Becomes a kind of "idea fix". Every morning, getting on the scales, we hope that we will see weight loss, which will bring us a little closer to the ideal. We are upset if we see that today we weigh more than yesterday, we try to analyze our mistakes. But how often does a person who is losing weight think about why he is losing weight? What does the desired plumb line consist of, fat (as we are all sure)? Or maybe we lost weight due to the loss of water from the body or lost weight due to the burning of muscles?

This is what I want to talk about in this article - what our body consists of, what norms exist, what to strive for.

Norms of fat, water and muscle content in the human body.

In order to analyze body composition, I will give medical data on the norms of fat, muscle, water content in the body, depending on the sex and age of a person:

How to measure body composition. What is a body composition analyzer?

If you are unable to use the methods below to measure the amount of fat, water and muscle in your body, use the most in a simple way Stand in front of a mirror and take a good look at yourself. Evaluate your figure, compare it with the classification of G. Sheldon, which he created in the 40s of the last century, photographing and measuring 46 thousand men and women. Sheldon described 3 types of human figure:

The body type is given to a person by nature, but knowing it, you can draw conclusions about your basic metabolic rate, correct it correctly diet , physical activity .

There are other ways to determine body composition:

1. With the help of a caliper. With this device, skin folds are measured in certain areas of the body. The obtained indicators are compared with special tables and the percentage of subcutaneous fat in the body is calculated. visceral fat percentage cannot be measured in this way. This is the least convenient way, requiring the presence of the instrument itself, an assistant and not giving an exact answer to the question of body composition.
2. Using computed tomography or infrared radiation. These methods are available only in medical institutions, so I will not consider them in more detail.
3. Bioelectric impedance analysis of body composition - based on the different electrical resistance of fat, muscle and water. The analyzer device passes a harmless weak electrical impulse through the human body, analyzes the speed of its passage. On the basis of special formulas that take into account the height, gender and age of a person, body composition is calculated. Many modern floor scales body composition analyzers (read here).
4. You can roughly estimate body composition using calculators based on the Jason-Pollock formula. The calculations take into account the volume of a person, his height, weight and gender. Such calculators do not have 100% accuracy, but they are quite capable of giving an idea of ​​the amount of fat in your body.

On my personal experience I will say that the composition of the body at healthy weight loss(3-4 kg per month), does not change very quickly. Therefore, it is more reasonable to use analyzer scales at the beginning of the process of losing weight in any fitness club, and then monitor the dynamics once every 2 months.

How much body fat.

Since I am writing this article for people who want to lose weight, it is important for them to determine the initial percentage of body fat. It is clear that you need to strive for healthy indicators - the norm of fat content has a range for women equal to from 18% to 26%, and for men - from 10% to 18%.

The lower limit of body fat content (below 18% for women and 10% for men) athletes strive to achieve for competitions, the so-called fitness figure. It is enough for ordinary people to keep within the limits of average indicators. Do not seek to reduce the percentage of fat in your body below the physiological norm. This can lead to serious hormonal imbalances, especially in women, contributing to a decrease in the production of the female sex hormone estrogen and an increase in the male sex hormone testosterone. A lack of estrogen in women can lead to irregular periods (dysmenorrhea), their complete cessation (amenorrhea), and cause a bone disease such as osteoporosis, in which the bones become thin and less strong.

In medical practice, a classification of the degree of obesity has been developed depending on the percentage of fat in the body:

And finally, I want to show you what the figures of men and women look like with different fat content in the body.

How much fat, muscle and water is in the body?

The calculation of the percentage of body fat helps to monitor and control the level of effectiveness of the chosen weight loss strategy.

How and what to measure?

You need to measure height, weight, waist circumference, neck and hips. Also indicate the daily activity level. Enter the obtained measurements into the calculator, click the "Calculate" button.

What's your gender
	Your height (in centimeters):
	Your weight (in kilograms):
	Your waist (in centimeters):
	Your neck (in centimeters):
	Your hips (in centimeters):
Physical activity:	Physical activity:
	Calculate

Body parameters

To take measurements, you will need a measuring tape and. Take measurements with an accuracy of 0.5 cm. Make sure that the measuring tape does not tighten the skin, but also does not hang freely.

• Height- measure your height without shoes;
• The weight- stand on the scales in the morning, without clothes, first visit the toilet and do not have breakfast;
• Waist- measurements of the waist for men should be carried out in the navel, for women - in the narrowest part of the abdominal cavity;
• Neck- measure the circumference of the neck under the Adam's apple;
• Hips- Measure at the widest part of the hips.

Activity level

• Minimum- passive lifestyle, work at the computer, rare irregular loads;
• Moderate– daily walking, work on the move, outdoor activities;
• Active – regular classes sport, hard physical labor.

Deciphering the results

Body mass index- the ratio of weight and height of a person. The formula BMI = kg / m2 allows you to determine how your weight is normal. The formula does not take into account the features of the physique, therefore, it gives inaccurate results if you are an athlete with developed muscles.

	BMI< 18.5
Norm	BMI 18.5 - 24.9
Overweight	BMI 25-29.9
Obesity	BMI ≥ 30

Waist to height ratio- allows you to determine how much abdominal fat is contained in the human body. Underdevelopment and a large amount of abdominal fat lead to diseases of cardio-vascular system, liver and gastrointestinal tract.

Percentage of body fat – allowable amount fat in men and women is different. The accumulation of fat on the abdomen and thighs in women is due to the need to have an additional source of nutrition and energy in case of pregnancy. A man's body needs more muscle to protect and provide for his family.

Lean body weight- is calculated by the formula: Mass x (100 - percentage of fat). The calculation allows you to find out the weight of a person without body fat.

Minimum calorie requirements- the result shows how many calories a person of a certain height and weight needs for normal life. The calculation depends entirely on the BMI value, if the body mass index is greater than 25 (which means overweight or obese), the calculator reduces the daily calorie intake by 15%.

The amount of protein per day– the result is affected by the body mass index, growth, the level of human activity. The protein norm is calculated from the calculation:

• 0.8 grams per 1 kg of weight for people who lead a sedentary lifestyle;
• 1.1 grams for moderately active;
• 1.4 grams for energetic, active people.

Based on the daily protein intake, the amount of other components of the diet is adjusted. The diet must include the right amount of protein to ensure normal muscle growth with reduced calorie intake. The proportion is used: 30% protein, 30% fat, 40% carbohydrates.

protein diet

low carb diet

Allowable Fat Percentage

How much fat mass can be contained in the human body? Professional bodybuilders, preparing for competitions, reduce the amount of fat mass to 3-4%. Their bodies are an ideal relief of muscles that are drawn at the slightest tension.

A low mass index and an insufficient amount of adipose tissue lead to metabolic disorders in the body. The condition of the skin and hair worsens. Sex hormones are not produced, reproductive function is disturbed.

• Minimum index- 5% for men and 10% for women.
• Normal amount of adipose tissue 12-20% in men and 18-25% in women. This index corresponds to an athletic, moderately embossed physique and good health.
• Clear signs overweight and obesity: muscle underdevelopment, body mass index over 30, fat percentage over 30% in men and 35% in women.

With obesity, the appearance of a person first of all suffers - breasts, increased sweating, unaesthetic appearance.

In addition, there is a risk of cardiovascular diseases, joints are destroyed, the spine is bent under the weight extra pounds. The psyche suffers - self-esteem decreases, self-dislike, irritability, depression appear.

How else to calculate the percentage of body fat?

bioimpedance

You can find out how much fat is in the body using the bioimpedance method (measuring electrical resistance). Doctors studied the difference in electrical resistance of fat, muscles, bones, water and, based on the knowledge gained, created a device for determining the percentage of fat. The accuracy of the method is an error of no more than 2%.

Now you can buy a household analogue - scales for measuring the percentage of fat and muscle, whose work is based on the bioimpedance method.

Scales pass a weak electrical impulse through the body. The current strength, taking into account the potential difference, shows the degree of electrical resistance of tissues in the body. Depending on the degree of resistance, the composition of the fabric is determined.

Balances based on the bioimpedance method have a number of disadvantages:

• Use the scales only in a warm room at normal body temperature. Expansion or narrowing of blood vessels due to exposure to external temperatures is unacceptable.
• Weight measurement is carried out on an empty stomach. You can not take diuretics - the result is greatly distorted.
• You can not get heavy loads or take a shower before measuring weight, in order to exclude external influence on the water-salt balance in the body.
• The electrical impulse travels along the shortest path, so the device takes into account only the resistance of the leg tissues. If you have thin legs but a large stomach, the scale will not show an accurate result.

Weighing in water

To study the stage and degree of obesity, physicians use weighing in water. The method is based on theoretical knowledge about the density of fat, which is different from muscle tissue.

A person is weighed in air and in water, then using complex formulas, the difference between the indicators is calculated and the percentage of fat is calculated.

The procedure is as follows: a person sits in a special chair for measuring weight, connected to the scales. You need to take a deep breath, after which the chair is immersed in water for 10 seconds. To obtain accurate measurements, the procedure is carried out three times.

Measurement of the fat fold

Measuring the percentage of fat by the thickness of the fat folds is a simpler and safer method for studying the degree of obesity. Physicians have a special caliper for these purposes, but you can use a caliper and even a regular ruler.

The essence of the method is to pinch fat fold at four points on the body and measure its thickness:

• Pinch the fat fold on the triceps, in the middle between the shoulder and elbow joints, and measure the thickness;

• Similarly, measure the fat fold on the biceps.

• Measure the crease under the shoulder blade, pinch the skin at a 45° angle to the vertical. Make sure that the fold is located along the line that connects cervical region spine and sides.

• Take a measurement of the fat fold in the navel, choosing the place with the most fat.

The results obtained are summarized. To calculate the percentage of fat, use a special table.

Why do you need to know your body fat percentage?

To evaluate the intermediate results of the diet, it is necessary to monitor the content of muscles and fat in the body. Often, when they lose weight only with the help of a diet, not only fat disappears, but also the muscle tissue that the body needs - for example, the heart is a muscle. Muscles consume more calories. A body with more muscle looks prettier than another body with more body fat of the same weight.

How is body fat percentage determined?

Now it is not a problem to buy medical electronic scales that show weight, percentage of water, muscles, bone tissue, the required number of calories, estimate physical condition and even metabolic age (based on metabolic rate). They have only one drawback - the high price. Another common method is to measure fat folds using a special caliper device. But what if there are no special scales and caliper?

Calculation of percentage of fat by formulas

There are quite a few ways determine the percentage of body fat using formulas and tables for some measurements of the parameters of the figure. On our site you can use the most detailed calculator that will calculate the percentage of fat according to your data. Unlike calculators that you can find on other sites, this calculator uses several methods to calculate more realistic results.

Fat Percentage Calculator

Calculator counts body fat percentage in five ways and also calculates the average. Each of the methods can give an error of + -3%. How a large number methods can be calculated, the more accurately it turns out final result. If you do not enter any data, the calculation will be performed using fewer formulas.

What does the body fat calculation show?

The results are presented as follows: for each method, the fat percentage and fat weight in kilograms. Each method has its own graph, on which your body fat percentage is highlighted in yellow. When hovering over the yellow part of the graph, you will see recommendations based on the calculated data. The second level of the graph (outer circle) displays the percentage scale against which results are evaluated. This is the most common body fat percentage method proposed by the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Below are two summary graphs: the first shows the calculations for all methods, including the average value. The results are displayed based on the same ACE scoring method. When you hover your mouse over each point, you will get a recommendation about the size of the percentage of body fat.

In the second graph, your body fat percentage is estimated using the more accurate Jackson and Pollock method, taking into account the age category. This is done for the average value, as the most accurate. in the same way, with the help of the mouse you will see a recommendation if you hover it over the selected square.

Fat percentage photo

You will be able to see a visual representation of a figure with a similar percentage of body fat and evaluate the differences in the figure with different percentages of body fat.

Description of body fat percentage formulas

US Navy method

To enter the US military, everyone must meet certain parameters. The most important of these is the percentage of fat, not weight. All US military units calculate this indicator. The formulas differ slightly depending on the division. For the calculation, height, girth of the neck, waist and hips are used.

Bailey's Covert Method

The method appeared recently, he presented it in his book Slim or Fat? popular sports doctor Covert Bailey. Moreover, the calculation is made differently depending on age. Hip, thigh, calf, commas, and age are used to determine body fat percentage.

Based on BMI

Method based on BMI (body mass index, BMI). One of the most common methods based on height and weight and age. But after the age of 30, the accuracy of this formula decreases (gives greater indicators than it actually is). Calculation of body mass index
BMI (BMI) and new body mass index (new BMI)

YMCA Method

The method was developed by a youth volunteer organization, YMCA (YMCA, Youth Christian Association), whose branches are located in 130 countries around the world. Only weight and waist circumference are used for calculation.

Add. YMCA method

This is an augmented YMCA method that is based on more parameters - weight, wrist circumference, waist, hips, forearm.

Average

The average is calculated as the arithmetic mean of all the above methods. Taking into account the possible inaccuracy of each method in + -3%, the calculation of the average will give the results closest to the real data.

Comparison of methods

With the help of weights with the determination of the percentage of fat, which is based on bioimpedance analysis, was obtained real fat percentage in the body - 25.0%. Bioimpedance analysis passes a very weak current through the body with different frequency, which makes it possible to determine the percentage of fat, muscle, bones. Let's compare the data with the calculation methods:

The average value coincided, which indicates the possibility of using the average of all the above methods for a rough estimate of the percentage of fat. The closest results for this organism were obtained by the extended YMCA method and the US Navy method. The spread of values ​​is from 22.49% to 26.78%, which exceeds the promised error of +-3%, but on average gives data close to reality.

What is a normal percentage of body fat

Previously, men (and even some women) set their main goal - to pump muscles. But times are changing and now the main thing is “dry” mass, namely getting rid of fat mass in order to show the muscles as much as possible. Just think of Brad Pitt in Fight Club or Cristiano Ronaldo at any point in time over the last ten years. Expressed muscles, not adipose tissue.

A similar figure - dry body weight, without excess deposits - has recently become the main goal of trainers and visitors. gyms. But even if you do not strive for such pronounced muscles, it is worth knowing what percentage of body fat is the norm and whether you need to change it, since this amount is one of the main indicators of the health of the body.

"A normal body fat percentage reduces the risk of developing a variety of diseases," explains Dr. Luke Powles of Bupa's Crossrail Medical Center in London.

“It has been repeatedly shown that increased body fat leads to increased levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, which are risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. It can also cause certain types of cancer and diabetes. In men, high body fat leads to erectile dysfunction.

But the percentage of body fat to muscle mass should not be too low, as underweight also leads to the development of a number of diseases.

How much fat should ideally be? For men 20-39 years old, the rate of body fat varies from 8 to 20%, for men aged 40-59 - from 11 to 22%. Now it is much easier to find out your body fat percentage: smart scales, pocket scanners and fitness trackers will easily provide all the information about body composition. For conservatives (or economical) there is also an option - a caliper.

Before you start losing fat, it's worth learning a little about the biological processes behind it. Let's start with two types of fat: irreplaceable and accumulated.

Essential Fats

Essential fats are fats that are necessary for the healthy and normal functioning of our body. For men, this is about 3% of the total body weight. Without essential fatty acids, such as omega-3s from fatty fish, nuts, and seeds, the body is unable to process nutrients such as vitamins A, K, and D, which are responsible for immunity, blood clotting, and calcium absorption. Fat is also needed to protect internal organs and to regulate core body temperature.

Accumulated fat

The other kind, cumulative, is the result of an excess of calories consumed. When we eat, calories that are not immediately used for functioning (for example, to provide energy for breathing or maintain a heart rate) are converted into triglycerides, which make up stored fat. Frequent calorie surplus causing fat accumulation leads to weight gain. On the other hand, repeated calorie deficits force the body to use stored fat mass for energy, depleting stores and leading to weight loss.

Percentage of body fat

Simply put, fat is unused energy that is life-threatening. Its percentage in the body is the ratio of fat mass to total body weight. Returning to the question of what percentage of fat should be in the human body, it should be noted that this number is influenced by many factors, such as height, gender and heredity. It is generally considered that the "healthy" percentage for men aged 20 to 40 is at least 8% and no more than 20%. A healthy woman in the same age group should have a body fat percentage between 15% and 31%. These figures are based on data from the Royal College of Nursing for November 2015.

Table of percentage of body fat for men of different age groups

Most people can navigate by these indicators, however, it should be remembered that the table does not take into account individual fitness everyone's goals. Bodybuilders typically aim for ultra-lean muscle mass and a body fat percentage of no more than 5-8%. Cyclists, gymnasts - some of the "drier" athletes - usually have from 5 to 12% body fat. In order to look as bold as possible, the indicator should be from 5 to 10%.

BMI and body weight

Body fat percentage is the best indicator of health. It is better suited for determining the constitution than the body mass index (BMI) that is starting to become obsolete or just weighing. Weight can vary significantly depending on hormonal surges, time of day, amount of food and drink before getting on the scales.

If you have very high growth and significant musculature, then according to BMI you are more likely to be in the category of overweight or even obese. The problem is, BMI was developed in 1832 by the Belgian mathematician Adolphe Quetelet to determine the average person (determining how weight increases according to height), and not to detect underweight or obesity.

In the 1980s, BMI was adopted as a powerful tool for determining life expectancy, and has been the bane of muscular people ever since. Often, due to BMI, young people cannot get into the service of the police and other physical condition-oriented structures, since they still use this indicator when they are admitted. However, when you measure your body fat percentage, you're actually measuring body fat, not getting an estimate based on height and weight alone.

Knowing your body fat percentage is essential when you change your body. He will help:

• Determine the initial data, then to enjoy the changes))
• Estimate the approximate duration of the diet (about);
• Track the dynamics of changes in body composition on a diet (ratio muscle mass, bone and fat mass in the body).

There are many measurement methods, let's figure out how to find out your percentage of fat.

The percentage of body fat is the ratio of adipose tissue to the rest of the body mass, which is made up of muscles, bones, internal organs and liquids.

A low percentage of fat is not necessarily an athletic and harmonious physique, and a healthy body, in principle.

Two people with the same percentage of body fat can look different. If the total body weight is large and there is little fat, then such a body will look athletic due to the large muscle mass. If there is little muscle and fat, then the body looks thin.

The percentage of body fat in a healthy woman is always higher than that of a man - more high level fat supports reproductive function.

Fat percentage rates for men and women are shown in the table below ():

And this is what it looks like (approximately):

Methods for measuring body fat percentage

Exactly the percentage of fat will not be shown by any plate, and no counting rhyme in the network.

However, you can build on something or use the same method to track progress. Let there be an error, but you will see the dynamics of changes.

How to find body fat percentage using BMI

Body mass index (BMI) is a widely accepted method for calculating optimal body weight. It takes into account only your weight, height and gender, and is calculated:

BMI \u003d body weight in kg / (height in meters x height in meters), for example, 80 kg / 1.86 m x 1.86 m = 23.1 kg / m2

Despite the fact that BMI does not correlate with body fat percentage, a rough estimate of its content can be estimated for individuals who are not very athletic, without big muscles(taken from https://shantramora.livejournal.com/149932.html):

If you have muscles and there are a lot of them, then it is better to count differently. For example, the body mass index of Arnold Schwarzenegger at the peak of his competitive form would show obesity:

Arnold's height is 1.88 m, and his weight on stage is 107 kg. BMI = 30 kg / m2, which corresponds to 26% body fat, which is not true.

Caliper

Caliperometry is a simple and affordable method for assessing subcutaneous fat. Suitable for persons with a BMI in the range of 18.5-25 kg/m2, since caliper models have limitations in measuring the width of the skin fold.

Fat is distributed unevenly throughout our body. It also surrounds the internal organs. Therefore, caliperometry has a high error, but it is quite suitable for tracking the dynamics of changes during weight loss.

Pull the skin along with subcutaneous fat excluding muscles, measure the thickness of the fold with a caliper, and then compare the values ​​​​with the tables or enter the values ​​\u200b\u200bin the online calculator. You can find several methods of measuring and obtaining the result.

Your caliper may or may not contain a method for converting its values ​​to body fat percentage, so use the link above.

On the website www.linear-software.com/online.html, you can choose 5 methods of measuring folds and one based on measuring girths with a measuring tape. Enter the values ​​and click get result. Use the browser built-in translator if you do not speak English

The measurements themselves might look like this:

For men

1. Chest - Diagonal crease in the middle between the nipple and top chest muscle at the armpit.

1. Abdomen - Vertical crease 2.5 cm to the right of the navel.

For women

1. Triceps - Vertical crease in the middle between the top of the shoulder and the elbow.

1. Supra Ilium - A diagonal crease over the superior anterior portion of the iliac crest.

1. Thigh - A vertical fold in the middle between the patella and the inguinal fold.

Important when using a caliper:

• Carry out different measurements at the same time of day, in the same conditions, with the same caliper.
• Measure wrinkles for right side body.
• The skin should be dry, without damage, without clothing.
• Practice first. Your measurements must be the same.

By circumference of body parts

For ordinary and obese people, in whom it is impossible to determine the percentage of fat with a caliper, the method using measurements of body girths is suitable.

You need to measure the circumference of the waist, hips and pelvis, and then substitute the data into the calculator.

Formulas

Using formulas, it is better to focus on several calculation schemes and take the average value.

US Navy Fat Percentage Formula

Based on the circumferences of the neck, waist, and hips (for women), the formula shows the result with an error of 1-3%, which is pretty good.

The formula itself looks like this:

• For men 86.01 x LOG (waist - neck) - 70.041 x LOG (height) + 30.3;
• For women 163.205 x LOG (waist + hips - neck) - 97.684 x ​​LOG (height) - 104.912.

Where LOG is the decimal logarithm.

YMCA Formula

• YMCA for men (-98.42 + (4.15 x waist / 2.54) - (0.082 x (weight / 0.454))) / (weight / 0.454) x 100
• YMCA for women (-76.76 + (4.15 x waist / 2.54) - (0.082 x (weight / 0.454))) / (weight / 0.454) x 100

Formula based on BMI

Body fat percentage based on BMI = (1.2 x BMI) + (0.23 x age) - (10.8 x gender) - 5.4, where gender is 1 for men and 0 for women.

Online fat percentage calculator

In order not to bother with all these formulas, just enter your values ​​​​into this calculator and get an approximate percentage of body fat. The data is the geometric mean of the above three methods for measuring body fat percentage:

Regular photos and by eye

Connect as many ways as possible to determine the percentage of fat.

Here's an example of how it should be:

Watch how your body changes in the photo and reflection in the mirror and compare yourself with, which show the approximate fat content.

Bioimpedance method

Based on the measurement of bioelectrical resistance of body tissues. Adipose tissue conducts electricity differently than bones and muscles. This is due to the lower percentage of water (about 50%) in fat compared to muscle (about 75%).

To take a measurement, a person is placed on a couch, electrodes are connected, and after a couple of minutes they are given a printout with data on body composition.

The error of the method is 3-9%. The price is affordable and starts from 1000 rubles in Moscow (clinics where you can do this). Of the contraindications, the presence of pacemakers and pregnancy.

Electronic balance

Yes, modern smart scales can measure body composition and do it well based on the same bioimpedance analysis. In a review conducted by habr.com, the indicators of MGB smart scales and bioimpedancemetry on the MEDASS device are compared in a clinic:

There are no radical differences. The cost of MGB scales is 1990 rubles and will be beaten off after two trips to the clinic

exotic

BOD POD

Plethysmographic body composition analyzer. It is an air chamber that measures the density of components human body. Based on measurements, you can get data ():

• body composition;
• Total weight;
• Fat mass;
• Fat-free mass;
• Thoracic gas volume (TGV) estimate;
• Thoracic gas volume (TGV) measurement;
• Resting metabolic rate (RMR) score;
• Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) estimate.

The method is considered accurate, the error is 2-6%, but I did not find where to make such an analysis in Russia.

DEXA and hydrostatic weighing

The two most accurate methods for determining body composition. Accuracy up to 2%.

The DEXA method is based on scanning the body with X-rays, hydrostatic weighing is carried out in water. Both procedures are expensive, complicated and inconvenient for regular measurements, for example, to track the progress of weight loss.

Conclusion

Modern Methods for Measuring Fat Percentage

For weight loss purposes, once every 2-4 weeks, you need to measure the percentage of fat in order to track the results of your diet (read about without harm to the body and without dietary restrictions).

Using even not the most accurate methods, such as caliperometry, you can see the visual dynamics of reducing the percentage of fat. Let the numbers be inaccurate, but it is important to decrease them over time.

Ideally, combine several methods and take an average.