Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Body Fat
WHAT IS BODY FAT PERCENTAGE?
Body fat % is the amount of fat in your body, compared to the rest of your weight which is comprised of primarily muscle and water. Body fat is an important physiologic adaptation as it historically allowed us to go extended periods of time without eating. This adaptation allowed us to survive in environments where there was not always a reliable source of food available to us. Because of this, we are biologically driven to store fat for survival. In today’s Westernized, society where for most of us, we do not have to worry about where our next meal comes from, and instead we worry about the complications that arise from an abundance of available, body fat is demonized and seen as a significant burden. In truth, body fat is essential for the maintenance of health and function of organs. The key is to maintain the amount that is healthiest for you and your body.
WHAT TYPES OF BODY FAT ARE THERE?
There are two types of body fat. There’s subcutaneous fat, which is the extra skin we can pinch on the sides of our hips or on the back of our arms, and visceral fat, which is found deeper and accumulates around the organs. Visceral fat is more metabolically active, meaning it produces hormones that regulate body weight by affecting satiety and hunger cues. Too much visceral fat can lead to insulin resistance, obesity, and fatty liver disease. The amount of each type of fat we store is mostly determined by genetics but can also be partially influenced by the types of food that we eat. That being said, sufficient body fat is required to protect your organs and maintain healthy heart function. Additionally, some excess of fat is vital to our resistance to, and recovery from acute illness.
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR BODY FAT PERCENTAGE
Bioelectric impedence Analysis (BIA) is one of the most popular methods used to determine body fat %. This method uses electrical currents to measure the amount of fat, muscle, and water in each section of your body (arms, vs. legs. vs. trunk). A complete analysis of your body fat %, muscle mass, and hydration status is available by appointment at Success Studio North using an InBody BIA machine.
Fat Smart Home Scales, although less accurate, are also an option. Or, you can go old school with a pair of $5 calipers: Pull the fat away from your muscles, pinch them with the caliper, take the measurements, and look at a chart to figure out your body fat percentage. Some recommend using one test site, some multiple.
HOW TO LOWER YOUR BODY FAT PERCENTAGE
Losing body fat requires you to be in a calorie deficit, aka you are expending more energy than you are taking in. This can be achieved through a combination of following a calorie controlled diet and also participating in regular physical activity to further expend more energy.
When you take in fewer calories than you expend, during exercise and rest, your body uses these fat reserves for energy. Be sensible, however—if you eat too few calories or cut out all carbohydrates, the weight you lose will likely be fluids and hard-earned muscle, not fat. In this case the scale will go down, but you will not have actually lost any body fat. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends losing weight slowly—½ to 1 pound per week—and continue exercising to preserve muscle mass.
IS BMI THE SAME THING AS BODY FAT PERCENTAGE?
Body Mass Index (BMI) looks at your height and your weight; based off this ratio, it tells you whether you are underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. BMI does not take into account muscle, and having a healthy amount of muscle could land you in the “overweight” category. Furthermore, BMI tells us nothing about our actual health. Some health experts are even arguing that it should be done away with altogether as it is an outdated measure.
Body fat percentage is different in that it distinguishes fat from muscle which can be more helpful.
We know how tough it can be to change your diet. If you’re not sure what to eat, or you’re sick of trying a diet only to give up a few weeks later, click on the button below for a complimentary consultation with our Success Studio Registered Dietitian, Helen Ballew.