Body Fat Percentage

Well, I reinstated my L.A. Fitness membership. I just now learned that my husband's work will pay up to $400 a year for a gym membership. Even though I have equipment at home, I can never turn down free stuff! Plus it's always great to mix things up to keep from getting bored. Anyway, that really isn't the point of this post.

I want to talk a little about body fat %. The last time I had mine checked, I honestly don't remember what it was. I only remember that it was high, probably over 25%. This was back when my son was around 6 months old, maybe a little older. I wanted to see how far I've come in that department, so when I arrived at the gym I eagerly asked to use the little hand device and.... I am at 20.9% (that's good)!! However, I am trying to take this number with a grain of salt. The most accurate methods of measurement are not always readily available, and they are also expensive. If you do decide to measure your fat percentage with some device, try to stick with the same method each time (keep in mind that those free online calculators are usually the least accurate). The best way for the average person to do this is probably with Skinfold Calipers.

Why is body fat % important? Well, it is probably the best way to determine your fitness. Body Mass Index, in my book, is really a load of crap. Go ahead and use your BMI in your tracking, but don't let it be the only thing you use. There are plenty of sedentary people who are "skinny fat." That is , they don't appear to be overweight but, since they do not exercise, they are just a bunch of blubber. But a person of the same height, who is very active and weighs more than this person (because of higher muscle mass) might be considered overweight based on BMI calculations... even though it is obvious that the latter person is in much better shape.

Even the scale could be lying to you. The scale doesn't tell you how much of your weight is fat. So if you are on a weight loss journey and the scale doesn't budge for a while, even though you swear your jeans are looser, consider that you may be "tightening up" due to increased muscle. It takes up less space than fat, but weighs more.

But like I said before, the most accurate methods of determining this % are not readily available. So don't get hung up on the specific numbers. Better yet, as an article linked below states, take a look at your stomach. Then think about how you really eat and how much exercise you really perform. You can lie to yourself, but what good would that do?

I'll let you learn the rest on your own. I love links, so here is some interesting reading:

Understanding Your Body Fat Percentage Accurate Categorization of Percentages
What Does Your Body Fat Percentage Mean?
What Does My Body Fat Percentage Measure?
Understanding, Calculating, and Using Your [Body Fat %]
Average Percent Body Fat