Weighing more weight than you should expose you to many health issues. When you consume food, the body takes in the fat and stores it. This fat is beneficial to the body. Itoffers protection to the organs, gives you energy, and keeps your body insulated.
Having too much fat is harmful to the body. Despite the improvement in technology, it’s sometimes difficult to accurately get your fat measurementsusing technological body fat analyzers. If you have concerns about your body fat percentage, you may want to know the best ways to get correct body fat measurements. How do you measure your body fat percentage?
Tips for measuring your body fat
Measureyour waist circumference
While extreme fat in the entire body composition is harmful, having too much around the abdomen area has even higher risks of health problems. Measuring your waist circumference will help you stay healthy. It’s possible to have a healthy MBI but have excess belly fat, exposing you to heart illnesses, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. You’ll use a tape measure to get your waist circumference. You can take the measurements on your own or ask someone else to do it for you. Wrap the tape measure on the point between the lowest part of your ribs and the top of your hips, slightly above your belly button.
Measure your total weight
Reliable scales never lie. You’ll get your overall body mass, including blood, bones, organs, and fat. If you want to be track your weight regularly, ensure you do it at the same time and in the same conditions. This method is quick, easy to interpret the results, and the weighing tool is affordable. The downside is that it only tells you the total body fat. It’ll not inform you about changes in body fat or muscle. Also, it won’tshow you where the extra fat is.
Find out your BMI
BMI can help you know if your weight is healthy. You calculate it by measuring your weight in kg and dividing it by your height squared. A high figure reflects being overweight and higher risks of health conditions. This method is quick and easy to use as long as you know your accurate body weight and height. The drawback is that this technique cannot differentiate between body fat and muscle weight. It may also be inaccurate for pregnant women, the elderly, and very muscular individuals.
Look at the waist-hip ratio
Body shape is important when measuring body fat. Whether pear-shaped or apple-shaped, the proportion of your waist to hip circumference matters. If the ratio is high, it reflects you have excess fat accumulated in your waist. In other words, individuals with an apple shape are at a greater riskthan the pear-shaped. You’ll need a tape measure and some calculations.
Take the measurements of your waist and divide them by the hip measurements. For males, the waist-hip ratio should not be above 0.90, and females should not be beyond 0.85. Ensure when you’re getting the hip measurements, you place the measuring tape at the widest point of your butt to get accurate results. For waistcircumference, measure between the lower part of your ribs and the upper part of your hips.
Look at the weight to height ratio
Heightplays a big role in determining if your weight is healthy or alarming. This method is useful to anyone regardless of race, gender or age. You can only use this style if you know how many inches you are and your kg. You’ll need your doctor’s assistance to help you judge if your weight is safe based on your height.
Skinfold measurements
You can use skinfold calipers to measure the thickness of your fat. It’ll help you know the fat underneath the skin at specific locations in the body. The parts you shouldconcentrate on are the chest, abs, and thighs. You’ll pinch the skin to pull the muscle away from the fat and use clippers to measure the fold. Ensure you test on the side everytime you’re taking the measurements.
For accuracy, take two readings in each area. You can determine the body fat percentage with an online calculator. If you realize the skinfold thickness is reducing, you’re losing weight. This technique is cheap, easy, and portable. A set of calipers is less than $10 in online stores, and if you prefer professional assessment, you’ll only need$50 for the service. The downside is that the accuracy relies on the skills of the person conducting the process. It may also be difficult to get accurate measurements from obese individuals.
Smart scales
Smart scales work by transferring electrical impulses in the body and measuring how quickly they return. It’ll tell the weight and your body composition by determining how fast the current flows. The signals will be faster in bodies that constitute more water, such as blood and muscles, than bodies full of fat and bone. You’ll get results instantly, and some devices are connected to a fitness app that allows you to track your progress.
How else can you know you’re losing weight?
Some natural ways can help you track your body fat, and they include;
- Consider how you feel. If you’re healthy, you’ll always feel it. You’ll feel lighter, you’ll bemore active, and you’ll have positive vibes.
- Go for a checkup- medical assessmentwill help you monitor your weight loss and achieve your health goals. Doctors will help you measure your cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and check if you have any inflammations.
- Look at your clothes-if you notice your attires fit differently, there is a change in your body weight. If your body fat has decreased, some clothes will start fitting you tightly or begin to fall off.
- Look at your pictures-Before and after pictures help you to notice body changes. Compare your current self and the old you using pictures.
Conclusion
There are many ways of measuring your body fat. Other techniques include circumference body fat calculator, thigh gap test, Dula Energy X-ray Absorptiometry(DEXA), and Air Displacement Bod Pod. Some methods you can use at home on your own while others will need an expert’s help. Make sure you choose an option that is more convenient to you.
GP
The work of a family doctor includes a wide range of clinical diversity, which requires extensive knowledge and erudition from a specialist. However, I believe that the most important thing for a family doctor is to be human because the cooperation and understanding between the doctor and the patient are crucial in ensuring successful health care. On my days off, I love being in nature. Since childhood, I have been passionate about playing chess and tennis. Whenever I have time off, I enjoy traveling around the world.
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