After a certain threshold (around 25-30% body fat for men, 30-35% for women), it starts to become unhealthy. The higher your body fat percentage, the fatter you are. The lower your body fat percentage is, the leaner you are. When we look at the error factors of these methods, we see pictures can be used as much as anything else. This is an easy and great way to estimate both a starting point and subsequent progress over time. Height and circumference methods (Measurement Collections)Īs mentioned above, a great and somewhat reliable (for most body shapes) ways to estimate BF% and review progress over time, is the NAVY FAT method, which is estimated with just a tape measure.Bioelectrical impedance analysis (Handheld/Scale device).Navy Fat Method – THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST FOR AN “AT HOME” WAY TO ESTIMATE BF% AND PROGRESS.Skinfold Measurement (Skin Pinch with Calipers – only recommended when done by a professional).SCULPT Device – Great way to measure and track progress.Air Displacement Plethysmograph (BOD POD).Hydrostatic Testing (Underwater Density Test).Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA Scan).There are quite a few methods of measuring body fat the most common methods are the following (in order of probable accuracy) What are the methods of measuring body fat percentage? To get an idea of where your fat percentage may lie: Description The American Council on Exercise (ACE)* determined average fat percentages differ according to different categories and specific groups. Vascularity – This is the appearance of veins in different areas of the body as body fat decreases. Muscle Striations – As an individual becomes more defined, the actual muscle can be seen more clearly, which looks like thin rods, referred to as striations. As we age, fat around the organs (visceral) and within a muscle (intramuscular) tends to increase and most formulas take this into account. For example, a 20-year-old man and a 50-year-old man may have the same subcutaneous body fat measurement (fat under the skin), but the 20-year-old maybe 15% and the 50-year-old will be at 20%. A classic example is a skinny runway model may have the same body fat percentage as a fit, athletic woman.Īge – Most body fat measurement devices will reflect higher body fat levels as age increases. I tried my best to show pictures that highlighted the stomach region for men and the hips/thighs/stomach region for women.īody Shape -Similar to body fat distribution is we all have different body shapes, so two different body shapes may have the same body fat percentage even if they don’t look like it. The same thing goes with men, but most men carry fat in their stomachs. For example, some women may have very little body fat on their abs, but a lot on their thighs and triceps, while others will have the opposite. For example, a 170 lb man with 30lb of body fat has a body fat percentage of 16 %(30/180).īody Fat Distribution – We all have different body fat distributions, or how fat is distributed across our body. Let’s look at some basics of Body Fat Body Fat Percentage – is the amount of body fat (lb, or kg) divided by total body weight listed as a percentage. Percentages can be a little tough to visualize- you’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered what an ideal body fat percentage looks like. Still, unless you’ve got a reference… numbers are just numbers. Which, of course, brings us to body fat percentage- that mystical number where sub 12% for guys and 20-ish% for the ladies gets you to “Hey… I look like that Guy/Girl in that magazine” land. Of course, not all body fat is bad and is, in fact, a natural and ESSENTIAL element to our physiology. Not that body fat doesn’t have its place but in excess, it clogs things up, squeezes important organs, and pretty much gives us an express ticket to low self-confidence, illness, and at worst an early out from this world to the next. We all want to burn it off and send it packing. This is a good example of the skinny-fat look.
The more muscle you have, the lower your body fat 10.3% (InBody): Menno Henselmans off-season shape 11.1% (DXA) 12.3% vs 11.6% (DXA): Brad PilonĪgain, it’s hard to tell the difference with the change in lighting. Note how it’s hard to tell the difference of 1% change in body fat with a change in lighting.
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