How To Measure Your Body Fat Percentage?

Most people tend to think that all fat is equal and that all fats are bad for us when they hear about “body fat”. However, that’s not actually true. Our bodies store fat from the foods that we eat, so it can be used later, searching for those fat stores for insulation, protection, and most importantly – energy. While we all want to have a low body fat percentage to look good, it is important to realize that our bodies actually do require a certain amount of fat. Simply to function and… live.

But it does become a problem when there’s just too much of it. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to cut it. Well… I mean, there are various surgery types to remove fat, but they do come with downsides, and they are not recommended to a variety of people. The healthy way and the best way to lose body fat is naturally, through diet and workout, as we all know. But we all need to keep track of how well our progress goes.

For example, you may start dieting and working out, but the number on the scale doesn’t change. That’s when the measurement of body fat percentage is so handy. Someone that is full of muscles may weigh the same amount as someone who is obese (both same gender, same height, and same age, for example). However, there is a huge difference in body fat percentage between the two people. Thus, there is a huge difference in how they look, feel, and how healthy they are.

There are various ways to calculate body fat percentage. Let’s check it out:

Tape Measure

As you understand, you’ll need a measuring tape. You need to start by measuring the circumference of your abdomen and neck. Be sure to measure the largest part of these areas if you want an accurate measurement of your body fat percentage. For this method, you’re likely going to need the help of someone else. You could get a little tangled up trying to measure yourself. You should ask a friend to do it. As you check the body fat with a tape measure, you should keep it in close contact with your skin, but you shouldn’t compress the skin. If you squeeze the tape around for a smaller measurement, you will get inaccurate results. You can measure everything twice and average the results in order to get an accurate measurement.

What do you need to do to calculate body fat percentage? Abdomen value – neck measurement = circumference value.

The problem with the tape measurement is that it is not always the most accurate, even if you try to do it right. But the good part is that it is one of the easiest ways to calculate your body fat. This is why it is so important to measure yourself correctly. It’s still easy to measure in the wrong place or write the wrong number. That’s especially true if we are going to take into consideration such elements like clothes, how tightly you measure and what you’ve been eating, and how recently.

Calipers

Calipers are a very common method of calculating body fat percentage. A lot of people often refer to it as the “skin fold test”. You just need a small pinch to different parts of the body that will help calculate the body fat. There are various ways to measure the body fat percentage. However, the most common method is the three-site measurement. It is the quickest and seemingly the easiest way.

So, for this method, you will need to buy calipers (they are usually up to $10 and you can easily buy them online or at sports-oriented markets). Use them to measure the following areas:

• Chest
• Abdominals
• Thigh

You should try to stick to one side of the body for consistency. What I’m trying to say is that if you measure the right side of your chest, then go for the right side of your abdominals and right thigh.

With the help of calipers, you can calculate the body fat by following these steps:

• Grab a fold of skin and measure its thickness using the caliper’s measurement dial
• Mark the pinch site 1 cm above the skinfold
• Take 2 to 3 measurements of each area (to get an accurate measurement) and average them for the most accurate measurement
• Calculate body fat % by entering measurements in a body fat calculator

Accuracy…

Similar to the soft tape measure approach, you should expect that there is also some error that can potentially occur with calipers. If you get a correct measurement, leave the error rate of about +/- 3%! Of course, the error rate is higher if you do not have the correct measurement.

In order to get the maximum accuracy measurements, you can go for a seven-site method to get the best accuracy.

• Chest
• Abdominal
• Suprailiac
• Midaxillary
• Tricep
• Subscapular
• Thigh

You could also get an even more accurate measurement if you’re going to ask your friend or personal trainer to take those measurements for you.

Body Fat Scales

We all know that the scales are the most common go-to in order to check our body measurements. But as you may already know, some have the functionality to calculate body fat too. The chances are, you come across body fat scales at the gym too. These ones work by sending an electrical current up one leg and down the other. It records body fat according to the resistance that it meets during that process.

But in order to do so, the body fat scales will “know” your age, height, and gender too, and you will need to introduce yourself in order to calculate your body fat percentage. Of course, it measures your weight in the meantime and calculates your body fat percentage. Therefore, the body fat scales could be a great option to calculate your body fat percentage.

The accuracy of the body fat scales is not the best either. However, it can give you a pretty decent measurement. You will also need to take the following things into consideration:

• When you last exercised
• When and what you ate last
• How hydrated you are

Hydrostatic Weight To Measure Body Fat Percentage

The hydrodensitometry method is one of the most viable options if you want to measure your body fat percentage and want some of the most accurate methods. The problem with this method is that it is not something you can measure at the gym or you can do at home. The hydrodensitometry involves sitting undressed in a chair that is submerged in water.

Your weight underwater is recorded as your body places a buoyant counterforce on the water. That weight is then used in order to calculate the body fat percentage. Although it measures pretty accurately, as said, it is not an option you can do yourself at the gym or at home. You will need a specialist facility that may be problematic to find in your area.

BOD POD Method

Another very accurate method to consider in order to measure your body fat percentage is another special technique popular as BOD POD. This measurement uses air displacement plethysmography that involves a computerized, egg-shaped chamber (this chamber is called BOD POD) that will determine the body density with weight and volume and calculate body fat percentage.

That’s an extremely accurate measurement according to research. But it also requires a special facility that may be hard to find in your local area. Both BOD POD and hydrodensitometry are very accurate measuring methods.

MRI or CT Scans For Measuring Body Fat Percentage

This method is perhaps the most accurate of all other methods when it comes to calculating body fat percentage. The MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CT scan (Computerized Tomography) take cross-sectional images of your body, that measure intra-abdominal fat. While it is highly accurate and while you’re likely to find it in your local area, this is a very specific and very expensive route to calculate body fat. It is not commonly used for such purposes.

What’s the Ideal Body Fat Percentage?

The “ideal” body fat percentage is very different from one person to another, depending on your age and gender. While most of us are trying to lower body fat percentages, you shouldn’t go to extremes as it can make you feel fatigued. Not enough body fat can lead to low energy levels, hormonal imbalances, and other health issues. On the other hand, too much body fat can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and other issues.

You need to aim to remain in the ideal body fat percentage range. If you also want to look good, you may opt for the lowest range but still remain in the range to stay healthy. As we age, a higher body fat percentage is the norm. Also, women need a considerably higher body fat percentage than men do.

• Men aged 20 to 29 years old have an ideal body fat percentage of 7 to 17%. The numbers slowly increase as you age, reaching an ideal body fat percentage of 17 to 25% for men over 60 years old.
• Women, on the other hand, have an ideal body fat percentage of 16 to 24% aging 20 to 29. Again, this number increases as women age, reaching 22 to 33% when aging 60+.

BMI vs Body Fat Percentage

You may mistakenly think that body fat percentage is the same as BMI (Body Mass Index). They are different. But what’s the difference? The BMI does not calculate your body fat. All it does is just to give you a guide as to whether you’re underweight, a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. A lot of people tend to consider their BMI only, but that’s a mistake because BMI is by far not the most reliable indicator of how healthy we really are.

For example, an athlete may have a low body fat percentage but has a good amount of muscle. Considering that muscle weighs considerably more than fat does, the BMI is very likely to indicate they have a high body mass index, suggesting they are overweight or even obese, while they definitely are not. That’s because the BMI doesn’t take other important factors into consideration. Simply like body fat percentage.

Conclusion

So, if you wonder how to measure your body fat percentage, we’ve shared some of the most popular and common ways to do it. As you can see, there are some pretty simple and easy methods to calculate your body fat percentage. There are also other more complicated and likely more expensive methods. The problem is that the simplest methods you can do at home or at the gym are not as accurate as those with the help of specialists (and a good amount of money).

Regardless of how you determine your body fat percentage or what your BMI tells you, follow these general tips that will surely help you maintain a healthy weight:

• Ensure you get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. Or 75 minutes of intense exercise a week.
• Include at least two days a week of strength training. Either lifting weights or bodyweight workouts.
• Eat a healthy, balanced, and varied diet. Ensure you get enough of all three macros and enough micronutrients.
• Pay attention to the portion sizes. Try to stay around your maintenance calories, reducing or increasing depending on whether you want to reduce or add weight.
• Have a plan that will help you stick to your goals.

In the end…

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