More than one out of every three American adults is obese and living with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. Being overweight or obese is cause for concern, but it also serves as notice that it's time for you to create a healthier lifestyle. Part of improving your physical health is knowing your body fat percentage, understanding how serious it can be if it's too high and making the necessary changes to your exercise and diet if needed.

Women Can Have More Fat
A healthy body fat percentage differs among the genders. Women can safely carry more fat on their bodies than men, as women need the extra fat for such reasons as ovulation. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), women should have between 10 and 13 percent body fat for essential purposes. A woman with 14 to 20 percent body fat has an athletic build, while a percentage between 21 and 24 means the woman has a fit body. The ACE deems it acceptable for a woman to have a body fat percentage between 25 and 31, but reports that anything beyond 32 percent is obese.

What Is the Optimal Body Fat Percentage for a 50-Year-Old Woman? What Is the Optimal Body Fat Percentage for a 50-Year-Old Woman? How Does Body Mass Affect the Cardiovascular System? How Does Body Mass Affect the Cardiovascular System? National Body Fat Percentage Average National Body Fat Percentage Average How to Reduce Body Fat Percentage Fast How to Reduce Body Fat Percentage Fast How Fast Can You Decrease Your Body Fat Percentage? How Fast Can You Decrease Your Body Fat Percentage? How Can I Drop My Body Fat? How Can I Drop My Body Fat? About Body Fat Percentage Charts About Body Fat Percentage Charts How to Prevent Disease With Lifestyle Changes How to Prevent Disease With Lifestyle Changes How to Increase Muscle Mass and Decrease Body Fat Percentage How to Increase Muscle Mass and Decrease Body Fat Percentage What Percentage of My Daily Calories Should Come From Fat? What Percentage of My Daily Calories Should Come From Fat? How to Make Love Handle Fat Go Away How to Make Love Handle Fat Go Away Eat Fat to Burn Fat Eat Fat to Burn Fat What Type of Diet to Get Rid of Bad Cholesterol? What Type of Diet to Get Rid of Bad Cholesterol? What Is a Good Body Fat Percentage for a Bodybuilder? What Is a Good Body Fat Percentage for a Bodybuilder? How to Drop Body Fat Percentage Fast How to Drop Body Fat Percentage Fast How to Banish Belly Fat Forever How to Banish Belly Fat Forever
Men Don't Have As Much Leeway
In general, men can carry a lower body fat percentage than women and still remain healthy. Men need 2 to 5 percent body fat for essential purposes, and 6 to 13 percent denotes an athletic body. A man with 14 to 17 percent body fat has a fit build, while 18 to 24 percent is acceptable. When a man's body fat percentage reaches 25 percent or more, the ACE considers him to be obese.

Do It Yourself or See a Doctor
It's possible to determine your body fat percentage through a variety of methods. The skinfold method requires you to check your fat in several parts of your body with skinfold calipers, while a simpler method involves taking your measurements, in inches, at select points of your body. Once you take these measurements, you can input them into an online calculator to determine your percentage. If you aren't comfortable with performing the test yourself, visit your doctor to ensure your body fat percentage reading is accurate. Another method is the bioelectric impedance analysis, which is often known by its acronym of BIA. In this method, you stand on a device that sends an electrical current through your body to check your fat content. An additional testing method, which is suitable if you wish to determine a rough estimate of your fat, is to measure your body's dimensions in several regions and input them into an online calculator. Many gyms offer accurate body fat testing for their members; check with your gym's administrator to determine if such benefits are available to you.

Improve Your Lifestyle and Health
If your body fat percentage indicates that you need to lose some weight, tackle this mission by increasing the amount that you exercise and cutting back on your caloric intake. Fill your week with around 300 minutes of medium-paced aerobic exercise and two or three strength-training sessions, which burn calories and boost your metabolism, respectively, to help you lose weight. Improve your diet by cutting out foods that have high sugar or fat content, such as chips, soda and cookies. Scale down the size of your meals and avoid all beverages except water.


source by:http://www.livestrong.com/article/76266-good-body-fat-percentage/

What Is a Good Body Fat Percentage?

More than one out of every three American adults is obese and living with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. Being overweight or obese is cause for concern, but it also serves as notice that it's time for you to create a healthier lifestyle. Part of improving your physical health is knowing your body fat percentage, understanding how serious it can be if it's too high and making the necessary changes to your exercise and diet if needed.

Women Can Have More Fat
A healthy body fat percentage differs among the genders. Women can safely carry more fat on their bodies than men, as women need the extra fat for such reasons as ovulation. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), women should have between 10 and 13 percent body fat for essential purposes. A woman with 14 to 20 percent body fat has an athletic build, while a percentage between 21 and 24 means the woman has a fit body. The ACE deems it acceptable for a woman to have a body fat percentage between 25 and 31, but reports that anything beyond 32 percent is obese.

What Is the Optimal Body Fat Percentage for a 50-Year-Old Woman? What Is the Optimal Body Fat Percentage for a 50-Year-Old Woman? How Does Body Mass Affect the Cardiovascular System? How Does Body Mass Affect the Cardiovascular System? National Body Fat Percentage Average National Body Fat Percentage Average How to Reduce Body Fat Percentage Fast How to Reduce Body Fat Percentage Fast How Fast Can You Decrease Your Body Fat Percentage? How Fast Can You Decrease Your Body Fat Percentage? How Can I Drop My Body Fat? How Can I Drop My Body Fat? About Body Fat Percentage Charts About Body Fat Percentage Charts How to Prevent Disease With Lifestyle Changes How to Prevent Disease With Lifestyle Changes How to Increase Muscle Mass and Decrease Body Fat Percentage How to Increase Muscle Mass and Decrease Body Fat Percentage What Percentage of My Daily Calories Should Come From Fat? What Percentage of My Daily Calories Should Come From Fat? How to Make Love Handle Fat Go Away How to Make Love Handle Fat Go Away Eat Fat to Burn Fat Eat Fat to Burn Fat What Type of Diet to Get Rid of Bad Cholesterol? What Type of Diet to Get Rid of Bad Cholesterol? What Is a Good Body Fat Percentage for a Bodybuilder? What Is a Good Body Fat Percentage for a Bodybuilder? How to Drop Body Fat Percentage Fast How to Drop Body Fat Percentage Fast How to Banish Belly Fat Forever How to Banish Belly Fat Forever
Men Don't Have As Much Leeway
In general, men can carry a lower body fat percentage than women and still remain healthy. Men need 2 to 5 percent body fat for essential purposes, and 6 to 13 percent denotes an athletic body. A man with 14 to 17 percent body fat has a fit build, while 18 to 24 percent is acceptable. When a man's body fat percentage reaches 25 percent or more, the ACE considers him to be obese.

Do It Yourself or See a Doctor
It's possible to determine your body fat percentage through a variety of methods. The skinfold method requires you to check your fat in several parts of your body with skinfold calipers, while a simpler method involves taking your measurements, in inches, at select points of your body. Once you take these measurements, you can input them into an online calculator to determine your percentage. If you aren't comfortable with performing the test yourself, visit your doctor to ensure your body fat percentage reading is accurate. Another method is the bioelectric impedance analysis, which is often known by its acronym of BIA. In this method, you stand on a device that sends an electrical current through your body to check your fat content. An additional testing method, which is suitable if you wish to determine a rough estimate of your fat, is to measure your body's dimensions in several regions and input them into an online calculator. Many gyms offer accurate body fat testing for their members; check with your gym's administrator to determine if such benefits are available to you.

Improve Your Lifestyle and Health
If your body fat percentage indicates that you need to lose some weight, tackle this mission by increasing the amount that you exercise and cutting back on your caloric intake. Fill your week with around 300 minutes of medium-paced aerobic exercise and two or three strength-training sessions, which burn calories and boost your metabolism, respectively, to help you lose weight. Improve your diet by cutting out foods that have high sugar or fat content, such as chips, soda and cookies. Scale down the size of your meals and avoid all beverages except water.


source by:http://www.livestrong.com/article/76266-good-body-fat-percentage/

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