How do you know your body fat percentage and change it

In an effort to lose weight, we dream to get rid of it from the fat reserves. Layfhaker will help to assess the condition of your body and lose weight without harming your health.

What is the percentage of body fat

In the most general form of the percentage of fat in the body - is the ratio of the available fat to everything else that is in the body (organs, muscles, bones, tendons, etc.). Fat is necessary for survival: it protects the internal organs, is a reserve source of energy, and performs many other important functions.

How much fat we need

This table shows the generally accepted norms of percent body fat for men and women.

Necessary fat - is the minimum that is necessary for survival. For this reason, bodybuilders dried body that mark just before the competition. The rest of the time, they maintain a higher percentage of fat, so as not to undermine the health and effectively train.

• If you aspire to be thin, be guided by the percentage of fat for athletic.
• If you want to look healthy and fit, aim for the fat percentage for athletic.

If the percentage of fat in your body is close to the maximum allowable value of the normal stature or obesity falls under, you would do well to reduce this figure.

How does this or that percentage of body fat

men:

Women:

It is important to understand that the body fat percentage reflects only the amount of fat and has no relation to muscle mass. Two people with the same percentage of body fat, muscle mass but different will look completely different.

How to measure the percentage of body fat

There are seven basic techniques differing accuracy, simplicity and cost.

1. visual method

He is to compare themselves with pictures given above, and determine to whom you are about similar. Very inaccurate method.

2. With the help of the calliper

Stretch the skin with subcutaneous fat, grab her and find the caliper body fat percentage, appropriate caliper readings in table. As a rule, the calipers show a lower percentage of fat than it actually is.

3. By means of the formula

For example, you can use US Navy formula or YMCA formula. This method is usually wrong in a big way.

4. By electrical monitors

Through the body weak electrical current is passed, and then is analyzed "biometric resistance". Experience has shown that this method gives very inaccurate results.

5. With Bod Pod system

By means of a special instrument body displaced air is measured on the basis of the received data calculated by weight, its volume and density. This method is considered to be very accurate, but expensive.

6. Water displacement method

Very accurate (with an error of only 1-3%), but expensive, complicated and cumbersome method.

7. DEXA scan

This method is considered the most accurate and is full study of body composition using X-ray. Also quite an expensive method.

Whichever method you choose, try to make measurements in the same time and under similar circumstances: for example, on a certain day of the week, in the morning, on an empty stomach. Even if the data are inaccurate, you can see if there is progress.

How to reduce body fat percentage

a calorie deficit

Spend more than you consume. But keep in mind that if you do not do this at strength training and limit yourself in carbohydrates, then with the fat and you lose muscle mass. This is not the best way, but fat loss is guaranteed.

craving iron

When training with weights (as well as its own weight during intense workouts) you retain muscle mass, as well as accelerate a metabolism and achieve the effect of "post-combustion" when the calories consumed, and continue after the end of training.

Sprint

sprints also cause the effect of "post-combustion" calories.

Eat no more than 100 g of carbohydrate per day

Limiting themselves in carbohydrates, you deprive the body of his beloved source of energy. In this case, he has to get it out of fat reserves.

Train fasting

Bash the first meal will be only after the workout. Hard, but effective.

The fat percentage is different from the body mass index

BMI takes into account your height and weight, and on the basis of these data, decides you skinny, slim or full. The body mass index does not correlate with the percentage of fat in the body. BMI still, what it consists of your 90 kg of meat or from the rolls.

However, BMI amiss to draw attention to the problem. If you have more than 30% fat, then the BMI and body fat percentage will point to the fact that it's time to lose weight.