How to Figure Out Body Fat Percentage: There are various ways to figure out your body fat percentage. Body fat percentage is the amount of fat you have in relation to the amount of lean mass. Both male and female carry different amounts of body fat percentage.
As per reports, the healthy range of body fat percentage is 10% to 20% for men, and 15% to 25% for female. You can calculate your body fat percentage at home by using our ‘Body Fat Calculator‘. Just you will need some basic tape measure to get an instant body fat measurement. Here is the step below to measure body fat percentage.
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Body Fat Percentage Categories
There are five different ranges for body fat categories according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). By following these categories you can compare your body fat percentage with other men or women. Note that these categories are based on body fat norms, and may not be indicative of your specific level of fitness or health.
Description | Women | Men |
Essential Fat | 10-13% | 2-5% |
Athletes | 14-20% | 6-13% |
Fitness | 21-24% | 14-17% |
Acceptable | 25-31% | 18-24% |
Obese | >32% | >25% |
How to Use Body Fat Calculator?
Our body fat calculator is design to estimate your total body fat based on specific measurements. To figure out your body fat percentage you need to select the gender and, then enter your weight, height, neck and waist circumference, and click on ‘Submit’ button.
Our Body Fat Calculator uses a specific formula to calculate your body fat percentage. This formula is a bit different for men and women. The formula is –
For Male:-
- (Total bodyweight x 1.082) + 94.42
For Female:-
- (Total bodyweight x 0.732) + 8.987
How to Figure Out Body Fat Percentage For Male & Female?
The measurements that need to be taken are a little bit different for both men and women. Male only need to measure waist circumference, where female measure other parts of the body, including hips, wrist, and forearm.
01. For Men:-
- Current Weight:- Use a digital scale to check your current weight.
- Waist Circumference:- Measure the largest body part of your stomach, basically at the level of your belly button. Make sure the tape measure is level with the floor and, do not hold your breath or suck to get the measurement.
02. For Women:-
- Current Weight:- Use a digital scale to check your current weight.
- Waist Circumference:- Measure the largest body part of your stomach, basically at the level of your belly button. Make sure the tape measure is level with the floor and, do not hold your breath or suck to get the measurement.
- Wrist Circumference:- You need to measure around the smallest part of your wrist. It is vary hard to measure one-handed, so you may need a partner to help with this measurement.
- Hip Circumference:- You need to measure around the largest part of your hips, usually in the posterior extension of the glutes (where your butt extends back).
- Forearm Circumference:- You need to measure around at the widest part of your arm below your elbow. Keep your arm relaxed during the measurement and let it hang alongside your body (do not bend or bend the arm during the measurement).
Why Measure Body Fat Percentage?
Different Ways to Figure Out Body Fat Percentage
There are different ways to measure body fat percentage such as DeXA Scanning, Hydrostatic Weighing, etc. Here below we have written some brief information about these methods and their pros and cons.
01. DeXA Scanning:- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DeXA) scanning is a method which is commonly used for assessing body composition, including body fat percentage, lean mass, and bone density. This test is often costly and not be available to everywhere.
How to Reduce Body Fat?
Above we have learned ‘How to Figure Out Body Fat Percentage’, now we will look at ways to burn fat fast. Reducing fat involves a combination of healthy eating, regular physical activity, and lifestyle changes. Though its important to consult with doctor, and if they determines that losing body fat is safe for you, then here is some tips to lose your belly fat –
Related:- How to Get a Lower Body Fat Percentage?
01. Regular Exercise:- In order to reduce body fat, you have to engage in regular physical activity to burn calories. Both include cardiovascular exercise like brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, and strength training exercises such as weightlifting or bodyweight exercises that helps build muscle, which can increase your metabolism and aid in fat burning.
02. Stay Hydrated:- You should drink plenty of water throughout the day as water helps you stay hydrated, aids digestion and can contribute to feelings of fullness, potentially reducing overeating.
03. Resistance Training:- This training helps to build and maintain muscle mass. Muscles are metabolically active, meaning they burn more calories even at rest. By increasing your muscle mass, you can increase your basal metabolic rate and lose fat.