LA fitness news

The skinny on body fat.

May 20, 2010

“What if nothing exists and we're all in somebody's dream? Or what's worse, what if only that fat guy in the third row exists?”

We don’t have any answers for Woody Allen but we can tell you what body fat is, how it’s measured and what constitutes the good, bad and the guy in the third row (usually middle seat).

Stored Calories.

In simple terms, body fat is made up of calories that haven’t been burned in your daily activity. It is what’s left over when you remove lean muscle, water, bones and vital organs. Although some fat is required for good health, most of us carry more than we need; just how much more, is revealed in our body fat percentages.

Fat vs. Lean.

Body fat percentage is the percentage of total body mass that is fat. So someone who weighs 180 pounds and is 10% body fat, has 18 pounds of fatty tissue and 162 pounds of lean tissue.

If we told you that you were 15% body fat would you be:

a. Ecstatic

b. Disappointed

c. Suicidal

Rule of Thumb.

Well, it varies with age, but the rule of thumb is that men should have less than 18% total body fat and women less than 23%. So you’d be pretty happy with 15% – unless you are an athlete, in which case you would generally want to be lower than this.

If you would like to know what you body fat percentage is please ask one of our fitness coaches to test you. If you’d like to know how it’s done take a look at the video on the right.

Obesity According to Obesity Statistics UK, about 46% of men in England and 32% of women are overweight and an additional 17% of men and 21% of women are obese.

Obesity kicks in at the 30% - 40%-plus body fat range. The effects on health of these kinds of fat percentages - including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, breathing difficulties and some cancers - are very well documented.

Doesn’t make great reading does it? Which is why it is so important for your health that you balance your calorie intake with regular exercise and activity both in the gym and in your daily living.

If your objective is to decrease your body fat percentage, the LA Fitness coaches can offer you a huge amount of help and advice around both exercise and nutrition – they can also help you set goals and measure progress. Don’t be afraid to ask for our help and guidance.