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Images of body fat percentages8/5/2023 To demonstrate this, consider the potential alterations in muscle mass of fat mass. While increasing muscle mass alone will decrease body fat percentage somewhat, it is the combination with decreased fat mass that provided the body recomposition goals that most people are seeking.ĭecreasing fat mass need the be the main focus of the program to see large decreases in body fat percentage. Strategies for building muscle mass are outlined in our client case studies (bottom of page) and the article below. These combine to create dramatic decreases in body fat percentage along with physical transformations. Gaining Muscle Decreases Body Fat Percentage (A Little)Ī well-structured resistance training program combined with a diet containing sufficient protein intake can lead to increased muscle mass and decreased body fat mass, particularly in general population clients with minimal training experience. When you see claims of 6kg lean mass (notice: not 'muscle mass') and a 5% loss in body fat in only ten days, you can be sure some form of manipulation (or straight lying) is in play. Over-hydration can increase body mass without increasing fat mass, leading to a decreased body fat percentage. However, if the muscle can be added and fat is lost, there is an even greater decrease in body fat percentage. If muscle mass is added, the percentage BF decreases. This rule shows why gaining muscle mass can improve physique and body fat percentage. Whilst this is not a massive change, it is significant - and perfect if you want to lose 0.8% of total body fat without having to diet or exercise! Manipulating Body Fat Percentage If she was to add 2kg of water to her body weight (now 67kg) while maintaining body fat mass (15kg) her body fat percentage will decrease from 25% to 24.2%. A 65kg female at 25% body fat has 15kg of body fat mass. If you maintain body fat mass and increase total body mass, there will be a decrease in body fat percentage, despite no change in body fat mass. That leaves it subject to potential manipulation. Recall that body fat percentage is a measure of total fat mass divided by total body weight, not a measure of total fat mass on its own. Lowering Body Fat Percentage Without Losing Fat Mass A body fat percentage greater than 30% tends to be excessive for an individual's needs. An average body fat percentage is in the low-mid '20s (males) and mid-high '20s (females). 15-18% for females v 9-12% for men).Īt the other end of the chart, body fat percentages to be classed overweight and obese are reasonably similar between both genders. For this reason, women will see the abdominal muscles at a higher body fat percentage than men (ie. This is somewhat due to internal fat around reproductive organs. A Healthy Body Fat Percentageįemales have greater essential body requirements than men, as demonstrated in the chart below. However, the accuracy and consistency of measurement, and the inability to assess internal body fat, see other techniques prioritised over callipers. Bioelectric impedance (BIA) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) are two measurements that are practical, non-invasive, accurate and reliable.Ĭallipers can be used to measure skinfolds at key sites, which can then be extrapolated to estimate body fat percentage. Measuring total body mass (body weight) is simple, but measuring body fat mass is more complicated and requires equipment. However, the availability of non-intrusive body methods of assessing body fat, such as bioelectrical impedance assessment (BIA) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) has made this more accessible. Previously, body fat mass was hard to measure, which lead to a reliance on BMI. Measuring body fat percentage in addition to BMI is the best way to assess someone's body composition. Despite a healthy body fat percentage, my BMI is 27, which put me in the overweight category. As a result, people with large amounts of muscle mass or shorter height can fall into the overweight/obesity category, despite being of healthy body fat percentages.Įxample: I am a 186cm, 94kg male, and around 10-12% body fat (measured via BIA). BMI relies only on height and weight and it cannot take into account the composition of the body. When comparing people to norms or other individuals, a relative measurement is required.Ĭalculation: (Total fat mass (kg)/Total body mass (kg)) x 100 = BF%Įxample: a 100kg male with 20kg of body fat mass has a 20% body fat.īody fat percentage is useful for assessing body composition and covers some of the limitations of Body Mass Index (BMI). Body fat percentage (BFP/BF%/PBF) is the proportion of the body's fat mass relative to total body mass. It is a useful measurement for quantifying a person's body fat mass relative to their size or objectives.Ĭonsider that a lean 100kg male will have more fat mass than a lean 60kg male, even if both have the same body fat percentage.
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