Month: December 2008

In previous parts of this series, I’ve examined what body composition is, showed you some body composition calculations along with looking at what a good body fat percentage is for different goals.  I also examined methods of measuring body composition along with some problems with those methods. To finish up, I want to finally make some body composition recommendations in terms of what methods you might use, when to measure and how to make use of all this information.

Lean Body Mass and Fat Mass Problems

As I’ve at least mentioned in earlier articles in this series, all lean body mass and all fat mass aren’t identical and this provides another place where body composition measurements can be a problem.   For example, there are at least three primary types of body fat (in The Stubborn Fat Solution I describe five different types but that’s more detail than we need here) which are

1. Visceral fat (deep, around the gut)
2. Subcutaneous fat (under the skin, the stuff we can see)
3. Essential fat

And depending on which method of measuring body composition you’re using, loss of one vs.… Keep Reading

In previous articles on the topic of body composition, I’m examined what body composition is, shown some body composition calculations, looked at what is a good body fat percentage and examined different methods of measuring body composition.

Today I want to take a step back and get a bit more technical to look at some of the problems with measuring body composition accurately.   This will lead me to finally round out this series by giving some specific recommendations on how to use the various methods to get the best measure of what’s going on.

While each of the methods that I discussed in the previous two articles have their own individual issues (some of which I discussed in those articles), the underlying issue with most methods of body composition measurement is that they have any number of inherent assumptions that, as often as not, are turning out to be false.… Keep Reading

In previous parts of this guide I’ve looked at what body composition is, showed you how to do various body composition calculations and looked at various body composition numbers.  Consistently in the comments section of each article there has been at least one question asking how I suggest people measure body composition; as promised I’m finally going to answer them.

Measuring Body Composition

There are a number of reasons to measure body composition.   Arguably the primary one is to track the results from any diet or exercise training program.  As a trainee seeking body recomposition, the goal is to lose fat, gain muscle or both.

Only by tracking body composition can you know if what you’re doing is working.  There are other reasons such as health or simply vanity as well.  None is more valid than any other and I want to look at methods to track each.

So today I want to look at various methods of measuring and tracking body composition (or changes in body composition). … Keep Reading

In previous articles I’ve looked at what body composition is along with showing a variety of body composition calculations that can be done.  I also examined different methods of measuring body composition.   Continuing on that topic I want to address a fairly common question that comes up: what is a good body fat percentage (BF%)?

What Is a Good Body Fat Percentage?

As with most topics in the world, and especially in fitness and health, the answer to this question is hugely context dependent.  Are we talking about general health and wellness, athletic performance, competing in one of the physique sports such as bodybuilding, fitness or physique?  The specific goal will determine what body fat percentage might be good, bad or ideal.

General Health and Wellness

When looking at the topic of general health and wellness, it’s generally accepted that both too much and too little body fat can be unhealthy. … Keep Reading

In the first part of this guide, I examined what body composition means where I looked at the different components of the human body and how they integrate to determine body composition.  Following up from that piece, I want to talk more about body fat percentage (BF%), what the numbers tell you and how they can be used to determine how changes in body composition will affect the overall percentage.

Body Composition Calculation

As I discussed in the first part of this guide, when you know the amounts of fat and lean mass present in the body, you can calculate body fat percentage.   I’ll discuss the different methods available to do this later in the guide.

For the time being let’s assume I have a magic wand which I can wave to determine someones body fat percentage.  With those values let me show you two different body composition calculations that can be done.… Keep Reading