the mirror and determine the amount of excess fat. But it's hard to objectively evaluate yourself, so this method is rarely accurate.
- Use a measuring tape to measure your waist and forearm. If there are fewer centimeters on the waist, and more on the arm, then your fat layer decreases and muscle mass increases.
Any of these methods are available to everyone, but with their help you can not know the exact results. In addition, assessing the general condition of the body fat, you will not get specific numbers.
Ideal weight formula
To find your body fat percentage using the Lyle McDonald method, you must calculate your BMI. To do this, use the formula: BMI=weight in kilograms / height in meters squared. Next, find your score:
- BMI=13-20. Then the fat percentageequals 13, 5-24;
- BMI=21-30. Fat percentage is 25.5-39;
- BMI=31-40. Fat percentage is 40.5-54.
This method of determining the thickness of the body fat is quite popular among girls, but there are other methods that allow you to calculate this indicator more accurately.
The most effective way to measure body fat
If you are interested in how to determine the percentage of body fat using medical equipment, then you should evaluate your financial capabilities. Even in public institutions, this method costs money, but it is the most accurate of all. It is used by professional athletes before the competition, when it is required to provide official data on the state of the body.
The essence of the method is as follows: special electrodes are fixed on the wrists and ankles, through which a weak electric current passes. The tissues of the body resist it, and the level of this resistance is measured by medical devices. You will know the result immediately after the procedure.
But this method has a significant drawback. If your body is hydrated, the equipment may show incorrect results. Therefore, the procedure is usually carried out twice. When swelling disappears in the body, the devices may show a lower percentage of fat than the previous time.
Such an analysis is not necessary to carry out without the need or a special referral from a doctor, it is better to use other methods to calculate the amountfat layer.
Underwater weighing method
The ideal weight for height and age can only be determined by taking into account the amount of fat in the body. The underwater weighing method gives the most accurate result of all methods known today.
The essence of the underwater dimension is this: when a person is completely immersed in water, he loses the amount of weight that was displaced by him from the container in which he is. After the procedure, a person is weighed on conventional medical scales, and experts compare the weight in water with body weight on land. After certain calculations, the amount of fat in the body is calculated.
Using a caliper for women
To find out the percentage of body fat (the norm for women must be strictly observed, since this greatly affects overall he alth), use the caliper. This is a device that measures the thickness of the fat layer in any part of the body.
So, how to determine the percentage of body fat using a caliper:
- Find out the thickness of one fold of fat on the back of the shoulder;
- Calculate the thickness of the side crease between the ribs and the thigh bone;
- Measure the thickness of the crease on the abdomen, slightly back from the navel;
- Use the formula: (the sum of all three folds in centimeters + the same number squared + 0.03661the number of your years) + 4.03653.
Need some practiceto independently calculate the percentage of fat in the body. The norm for women - the exact results are calculated 3 times. With this device, you can calculate the amount of fat in men.
Caliper use for women and men
The fat calculator below is fairly accurate, but it does take some practice to get reliable results. So, to find out your score, follow the instructions:
- Find out the thickness of the crease on the back of the shoulder.
- Measure the thickness of the fat fold on the front of the shoulder.
- Calculate the thickness of the fold of fat on the back and on the stomach.
- Add up all the scores.
To find out the amount of fat in the male body, use the following data:
| Amount | 16-29 years old | 30-49 years old | 50+ years |
| 20-50mm | 8, 1-19% | 12, 1-23% | 12, 5-26, 3% |
| 51-100mm | 20, 2-27, 6% | 24, 2-31, 7% | 26, 3-37, 3% |
| 110-150mm | 28, 8-32, 8% | 32, 9-36, 8% | 38, 8-43, 9% |
| 151-200 mm | 33, 6-36, 5% | 37, 7-40, 6% | 45-48, 8% |
To find out the fat content in the female body, use the table:
| Amount | 16-29 years old | 30-49 years old | 50+ years |
| 20-50mm | 14, 1-26, 5% | 18, 4-29, 6% | 21, 4-33, 2% |
| 51-100mm | 27, 8-36, 3% | 30, 8-38, 5% | 34, 6-42, 6% |
| 110-150mm | 37, 7-42, 3% | 39, 7-43, 8% | 43, 9-48, 2% |
| 151-200 mm | 43, 2-46, 6% | 44, 7-47, 6% | 49, 1-52, 3% |
This method allows you to find out the exact indicators. Plus, once you get the hang of it, it's easy to use. The disadvantage is that sometimes it is difficult to take measurements by yourself, the help of another person is required.
What percentage of body fat should be in the body
The human body is a very complex mechanism. The normal fat content in it for an ordinary person and an athlete is different. From 10% for women and from 3% for men is a necessary indicator. A low percentage of body fat indicates that you need to gain weight urgently, otherwise you may experience he alth problems.
Up to 31% body fat forwomen and up to 25% body fat for men are normal numbers. If your figures exceed them, you need a special diet and exercise to reduce body fat. The sooner you start the fight against excess weight, the more time your body will have to normalize all metabolic processes.
So, a person needs to know the percentage of subcutaneous fat in the body in order to control body weight and prevent he alth problems associated with underweight or overweight.
Which method of measuring this indicator to choose is up to you. But do not neglect even the simplest ways to at least approximately know how normal your body fat is. Remember that not only your appearance, but also your state of he alth depends on its quantity.
