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The Skinny on Bodyfat
STOP measuring your fitness progress by using your bathroom scale! Whether you are gaining or losing weight, the
best indicator of your progress is achieved by measuring your bodyfat percent. Remember: even if the bathroom scale reads the
same over a period of time, you may be losing unwanted bodyfat and replacing it with healthy muscle tissue!
FATTY FACTS:
- Losing an inch around your waist is equivalent to the loss of about 4 pounds of bodyfat (men and women).
- 64% of all Americans are overweight and a full 31% are so overweight that they are classified as obese.
- Over the past 20 years the number of overweight kids in the U.S. has doubled.
- Heavy children are more likely to remain overweight throughout their lives.
- Fat has 9 calories per gram.
- Carbohydrates and proteins have only 4 calories per gram.
- Fat becomes bodyfat 3 times as easily as carbohydrates.
- Fat becomes bodyfat 5 times as easily as protein.
- The only heart-healthy fats are monounsaturated, such as olive oil.
- The key is to replace the unhealthy fats in your diet with healthy fats!
GENDER DIFFERENCES:
The bodyfat gender difference lies in the structure of the female body and the sex hormones. In females,
part of the essential fat is sex-specific fat. Depending on breast size, about 5 percent of a female's bodyfat is
located in the breast tissue. The difference in bodyfat is also related to hormonal changes during the menstrual
cycle and childbearing functions. Women should generally not go below eight percent bodyfat; in men, the lower limit
is four percent. An excessively low bodyfat in females may lead to amenorrhea, which is a disruption in the normal
menstrual cycle.
LOSING IT:
Remember that you don't have to lose much weight to look better in your clothes, as long as most of the weight
lost is fat and not muscle, which is why it is so important to weight train. Most weight loss includes a combination
of fat and water. People who lose weight very quickly from a low-calorie diet are losing mostly water weight
as well as body-sculpting muscle tissue. In fact, an average dieter who sheds 30 pounds without weight training will
take off about 10 pounds of 'lean' (i.e. muscle as well as water) along with the fat loss. Smaller amounts of weight loss over a longer time is more likely to:
- Consist mostly of fat
- Stay off in the long run
- Be easier on your mind and body
- Allow your skin to adapt to the smaller size (less chance of saggy skin)
The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1-2 pounds per week of weight loss.
I am often asked the question "How do I lower my bodyfat while simultaneously adding some muscle to firm up?"
and I tell them two facts:
- For people trying to lose large amounts of bodyfat (10 pounds +):
- If you lose more than 2 pounds a week, you will lose precious muscle tissue.
- For people trying to add large amounts of muscle mass (10 pounds +):
- If you gain more than 2 pounds a week, you will gain unwanted fat.
If you keep these two facts in mind, then your best bet is to do cardio 4-5 days per week and weight train
2-4 days per week.
Also, you must be sure to eat right.
WHAT BODYFAT CATEGORY ARE YOU IN?
| Classification |
Women (%fat) |
Men (%fat) |
| Essential Fat |
10-12% |
2-4% |
| Athletes |
14-20% |
6-13% |
| General Fitness |
21-24% |
14-17% |
| Acceptable |
25-31% |
18-25% |
| Obese |
32% and higher |
25% and higher |
| Source: American Council on Exercise |
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