Body Fat & BMI

If you go to a gym and see a personal trainer the first numbers they will use to access you general fitness are Body Fat Percentage (or BF%) and Body Mass Index (or BMI). So what are these numbers and why are they so important??

Body Fat Percentage:
It’s simply the percentage of fat your body contains. If you are 150lbs and your body fat percentage is 20% then you have 30 lbs of fat. The remaining 120lbs is called your lean mass and is composed of water, muscle, tissue, bones and minerals.

Body Fat Percentage is considered a better gauge of weight loss progress compared to the weight in pounds (or kgs). The reason: we need to lose the stored fat and not stored water which is an important nutrient for life.

So does that mean we should all aim for a 0% Body Fat. The answer to this question is a big NO. Certain amount of body fat is important for us as fat protects the vital organs of the body, acts as a thermo regulator and is the main storage for energy in our body. The table below as given by American Council of Sports lists the range of body fat essential for men and women.

Ref:American Council of Sports

Classification	Women (% fat)	Men (% fat)
Essential Fat	10-12%	2-4%
Athletes	14-20%	6-13%
Fitness	21-24%	14-17%
Acceptable	25-31%	18-25%
Obese	32% plus	25% plus

Knowing your body fat can help you determine your realistic weight loss goals. There are many ways by which a person can measure his or her body fat. Body fat calipers, hydrostatic weighing and bioelectric impedance are few of the techniques available in the market.

I, however recently came across this website wherein you can easily measure your body fat without the use of any fancy equipment. Try the link and see if it works for you http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/home-body-fat-test-2774-143.html


Body Mass Index (BMI):
BMI is the measure of body fat based on the ratio of your height and weight. If you enter the term BMI on any search engine you will find hundreds of sites that give you a BMI calculator. The quick and easy way is to calculate it yourself. You just need to know your weight in pounds and height in inches and basic arithmetic and use the simple equation.

BMI= (weight (lbs) ×703) / (height in inches )^2

EASY, Right!!!!

BMI Categories:
• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
(Ref: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/)

So now that you know the basics you are ready to start your weight loss journey.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Posted in: Weight Loss