How to calculate my body fat percentage?
Knowing your body fat percentage can be a helpful tool in making sure you are on track with reaching your health and fitness goals.
There are several ways to calculate body fat, but perhaps the most accessible option is to use an online body fat calculator. If you simply input your gender, bodyweight and height into our calculator above, and it will output the body fat percentage based on those variables.
If specific body measurements like waist, neck and hop are available, these can also be entered for more accurate results.
It's a simple yet effective way to quickly get an estimate of your body fat percentage from the privacy of your own home.
What is body fat?
Body fat is often a misunderstood body component; it is seen as a bad thing when, in reality, body fat is essential to overall health.
Body fat not only serves an important role in maintaining body temperature, but also stores nutritional energy within our bodies and has structural roles that support body movement.
The amount of body fat varies from person to person due to genetic differences, as well as other factors such as age or body type. Having too much body fat increases the risk of negative health effects so it's important to keep track of body fat levels and study trends overtime to ensure proper health and working towards healthy levels of body fat that can help people achieve their desired body composition as well as reach optimal overall health.
What is an ideal body fat percentage?
A body with a healthy fat percentage is essential for overall well-being. Fat plays an important role in body composition - it insulates our body, provides nourishment, and produces hormones that allow us to maintain a healthy body weight.
Generally speaking, a body fat percentage between 18-25 percent is considered healthy for most men and 25-32 percent is considered healthy for most women. However, as body fat percentages can vary depending on body type, age and sex - it's best to consult a doctor or nutritionist to determine the right body fat level for each individual.
How to reduce body fat?
Many of us are striving to reduce body fat in order to improve our health. A great way to start is creating a balanced diet of fresh, unprocessed food that includes plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Eating smaller meals throughout the day that contain nutrient-dense ingredients can help you stay full while burning body fat more efficiently.
Incorporating a consistent exercise routine into your weekly schedule can be helpful too; try different activities such as bodyweight exercises, running, swimming and weight training for overall body fitness.
Additionally, it is important to get adequate rest and practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga, in order to prevent stress which can often lead to unhealthy eating habits and weight gain.
How to measure circumference
To calculate body fat percentage using the U.S. Navy method, the circumference of both the neck and waist is required for men, women also need to enter the circumference of the hips.
Measure the waist horizontally around the belly button for men, women measure at their leanest point. To get a reliable result, the stomach should not be pulled inwards.
Measure the neck circumference at a point just below the larynx. Look straight ahead. Keep the tape measure as close to horizontal as anatomically possible.
For women, measure the hip horizontally at the widest point.