![]() ![]() If you want to look your best, having more muscle mass can help you appear leaner than you are. In other words, someone with a significant amount of muscle mass may look leaner than someone who is comparatively skinny while still having visible muscular definition. The more lean muscle you have, the deeper the cuts, the harder the striations, and the more visibly “ripped” you will be at lower body fat. Two individuals can have the same body fat percentage yet look dramatically different. Accurately Estimate Body Fat Percentage Based On Progress PhotosĪs a disclaimer, these are not perfect examples. P.S.Want to an easy-to-follow eating style so you can lose fat without obsessing over every meal? Grab your free Intermittent Fasting Guide here. Since a DEXA isn’t always a pragmatic option, I’ll provide you with pictures and descriptions of each body fat percentage. Expect a fairly accurate body fat percentage reading with DEXA, likely within 1-3 % A DEXA body fat scan will cost between $50-$100.ĭEXA scans can also show you bone density and limb differences in muscle and body fat. They’re not the most reliable, but they’ll give you a baseline measurement to get started.ĭEXA scans can accurately estimate body fat percentage. If you want something quick and easy, pick up skinfold calipers and practice often. Most of these tests require skilled technicians, consistent testers, algorithms, and environmental variables, and some pocket change in order to perform the tests.Īs you see lots of variables must be accounted for in order to get an accurate reading of your body composition. There are circumference measurements, bioelectrical impedance (BIA), skinfold measurements, ultrasound, bod pod, hydrostatic weighing, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), X-Ray, and MRI.Īs with any test, there is variation and error in body fat percentages.Įven the best tests struggle to accurately estimate body fat percentage and have a range of errors ranging from 1-3%. There are many ways which health and fitness professionals use to measure body fat percentages. Accurately Estimate Body Fat Percentage: Are body fat calculations accurate? And this is where learning how to accurately estimate body fat percentage comes in handy. It doesn’t take into account the individual physique of a person, including the biggest factor influencing metabolic health: muscle mass. The proīut the problem with BMI is it’s just a general measurement. So according to the BMI chart, our guy is overweight. So how does that compare to the standard BMI chart? Then divide the weight by the height to get his BMI: ![]() ![]() To find his BMI we would convert his weight to kilograms, and his height to meters: Let’s take our example guy above, and say he was 6 feet tall. The BMI fails to take into account lean muscle mass. While BMI is a great tool for measuring large populations and gauging overall obesity, it’s a poor indicator for people with athletic physiques and spend a lot of time in the gym.Īs an example, I’m not a huge guy but at 5’10” 180-185 pounds, I’m on the edge of obese according to BMI despite having visible abdominals. BMI is the most widely used scale for determining whether someone is normal, overweight, or obese. Accurately Estimate Body Fat Percentage or BMI?īMI is short for Body Mass Index, and it’s found by taking your weight in kilograms divided by meters squared. The remaining 170 pounds would comprise of bone, muscle, organ tissue, water, blood, and.well…fecal matter among other things.Īll in all, knowing your body fat percentage is a better indicator of the state of your physique than BMI or the dreaded scale. The lower your body fat percentage, the less body fat.įor example, a 200 lb male with 15% body fat would have 30 pounds of fat on his body. The higher your body fat percentage, the more body fat you have. What is body fat percentage?īody fat percentage is the total percentage of body fat your total body weight is comprised of. In this post, I’m going to share what I wish I knew about body fat percentage when I got started in the gym as a 103-pound skinny runt chasing the “perfect workout” routine.īy the end, you’ll have a better grasp of how to measure body fat, why it’s important, and more importantly, how to look great naked. Knowing where you stand can help you optimize your caloric intake, determine overall health, and give you the most accurate answer to, “how far to do I have to go” to lose fat and build muscle. Your ability to accurately estimate body fat percentage is an essential tool to helping you optimize your physique, improve performance, and know how much progress you’re truly making in the gym.
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