The dreaded words we never want to hear, “skinny fat”. This is when you appear thin but they are actually carrying around a very high number of excess fat when compared with your height of muscle tissues and overall body weight. You have weighed yourself hundreds of times, looked in the mirror much more and think you’re in pretty good shape, right? Just when was the last time you have a real measurement of the real excess fat percentage?
Yes, I am talking about a comprehensive excess fat test to assess where you stand and to see if all of your effort in the gym training with weights, hours and hours doing cardio and adhering to a strict nutritional plan's really paying off with decreased body fat levels and increased lean muscle mass. Learn how to get the body fat tested how to truly find out if you are indeed fat!
When you are looking at tracking weight loss, the majority of us depend on the scale to tell us whether we’ve lost or gained weight. But, as individuals are fast learning, this isn’t the easiest method to keep track of unwanted weight. A scale measures everything including muscle, fat, bones, and what you ate or drank that day. It doesn’t tell you what you really need to know: just how much fat do you have?
Body Composition
Body composition is just the ratio of lean muscle mass to fat weight. Too much fat can lead to health problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high cholesterol levels and other serious conditions. Should you keep yourself fat inside a reasonable level, you’ll be healthier and, of course, slimmer.
| Age | Very Lean | Healthy Range | Overweight | Obese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-40 yrs | Under 21% | 21-33% | 33-39% | Over 39% |
| 41-60 yrs | Under 23% | 23-35% | 35-40% | Over 40% |
| 61-79 yrs | Under 24% | 24-36% | 36-42% | Over 42% |
| Age | Very Lean | Healthy Range | Overweight | Obese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-40 yrs | Under 8% | 8-19% | 19-25% | Over 25% |
| 41-60 yrs | Under 11% | 11-22% | 22-27% | Over 27% |
| 61-79 yrs | Under 13% | 13-25% | 25-30% | Over 30% |
A very important aspect in really finding out if you’re on course or not, would be to monitor your body fat levels. See your local sports store and buy some body fat calipers to check fat levels. Record these levels together with your bodyweight each week and begin to watch these changes. You need to make certain you’re building quality muscle mass and burning that extra excess fat.
By monitoring the changes of the lean bodyweight, you will be able to tell whether you are replacing adipose tissue (fat) with hard-earned muscle. Lean bodyweight (muscle) can be found by subtracting your body weight together with your excess fat weight. You body fat weight is calculated by multiplying your weight together with your excess fat percentage.
Tips on measuring the body fat levels:
- Take all measurements around the right side of the body.
- Carefully identify and recall your measuring site for accuracy.
- Take the measurement when skin is dry and lotion-free.
- Do not measure immediately after exercise due to shifts in body fluid.
There are three main sites for measuring your body fat for males:
- Chest – Fold is taken 1/2 the length between the anterior auxiliary line and nipple.
- Abdominal – Fold is taken vertical 2 cm lateral to the umbilicus.
- Thigh – Fold is lifted on anterior facet of thigh midway between inguinal crease and proximal border of patella. Body weight is shifted to left foot.
There are three main sites for measuring the body fat for females:
- Triceps – Fold is taken midway between your shoulder and elbow joint, around the center of the back from the arm.
- Waist – Fold is taken diagonally over the iliac crest along the anterior auxiliary line.
- Thigh – Fold is lifted on anterior facet of thigh midway between inguinal crease and proximal border of patella. Bodyweight is shifted to the left foot.
