All You Need To Know About Body Fat Percentage

All human bodies contain a certain percentage of fat. The average is somewhere between 25 to 30% for women and 15 to 20% for men, but even high level athletes don’t go below 3% and 12%. In fact, very low levels of body fat can be dangerous and even more so than excessive quantities. The question, indeed, is a tricky one. So let’s take a look at all there is to know about body fat percentages!

How Much Fat is OK?

Fat has very bad marketing, but it is actually an essential part of our bodies, under certain limits it is even very healthy. When calculating fat percentages, trainers and dietists talk about the ideal quantity of fat that a body should have according to its age, sex and physicology. It is all relative.

There is no way of calculating the ideal fat percentage without going to a specialized doctor. Measurements need to take into account body circumferences, bone width and weight, and other factors that can’t be properly considered without the help of a professional.

There’s fast ways of calculating fat percentages at home, however, which can give us a rough estimate (just a rough estimate!). The most important one of these is BMI calculation.

What’s Your Ideal BMI?

Your BMI or Body Mass Index is an indicative estimation of your body fat percentage. The way of obtaining this measurement is by dividing your body weight in kilos by your height in meters and elevating it to the square. Not great at math? Me neither! You can calculate your BMI by clicking here. 

Now, what do the results roughly tell you? 

Your BMI is below 20

Your body fat percentage is very low. If you’re an athlete, this could be a good indication. If you are not, you are probably underweight and this could translate into vitamin deficiencies or low defenses and risk of sickness. You may want to consult your doctor and establish a diet and exercise plan. 

Your BMI is 20-25

Your body fat percentage is seemingly ideal and you find yourself in a healthy body shape. You can expect to live a long, healthy life with little chance of trouble regarding severe illnesses.

Your BMI is 25-30 

You might be slightly overweight. Your body weight is still acceptable and you do not find yourself in a position where your health is under any risk or threat. Losing 3-4 kg, however, could be greatly beneficial, and you probably shouldn’t gain more weight.

Your BMI is 30-35 

From this value on you are considered obese and suffer from a high risk of heart illness, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and all sorts of psychological trouble. For your own health, you should lose weight immediately.

Your BMI is Above 35

Men and women in this category are considered morbidly obese and are eligible for weight loss surgeries. 

How to Cut On Body Fat?

Fortunately enough, there’s many proven ways of cutting body fat. Let’s take a quick look at them.

What You Eat is What You Are

Dieting can make up to 70% of your results. Reducing your calorie intake and eating more healthy is the best way of losing fat and having a healthier life. Avoid processed foods and eat natural products, if you want to cut weight fast avoid sugar and fatty products (except for vegetable fats, such as olive oil), and avoid all carbs. If you want to lose weight in a sustained way, just reduce carbs as much as possible without cutting them entirely and eat as many legumes as you can. Remember to take vitamin supplements if necessary (consult a dietitian!), and eat according to your height, sex and complexion, if you eat too little you will find yourself tired and lacking energy!

Hit the Gym Hard

Weight lifting and cardio are fabulous ways of losing weight. This might sound counter intuitive, but gaining muscle is the fastest way of burning calories: the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn! Muscles need a lot of energy, which is mostly generated by burning fat. So make sure you combine a proper amount of cardio and weights to get the best and fastest results!

Liposuction

Due to genetics and metabolism, some people find it almost impossible to cut down fat below a certain threshold. After many failed attempts, a lot of them opt for liposuction, which has become one of the most popular plastic surgeries. For instance, the liposuction cost in Turkey is currently attracting thousands of patients who want to enjoy great standards of quality at an affordable cost. Plastic surgery is still taboo, but who cares as long as you’re healthy and happy?

In the Eye of the Beholder

To conclude: whoever you are, wherever you might be, remember that body standards vary greatly from one society to another. At the end of the day, what you want is to be healthy! So keep that goal in mind and don’t get fooled by the wizzy waziness! We hope you’ve enjoyed this article and we wish to have provided you with some good insights. Have a great day!