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Definition of Percent Body Fat

Simple Definition of Percent Body Fat

Learn How to Calculate Body Fat Percentage

Definition of percent body fat: this is the percentage of fat your body contains. For example if your weight is 150 pounds and your body fat percentage is 20%, it means your body consists of 30 pounds of fat and 120 pounds of lean body mass (muscles, bones, blood, water, internal organ tissue and other).

When some body says that he wants to loose weight it means that he wants to loose fat. Fat in our body has very important role, but when fat is over certain percentage of your body weight it is considered not healthy also known as obese.

You need fat in your body for hormone synthesis; fat regulates body temperature and protects internal organs despite of this healthy percentage of body fat has to be calculated in order to know your health level.

Table: Definition of percent body fat
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32% plus 25% plus
How to calculate body fat percentage
and how to set realistic weight loss goals?
I will explain with example.
I am female.
My weight is 120 pounds.
My body fat is 23%.

I want to lose 20 pounds of fat.

Now to calculate my fat in pounds: 120 pounds * 0.23 = 28 pounds of body fat

If I want to lose 20 pounds this means I will have 28 – 20 = 8 pounds of fat

My weight will be 120 pounds – 20 pounds = 100 pounds

So, my weight will be 100 pounds – 92 pounds of lean mass and 8 pounds of fat.

If I reach my goal I will have 8% body fat, which is under the percent of the essential for body fat.

It is obvious I have to choose another weight loss goal :)

Posted on October 9th, 2008 by fitness
Filed under: Body fat

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