Ideal percentage of fat. The norm of fat in a woman's body: minimum and maximum indicators, ways to reduce body fat

Previously, to determine general state health used mass index human body. Today, for this purpose, tracked body fat percentage.

You can find many articles on this topic, including the definition of this indicator using tables, formulas, or other methods. This material discusses the main ideas of these articles, and the result is presented in pictures for a visual representation of the state of the male and female body, depending on this indicator.

To have an idea of what this material is about, it is necessary to understand several terms and concepts.

How is this percentage calculated? The amount of fat in kilograms is divided by body weight and then converted into a percentage. For example, with a total weight of 80 kg for a man and a mass of fat of 13 kg, the percentage of fat will be 16.

Fat distribution

Each has its own characteristics of the body and organism, including the distribution of body fat. So, some women have a small amount of fat on their stomachs, and an excess in the triceps and hips. For others, it's the other way around. As for men, in most cases, fat deposits are mainly observed in the abdomen. The pictures clearly show in which parts fat is most often deposited in the female and male sexes.

Figure Features

They are also different for everyone, so people with the same percentage of fat will look different in appearance. As an example, here we can cite models and athletes, in which this indicator is exactly the same, and the differences are visible to the naked eye.

Age

The pictures show people in age category 25-35 years old. It should be noted that the older a person becomes, the more fat is contained in his body. For example, men aged 20 and 50 have the same percentage of body fat, but for the first (young) it will be 15%, and for the second - 20%. This is due to the property of fat to increase with age around the organs and in the muscles.

Muscular furrows

In the process of inflating the body, a relief is formed, the muscles become more visible and resemble grooves in appearance. It is also important to have an idea of what vascularity is. As the percentage of body fat decreases, veins appear on the body - this is the meaning of this term.

3-4%

This percentage of fat content is typical for the period of preparation for sports competitions. IN this case increased vascularity is observed - veins are visible on almost every muscle. Even the muscles on the buttocks have small gaps, and the absence of such indicates a very low fat content. The norm for men is about 2% fat content. It is this amount that is necessary for the body to function normally, since fat protects the organs in abdominal cavity and thoracic region.

6-7%

This indicator is not as categorical as the previous one, but it is still not normal for most representatives of the strong field. The fact is that this is reflected in appearance, for example, the face looks emaciated, which causes concern among people around. Such a percentage of fat content is typical for most models, they have clearly defined muscles, there is a bright vascularity, including the muscles of the limbs and abdomen. When the abdominal muscles are clearly visible, the muscles are clearly separated - this indicates a low fat content.

10-12%

Is normal level for a man. Of course, the abdominal muscles are not as clearly visible as in the previous case, but the abdominal muscles are clearly visible. This is exactly the state and body shape that most men aspire to. It is also considered attractive to the fair sex. For this percentage of fat content, grooves are characteristic only on the arms and shoulders, and not on every muscle.

15%

This level corresponds to men with a toned and slender figure. The contours of the muscles are clearly visible, but there is no visible separation between them. As a rule, the grooves are covered with a small amount of fat. However, this does not negatively affect the shape of the body - the figure is beautiful, despite the fact that there is no obvious allocation of muscles.

20%

This level of fat content is characterized by a not very clear allocation of muscles and blood vessels. In most cases, men have a small tummy. For example, the male part of the New York population generally has a body fat content in the range of 20-25%. But in other places this figure may differ. As a rule, in a man with a height of 180 cm and a body weight of 81 kg, the fat content in the body is about 20% fat.

25%

In this case, there is a significant increase in the volume of the waist, muscles and blood vessels are practically not visible. With a man's height of 180 cm, the minimum volume of his waist can reach 91 cm. Also, for such a percentage of fat content, a slight increase in the volume of the neck, small fat folds are characteristic. But all this is perfectly hidden by clothes. Men with more high level fat content than specified in this paragraph, face the problem of obesity. abdominal type obesity is recognized if the waist circumference exceeds 101cm.

30%

This indicator is characterized by the spread of fat throughout the body, including the formation of fat deposits in the waist, hips, back, calves. Visually, the waist looks larger than the hips, the muscles are not visible at all, the stomach sags.

35%

When body weight is constantly increasing, the amount of fat also increases, more of which accumulates in the abdomen. At this level, an even more sagging belly is observed, the waist as such completely disappears (its volume can exceed 101 cm). Such a belly is called "beer".

40%

As in the previous case, body fat concentrated in the waist and abdomen. The waist circumference can exceed 145cm. With this indicator, a person is faced with a number of problems of movement, especially on the stairs. It's hard to bend over. These are the first signs of obesity!

10-12%

The minimum level that can only be observed in women involved. Vessels and muscle grooves are clearly visible. For the normal functioning of the body, the fat content is within 8-10%. What is the reason for such a difference compared to the minimum figure for men (2%)? This is due to the high fat content in the area around the uterus and mammary glands, so there is no need to strive for a male indicator, since this is a health hazard for the fair sex. The girl in the photograph probably has the upper limit indicated, since the vessels are poorly visible.

15-17%

Corresponds to the second level of fat content in the male. This indicator is typical for the bulk of models advertising underwear. At the same time, most of those may face problems associated with a violation of the functionality of the body. The muscles of the limbs, shoulders, and abs are clearly visible. Due to the low fat content, the shape of the hips and buttocks is not pronounced.

20-22%

In the body of most athletes, this is the percentage of fat. A small amount of fat is observed on the limbs, the abdominal muscles are clearly visible. The minimum level of separation of muscles among themselves.

25%

Typical for most of the fair sex. Such a woman cannot be called too thin, but not fat either. A small layer of fat is present on the buttocks, the bend of the hips is clearly visible. This level is typical, for example, at 163 cm of height and 59 kg of body weight.

30%

Unlike men, in whom the accumulation of fat is observed mainly in the abdomen, in the bulk of women, this is deposited in the buttocks and thighs. The latter are pronounced with a rounded shape. 30% fat is the upper limit for the average woman.

35%

More greater magnification hips, neck and face acquire rounded shapes. Hips can exceed 100cm, waist - 80cm. The stomach starts to sag.

40%

Hip circumference can exceed 106cm, waist - 90cm, hips - 63cm.

45%

This level is characterized by the appearance of noticeable folds, the skin condition worsens. Hip circumference can exceed 115cm, waist - 90cm. The shoulders look noticeably narrower than the hips.

50%

The hips become even larger, noticeably exceeding the width of the shoulders. The skin condition worsens, the fat is clearly visible. Hip circumference can exceed 115cm, waist - 101cm. Example: with a woman's height of 163 cm and body weight of 90 cm, half of them are muscle mass, the remaining 50% are fat.

How to reduce the percentage of body fat - Video

Source: builtlean.com

For athletes and ordinary people For those who think about their health and those who want to lose weight, it is very important to know the percentage of fat in the body. After all, trying to get rid of extra pounds, people mean exactly fat accumulation, and not muscle or bone tissue. Many simply ignore this indicator, focusing only on the arrow on the scales, but in vain.

Knowing the percentage of fat accumulation in the body is much more useful in order to correctly perform procedures to eliminate it. In what follows, methods will be presented how to determine body fat percentage, which is an invariable process when losing weight, drying and building muscle tissue. The methods presented below can be used independently or by contacting a specialist - a nutritionist or fitness trainer. These specialists will be able to determine exactly what needs to be done exactly to the person who asked for help. By studying individual characteristics, you can achieve the desired results.

Standing on the scales, each time it is clear that the weight is changing in one direction or another, even if these are small indicators. But this does not mean that the content of fat accumulations has decreased - it can be simple dehydration or a decrease in muscle mass. If you want to build it, then you need to get rid of the subcutaneous fat.

This is important: As a rule, people who want to lose weight tend to go on a fast-acting diet. It leads to positive results, but in fact a person loses water and muscle mass - fat remains unchanged, well, or slightly leaves the stomach.

The subsequent transition to a normal diet leads to a sharp replenishment of water and muscle mass - this happens in even larger quantities (therefore, a person gains even more after a diet). To formula good weight was more correct, it is necessary to know exactly the percentage of fat contained in the body. That is why it is necessary to know this indicator, for which several methods of determination have been developed.

The norm for a person

For the normal functioning of the body, it must have an optimal percentage of fat. To survive, a minimum percentage of fat is required: men should have 3-5% fat, and women 8-13%. You can't get rid of it completely because fat cells necessary for the functioning of the body, otherwise you can just die. You can not eliminate fat, which is part of nervous system and the one that surrounds internal organs.

Most of the fat in the body is located in the adipose tissue under the layer of skin and around the organs - this is visceral fat. A small part is found in the cells of tissues throughout the body. All fats play an important role in the functioning of the body, but an excess can lead to the development of heart and vascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiac ischemia, and certain types of oncology. Fat deposits in the body should be optimal value, because they maintain body temperature, protect internal organs from damage, promote the synthesis of hormones and other chemical compounds and perform other functions as well.

The table clearly shows that normal fats are required not so little if a person is not an athlete. If you try to reduce the amount of fat below the lowest, then the body in general, and especially the internal organs, will suffer from this. It will not be possible to recover quickly - it is quite difficult to return the optimal percentage of fat.

This is important: Too low a percentage contributes to the section of the muscles, which makes them, as it were, dissected and "striped", dividing the muscle into small rollers. Everyone can achieve the perfect body through exercise and diet, but keep yourself in perfect shape long time pretty hard. To do this, it is necessary to constantly monitor the intake of calories, and this is too difficult, especially if the constitution of the body does not favor harmony.

You need to stay in the range of healthy fats and try not to go out of there. For normal state of health and risk reduction chronic pathologies, it is necessary to monitor the accumulation of fat cells and try not to overdo it.

Expert opinion

Egorova Natalya Sergeevna
Nutritionist, Nizhny Novgorod

The ratio of visceral and subcutaneous fat is 1:9. That is, in the body healthy person 10% of fat should be localized around the internal organs, and 90% - in the subcutaneous fat. Violation of this ratio can have adverse consequences for the body.

Visceral fat is located around the internal organs and supports them. With its insufficient amount, these same organs begin to react painfully to increases in intra-abdominal pressure (for example, when coughing). And this can cause prolapse of the kidneys, spleen, liver, gallbladder, intestines.

Excess visceral fat even more dangerous than its lack, because visceral obesity is the main risk factor for a number of dangerous diseases: atherosclerosis, coronary disease hearts, arterial hypertension and etc.

Thus, it is important to determine not only the total amount of fat in the body, but also its location, that is, how many percent of it is localized around the internal organs.

How to find out the percentage of body fat

There are many ways to determine the percentage of fat in the human body.

The simplest of them are presented in the following form:

Scales with the determination of the mass of fat in the body. It is important to know that such measuring instruments always have a margin of error.
Take a good look at yourself in the mirror and visually determine the excess body fat.
With a centimeter ruler, measure the size of the waist and forearm. If the size of the waist has decreased, and the forearms have increased, then fat has begun to be burned, and muscle tissue has begun to grow.

All methods are easy to perform and accessible to everyone, but they do not give a specific result. With these methods, you can find out the general condition of the fat layer.

Ideal weight formula

Having learned this, you can look at the result in the table:

This method is usually used by girls to determine the size of the fat layer.

Online calculator

The calculator, which is easy to find on the Internet, will quickly and correctly determine your indicator using five formulas. The results of the checks will be reflected in the chart of categories of fat content in the table, where the percentage of fat and age will be expressed. In the gallery you can find photos of bodies with different indicators of adipose tissue in the body. You just need to go to the online calculator page and fill in all the fields, click on the "calculate" button.

Result: Approximately fat (or ) in your body.

The result will be calculated by all formulas if all fields are filled in correctly. If something is ignored, then the calculation will be made according to an incomplete number of formulas. When completely filled in, the result will immediately be displayed on the graph, photo, and in tables.

Please note: The online calculator determines the percentage in five ways, and then gives the average value. Any of the methods produces an error in the range of + - 3%. The more methods used, the more accurate the result will be.

Each method gives an indicator in percent and its weight in kg. The methods have their own graphs, where the result of the person being tested will be highlighted with a yellow line. The second level of the graph, which is visible on the outer circle, highlights the scale, according to which the results are evaluated as a percentage. Next are two summary graphs, the first shows the results of all formulas and the average value. In the second graph, a more accurate estimate of the percentage of fat, which was carried out taking into account age. In addition to calculating the percentage of body fat, the graph gives recommendations for further action.

Other Calculation Methods

What other ways can you calculate the percentage of body fat:

US Navy method. When enlisting in the US military, everyone is tested for body fat percentage, weight does not matter. To do this, take the height, girth of the hips, waist and neck.
Covert Bailey method. The result is given taking into account age. For the calculation, the size of the hips, thighs, lower legs, wrists and age are taken.
With BMI. The calculation is based on height, weight and age. It is important to know that after 30 years, the accuracy of the indicator decreases.
Additional way. His calculations are based on more parameters. Weight, wrist, hip, forearm and waist are taken.

The resulting numbers are summed up, and the average is calculated, which will be closer to reality.

Application of the caliper

Women who diet to perfect their body are required to frequently calculate the percentage of body fat. After all, fluctuations in the fat layer can significantly affect health. Calculate the percentage of body fat for women quickly and accurately will help a special device - caliper. It is designed to measure the thickness of the fat layer anywhere in the body.

How can you determine the indicator using this device:

Measure the thickness of the fat fold at the back of the shoulder.
Do the same between the ribs and the femur.
Measure the thickness on the stomach, slightly moving away from the navel.
Calculate the indicator using the following formula: (The sum of all folds in cm + the same amount, but taken squared + 0.03661 x the number of years lived) + 4.03653.

It's a tricky calculation, but with practice, you can easily handle it. This device can also calculate indicators for men.

Correction of the amount of fat in the body

According to the law of energy balance, the more energy is spent, the more fat is burned. But this is up to a certain point, after the main burning of the fat layer, it becomes quite difficult to achieve its destruction. If you are planning to lose 10 kg, then burning the first half will be much easier and faster than the last 5 kg. To bring the body to the desired harmony, you will have to apply additional methods- sports. With a decrease in the amount of fat, each dropped kilogram will be given more and more difficult.

Please note: Visceral or visceral fat accumulates in adults with growth total fat cells in the body, and not due to hereditary predisposition. In men, it begins to accumulate when the percentage of fat is reached - 20.6, and in women - from 39.4.

To move from one fat indicator to another, you need to follow some rules.

gain fat

What to do: eat convenience foods and other fast food, eat more food at a fast pace.
Restrictions: move a little, do not play sports, exclude fruits and vegetables, healthy food, sleep less.

Reduce fat

What to do: eat 2 servings of protein meals per day, 1-2 vegetable meals, exercise 3-5 times a week.
Restrictions: Eat fewer processed carbs, and drink fewer high-calorie drinks.

It is not recommended to burn fat to a critical point, because the whole body will begin to suffer from this, and most of all the internal organs. It is recommended to lose weight in small steps, gradually approaching the cherished figure on the scales. The body should not experience stress during the process of losing weight, otherwise it may fail, and it will be difficult to recover.

What do most women do when they want to evaluate their figure? That's right, get on the scales! So what is next? The current weight is compared with what it was a year ago, five, ten. Such a comparison may indeed say something, but in many cases it is like fortune-telling on coffee grounds. The fact is that with age, body composition changes, muscle tissue is gradually replaced by fat.

For reference, the body weight of a woman is made up of the weight of the skeleton (12%), muscles (35%), fat (24%) and the mass of other body components, in men, the mass ratios are slightly different - the skeleton accounts for 15% of the total mass, the muscles - 45% and about 12% fat.

Let's say the muscles decrease, and the fat is added by exactly the same amount - what's good about that? In other words, simple weighing cannot be your compass in the beauty world. A much more precise tool is needed. But what if we use calculators to calculate the ideal weight? In one column, write your height, and in the other, respectively, find your optimal weight. Then it remains only to stand on the scales, and the picture of one's own state becomes as if clear.

Meanwhile, not everything is so simple (just do not fully take into account). And the American insurance companies were the first to discover this. At one time, they actively used the body mass index (BMI) to determine the degree of their risk when insuring the life of a client. After all, the higher the excess weight, the greater the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. However, even clerks, far from medicine, after several years of experience, it became clear: there is no direct relationship between height and weight.

How to find out your body fat percentage?

One of the most accurate methods is body composition analysis, waist/hip ratio assessment, and skinfold measurement.

Body composition analysis shows the distribution of your weight: how much fat is in it, and how much is everything else. Such an analysis can be done in many sports health centers and fitness clubs. Some of the ways to conduct this test are quite simple, some are much more difficult. We will return to this later.

Skin Fold Measurement .

To calculate the percentage of fat in the body, first of all you will need a thickness gauge - a device that is shown in the pictures. It can be purchased at any sports store. However, you can also use a regular ruler, for this you need to attach it to the fold, shifting a couple of centimeters to the base (as shown in the figure below.

Measurement Rules
Take all measurements while standing.
Take measurements on right side body.
Gather the fold large and index finger(as it shown on the picture). Grab the skin wide enough so that body fat was folded in two between your fingers. Squeeze the fold hard enough (light pain), in order to expel water from adipose tissue.
Place a ruler or thickness gauge 2 cm away from your fingers (between the peak and the base of the crease).
To improve the accuracy of your body fat percentage, take 2-3 measurements, but do not take 3 consecutive measurements in the same place at the same time. You must alternate the following places alternately: triceps - stomach - thigh - triceps and so on.
To maximize your body fat percentage accuracy, ask for measurements loved one and compare with yours. Enter the average results into the system.
It must be remembered that after a while, repeated measurements should be taken by the same people who did it the previous time.

For a more visual implementation of the measurement rules, a picture is shown below.

Ultrasound

This method of research is carried out on special equipment, similar to the one that stands in the ultrasound rooms. Ultrasonic waves penetrate deep under the skin and show the thickness of the fat layer on the measuring scale. Usually, ultrasound scan held in several locations. The data obtained in this way is used to calculate the total percentage of fat in your body.
Oddly enough, but opinions about this method paradoxically diverge. Some experts consider it very accurate, others argue that the device, in principle, is not able to give the correct result.

Method for measuring bioelectrical resistance (BES)

When using the BES method, a weak signal is passed through your body. electricity. No more than a tiny pocket battery. Current is applied through electrodes attached to the arms and legs. Adipose tissue, unlike muscle, do not conduct current. It turns out that the faster the current passes through the body, the less fat it contains. The data obtained are substituted into formulas that take into account height, gender and age. Thus, the percentage of fat in the total body weight is calculated.

Weighing in water

The study looks like this: you sit in a chair suspended from the scales, exhale, and you are immersed in a tank of water. For about 10 seconds, while underwater weighing is in progress, you naturally cannot breathe. The whole procedure is repeated several times. The three highest scores are averaged. Based on it, using several complex formulas, the percentage of fat in body weight is calculated.
This time-consuming and inconvenient method is used exclusively for research purposes. In addition, when weighing women, it is not particularly accurate due to the fact that formulas that work well for men give significant errors here. The reason is that between women there are large differences in the density of bone and muscle tissue - for some they are dense, while for others they are loose.

Formulas for calculations

Body fat percentage is calculated using the formulas for the body circumference method developed by Hodgdon and Beckett. Men and women require different methods of measurement because men tend to accumulate fat on their belly (apple shapes) and women tend to accumulate fat on their belly and thighs (pear shapes).
Formula for men:
Percent Body Fat=495/(1.0324-0.19077(log(Waist-Neck))+0.15456(log(Height)))-450
Formula for women:
Percent Body Fat=495/(1.29579-0.35004(log(Waist+Hips-Neck))+0.22100(log(Height)))-450

To determine the norm, the data from the formulas are presented in the table below

It's time to pull yourself together and prepare for...

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FAQ

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How to build shoulders

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Consider in this article how you can build muscle at home. The main hindrance to studying at home is our laziness. However, if you overcome it and start exercising at least an hour a day, after a couple of weeks you will notice results. And be sure to give yourself at least one day off.

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How skinny do you need to be? A "healthy" body fat range is a controversial issue. Therefore, below are 2 diverse tables for determining the percentage of body fat. Here is how they should be read and understood:

1. Ideal Body Fat Percentage: Table 1

According to the table below, women have a higher percentage of body fat compared to men. The fact is that women have more fat due to physiological differences such as hormones, breasts and genitals. In addition, women need more fat to ovulate. The “main” fat in the body of each of us is the minimum amount of body fat necessary for normal physiological health. There is a lot of debate about how much body fat is optimal for overall health. American explorers clinical nutrition came to the conclusion that low rate body fat is "unhealthy". According to this study, people aged 20-40 with up to 8% body fat are considered unhealthy. The healthy range is 8-19%. As for the women of the same age group, then you need to strive for an indicator of 21-33%, which is considered optimal.

Fat is just one indicator of health, so a certain level of body fat is not the whole story. It's amazing how some sumo wrestlers have a significant amount of body fat, but tend to have low level cholesterol and live long. Conversely, it is not a fact that an athletic and well-nourished man with a body fat index of 8% is “unhealthy” and needs his deposits. We all have various ways, shapes, and indicators of fat distribution, but I think the tables are a great help in sorting it all out. However, the disadvantage of this table is that gender differences are taken into account here, but your age is not taken into account.

2. The ideal ratio of body fat according to Jackson and Pollock: Table No. 2

This body fat percentage chart is based on a study by Jackson and Pollock and has become somewhat of an industry standard, both from an aesthetic and healthy point of view. If you don't understand how to use this chart, age is in the column on the left, body fat percentage is in the chart itself, and the colors mean Thin, Ideal, Normal, and Above Average. So if you are a 30-year-old male, a body fat percentage of 10% to 16% is considered “ideal” for you, and 18% to 22% is “average”, and so on. This scheme uses red to highlight too high content body fat percentage, and green, which represents the ideal range. Remember that the first chart is for men and the second is for women.

You may also have noticed that as you get older, the acceptable amount of body fat also increases. Why, you ask? The fact is that when we get older, some things happen in our body. physiological changes and the amount of fat in the body increases. There are 3 types of fat: subcutaneous (under the skin), visceral (near organs), and intramuscular (between muscles). It is visceral and intramuscular fat that increase in quantity with age. We advise you to read about, you will definitely be surprised how diverse methods exist.

We hope you found this discussion of ideal body fat percentage helpful!

Nature has created man as an example of the ideal distribution of all the functions and capabilities of the body. But a decrease in the amount of physical labor, the use of unnatural food, sedentary image lives destroy this harmonious mechanism. An example of this is the increase in body fat content. Not less harm carries too thin a fatty layer. You will learn more about what is the normal percentage of fat and how to stabilize it in case of deviations.

Minimum percentage of body fat

The amount of fat in the human body is great importance, because fat performs a series important functions. This:

protection of body organs;
maintaining a normal temperature;
preservation of nutrients;
softening of the joints;
energy storage.

To save good health and maintaining full life V female body should be at least 13-15% fat, and for men - at least 5-9%. There are no clear boundaries and requirements for the amount of fat, but below this threshold, processes of dysfunction of organs and tissues can begin in the body.

If a woman's weight is in this range, then she feels and looks good, and her reproductive organs are operating normally.

Fat in the female body promotes the synthesis female hormones, normal functioning reproductive organs, correct menstrual cycle, bearing and giving birth to children.

The amount of fat different reasons may increase with age. But the main reason is a decrease in physical activity.

There is no exact figure for the amount of fat in the body. There is a range within which each individual person has its own value. It all depends on the characteristics of the organism. One person may have a higher body fat percentage than another of the same age and gender, but still feel more energetic and healthier.

It is important to ensure that this amount does not go over upper bound norms.

With weight loss within these limits, some women experience cycle irregularities. This means that the weight has fallen below the limits of the individual norm for this woman.

Age norms:

It is important to ensure that the amount of fat does not fall below normal. Strong weight loss harms not only women, but also men.

With a normal physique, fat in female body located in the hips, waist, sides, chest. If fat accumulates in the shoulders, arms, patella and shins, then this indicates a metabolic disorder, malfunctions hormonal system, tendency to edema. Therefore, this is an occasion to consult a doctor.

In men, fat levels are also important. Many systems depend on it. male body, including reproductive and digestive. Men have other duties and functions: a worker, a breadwinner, a protector. They have more active life and more accelerated exchange lipids. Therefore, it is much easier for them to lose weight.

Fat in men is normally evenly distributed throughout the body. Its accumulation in the abdomen indicates violations in gastrointestinal tract. Fat in the sides, chest, hips indicates a metabolic disorder, elevated content female hormones and unhealthy diet.

Why is visceral fat dangerous?

There are two types of fat stored in the body:

subcutaneous (visible);
visceral (internal).

Subcutaneous fat is located close to the surface of the body. It can be seen and felt.

All organs and cavities in the body are covered with a special film, the functions of which are varied. Visceral fat grows inside this shell, covering all organs. It is impossible to see him. Its presence can be determined by the violation of the proportions of the body.

First of all, the person's stomach begins to protrude forward. Other parts of the body may not change.
The causes of visceral fat inside the body can be:

unhealthy diet;
lack of movement and physical activity;
bad habits.

Visceral fat is not age feature organism. In recent decades, young people and even children have all the signs of excess internal fat. And this leads to big health problems.

The complete absence of visceral fat is also dangerous for the body, because it covers the internal organs from external influences and injuries. But it should not be more than 15% of total body fat.

A sure sign that the amount of visceral fat is increasing, and it is time to take action, is an increase in the size of the abdomen. This type of fat causes serious problems:

varicose veins of the lower extremities;
change hormonal balance and metabolism;
heart failure, heart attacks;
diabetes mellitus type 2.

Fat in the liver is processed and converted into cholesterol, which goes to blood vessels and deposited on their walls. A person develops atherosclerosis.

Exceeding the norm of visceral fat can be determined by measuring the waist circumference. If the waist in women is more than 80 cm, and in men - 90-95 cm, then it's time to sound the alarm.

How to measure body fat percentage

In clinics and wellness centers, you can measure the amount of fat using special devices and methodologies. At home, there are several methods:

Visual. Having undressed to underwear, you need to examine your body in the mirror. Usually everyone who is overweight knows this very well. Therefore, this method will help if a person decides to improve his body. In the mirror, you can identify areas and areas that need to be worked on.
Cloth. By trying on clothes, you can see if a person has lost weight or gained weight.

These methods will not help determine the percentage of body fat. If you need exact numbers, then you should purchase a small device called a caliper. It is sold in a pharmacy and is quite cheap.

Using a caliper, the thickness of the body folds is measured in different areas. How to take measurements? You need a helper because you can't do it alone.

The principle of operation of the caliper is the same as that of the caliper. Therefore, you can take measurements using one of these tools and a centimeter tape.

There are usually no problems with these devices. It is necessary to determine at what points measurements should be taken.

Triceps. Rear end hands between elbow and shoulder. Vertical pleat in the center.
Biceps. Exactly the same fold as in the previous case, but in the front of the arm.
Blade area. Grab the crease just below one shoulder blade from the spine down to the side of the body at an angle of 45 degrees.
The area below the waist is slightly above the ledge pelvic bone at a slight angle.

Data must be recorded in millimeters on the caliper scale. Add all 4 values \u200b\u200band find the percentage of fat in the table.

How to reduce the percentage of fat in the body?

If you want to lose weight, you need to reduce not the weight, but the amount of fat. Do not starve and reduce the amount of food consumed. In this case, the body will eat muscle, and leave fat in reserve.
Strict diets and hunger strikes injure the psyche. And they end with a breakdown, overeating and a decrease in self-esteem.
Therefore, it is necessary not to reduce the quantity of food, but to change its quality. In this case, a shake-up of metabolism occurs: the body learns to burn more calories. Keeping the number of calories at the same level, it is necessary to gradually change the "bad" calories to useful ones.

At ordinary person the diet usually suffers from a lack of proteins, and fats and carbohydrates in excess. What should be done?

Increase the amount of proteins in the diet, because they are the main material for muscles.
Reduce the amount of "bad" carbohydrates: baked goods, sweets, sugar. Instead of them - cereals and pasta.
Refuse sausages and semi-finished products with a high content of chemical additives and trans fats. Instead of them - poultry, beef, fish.
Dress salads only with vegetable oil.
Avoid fried foods.
Divide the entire diet into 5 doses. It contributes better assimilation food and boost metabolism.
Drink more water.
Make up for the lack of sweets with dried fruits.

After two weeks of such nutrition, the first results should appear. If there are no results, or they are not as desirable, then you need to again reduce the amount of fats and carbohydrates without touching the proteins. Change fatty foods to low fat foods. There are only egg whites, red meat is replaced with white. And gradually reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed: gradually 10-15 g per day.

Physical exercise

You can enroll in Gym and exercise under the guidance of a trainer.

Do your own cardio workouts. Any physical activity to strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

You can train yourself both in nature and at home. The treadmill and exercise bike are very popular. Or simply various exercises recorded on discs.

You need to buy a heart rate monitor and monitor your heart rate during workouts. There is a maximum heart rate. For men it is 220 minus age, for women it is 214 minus age.

During training, you must ensure that the pulse is not higher than this number, otherwise heart problems begin.

There are some very effective exercises:

Pylometric push-ups

Take an emphasis lying, as with ordinary push-ups.
Lower the body to the floor, then sharply raise it.
In this case, the hands come off the floor and make a clap.
You need to have time to land on the palm of your hands.

Saw

The starting position is the same.
The weight is transferred to the elbows.
Straighten your lower back, crawl back, pushing only with your hands.

plank

Lie down on your forearms.
Maintain this position for 20-60 seconds.

burpee

Squat down with your hands on the floor.
Quickly go to the lying position and return to the starting position.

Walking on hands

Get on all fours.
Crawl forward on your toes.
Then back.
The body does not bend.

Walking up the stairs helps a lot. It can be supplemented with simultaneous hand exercises with dumbbells.

Walking

The most acceptable way to lose weight is walking. She doesn't need any special conditions nor long workouts. You can start with small walks, gradually increasing their duration.

Another convenience: the way to work or part of the way can be walked. Some people even manage to work while walking: thinking about new projects, writing articles, making phone calls and making deals.

You can talk to your parents and friends on the phone. After all, most people in the bustle do not have enough time for this. Can walk the dog

You can also learn about the norms of fat in the following video:

Body fat is both friend and foe. You need to be able to determine when it turns into a problem for the body. Having learned to determine the percentage of fat in the body, it is not difficult to find ways to bring it back to normal.

Fine balanced diet together with physical activity are the first and main steps on this path.

Do not run yourself and your body. This is not only an aesthetic problem. Excess weight causes serious violations in organism.

But there is no need to go to the other extreme either. Because a lack of body fat can also be dangerous.

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