02/18/2020 Comments: 0

“I suppose we all respect the potato when it is crushed with salt,” a famous song sings. Everyone, but not everyone, will think losing weight. Having decided to eat right, many cross potatoes off the list of allowed foods. But in vain! It is enough to learn how to cook it correctly, and it will be quite appropriate in diet menu. What is important to know about this root crop, Mikhail Gavrilov, PhD, author of a patented method for correcting eating behavior and weight loss, a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM, USA), will tell.

ALL ARTICLES

Weight Loss Secrets

Toolkit - BMI, Metabolism & Ideal Weight Calculator

How to calculate calories

This page contains calculators to help you determine a number of key parameters that are very important to combat overweight and subsequent maintenance of normal weight.

Here you can calculate: metabolic rate, body mass index, daily calorie requirement, body type, etc.

Attention! All parameters are calculated based on your individual anthropometric data, so enter input values ​​as accurately as possible, in tenths and hundredths of numbers if possible.

To calculate parameters with other input data, there is no need to refresh the page, just edit the original values ​​and click the calculate button.

The question mark means that there is additional information for this item. To read it, move the mouse cursor over the sign.

Basic parameters

Enter your basic anthropological parameters, which will be the basis for all subsequent calculations. For some calculations, you will need to fill in additional fields that are given in each calculator separately.

Results:

Basal metabolic rate: -

Daily calorie requirement: -

SBI based on lean body mass. Percentage of body fat

The disadvantage of both formulas presented above is that they do not take into account the percentage of musculature in the body, although, as you know, it is muscle mass that directly affects the metabolic rate.

Therefore, these formulas are well suited for people of average build. However, in some cases it is more correct to use the formula Ketch-McArdle, which is based solely on the indicator of "dry" body weight.

To calculate "lean" body weight, you must first determine the percentage of fat in the body. To do this, you need to specify additional initial data.

Parameter

Meaning

Neck circumference (cm):

Neck circumference is measured by placing a tape around the neck horizontally. Measurements should be taken so that the tape is tensed but not compressing the skin. Body mass index Body mass index (BMI)- a value that allows you to assess the degree of correspondence between a person’s mass and his height, and thereby indirectly assess whether the mass is insufficient, normal or excessive. To calculate your BMI, click the calculate button. In addition, you will be shown an interpretation of your BMI as developed by the WHO (World Health Organization). Results: Body mass index: - Interpretation:- Ideal weight One of the most accurate methods for calculating ideal weight is the formula Brock. It takes into account the ratio of weight, height, body type and age of a person. It has been proven that with age, the weight of both women and men gradually increases - this is a normal physiological process. And kilograms, which some consider "superfluous", in fact, they may not be. To use Brock's formula, you must first determine your body type. To do this, you must specify another additional parameter - the value of the circumference of the wrist (it is also called the "Soloviev index").

Matt Fitzgerald Every runner knows that the result depends on body weight. Your body must resist gravity with every step, and the heavier you are, the more energy you need to run. One study found that every 5% excess weight reduces running performance by 5%. Runners show top scores, if they are in their minimum weight, natural for the body. Of course, there is another nuance - too little weight. An undernourished runner, or one with insufficient body fat to maintain basic health, will not run better. But ideal weight does not guarantee you a successful run. There is another small factor that plays a big role and that is fitness. But if everything is going well with training, then the best race for you will be the one that you come to at your minimum, but natural weight.

The ideal weight of a runner is determined primarily by the percentage of body fat. With other components - bones, muscles, amount of fluid, there is little you can do. No matter how much you exercise or how carefully you eat, all that weight will stay. The difference between current and ideal body weight is, for most runners, the amount of fat that you should aim to burn to reach your ideal running weight.

So what is your ideal running weight? Keeping in mind that fat is a major factor in ideal running weight, the most The best way determine it, calculate how much you will weigh when you reduce the amount of fat in the body to the optimal level. The optimal level of fat for everyone is different. How thin a runner can become depends on many factors, including gender, age, genetics, and others. But even runners who are hindered by many factors can become lean.

This table shows the optimal percentage of fat depending on gender and age. Most runners can reduce body fat based on this chart by proper training and diets.

If you lose weight easily, have never been obese, you want and can bear big training loads, then you have every chance to achieve the minimum possible for you natural weight. If your current body fat levels are well above your optimum, you should strive to reach your maximum ideal weight limit through exercise and diet.

The last step in determining your running weight is to calculate how much fat you need to burn to reach your goal. Let's look at the example of a 38-year-old woman who weighs 140 pounds (63.5 kg) and has 22% body fat, and whose goal is to achieve 17% body fat (the upper limit of ideal weight) through training and diet.

Step 2. Calculate lean body mass. Without fat mass body = body weight - fat weight. 140 pounds - 30.8 pounds = 109.2 pounds. Step 3. Calculate the desired weight. Desired weight = lean body mass ÷ desired lean body mass percentage, which is 1.0 - desired percentage of body fat in decimal form. 109.2 pounds ÷ 0.83 = 131.5 pounds.

Details

• The weight.The device measures the user's weight, and also gives the range of the desired weight for this user according to his height, sex and age.

Fat, Fat Mass.The device calculates the fat content in percentage and in kilograms, and also gives a range of the desired fat content according to its height, sex and age.

(FFM) Lean mass. The device gives the amount of lean mass in kg. This includes bone mineral mass and muscle mass.

Muscle mass.Muscle mass includes skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle tissue. There is no recommended range for muscle mass, the more muscle the better.

(BMI) Body mass index. This coefficient shows the correspondence of the user's weight to his height, and also gives the desired range.

metabolic age. Metabolic age indicates what age the user's health corresponds to.

BMR VFR TBW

• BXon the printout of the measurement results is presented in kilocalories, and for convenience, in kilojoules. These kilocalories are spent in order to ensure the full functioning of the body at rest (i.e. sleep), for example, to maintain body temperature, to work internal organs: heart, lungs, etc. The basal exchange indicator is divided into three parts. In the blue zone is low level basal metabolism, in the green zone - the norm, in the red zone - above the norm. How more muscle, the higher the basal exchange. Therefore, the main exchange in the zone above the norm is welcome.

Grade visceral fat. This indicator shows the level of visceral fat that accumulates around the internal organs. The indicator is divided into three parts: green indicates the average level, yellow indicates high level, red - very high. Visceral fat is measured not in kilograms, not in percentages, but in conventional units from 1 to 59. A digital value is indicated on the printout of the measurement results. Each unit corresponds to 10 sq. see fat on the surface of internal organs.

Average level- from 1 to 12 - non-dangerous level of visceral fat.

High level- from 13 to 17 - a dangerous level of visceral fat, which can be brought to an average level with the help of proper nutrition, systematic physical activity, without the help of doctors or sports instructors.

Very tall- from 18 to 59 - a dangerous level of fat content, which requires the intervention of a dietitian, endocrinologist, and possibly a bariatric surgeon. Physical exercise under the guidance of a sports instructor are mandatory, as diet and proper nutrition can only stop the growth of visceral fat, but it can be removed only through systematic physical activity.

• Body water content

TBW - Total Body Water - Total water content. Information is given on the presence of water in kilograms and as a percentage of the total body weight.

ECW - Extra-Cellular-Water - Extra-cellular water, kg

ICW - Intra-Cellular-Water - Intracellular water, kg

Healthy water content range:

In men - 50-65%

In women - 45-60%

• ECW/TBW- The ratio of extracellular water to the total mass of water is an indicator that describes the predisposition of the body to swelling.

If the ratio is up to 41% - the body functions normally, metabolic processes occur normally, excess water is successfully removed from the body.

If this ratio is in the range of more than 41% - there is a reason in the body why excess water is not excreted from the body. The body is prone to swelling, even if there are no obvious signs of swelling. You need to see a doctor.

Physical Assessment / Physical Rating

An overall assessment of the user's physique is given, taking into account the ratio of body fat to lean body mass.

An asterisk - the intersection of indicators along the X and Y axis, is an assessment of the user's physical condition.

Segmental analysis of fat mass

In order to easily and quickly obtain information about the presence of fat and its distribution in the body, a graph in the form of a pentagon is shown in the printout of the measurement results, where upper corner corresponds to the torso, the bottom two corners correspond to the legs, and the left and right corners correspond to the left and right arms.

Opposite each corner is the digital value of the presence of fat in the body segment in kilograms and as a percentage of the segment.

For an instant understanding of whether it is a lot or a little, there are numbers opposite each corner, from -4 to +4. From -2 to -4 - low fat content. From -2 to +2 - the average level of fat content. From +2 to +4 - a high level of fat content.

Segmental analysis of muscle mass

In order to easily and quickly obtain information about the presence of muscle mass and its distribution in the body, the printout of the measurement results shows a graph in the form of a pentagon, where the upper corner corresponds to the torso, the lower two corners correspond to the legs, and the left and right correspond to the left and right hand.

Opposite each corner is the digital value of the presence of muscle mass in the body segment in kilograms.

For an instant understanding of whether it is a lot or a little, there are numbers opposite each corner, from -4 to +4. From -2 to -4 - low level of muscle mass content. From -2 to +2 - the average level of muscle mass content. From +2 to +4 - a high level of muscle mass content.

Muscle mass balance

A comparison is made of the muscle mass of the left and right parts body. It is possible to detect the presence of disproportion in time.

Leg muscle assessment.

An assessment of the user's physical condition is given in comparison with the average healthy value of his gender and age.

The blue graphic line corresponds to the male gender. The yellow graphic line corresponds to the female gender. If the measurement result (black circle) is above the corresponding line, it means that the leg muscles are stronger than the average value of the legs of a person of the same age and gender. If the black circle is below the lines, then the legs are weaker.

Distribution of fat in the body.

Body fat distribution is measured by the ratio of fat in the upper body (above the waist) to the amount in the lower body (below the waist). Each age corresponds to a certain ratio, which is assessed as healthy.

The blue graphic line corresponds to the male gender. In men, fat accumulates mainly in the abdomen, so they usually have a healthy ratio of about 1.5 and it increases with age. If the measurement result (black circle) is above the blue line, then this indicates the presence of excess fat.

The yellow graphic line corresponds to the female gender. At female body tendency to accumulate fat in the thigh area. Therefore, a healthy ratio for women starts at 1 and increases with age. If the measurement result (black circle) is below the yellow line, then this indicates the presence of excess fat.

Go to page

Jourdan Evans - personal trainer from Los Angeles, ACE certified. She received her PhD in Physical Therapy from St Ambrose University in 2012 and was ACE Certified in 2013.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

To increase your lean body mass, you will need to make certain changes to your diet, exercise program, and lifestyle. In addition, you may need to lower your relative fat mass. This will help reduce overall body weight and at the same time increase the lean component of body mass. It will take some time to achieve this goal, but proper nutrition and exercise will help you achieve your goal.

Steps

Part 1

Decrease in total fat

Fill your diet with lean proteins. Sufficient protein is essential for a healthy diet, weight loss and muscle gain. To achieve your goal, you should consume proteins of the right types and in sufficient quantities.

Eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Both fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients that will help you improve your health and lose weight. When combined with a protein-rich diet and exercise this will serve to achieve the goal.

Eat a limited amount of grain products. Reducing your carbohydrate intake will help you lose fat without reducing muscle mass body. In combination with exercise, this will allow you to build up lean body mass.

Snack before and after workouts. This will allow you to make up for lost energy and restore strength.

Limit sweets, fatty foods, salt, and alcohol. Foods rich in added sugar or fat, as well as alcohol, contain extra calories. In addition, studies have shown that eating these foods can lead to fat gain, especially in the abdomen.

Do 150 minutes of cardio every week. In addition to being necessary for maintaining health, such training will help you achieve your goal. While cardio won't necessarily help you build muscle, it can help you shed fat.

Part 2

Increasing muscle mass through exercise

1. Spend two or three strength training weekly. This will help you build and strengthen your muscles.

   Choose a mode that allows you to do more repetitions. When lifting weights, you can lift big weight just a few times or, by reducing the weight, do more repetitions. Both methods have their own advantages, in different ways affecting the gain of muscle mass and increase in muscle strength.

   Try to perform exercises with more complex, rather than the same type of movements. Exercises with the same type and complex movements have their advantages. Most people do both types of exercise, but if you want to gain muscle mass, you should prefer exercises that involve complex movements.

Part 3

Maintain Lean Muscle Mass

Take measurements. To monitor your progress, and after reaching your goal, to be sure that your performance has not deteriorated, you should constantly make some effort. Regular measurements will help you keep track of how you have progressed, as well as stick to the results you have achieved.

Keep track of your body fat percentage. There are several ways to measure this value. A skinfold test or bioimpedancemetry can be used. These tests can be done by a doctor or by your trainer at the gym.

• In addition to your weight, keep an eye on your fat percentage as well. Your goal is to reduce fat and build muscle, while overall body weight may increase.
• Even if your weight is “frozen” or increasing, as long as your body fat percentage falls, you are on the right way increasing overall muscle mass.

1. Get enough sleep. With chronic sleep deprivation, the risk of gaining both fat and overall unhealthy body weight increases.

If you want to know how to determine the body composition and improve it, reduce the stomach, burn fat and build muscle mass, then be sure to read this article.

The standard medical assessment of body mass index (BMI) is not always up-to-date and truthful. It formally determines the percentage of body fat based on a person's height and weight, and is only suitable for mass assessment of fitness level, but is not suitable for assessing individuals, especially men and women with well-developed muscle mass.

If you need to make a conclusion about the health status of millions of people, then it is enough to determine the BMI. But if you are faced with the task of analyzing the body of a particular person, then you should be primarily interested in body composition.

What is body composition?

Most people confuse body composition and BMI, but neither of these concepts accurately determines the percentage of body fat.

BMI is weight (kg) / height 2 (m)

BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared.

For example:

With a weight of 88 kg and a height of 1.85 m, the BMI is 25.7 (88 / 3.4225 = 25.7).

The standard definitions of BMI in relation to body fat percentage are as follows:

• With BMI< 18,5 вес считается недостаточным.
• With a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, weight is considered normal.
• A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
• Obesity is diagnosed with a BMI over 30.

However, in relation to people with developed muscle mass, a BMI of 26 is not at all an indicator of overweight.

Some percent of your body weight is fat, some is muscle, bone, and water. It is on this statement that the theory of body composition is based.

To determine the composition of the body, we use the simplest and most understandable way, which divides our body into two parts:

• Fat mass (all fat in the body).
• Fat-free mass, or BFM (everything that does not contain fat: muscles, bones, blood, organs, water, glycogen stores, etc.).

By controlling these two components, without relying on BMI and body weight, one can more accurately determine the level physical training and the changes that occur in the body under the influence of training and diets.

You need to strive to ensure that with a reasonable nutrition and training plan, BZHM remains the same. This means that you are losing fat, not muscle.

However, in the absence of a calorie deficit and a low protein intake, as well as an emphasis on cardio, you will also lose weight, but along with muscles. This is the easiest way to get "lean fat".

Body composition is relevant not only when burning fat, but also when gaining muscle mass, since it is important to build muscle, not body fat.

For maximum muscle growth in the body, you must first gain some fat. However, fat gain should not be faster than muscle growth. The only exceptions are beginners in weightlifting, who can simultaneously remove fat and

How to measure body composition?

You need to measure your body fat percentage. This indicator motivates you to train at the expense of fat mass, increasing lean mass.

Body composition measurement and portable devices

The easiest way to clarify body composition is with the help of portable devices. This is the most easy way measure body fat percentage. But it is unreliable and inaccurate due to the use of bioimpedance analysis (BIA) based devices.

Bioimpedance analysis is based on the passage of light electric current through the body and measuring the resistance to it.

Muscles contain more than 70% water, so they conduct electricity well. Fat contains much less water, so it doesn't conduct electricity as well. The result of the study is based on the correlation of the level of electrical resistance with the level of fatness.

This approach to body composition analysis is wrong, and here's why. Electricity will take the path of least resistance through the body, bypassing fat and passing through more conductive tissues. If there is enough in the body subcutaneous fat, then electricity will pass through the internal organs.

Many devices that consist of two electrodes, such as scales and other portable devices, miss entire parts of the body. Devices attached to the legs can ignore the torso, while devices attached to the arms can only examine the upper half of the body.

That is why the data and results of such measurements are very inaccurate.

Another problem with BIA is that the percentage of body fat is calculated using mathematical calculations based on the received prognostic data. The latest BIA devices are produced using electric current.

Here's how it works.

The BIA device development team measures the percentage of body fat in a large group of people based on the "gold standard" method of analysis. The team then tests the same group of people with their BIA devices, compares the measurements, and does the math on the formula to represent the results based on variables like height, weight, and gender.

The explanation of the method's operation is more than reasonable, and if it did not make mistakes, then it could be considered the main one.

But it is impossible to know exactly where the method will make a mistake. He is very inaccurate. Common reasons for such inaccuracies are ethnicity, body weight, percentage of water in the body.

Defective BIA devices make the method useless. After all, the test results are significantly affected by the conditions in which it is carried out. When dehydrated, the electrical resistance in the body increases, due to which the percentage of fat is fixed higher than it actually is.

When performing a BIA test after a hearty meal, the electrical resistance will be lower than usual, due to which the percentage of fat will be lower than it actually is. The error of the method is as much as 4 percentage points.

Training can also seriously change the performance of BIA, since after exercise the conductivity of the electric current in the body improves. The result of such a study is an overestimation or underestimation of fat mass.

Therefore, you should not rely on BIA readings, even if you control the content of water in the body, nutrition and training.

Caliper fat measurement and skinfold testing

Skin testing involves using a caliper to measure the thickness of the skin at specific points on the body. The obtained measurements are summed up and further used in the formulas by which the fat-free and fat mass is calculated.

But even here there are many inaccuracies.

The first of these is inaccurate measurements of the fat fold by the user based on insufficient or excessive capture of skin and fat for measurement. Using fluctuating data in formulas will give you an under or over body fat percentage.

Although skinfold testing can also give accurate data on body fat content. With it, you can very effectively track changes in the body.

Photo and mirror

The appearance of a body with different percentages of fat differs depending on the percentage of muscle mass. The average man weighing 72.5 kg and 10% body fat has about 7.25 kg of body fat. A muscular man weighing 86 kg with 10% body fat has 1.35 kg more fat, but also 12.15 kg more lean mass.

It is quite difficult to estimate the percentage of fat, focusing only on a photo or reflection in a mirror. These images will help you navigate:

As you noticed:

• Wishful more or less clearly drawn only with a fat content of about 10% for men and 18% for women.
• The muscles of the press and the cortex are visible with a fat content of no more than 8% in men and 15% in women.
• The skin becomes paper thin and rough at about 6% fat in men and 13% in women.

Photographs and reflection in the mirror are an easy way to roughly calculate your body fat percentage and track changes in body composition.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DERA)

DERA is based on a whole body x-ray to determine fat and lean mass. The method is based on the different absorption of X-ray energy by different tissues of the body. There is an opinion that DERA is a reliable method for measuring body fat, but this is not true.

The reasons are as follows:

• Results may vary if images are taken with different equipment, even if they are from the same manufacturer.
• Algorithms for converting raw data when measuring body composition are different, and therefore give different results.
• The result depends on the type of x-ray.

As in the BIA method, the results of DERA are affected by the percentage of fluid in the body, as well as gender, body size, total fat mass, and even the presence of disease.

Therefore, despite being trusted and highly rated in the fitness community, DERA is not an accurate method for assessing body composition.

Capsule BodPod

The BodPod is a piece of equipment based on hydrostatic weighing. When a person is placed inside the capsule, it measures the volume of air displaced from the chamber and analyzes the body by using the obtained data in algebraic formulas.

There is no point in using such equipment, since it also does not give accurate results - the error can be from 5 to 15 percentage points. The reason is that the result of the analysis of body composition using the Bod Pod capsule is affected by criteria such as the presence of facial hair, the percentage of water in the body, body temperature, and even the presence of clothing.

Bod Pod, like the other methods of body composition analysis discussed earlier, is too inaccurate to use.

What is the most accurate way to measure body fat then?

There is only one way to measure body composition with 100% accuracy, and trust me, you won't settle for it. We are talking about the extraction of fat, muscles, bones and organs for subsequent weighing. Only this method will allow you to perform an accurate analysis of body composition with all confidence. But it is unacceptable due to objective reasons: it is impossible to collect everything back.

All other methods are approximate, although some are more accurate than others.

What methods do scientists use to determine the relative accuracy and inaccuracy of all known methods of analyzing body composition? What can be compared with the results of BIA, DERA, Baud Pod, hydrostatic weighing and skinfold measurement?

There is a method of 4-component analysis, which involves the study of 4 components of the body:

• fat,
• bones,
• water,
• muscles.

For example, hydrostatic weighing will allow determining the exact density of a body. DERA will reliably show the total bone mass. And the total amount of water in the body will allow you to accurately find out a urine test called "diluting the isotope of heavy hydrogen."

This multi-step method allows you to know your body composition more accurately. However, the difficulty of its implementation is the need to find suitable specialists and a laboratory.

The easiest way to accurately measure body composition and track changes

The easiest way to evaluate and track changes in body composition requires just a few things:

• scales
• caliper,
• scales,
• roulette,
• camera,
• mirrors.

It's pretty easy to do it:

1. Weigh yourself daily and measure every 7-10 days on average.

Weight fluctuates every day due to fluid retention in the body, defecation or lack of it, glycogen accumulation, etc. That is why punishing yourself for small gains or weight loss is stupid and unproductive.

It is better to focus on the average weekly weight indicators, which will clearly show what is really happening with your body. Therefore, in the morning, every day after taking a bath and before eating or drinking anything, weigh yourself naked and write down your weight. Next, calculate average weight in 7-10 days (sum up all the indicators and divide by the number of days). Comparing averages over time will tell you if you're on the right track or not.

1. Take measurements every week with a caliper. You won’t be able to accurately calculate the percentage of fat with their help, but the indicators themselves are quite useful. If your skin thickens over time, you are gaining fat. If it becomes thinner, then you spend fat. This method is one of the easiest. You can use it without outside help.
2. Measure your waist every week. Waist circumference at the navel is a reliable indicator of body fat. If your waist is smaller, you lose weight; if you increase it, you gain more. That's why it's so important to remember your weekly circumference. All you need for this is a measuring tape.
3. Take a photo every week, because your reflection in the mirror is the most important thing. As you gain muscle mass and burn fat, you will look better and better, regardless of individual measurements or numbers on the scale.

Photograph your body front, back, and assembly every week in good light, and over time, you will notice your progress or lack of it.

Conclusion

It is impossible to know the exact percentage of body fat. It remains to focus on the data that can be obtained. Nevertheless, changes in body composition can be tracked quite accurately, and this is the most important thing.

How to improve body composition?

There are two ways to improve body composition:

• Build muscle mass;
• Lose fat (not muscle).

These two goals cover everything we want to achieve in relation to the body (applies to both men and women).

All you need to do to get the body of your dreams is just to build a certain amount of muscle and maintain the desired percentage of body fat. How much fat and muscle you need to lose and gain depends entirely on how you want to look.

Bodybuilders, for example, can build 20 to 27 kg of muscle and cut fat to an unhealthy minimum. Others do not have to go to such extremes. Typically, men aim to gain about 25 kg of muscle mass and 8-10% body fat. Women prefer 10-15 kg of muscle, and reduce body fat to 18-20%. Anyone can achieve these indicators, regardless of body type, genetics and other criteria.

Outcome

Many of us are too obsessed with the goals of losing, gaining or maintaining weight. This is the wrong goal setting, because you can lose weight not due to fat, but due to muscle, just like gaining weight can be due to fat, and not due to muscle growth.

The goal has been achieved - you have lost the required number of kilograms or gained them, but began to look worse. That's why you need to control your body composition in the first place. Weight loss should come from fat loss, not muscle loss. Conversely, weight gain should come from building muscle, not fat.

If you can do these simple things, then you can get the body of your dreams. We hope this article will help you with this!