Keeping track of your body fat percentage is a much more useful assessment tool than the scale or the tape measure, especially if you're exercising regularly to lose weight. It is simply the percentage of your body weight that consists of fat. Once you know that, you also know the approximate weight of your lean mass (muscle, blood, tissue, etc.) and the approximate weight of your fat.
Here's a calculator that should give you a pretty good idea of where you stand, fat wise. It's not as accurate as some of the more high-tech methods such as hydrostatic weighing and using skin fold calipers, but it should be pretty close. If you're interested in lowering your body fat, I highly recommend book marking this page and checking your stats twice a month or so.
Below the calculator are charts that give basic guidelines for men and women, which can be very useful in setting realistic goals. Please keep in mind that becoming TOO lean is just as unhealthy as becoming overweight, so if you're a regular person, it's probably wisest to shoot for a number in the "ideal" or "average" category, depending on your current status.
Body Fat
Percentage Calculator
Gender
Your body fat percentage=>
Your lean weight is =>
You have
of fat on your body
Women
Men
Minimum amount
to stay alive - (this is not a healthy range for most
people)
10-12%
2-4%
Lean
- mainly found with serious athletes
14-20%
6-13%
Ideal
- indicates a good level of fitness - a healthy range for most
people to shoot for
21-24%
14-17%
Average
- most people fall somewhere into this category
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