Knowing what constitutes a healthy body weight and a healthy percentage of body fat can be confusing for many of us. What may be even more difficult is being able to reach this recommended number. This article will guide you through the process of calculating the percentage of body fat. It will also explain the definition of aa healthy body mass index and offer suggestions on how to reach these numbers.
Calculate the lean body mass
For women, you want to start by stepping up the ladder and get the current weight. Use of the body measuring tape, measure the width or the circumference of the wrist in its widest location. Next, measure the circumference of your waist to your belly button and hip circumference at its widest point. Finally, measure the width of your forearm at its widest.
Next you will need to enter your measurements in the following equations:
- (Body weight x 0.732) + 8.987 = Factor 1
- Wrist/3.140 Factor = 2
- Life X Factor = 0.157 3
- Hip X Factor = 0.249 4
- X = 0.434 Factor 5 Forearm
Add together all these factors. This number corresponds to the lean body mass.
Healthy Body Mass Index
For adults, a healthy BMI of between 18.5 to 24.9 BMI. Anything below 18.5 is considered underweight, 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight and 30.0 and above is considered obese.
Calculation of body fat
To obtain the weight of body fat, it is necessary to calculate the following equation:
- (Body weight – FFM) X 100
This number will determine the weight of body fat.
Calculating percentage of body fat
To determine the body fat percentage, is sufficient to calculate the following equation:
- Fat body weight / weight percentage of body fat =
Healthy body fat percentage
Percentage of body fat are divided into classifications based on fitness level and sex. For women, there are five classifications for percentage of body fat:
- Essential fat (10 to 12%)
- Athletes (14 to 20%)
- Fitness (21 to 24%)
- Acceptable (25 to 31%)
- Obese (32% +)
Knowing your body fat percentage can help you create realistic goals for weight loss. Women should not aim to be less than 10-12% body fat.
Achieving a healthy body fat percentage
One of the main ways to get a healthy percentage of body fat is to lose weight. According to WebMD.com, one of the best ways to lose weight is through exercise and counting calories. WebMD recommends that individuals should aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. That would mean a deficit of 500 calories a day. This deficit can be either eat less or exercise more.
According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, Weight Loss, an individual will be required to complete approximately 60 minutes of moderate exercise a day. The recommendation is to exercise a total of 6 to 7 hours per week.
Methods recommended by WebMD to lose weight: reduce calorie intake. Recommended restrictive diet plans ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day. To monitor the consumption of success, the diet should keep a food diary and write down everything they eat during the day. Other recommendations include drinking plenty of water, avoid eating out of boredom and focusing on a healthy diet and well balanced.
