In order to evaluate her figure, an ordinary woman will stand on the scales or measure body volumes with a centimeter tape. However, it is difficult to evaluate the results: it is important to take into account both the type of the figure and the percentage of subcutaneous fat. We'll figure out how to deal with the latter.
Body fat percentage and body type
Determining the percentage of fat in the body is an important aspect of determining your figure. Now there are many online calculators that allow you to simply enter data - usually it's height, weight, neck, waist and hip volume - and get the result.
However, by this method it is impossible to know the exact figure, since it does not take into account your type of figure: thin-boned (asthenic), normal (normasthenic) or broad-brow (hypersthenic).
By the way, you can determine your type of figure only if you have only one centimeter tape. Measure your wrist and look at the result:
- less than 15 cm - thin-boned type;
- 15-17 cm is the normal type;
- more than 17 cm - broad-boned type.
Immediately make a reservation that thin as a top model, there are girls with a thin-boned figure, but those who have a broad bone, usually differ in magnificent forms.
Thus, online calculators for calculating the proportion of body fat usually work more or less accurately only for girls of the normstenic type. However, this is not the only way to measure the percentage of fat in the body.
How to determine the percentage of fat?
The easiest way is to calculate the percentage of fat in the body by contacting a fitness club that offers body diagnostic services. You will be measured with a scales, a centimeter tape and a special device for measuring the skin fold. In this regard, it is important that the person who conducts the measurement is experienced, since the correct use of such a device can only come with practice. After you print out the analysis of the composition of the body, where the specific data will be indicated, how much percent of the fat in your body.
If the question of what percentage of fat in your body is of great importance to your health, and you only need the most accurate data, then it is best to use a computerized tomography. This is the only method that gives you a visual image of fatty and non-fatty tissues. However, this is an expensive and complicated procedure, and for the sake of banal curiosity it is not applied.
Controlling the percentage of fat is important for those involved in sports: it is important that the muscle mass grows and fat decreases, and not vice versa, as happens when a person does not exercise.
Normal percentage of body fat
If you ordered a diagnosis in a sports club, you will probably be explained the results. But in general, the picture looks like this: the percentage of fat can be normal, and may be unnecessarily low or high. For women this indicator is the following:
- less than 10% - too little fat;
- 10-15% - very little fat, excellent result;
- 16-19% - little fat, the result is good;
- 20-24% - the amount of fat is normal;
- 25-29% - fat is more than normal, it is desirable to lose weight;
- 30% or more - obesity, diet and exercise are necessary.
Thus, you can clarify how much the percentage of fat in your body is normal.
Household methods of determining excess fat
The simplest thing you can do to determine fat - gently with two fingers grab the skin just below the navel. If the distance between the fingers is more than 2.5 cm - this means that you need to go jogging, skipping rope or skiing, because your body needs regular aerobic exercise. A similar test can be done by performing the skin protection just above the buttocks on the side - at the waist behind.