Body Fat Percentage

Body fat percentage is top dog, numero uno, single most important, above all others, need-to-know, must-have measurement. Not knowing your exact body fat % is like driving a car without knowing what speed you are going or how much gas you have left. Knowing your body fat percentage is extremely helpful.

Okay, I think you get my point about its value. Moving along then...

What exactly is body fat?

Let's make this simple. Body fat comes in two forms: essential and non-essential. The essential fat is necessary for everyone. We all need a certain amount of fat to insulate our organs, control body temperature, and provide a source for energy storage.

Non-essential fat is the leftovers of the good fat. It's the "I have too much insulation around my organs," "Look at my spare tire!" and "Is it hot in here or is it just me?" stuff.

What is a body fat percentage measurement?

You can calculate your body fat percentage 3 ways. You can measure how much water is displaced when you enter a large tub (not easy to do), you can use calipers, or you can use a hand-held body fat percentage machine.

Calipers are nice, but they can have a large percentage of error. And for most of the measurements you have to have another person take them. That can be uncomfortable for anyone. However, if done correctly calipers are the most efficient way to take your body fat percentage.

I choose to use the hand-help devices. I simply enter some basic information (age, height, weight, sex) and then press start. In 7 seconds I have a read out that tells me my exact body fat percentage and its equivalent in pounds. For example- 23% or 29 pounds body fat.

No pinching, no uncomfortable situations, and no wasting 10 minutes of precious strength training time!

What should my body fat percentage be?

For Women

Essential Fat= 10-12%

Athletes= 14-20%

Fitness= 21-24%

Acceptable= 25-31%

Obese= 32% plus

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For Men

Essential Fat= 2-4%

Athletes= 6-13%

Fitness= 14-17%

Acceptable= 18-25%

Obese= 25% plus

*These numbers are according to The American Council on Exercise

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As a trainer, I can tell you right now that your body fat percentage is the key number. Your weight should be disregarded for the most part. When we want to lose weight, we should really say, "I want to lose some body fat."

For example, most athletes weigh more than you could possibly imagine. They weigh more because they are typically loaded with muscle. However their body fat is very low.

Here it is in numerical form: a female basketball player is 5'6". She weighs 140 pounds. Her body fat percentage is 18%.

What that means- This basketball player probably looks 'skinny' as all heck, but in reality she weighs the same as someone who could be considered obese. How so?

Let's take another numerical look- a stay-at-home mom is 5'6" as well. She weighs 140 pounds. Her body fat percentage is 27%.

What that means- This stay-at-home mom is the exact same height and weight as the basketball player, BUT her body fat percentage is 9 points higher. That means that although their weights are the same, the stay-at-home mom is dragging around tons more fat.

The more fat we have, the lower our metabolism, the higher the chances are for obesity and all its related dangers, the harder it becomes to do daily activities, and the more frustrated we get.