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Body fat is an important aspect of your well-being as it regulates the cholesterol and glucose in the body. Body fat percentage, on the other hand, indicates how much fat the body comprises vs the bone and muscle.
Knowing your body fat percentage by using a body fat calculator helps health experts judge your nutrition level, which is helpful in predicting the risks of diseases and promoting hormonal metabolism and vitamin storage. Furthermore, accurate estimations of body fat are necessary to set a nutrition plan that promotes fat loss. In this narrative, we’ll explore how you can measure your body fat, promote it to a healthy level, and some common concerns.
Different Methods To Measure Body Fat
There are several ways to measure your body fat apart from a body fat calculator, from simple and less accurate to highly precise ones. Here is a quick summary of all.
Skinfold Calipers measure the thickness of the fat in specific areas (which are different for women and men), and they have been used for more than 50 years. Usually, 3 or 7 sites are taken to measure body fat. However, this method highly relies on the skill of the measurer, and the typical error range is about 3.5 to 5%.
The second common method, which is also used by the US Army, is measuring the body circumference from neck and waist for men and neck, waist, and hips for women. This method isn’t very accurate because it’sn’t adaptable to different body shapes and fat distributions. [3]
Lab tests are the most accurate, and these include DEXA scans, which use X-ray beams to measure body fat. However, they are also more expensive. Another method of measuring body fat percentage is hydrostatic measuring. You sit on an underwater chair with measuring scales for about 5 to 7 seconds to measure the body fat. Air displacement works on the same phenomenon, but the water is switched with air.
Using An Online Body Fat Calculator
A body fat percentage calculator is one of the simplest ways to get a near-to-exact estimation of your body fat. And there are no preliminary requirements or charges included.
The first you need to do is to navigate to the body fat calculator page. The interface is pretty self-explanatory, but we’ll go through everything for a smooth experience.
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In the first section of the body fat calculator, you need to select your life stage (whether you are an adult or a teenager).
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Next, select your gender and enter your age. You can either type in the figure directly or use the arrows to increase the counter to the desired years.
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The next part requires the height in centimeters or either feet or inches.
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Finally, input your weight. You can choose the desired unit from the pull-down button.
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Once all the details are done, click the calculate button.
Different Methods To Measure Body Fat
The simplest way to know if your body fat poses health risks or not is by examining the waist circumference. For women more than 35 inches and for men more than 40 inches indicates significant health risks.
Experts recommend that healthy body fat percentages for women is 25-31% while for men it's 18-24%. However, these figures are irrespective of factors like age, gender, and athletic status. To effectively judge if you have a healthy weight it is important to consider the BMI and measure body fat percentage. Balanced diet and targeted workout sessions play a significant part in maintaining a healthy body fat percentage.
Healthy Body Fat Percentage Ranges For Women
For women between 20 to 39 the healthy body fat percentage ranges from 21 to 32 percent. However, these percentages differ depending upon the fitness goals.
For instance, if you aim to keep only the essential fat, your body fat should range from 10 to 12 percent. Similarly, for an athletic physique, the ideal body fat percentage is 14 to 20 percent.
For higher fitness, the figures range from 21 to 24 percent. Body fat percentages ranging between 25 to 31 percent are considered acceptable while more than 32% classifies as obese.
| Age | Dangerously Low | Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | Dangerously High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | Under 14% | 14 to 16.5% | 16.6 to 19.4% | 19.5 to 22.7% | 22.8 to 27.1% | Over 27.2% |
| 30-39 | Under 14% | 14 to 17.4% | 17.5 to 20.8% | 20.9 to 24.6% | 24.7 to 29.1% | Over 29.2% |
| 40-49 | Under 14% | 14 to 19.8% | 19.9 to 23.8% | 23.9 to 27.6% | 27.7 to 31.9% | Over 31.9% |
| 50-59 | Under 14% | 14 to 22.5% | 22.6 to 27% | 27.1 to 30.4% | 30.5 to 34.5% | Over 34.6% |
| 60-69 | Under 14% | 14 to 23.2% | 23.3 to 27.9% | 28 to 31.3% | 31.4 to 35.4% | Over 35.5% |
What is a Healthy Body Fat Percentage?
The simplest way to know if your body fat poses health risks or not is by examining the waist circumference. For women more than 35 inches and for men more than 40 inches indicates significant health risks.
Experts recommend that healthy body fat percentages for women is 25-31% while for men it's 18-24%. However, these figures are irrespective of factors like age, gender, and athletic status. To effectively judge if you have a healthy weight it is important to consider the BMI and measure body fat percentage. Balanced diet and targeted workout sessions play a significant part in maintaining a healthy body fat percentage.
Healthy Body Fat Percentage Ranges For Women
For women between 20 to 39 the healthy body fat percentage ranges from 21 to 32 percent. However, these percentages differ depending upon the fitness goals.
For instance, if you aim to keep only the essential fat, your body fat should range from 10 to 12 percent. Similarly, for an athletic physique, the ideal body fat percentage is 14 to 20 percent.
For higher fitness, the figures range from 21 to 24 percent. Body fat percentages ranging between 25 to 31 percent are considered acceptable while more than 32% classifies as obese.
| Classification | Body Fat |
| Essential fat | 10 – 12% |
| Athletes | 14 – 20% |
| Fitness | 21 – 24% |
| Acceptable | 25 – 31% |
| Obese | 32% & above |
Nutrition Tips To Reduce Body Fat
Reducing body fat is a good approach. However, in some conditions like pregnancy, breastfeeding and cancer recovery, it is recommended to avoid losing body fat until specified otherwise. The following tips will help bring down the figures of the body fat calculator.
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Utilize heart-healthy fats found in fish, avocados, and nuts, as they keep you satisfied longer. And avoid trans fats found in fried and processed foods.
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Ultra-processed fats found in bread and baked foods alter blood sugar levels and affect fat storage. So it is good to avoid them.
Alcohol and high-calorie drinks increase caloric intake dramatically and result in conditions like fatty liver. So it’s better to replace them with water. Try to consume almost half of your body weight in ounces daily.
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Add an appropriate amount of protein and vegetable intake to your diet to promote fat loss, good metabolism, and fullness.
High-fiber foods like oats, chickpeas, and bananas stabilize blood sugars, ensuring disease deterring and regularity.
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Drinking water strategically also increases fat loss. Consume water before a meal to help the body function effectively.
Fermented foods like pickles, kimchi, and yogurt populate the gut with healthy bacteria, which promotes healthy digestion.
Best Exercises for Reducing Body Fat
Fat-burning exercises include:
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Jumping jacks
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Burpees
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Plank jacks
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Skater jumps
For effective fat loss, it is recommended to commence 30-second back-to-back rounds with 30 to 60 seconds of rest in between. Avoid resting during the rounds to encourage fat burn.
Diet plays a critical role in reducing the calculator’s digits the next time you calculate body fat percentage. But exercise is also an uncompromising factor. Several studies show that a balanced diet with strength training quickly reduces fat.
Moreover, exercises that target major muscle groups, such as the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms, once or twice a week are also effective.
Conclusion
After our debate, we can safely conclude that understanding and managing body fat is crucial for overall health and fitness. By regularly using a body fat calculator, women can effectively track their progress toward their fitness goals and gain their dream physique.
Regular monitoring, combined with a balanced diet, hydration, and workout sessions, ensures a healthy lifestyle. Acknowledge that body fat is a useful indicator, but it’s not the only one. So, it is important to prioritize overall health rather than just getting skinny.
FAQ'S
What’s the Ideal Body Fat Percentage for My Age?
The ideal body fat depends upon your age and gender. For women aged 20 to 39, a healthy body fat percentage ranges from 21 to 32 percent. Similarly, there are ideal percentages for all other age groups.
What’s the Ideal Body Fat Percentage for My Age?
To judge if you are progressing on your fitness goal or not, it is better to measure your body fat every 2 to 4 weeks.
What’s the Ideal Body Fat Percentage for My Age?
A body fat calculator isn’t a very accurate method to determine your body fat. They rather offer a broader estimate of the fat proportion in your body.