Obesity can lead to a variety of diseases. However, there is considerable ambiguity regarding who is and is not obese. Everyone’s body and metabolism are unique, causing them to absorb more or less fat. Let’s look at how to calculate body fat percentage at home and how to deal with excess body fat.
What Is Body Fat? And Why Measure Body Fat Percentage?
“Adipose tissue” is the scientific term for body fat. Adipose tissue performs several vital functions. Its primary function is to store lipids, which the body uses to generate energy. It also secretes many essential hormones and provides cushioning and insulation to the body.
Why is body fat percentage significant? If your goal is to lose weight, you may be tempted to use a simple body weight scale to track your progress, but your body fat percentage will tell you more. When you are trying to lose weight, improve your health, or increase your fitness level, fat loss should be your goal, not just weight loss. You want to maintain the lean mass (fat-free mass) that your body requires. Bone, blood, connective tissue, organs, and muscle are all components of lean mass.
Muscle loss can occur when you lose weight, but it is not the type of weight loss you want. Maintaining muscle mass benefits your body’s ability to function and perform more proficiently, raises your heart rate, and can help improve glycemic control. Changes in body fat percentage can tell you how well your fitness or weight loss programme is assisting you in losing fat while maintaining fat-free mass.
What Are The Benefits Of Removing Excess Body Fat?
Liposuction can improve a patient’s appearance by distributing body fat more naturally. Extreme weight loss after obesity: A morbidly obese person who loses at least 40% of their BMI may require treatment to remove excess skin and other abnormalities.
It is difficult to determine what body fat percentage puts someone at a higher risk of health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Other measurements may assist you in determining your risk for conditions such as cardiovascular disease. If the calculator indicates that your body fat is too high, speak with a healthcare provider about different tools you can use to assess your health risks.
How To Check Body Fat At Home
The circumference method is the simplest and least expensive way to check body fat at home.
When measuring the circumference of each body part, the tape should be firm enough to stay in place against your skin. However, it shouldn’t be pressed in so firmly that it leaves an impression. You have the option of using either English or metric units.
The measurements that must be taken differ slightly between men and women. Men only measure their waist circumference, whereas women measure their hips, wrist, and forearm.
1. Men
1.1 Current weight: Use a digital scale for more accurate results.
1.2 Waist circumference:
- Measure around the widest part of your belly, which is usually right at the level of your umbilicus (belly button).
- Check that the tape measure remains level with the floor.
- Don’t suck in or hold your breath to get the measurement.
2. Women
2.1 Current weight: Use a digital scale for more accurate results.
2.2. Waist circumference:
- Measure around the widest part of your belly, which is usually right at the level of your umbilicus (belly button).
- Check that the tape measure remains level with the floor.
- Don’t suck in or hold your breath to get the measurement—Circumference of the wrist.
- Take your size around the smallest part of your wrist. This measurement may require the assistance of a partner because it is challenging to perform one-handed.
2.3 Hip circumference: Measure around the widest part of your hips, usually at the posterior gluteal extension (where your butt extends back).
2.4 Forearm circumference: Measure around the widest part of your arm, just below your elbow. This measurement will be easiest to obtain with the assistance of a partner. Keep your arm relaxed and hang alongside your body during the measurement (do not bend or flex the arm while measuring).
- After you’ve gathered your data, enter it to calculate your body fat percentage.
Other Methods Of Calculating Body Fat Percentage At Home
Other methods of calculating your body fat percentage include:
1. Skin Caliper Measurements
Several body fat calculators estimate your body fat percentage using skinfold measurements rather than body circumference measurements. Skinfold calipers can be purchased for home use or hired by a professional with experience in healthcare or gym settings.
To estimate fat levels, skin calipers pinch a portion of your body. The caliper method is more accurate than a calculator for measuring body fat percentage, but accuracy depends on the user’s skill level.
2. Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA)
Bioelectrical impedance may be used to estimate body fat by home scales, gym-quality scales, and devices in your healthcare provider’s office. The device measures fat by sending a harmless, painless electrical signal through your body.
You get an immediate and accurate body fat percentage result. While this method is convenient, certain factors, such as hydration level, can impact the accuracy of the result.
3. Hydrostatic Weighing
This submersion method has long been acknowledged to be the most accurate method of calculating body fat percentage. However, a person must be wholly immersed in a water tank while holding their breath.
The endurance required for hydrostatic weighing can be complicated for many people. It can also be challenging to locate a testing facility.
How to Reduce Body Fat At Home?
Reducing body fat is critical to living a healthy, disease-free life because, as we all know, a healthy body is more resistant to outside germs and viruses. Let’s look at how to lose body fat at home.
1. Your Diet
The amount and type of food you consume are essential factors in determining whether you lose or gain body fat. You may be tempted to try a popular diet, but fad diets rarely work. What works is to make small changes, such as:
- Reduce your serving sizes.
- Avoiding the temptation to skip breakfast by eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day.
- Including plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet keeps you full and provides the nutrients you require.
- Increasing your fiber intake fills you up and makes you less likely to reach for less healthy snacks throughout the day.
- Avoid sugary beverages and fast food.
- Limit your alcohol consumption.
2. Your Cardiovascular Fitness Program
Cardiovascular exercise is integral to any fat loss programme, but you must do it correctly. Include high-intensity interval training in your programme at least two to three times per week. Along with cardio, you should include moderate and easy workouts.
3. Your Strength Training Program
Many people focus on cardio to lose weight, but adding muscle will help you burn more fat. Because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, the more you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day. A couple of times per week of strength training is all you need to add lean muscle tissue and burn more fat.
4. Lifestyle Factors
Even though stress hormones can contribute to weight gain, controlling your stress levels and getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. Taking care of yourself will help you maintain the energy required to complete crucial workouts and keep you motivated to shop for and prepare nutritious foods.
How To Calculate Fat Percentage At Home With Formula?
There is no better at-home body fat calculator than the formula; use it multiple times to get a precise reading on your body fat and adjust it accordingly.
When you enter your body measurements into a body fat calculator like the one above, the tool employs a specific formula to calculate your fat percentage. The procedure differs slightly between men and women.
The formula for women begins with a simple weight calculation:
- (Total bodyweight x 0.732) + 8.987
The tool estimates your body fat percentage using fractions of each body measurement.
The formula for men begins with a different weight calculation:
- (Total bodyweight x 1.082) + 94.42
The tool estimates your body fat percentage using a fraction of your weight measurement.
A body fat calculator needs to provide the most accurate estimate of body fat percentage. However, it is the most user-friendly system. As a result, you can use it more frequently.
If you measure at the same time every day and use the same tools, such as a tape measure and an online calculator, you can track trends in your progress, which is far more helpful in assessing your fitness gains than a single measurement.
Takeaway
In conclusion, excess body fat can be deadly. Learn how to calculate body fat percentage at home by using the methods described above, and then try the diet and exercise to reduce excess body fat if you have any. Fitternify welcomes you to our family; for information on fitness, beauty, and health care, visit fitternify.com.
