Body fat content. The percentage of fat in the body is an important criterion for health and beauty

There is no perfect formula that shows if you are overweight. But then you can measure the percentage of fat in your body.

The absence of an ideal formula can be attributed to the fact that all people are of different physiques. Formulas based on height/weight can show the same recommendations for both a 100kg bodybuilder and a 100kg fat man of the same height as him.

Therefore, the most effective indicator that determines how you look is the percentage of body fat in your body - the proportion of fat in% of your total body weight. We talked and showed it in .

Definition of "by eye"

In the basic texts of Zozhnik - "" and "" we show these photographs, by which you can clearly understand an example of the level of fat.

Looking at them and at yourself in the mirror as objectively as possible, you could imagine and approximately determine your percentage of fat, and at the same time see how you can change if it is reduced / increased.

The age-old question of beginners is also connected with the level of fat, “how to pump up the press?” - everyone has a press with cubes, only it becomes visible at a certain level of fat. Depending on the specific case, an athletic physique and relief abs are visible for men at the level of 6-13%, for women - 14-20%, and obesity begins at numbers when fat is taken from a third of body weight or more.

Ruler Definition

A method using a regular ruler, or a caliper, or a special device - a caliper, which is essentially a ruler for measuring the thickness of the skin fold.

The technique is simple: stand up straight, find a point 10 cm to the right of the navel at its own height, pinch the skin and fat in this place with your fingers and measure the thickness of the resulting fold with a caliper (ruler, caliper).

The resulting figure in millimeters and age must be compared with this table showing the level of fat.

FOR MEN:

FOR WOMEN:

Calculator definition

There are also many body fat percentage calculators on the internet based on various body measurements. For example, there is in our section "Fitness Calculators".

Current definition

The most accurate way to determine body fat percentage is through bioimpedance, a body composition test using a special device that sends a small current through the body. The speed of signal transmission depends on the amount of fat, and the more fat, the slower the signal goes.

The body composition analyzer looks like this:

And it allows you not only to determine the percentage of body fat more accurately than previous methods, but also gives you a lot of other necessary information, shows your body mass index, calculates your personal basal metabolism (your calorie intake), the ratio of sodium and potassium in your body. In large cities, it will not be difficult to find a company that will measure all this for you - Yandex will help you.

The bioimpedance method is considered the most accurate of those listed - with an error of only about 1.5-2%.

Weighing in water

Very accurate, but at the same time the most time-consuming method, which is used in specialized clinics. The technique is based on the fact that, due to its low density, fat has positive buoyancy and does not sink. A person is fixed in a special chair and completely immersed in water with his head,where they weigh. Make several approaches so that the result is as accurate as possible. The fat weight is then calculated using the formula.

This technique gives one of the most accurate results with an error of about +/- 3%, but few places provide such a service. For example, we could not find proposals on this topic on the Internet.

Why is low fat dangerous?

The minimum safe for health and life level of fat for a man, depending on individual characteristics, is 2-5%. At the same time, it should be understood that performing athletes with a relief enter competitions with a fat level of 5-7%, but this is also a lot of stress for the body.

There are also extreme sportsmen - a fatal case is known when an athlete died due to a low percentage of body fat, having previously achieved an indicator of 1%.

For women, the minimum fat level is 10-13%.

At lower percentages, the metabolism deteriorates significantly, the production of sex hormones stops in men, the menstrual cycle stops in women, and these are only the most superficial signs of a negative impact on health.

We are also talking about the dependence of life expectancy on body weight, where it was said about the negative impact of both excessively high and excessively low levels of body fat.

So don't get carried away and may the force be with you!

Thinness is not yet a sign of health. It is much more important that the fat content is normal. The combination of bone and muscle mass and water also plays a decisive role. The rate of fat content in a woman's body needs to be known not only for losing weight. It will be useful for those who simply respect their health. In order to feel good and live an active life, a certain proportion of fat in a woman's body is necessary. The norm of this indicator fluctuates around being 15-25%, and for a man - 12-19%. Deviations in either direction can cause problems. The fact is that fat has its own functions that you should keep in mind if you want to look good.

What is it needed for

The female body cannot exist without fat. It is he who provides the synthesis of sex hormones, normal MC, makes it possible for childbearing.

Without fat, there will be no protection for internal organs and bones. The fatty layer provides:

• normal functioning of the immune system;
• helps to accumulate energy, and this supports a person;
• helps the absorption of vitamins;
• allows you to conduct nerve impulses that promote movement;
• participates in the delivery of nutrients to myocytes;
• maintains a stable body temperature;
• protects the organs of the body from negative consequences in case of any injuries, taking all the blows first;
• softens the joints.

Fats are flavor carriers in foods, which is why a person likes to eat them. No matter how athletic a person is, it is impossible for him to live without a certain amount of fat. Therefore, do not give up fat for the sake of fashion.

Kinds

With age, the amount of fat in the body increases. The basis of this phenomenon is age-related overeating and reduced physical activity.

There are 2 types of fat in the human body:

• subcutaneous - it can be felt, it is external;
• visceral (internal).

Subcutaneous fat is metabolically less active, and visceral fat is quickly broken down. Important: when trying to lose weight, visceral fat goes first; moreover, he begins to leave it from the stomach. With a weight loss of only 5-10%, abdominal fat is reduced by 10-30%.

Features of visceral fat

All organs are covered with a film, under which there is fat that envelops all these organs. This is visceral fat. If the internal fat in a woman's body is normal, then it acts as a reserve for the body. You won’t see it visually, but when the indicators are exceeded, the proportions of the body are violated: the stomach protrudes strongly forward. Although organs need visceral fat, as it serves as their protection, but in excess it becomes dangerous. If we talk about what norm of visceral fat in a woman's body should be present, then experts determine the figure at 15% of the total fat. This applies not only to women, but also to men. With its excess, varicose veins, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, all vascular problems, atherosclerosis occur. The excess of such fat is visible at the waist - in women it is more than 80 cm.

There are also essential and stored fats.

Irreplaceable

These are omega-3 fatty acids. Sea fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, etc. can serve as sources. Without them, the heart and liver do not work well, fat-soluble vitamins - A, K, D cannot be synthesized.

cumulative

If the consumed calories are not immediately used for functioning, they degenerate into triglycerides. When fasting or otherwise frequent, the body uses this stored fat, which depletes stores and causes weight loss.

Is BMI important for obesity?

The BMI formula is based on height and weight. It has been used since the mid-19th century, but has become popular in recent decades. It was considered a way to assess a healthy weight. A BMI less than 18.5 indicates a lack of weight, from 18.5 to 24.9 - weight is normal, from 25 to 30 - excess of the norm, but not yet obese, from 30.1 and more - obesity.

But the downside is that BMI only orients how heavy you are, and does not distinguish between body fat and muscles, that is, it does not say anything about body composition. Namely, this indicator is the main one.

Therefore, in such cases, a physically active woman can fall into the category of puffy people, but it is clear that she has much less fat and more muscle than a sedentary woman. Muscle is always three times heavier than fat and takes up less space. If active training shows weight gain, this is progress, and you should not stop exercising. That is, BMI itself is an indicator of false health.

Percentage of body fat

Its indicators are influenced by gender, heredity, age.

According to many experts, the norm of fat mass in a woman's body is from 16 to 25%. And although people try to reduce this figure in every possible way, it is worth remembering that below 15% is the result of ill health. With it, osteoporosis and fatigue develop, and MC is lost altogether.

Miscellaneous indicators

10-12% is the minimum level possible for bodybuilders. Everything is intertwined with veins and muscle grooves are visible.

15-17% is the second level of fat. The figure is typical for most models. There are practically no hips and buttocks, but the shoulders, abs and arms are pronounced. Problems in the body are unambiguous.

20-22% - typical for most athletes. There is little fat on the limbs, the press cubes are clearly visible.

25% is the percentage of more women. It is this percentage that is the norm of fat in a woman's body (the photo is presented below). Such a woman is not thin, but not fat either. The buttocks and the curve of the hips are present.

30% - accumulation of fat in the buttocks and thighs, which become pronounced. This indicator is the upper limit of the normal proportion of body fat in a woman's body.

35% - the hips grow in breadth, the face and neck are rounded. ABOUT more than 100 cm, FROM - 80 cm. The stomach begins to hang.

40% - hips over 106 cm, waist - 90 cm. Life buoy on the stomach.

45% - more circles, hips more than 115 cm, waist more than 90 cm. The pelvis exceeds the shoulders.

50% - the hips increase in volume and noticeably exceed the width of the shoulders. They are more than 120 cm, the waist is 101 cm. Half the weight is fat.

So, the rate of fat content in the body of a woman:

• female athletes: from 15 to 20%;
• overweight: more than 33%;
• healthy/acceptable: 25 to 32%;
• active woman: 21 to 24%.

Minimum Interest

Scientists have deduced a minimum proportion of % fat, below which it is no longer possible to fall due to health risks. The rate of fat in a woman's body varies from 13 to 16% at a minimum, depending on age:

1. Age ≤ 30 - 13% (15-23).
2. 30-50 - 15 % (19-25).
3. 50 and older - 16% (20-27).

And what is the norm of body fat in women living in countries with a very cold climate? In this case, the percentage of fat increases by 5-7%. It cannot be determined by appearance. Because in such individuals, the metabolism is rebuilt to accumulate fat, which will protect a person in critical conditions.

If the rate of fat in a woman's body in% is on average from 16 to 25, such a woman is outwardly attractive and feels good, and the reproductive system works fine.

How to calculate the ideal ratio?

There are more than 10 calculation methods. Below is one of them.

Step 1: Find out your body fat by age. Recommendations for the age content of the normal level of body fat in a woman's body are presented below.

• shortage - less than 21%;
• normal - 21-33%;
• excess - 33-39%;
• obesity - more than 39%;

• shortage - less than 23%;
• normal - 23-35%;
• excess - 35-40%;
• obesity - more than 40%.

After 61 years:

• shortfall: less than 24%,
• normal: 36-42%,
• obesity: more than 42%.

Step 2: Weigh yourself several days at the same time.

Step 3: Calculate your BMI.

Step 4: Calculate % body fat: plug the BMI result into the formula:

(1.20 x BMI) + (0.23 x age) - 5.4 = % body fat.

Step 5: compare the result and step 1. You will get a full breakdown of how far from ideal.

How to measure your body fat percentage?

Jewelry precision is useless. The easiest way is to undress to your underwear and examine yourself very carefully.

Wardrobe method - measuring clothes. For accurate results, purchase a caliper from a pharmacy. Very economical can use a caliper and a tape measure, since the principle of operation is the same. There are points on the body (key places), by measuring which you will accurately determine the total amount of subcutaneous fat.

How to use the caliper

There are some rules:

1. Take measurements with an assistant.
2. If you are right-handed, pull the fold out and hold with your left hand.
3. The jaws of the device may move slightly. Try to get used to it.
4. Before releasing the skin on the jaw of the caliper, do not press.

Where to take measurements?

Point number 1. Triceps - a vertical fold is taken immediately in the center of the back surface of the arm.

Point number 2. Biceps - the same fold, but on the other side.

Point number 3. Shoulder blade - the fold is taken just below the shoulder blade.

Point number 4. Waist.

How to apply the obtained measurements?

The resulting 4 values ​​​​in mm are added up, and the percentage of fat is found according to a special table.

In clinics and health centers, fat percentage is measured using MRI, X-ray scanning, bioimpedance (the device emits weak electrical impulses through the body, and the proportion of fat is calculated from the speed of their passage).

Measurement Rules

For a woman, measurements are taken on days 3-7 of the MC. Otherwise, the data obtained will be inaccurate, because puffiness increases before menstruation. Calculations are enough once a month. For athletes, before important starts, tests are carried out once a week.

The following rules are:

• the assessment is carried out on an empty stomach, i.e. it is forbidden to eat 3-4 hours before measurement;
• minimize salt intake, drinking 3 days before the measurement;
• folds are measured in the morning, as swelling may appear in the afternoon;
• in winter, measurements are most accurate;
• it is better to delay skin folds with a caliper, this will reduce the error;
• the test is done before active training;
• it is useful to drink a liter of lingonberry juice the day before measurements to get rid of excess moisture.

Fat distribution

With age, the fat content always increases, especially after menopause. This is due to its ability to spread around organs and into muscles.

The minimum indicator of fat does not indicate the ideal body. For the formation of the figure requires physical activity.

Deterioration of well-being and the appearance of pathologies indicate that there is an excess in sports.

How to reduce the percentage of fat in the body?

Even if your performance is not ideal, and you are constantly striving to reduce weight, you cannot go beyond the boundaries of the physiological norm. Recently, it has been proven that drastic diets and quick results are especially dangerous for the elderly.

If the rate of body fat in a woman is exceeded, first adjust your lifestyle. Of the physical activities, the best are cardio loads (biking, jumping, swimming and even walking). They are the ones that burn fat.

Diet

Extreme diets are inappropriate because they lose fluid and muscle, but not fat. In addition, strict diets are stressful, and the body starts to store fat in a panic, rather than expend it. Change only the quality of the food.

What to do:

1. Increase protein - a building material for muscles. Simple carbohydrates are either significantly reduced or completely eliminated - sweets, muffins, white flour. Instead of them - cereals and pasta.
2. Refuse sausages and semi-finished products. All of them contain chemicals and trans fats. Replace them with natural meat, poultry and fish. More greens, vegetables and fresh fruits.
3. Refusal of mayonnaise, fried, sauces, animal fats - a minimum.
4. Meals are fractional, at one time, at least 5 times a day.
5. Drink more water - up to 2 liters.

Short-term results are short-lived. So give yourself time - go forward with slow but steady steps. And remember: there is no healthy fullness.

And water in the body. The question is relevant because by determining the proportions of fat, water and muscle mass, you can find out exactly how much fat you lost during weight loss. Maybe it's just water?

If in the process of losing weight you lose fat, and not muscle mass or water, then you are definitely on the right track. But how in the body and what is the average? There is a special table where all the numbers are given. Let's take a quick look at her data.

The average indicator is calculated depending on the age, gender of the subject. So because of the hormone estrogen, the female audience has 5% more body fat than the male audience. Therefore, the usual normal figure is 23% for a woman and 17% for a man.

Depending on age, the percentage of normal body fat increases, and muscle tissue mass decreases.

For example, the average 20-year-old student should have about 15% fat content of their total body weight. And older men with a clearly sedentary lifestyle have rates of 25% or more. The ideal indicator is considered the limit of obesity. Anything above is full-fledged clinical obesity with all the ensuing consequences.

Why you need body fat

As paradoxical as it sounds, the human body still needs fat. Weight loss fanatics can convince you otherwise until you're blue in the face, but still pay attention to this point so as not to cross the boundaries of acceptable weight loss.

Fat is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Therefore, its content cannot be equal to zero.

Fat needed:

• For thermal insulation;
• To protect the internal organs and / or the fetus during pregnancy;
• as energy reserves. This is the so-called NZ of our body for a "rainy day".

For women, the indicator of the required fat is at least 8-10%, but for men this figure is 3-5%. A low percentage of fat is extremely dangerous for health, which is especially true for the female body. So indicators below 10-13% inhibit the production of estrogen, disrupt reproductive function and the menstrual cycle. There is also a risk of developing osteoporosis much earlier than old age due to a decrease in bone density.

By the way, often due to lack of body weight, women cannot become pregnant. That's why doctors recommend certain fat-building foods for the "painfully thin."

How to find out the percentage of body fat

There are various methods that reflect the fat content in the body. Most accurate:

• Body composition and its analysis;
• Waist-to-hip ratio;
• Skin fold measurement.

So you can find out what proportion of your body is fat, and what is the rest of the tissue. Similar studies are easy to do in sports centers and clubs. There you can also be offered special products that will help you lose weight or. I mean high-quality official drugs like thermogenics, and so on.

In pharmacies and not very good sports clubs, they often sell products that remove fat from the body. Drugs simply do not allow lipids to be absorbed during digestion, are harmful to the body, and besides, they can embarrass you in public.

Skin Fold Measurement

One of the most accurate and popular methods for determining the percentage of fat is to measure the thickness of the fold in certain places.

The scale on this tool will show the thickness of the fat layer. Such pinching is done in certain places - the upper back, abdomen, hips, chest. Next, the indicator is inserted into a special formula and the percentage is calculated.

You won’t believe it, but initially the tool was invented in order to determine the thickness of fat in pigs. Later adapted to the needs of man.

The measurement has a high degree of accuracy, but tomography is considered the most accurate. Thanks to the unit, it is possible to accurately divide adipose and non-adipose tissue in the body. But due to the high cost of the procedure, it is practically not used in practice.

Pinching

To make pinching, it is necessary to pinch a fold of skin in several places with the index and thumb. The help of an outsider is needed, since you need to pinch on the hips, abdomen, slightly above the armpit. Next, trying not to spread your fingers, measure the distance between them with a ruler. If the distance is more than 2.5 cm, then you have excess weight.

Body mass index

To calculate, you need to divide the weight by the height squared. The normal value is from 18.5 to 24.9. But the indicator is very inaccurate, since the same athletes have more muscle mass, and the indicators will reflect obesity with the same numbers.

Clothing size

With clothes, too, everything is not clear. Clothing tends to both stretch and shrink. You could simply overeat salty and water simply accumulated in the body, that is, there was a banal edema, which will subside a little later. It is enough to sit in the sauna, cut back on salty foods in order to fit into your favorite jeans.

The principle of losing weight due to the evaporation of water is used in all kinds of slimming shorts, creams that remove water from the body.

If you overdo it, you can lose too much water. The result is dehydration and poor health.

figure type

It is useful for all kinds of measurements to also focus on the type of figure.

The physique is of three types:

• – thin. It is distinguished by narrow bones, elongated arms and legs. This type of people does not have a lot of fat and muscle in the body. They have an intensive metabolism, because ectomorphs simply have no idea what "" is. Even the most harmful foods like mayonnaise and buns will not make them obese.
• – have a wide bone, muscles predominate over adipose tissue. Their body responds to physical activity as quickly as possible. It is mesomorphs who quickly earn a beautiful relief.
• – the bone has average parameters, but the metabolism is slowed down. Adipose tissue predominates over muscle. It is endomorphs who have problems with being overweight. Even foods such as lean steamed fish can cause obesity.

Having determined the type of your physique, you can safely determine where exactly to start and the transformation of body shapes.

In short, recently I have again changed the approach to food, to training, and in general to the psychological side of my fitness and my ideals of the female body. I am working on the mistakes that I have made and put up with my body. I’m thinking of making a material about these mistakes, but the main one lies in the terrible word “fat”.

Namely: for a long time I did not get fat in the diet (on average, it turned out 30-40 g per day) and too zealously pursued a low percentage of fat in the body. Why this is very bad will be discussed in today's post. But if we talk about nutrition, today I try to eat at least 80-100 g of fat per day. And I deliberately increased the percentage of body fat from 18-19 to 21-23. Yes, at first it was unusual to perceive myself after 18%, but my priority is still health.

The idea of ​​this post belongs to the guru in the field of health and healthy eating - Dr. Andrey Beloveshkin. Actually, the post was created in collaboration with him. More precisely, the post was created by him in collaboration with me :)

So fat. It plays many important roles in our body. From how healthy our skin looks and how firm, supple and pleasant it is to the touch, to whether everything is in order with our hormones - many of them are not produced when the percentage of body fat is too low (hello fitness bikini Soon you will shoot me in a dark alley :)). I have already touched on this topic: with a lack of body fat and fat in food, the first thing that suffers in the female body is the reproductive system and reproductive function. The body begins to save resources, and gradually disables the functions that it can do without and ... survive. And why should he think about procreation if he himself is now in danger? ..

Let's figure out why fats (both those that we eat and those that we wear on ourselves) need to be understood, forgiven and pardoned.

It is important to ensure that the external fat does not fall below the acceptable minimum.

As long as the subcutaneous fat does not exceed the norm, it is good. Because fat produces special hormones that protect our heart and blood vessels. And, as I wrote above, there is a minimum of subcutaneous fat, without which the normal functioning of the hormonal and reproductive systems is impossible. Subcutaneous fat is aesthetics, all the smooth curves and outlines of the female body. Without subcutaneous fat, the body becomes senile-male: rough, dry, angular, with translucent bones and muscle bundles. A certain supply of subcutaneous fat is also needed for the “calm” of the body. When the body is under stress, it is concerned with only one thing: to survive. Therefore, it begins to push fat into the liver, into the heart, into the walls of blood vessels.

You can measure subcutaneous fat scientifically - by measuring the thickness of the folds in different places. You can try to control through the numbers on the scales (but here is a nuance: it is impossible to determine the percentage of fat and dry mass). I have long come to the conclusion that the easiest and most reliable way is a mirror. You undress, stand in front of a full-length mirror and ... look. No, not in the vein of “Fu, I'm fat!”, But you adequately consider everything that hangs or does not hang down. If there is too much adipose tissue in the body, it will give out folds, tuberosity, cellulite, abdomen, axillary and patella ridges. Yes, and in general, so-so general view. If it doesn't hang anywhere, then everything is in order. Veins, protruding tendons, cubes and individual muscle bundles are a sure sign that there is not enough fat. And you are at risk. Yes, yes, I’m saying this :) You didn’t think so. No belly wreaths. No dry muscles. I really want children in the future, to be honest. And I really don’t want problems with the hormonal background.

Therefore, let the dry bodies remain for the fitonies who are trying to make money on this. People who want to stay healthy need to understand: artificially created superfluous dryness of the body is not healthy. I emphasize: redundant. Lest you read this as an excuse for gluttony and obesity :)

Speaking in numbers, 20-25% fat is the norm for a woman. The maximum excess fat is up to 15% excess body weight if it is subcutaneous fat (and not internal). When it falls below 9-10%, the body goes into a serious deficit, which causes the entire system to fail. For men, the critical threshold is lower - 4-6% body fat.

If you don't eat enough fat every day, your body will lose weight for a while, yes. It will please you. Only on the sly, our cunning and very smart body will slowly turn off the extra light so as not to waste energy, as it seems to it. And so that later you don’t have to work all your life to replace all your electrical wiring, it’s important not to come to this. Experts recommend eating at least 1 gram per kilogram of body weight, but according to my feelings, the body still needs more. Especially the body, which, like mine, is constantly in motion and in mental labor. Therefore, today I try to eat 1.5-2 grams - depending on the intensity of the day. By the way, a diet rich in fats also saturates better. Therefore, after 1.5-2 hours there is no desire. And I want in 4 hours.

It is also important to control subcutaneous fat so that it does not fall below normal! When the level of subcutaneous fat is below 7%, women go into deficiency mode, hormonal failure and menstruation stops. With a prolonged absence of menstruation, the ability to give birth to a child is sharply reduced and leads to infertility. Men are also not so happy. With a low content of adipose tissue (4-6% of the total mass), testosterone production stops and libido decreases. Overrelief is the lot of professional bodybuilders and it is harmful. If you already wear a couple of extra pounds, then it's better to do it on the buttocks than in the liver.

Control the energy balance: income and consumption

Energy balance is the ratio of the number of calories we get from food to the calories we burn during exercise. The difference between the total calorie content of the diet and the calories that burn during exercise is the available energy, which the body can use to roam. More precisely, use it to maintain life and yourself.

Lately I've been eating around 1700 calories a day (still not enough! but I'm working on increasing). Fortunately, I stopped eating at 1200 kcal. Because objectively, at my level of brain and physical activity, this is not enough. According to the most conservative estimates, one workout costs me 400 kcal. But this is according to the most modest - I can burn 800! But still, let's start from the average value of 400 kcal.

This means that for everything about everything my body has 1300 kcal per day. He can distribute it to his internal affairs and other goodies. There is such a concept - basic need, or basic exchange. This is the minimum energy that we need just to live and function normally. And do nothing about it. Just lie down. As you can see, even now, having increased the daily calorie content of the diet, I underfeed myself. But thanks to Dr. Beloveshkin, I already eat a lot more. Details - further.

If you do not give the body energy for basic needs, slowly but surely this will lead to problems.

How to find out your balance?

First we need to find out the percentage of body fat. My average body fat percentage now is 23% (9 months ago it was barely over 18%, and now I look at those photos and understand: well, thin, well, a tomboy, no ass, only bones - so what?).

Fat can be calculated using special impedance scales, or a bioimpedance device. The percentage of fat can be calculated on a special calculator in different ways and choose the average. A good calculator, for example, . But for him, you will need accurate girths of different parts of the body, which will be discussed later.

Dry weight is calculated using the formula: dry body weight (weight without fat) \u003d current weight - (current weight x current % body fat).

My weight today is 56 kg, and the proportion of fat is 0.23 (23%). I think for myself:

Dry weight = 56 - (56 x 0.23) = 43 kg.

The minimum available energy required is 30 kcal per kilogram of dry body weight. At a level below 30 kcal, your sex hormones will “fall in”, and if you drop to 25 kcal (the notorious almost 1200 kcal per day), the thyroid gland will most likely start to act up. After reducing to 20 kcal per kilogram, real problems with the head begin.

Optimal for a normal life, well-being, without a threat to health and almost without a threat to the figure - this is 40-45 kcal per kilogram of dry body weight (body weight without fat - we have already figured out how to count it above).

This means that for my 43 kilos dry weight, my caloric intake should not be less than 43 x 30 kcal/kg = 1290 kcal. And that's just the minimum basic requirement! And for almost a year I gave so many calories to my poor body for life, work, and training ... Do not repeat! Although it is very easy to get hooked on a low-calorie needle, because it gives a quick result. At what cost is another question.

My base calorie optimum: 43 * 45 = 1935 kcal. Since I do not lie on the couch all day, then this figure must be multiplied by a correction factor depending on physical activity.

Many of you have seen this list, I'm sure:
1.2 = sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, very little or no sports activities
1.3-1.4 = light activity (some daily activity + light exercise 1-3 times per week)
1.5-1.6 = average activity (training 3-5 times a week)
1.7-1.8 = high activity (active lifestyle and hard training 6-7 times a week)
1.9-2.0 = extremely high activity (sports lifestyle, physical labor, daily training, etc.).

I now have an average activity and a correction factor of 1.5. So my minimum is 1.5 * 1290 = 1935, and the optimum is 1935 * 1.5 = 2900 kcal. If we assume that now my daily calorie content is 1700 kcal, then my energy balance is negative (even taking into account the minimum requirement, more than 200 kcal are missing). You can fix this by reducing the intensity (or frequency) of your workouts or by increasing the number of calories. Let's say in my case, adding two eggs (180 kcal) or one avocado (205 kcal) will help me. Or skipping half a workout (200 kcal) - and that will be enough to balance your energy balance. But I prefer to leave my gym as it is, and at the same time eat more.

I’ll be honest: I’m already increasing calories, I don’t weigh food and don’t bother with accurate calorie counting - I just eat. And so good for the whole body, so calm. I'll watch a little more and then I'll tell you. But even visually there is a difference. By the way the skin looks all over the body, for example ...

You can also calculate your level of basic and total needs on the calculator. For me, it turned out to be a minimum of calories with my physical activity of 1880 kcal, which is close to my calculation (1935 kcal).

Why is it important not to go negative for a long time? If the energy balance is negative, then the body goes into energy conservation (deficit) mode.

And here the action-packed movie begins: the metabolism slows down, the work of the thyroid gland and sex hormones worsens, mood and energy drop, depression and irritability appear. In addition, the body will still accumulate internal (bad) fat, sacrificing muscle.

Therefore, Andrei Beloveshkin strongly recommends: even when losing weight or maintaining our normal weight, we should not go beyond 30 kcal per kilogram of dry body weight for more than 2-3 days. In no case do not do as they advise: "eat less, train more." This will lead to the fact that you will reduce body weight, but increase the amount of bad (internal fat).

I’ll add from myself: be reasonable, don’t listen to those who advise you to live on one lettuce leaf and kill yourself in training. Treat your body with respect, and it will thank you. Do not gesture, otherwise the body will respond with even more tin. Restoring metabolism and hormonal levels, treating the reproductive system is long, difficult and costly in every sense.

Watch the amount of internal fat!

“The most dangerous is internal fat, which is hidden in the stomach. It disrupts the work of hormones, worsens mood, causes illness, weakness and chronic fatigue. Its excess provokes cravings for all sorts of addictions: from sweets to drugs and addictive relationships, ”says Andrey.

But the most unpleasant deceit lies elsewhere, friends. Bad fat, which grows against the background of hunger strikes, drying, chronic overload and stress, can "melt" our body. Change its composition and kill the quality.

This means that disturbed sex hormones and stress hormones "reprogram" our fat cells. “Reprogrammed” fat begins to behave indecently, which leads to the appearance and strengthening of problem areas: we seem to be thin, but cellulite on the hips, buttocks and even calves blooms luxuriantly! And even more noticeable than before.

What does a normal average girl do in such a situation? Right! Nervous, starving, training until fainting and… the circle is repeated. And with each such circle, alas, our problem areas become more and more problematic, and cellulite appears even on the cheeks.

Twin studies have shown that only 20% of the accumulation of internal fat can be somehow explained by genes. Everything else is nutrition, lifestyle, bad habits. Bad fat is not so easy to see in the mirror, but even people with normal weight can have it: athletes, models, petite girls.

Now we will see how to track the amount of internal fat and health status using ... a centimeter tape. This block will be useful to those who are interested in a little self-examination, they say, how am I doing now?

The key in our study is waist size. Almost all other indicators dance from it. After all, it is in the abdomen that the internal fat is hidden.

We take the tape. We give it into the hands of an experienced doctor Andrei Beloveshkin. We take one fitness blogger as a model and experimental subject. Who is not afraid to show you the whole truth of his body.

“Waist circumference should be measured midway between the lower edge of the lower rib and the top of the pelvic bones (alternatively, at the narrowest point, usually at the level of the navel or slightly above). When tightening, you should slightly stretch the tape, with an effort similar to lifting an empty mug. When measuring, the tape should be parallel to the floor. Stand still, arms at your sides, breathe calmly, measure as you exhale. Measure several times until there is a difference of no more than one centimeter, ”recommends Andrey.

The circumference of the hips can be measured in the widest part of the buttocks - we determine it visually, ”advises the doctor.

Neck circumference is measured at its narrowest point:

Thigh circumference - in its upper third:

My results: weight 56 ​​kg, height 170 cm, waist 67 cm, hips 96 cm, neck 30 cm, belly height 17.5 cm, hip 55 cm. Fat percentage 23%.

1. Waist.

My waist is normal (67 centimeters). When I lose weight to 60, my hips deflate to 89, and this is already a boy's story - I'm still for femininity. The normal waist circumference for women is up to 75 (80) centimeters, from 80 to 88 centimeters - this is weight gain, over 88 - obesity. In men, normal parameters are up to 94 centimeters. A wide waist reduces your attractiveness and doubles your risk of premature death from any cause. This also applies to people with normal and low weight!

2. Hip-waist ratio.

My ratio is 67 x 96 = 0.70 (ideal).

“The ideal numbers are 0.7 (0.65-0.78) for women and no more than 0.9 for men. Normally, this index should be less than 0.85 for women and less than 1.0 for men. A good hip-to-waist ratio increases attractiveness, intelligence and libido, and reduces the risk of many diseases (cancer, infertility, diabetes). The hip-to-waist ratio is one of the best indicators of health, ”comments Andrey.

I will immodestly add: mmmmm, bend !!! :)

3. Height to waist ratio

My ratio is 67 x 170 = 0.4 (excellent). The norm for this index is less than 0.5 for men and women.

The body shape index shows the relationship between waist circumference, height and weight. The formula is complicated, let's use a calculator. In addition to numbers, this index also gives a picture that shows where we are on the risk scale.

My body shape index is 0.0723 which is normal. At the same time, the calculator also calculates the relative risk. I have it equal to 0.76. This figure means that my risk of disease is less than the average (average risk = 1). The higher the number, the higher the risk of disease.

The circle on the graph is me :) The more to the left and lower the circle is, the better. The higher and to the right - the more dangerous.

5. Conical index (K-index).

“The formula is complicated and I didn't find a calculator. Therefore, we divide the weight in kilograms by the height in meters, extract the square root from this (in the standard calculator, the sqrt button) and multiply it by 0.109.

0.109 x (square root of 56/1.7) = 0.63.

Then we divide the waist in meters by the resulting figure: 0.67 / 0, 63 \u003d 1.063.

So my conic index value is 1.063.

For men, the norm is a conical index of no more than 1.25, and for women - 1.18.

The higher the index, the more the person looks like a cylinder, and not like two cones converging at the waist. And the higher the risk.

6. Neck

7. Waist-to-hip ratio.

My ratio: 67/55 = 1.22 (excellent). Normally, this index is less than 1.5 for women and less than 1.7 for men.

8. Belly height.

My value: 17.5 cm (excellent). The norm is up to 25 centimeters.

“The height of the abdomen is the smallest distance between two horizontal lines: lying on the surface of the abdomen and touching the back vertebra. Measure with your back pressed to the floor and bending your knees, at the level of the sacrum. By the way, the height of the abdomen above 25 cm is the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease if you survive a heart attack at 50, ”says Andrey.

The conclusion suggests itself: I recognized the alarm signals of the body in time, returned an adequate amount of fat to the diet and fat under the skin. All my health markers are in excellent condition.

I stopped gesturing and testing the body for strength. I am very sensitive and attentive to him. I listen. I make sure not to dry out, but not to swim. And, as a small experiment showed, everything is not in vain. Health markers are normal, which means I can continue to live in peace.

What do you want :)

I want to express my gratitude to Andrey for this post, for all the information that he collected. And in general, for what he does for us - who are not indifferent to their health -. And yes, if you have not yet completed his Healthy Eating Course, then I recommend it. After the course, I began to look at food in a completely different way and finally made friends with her after a 28-year war. And if you want a beautiful posture and a straight back, then you are on a fresh course "Healthy Posture and Core Muscles".

Photo: Dmitry Rudenko
Location: Global Fitness Gym

Body composition analysis

By increasing muscle mass and burning fat, you thereby change the composition of the body that was given to you by nature. Tracking the process by floor scales is a thankless task. By burning fat, you may not see much progress in weight, because the same workouts add muscle mass in parallel. Gaining muscle, you may not see growth, as fat burns in parallel. In a word, scales are an unreliable clue that does not divide weight into bad and good. Also, you should not always trust a biased look in the mirror. Thus, the best controller of your progress will be a body composition check.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR BODY PARAMETERS?

Understanding the ratio of the main parameters of the body will allow you to set specific goals to achieve your goal of reducing and maintaining weight, as well as gaining muscle mass.

Having learned for the first time your main parameters of the body, in the future you can track the dynamics of changes in these parameters, and, consequently, the qualitylosing weight (you need to lose weight with fat, not water and muscles) or gaining mass (you need to get better with muscles, not fat).

In addition, quite often, many give up their attempts to lose weight or gain weight without even having time to really start, because after going to the gym for several weeks or following a diet, they do not see the result in the mirror. You may not see the results in the mirror, but you can’t deceive the device. It captures the slightest changes, which encourages you to go further towards your goal.

Therefore, the diagnosis of body parameters is simply necessary for all people. After all, at any age we can have a beautiful body and good health.

HOW TO MEASURE THE BASIC PARAMETERS OF THE BODY?

The method for calculating the composition of the human body is based on the results of medical research and scientific developments. Special device (body analyzerTanita) to determine the composition of the body is able to determine the necessary parameters of the body.

HOW DOES THE BODY COMPOSITION DETECTOR WORK?

When you stand on the platform of the Product, the monitor sends out small, harmless electrical current pulses that travel through your entire body. Since muscle tissues contain a large volume of water, they act as a conductor of electric current. Adipose tissues contain little water and are objects of resistance to electrical impulses. The resistance of various tissues of the body is compared with age, sex and weight. Based on this data, the Device calculates key body composition indicators.

PARAMETER 1 - WEIGHT

You will know your weight and your body mass index.

Body mass index - this is a value that allows you to assess the degree of correspondence between a person’s mass and his height and, thereby, indirectly assess whether the mass is insufficient, normal or excessive (obesity).

Based on your individual body parameters, the Body Composition Tool is also able to calculate your optimal weight. The optimal weight is individual - this is the weight peculiar only to this person, based on the main parameters of his body.

This is the weight that is easiest for the body to maintain.

Knowing the optimal weight will help you form the right program to change and maintain weight.

Changing eating habits and improving key body composition parameters can help manage weight and maintain results over the long term.

PARAMETER 2 - MUSCLE MASS

Muscles play an important role because they act as the main consumer of energy and are actively involved in calorie expenditure. The more physical exercise, the more muscle mass increases, respectively, the level of energy or calories consumed increases. The increase in muscle mass allows you to increase the metabolic rate, which leads to the reduction (burning) of excess body fat, because.each additional kilogram of muscle mass burns an additional 30 kilocalories per day.

Protein is necessary for the normal functioning of the muscles and the whole body.

There are practically no protein reserves in the human body, and new proteins can be synthesized in only two ways:

From amino acids supplied with food;

From the proteins of the muscle tissue of the body.

Low-calorie diets contain little protein, and the body is forced to expend its own muscle mass. This leads to the fact that you lose weight, but not by burning fat, but by losing muscle. The same thing happens with intense physical exertion, as they requireincreased protein content in the body. The more muscle you have, the more protein you need.

Determining muscle mass is especially important when you start both losing weight and gaining muscle mass. When losing weight, so that the weight loss process takes place precisely by losing excess fat and maintaining muscle mass. When gaining muscle mass - in order for the process of weight gain to take place by increasing precisely dry muscle mass, which is quite rare, since people trying to gain weight rarely follow a proper balanced diet and usually eat everything that comes to hand and in large quantities. As a result, mass gain is not only due to muscles, but also fat (and in large quantities).

PARAMETER 3 - BODY FAT PERCENTAGE

First of all, we are talking about subcutaneous fat. Very inIt is important to control the rate of fat.

A decrease in body fat and a simultaneous increase in muscle mass is a clear indicator of the effectiveness of an exercise program and the rationale for weight loss.

There is a physiological norm of fat mass, which is necessary for health and hormonal balance in the body. To know the recommended percentage of body fat adjusted for age, you can in a separate.

It is very important to know the amount of subcutaneous fat, since each kilogram of fat contains 1.5 km of additional blood vessels, which significantly increases the load on the cardiovascular system. Excess fat puts an increased burden on the spine and joints, besides, excess fat is fraught with an increased accumulation of toxins and toxins in the body, since fat is a slag depot, and a violation of the hormonal status, both in women and men.

PARAMETER 4 - INTERNAL FAT

Internal (visceral) fat is concentrated in the abdominal cavity and indicates the degree of obesity of the internal organs.

During a weight loss and muscle gain program, it is important to monitor the dynamics of changes in the content of internal fat.Since this type of fat increases the risk of developing a number of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc.

PARAMETER 5 - METABOLISM (Basal Metabolism)

Basal metabolic rate (daily consumption of calories by the body at rest, necessary for life support). The higher the metabolism, the more calories burned, the lower, the higher the likelihood of obesity with all the ensuing consequences. You will find out how many calories you can consume per day, i.e. the number of calories needed for life, taking into account your physical activity. By adding to this figure the number of calories that you spend on daily activities, you will calculate the total energy needs of the body per day and you can easily solve your weight loss or muscle gain goals.

PARAMETER 6 - WATER

The percentage of water in the body is one of the key indicators of youth and well-being.

It also directly affects how easy it will be for you to reduce or maintain weight, as well as gain muscle mass.

Approximately 50-65% of a person's weight is water. In muscle tissues, the water content reaches 75%. She is assigned the main role in the work of all organs of the body:

Provides an environment where all biochemical reactions of the body take place

Regulates body temperature

Carries nutrients, oxygen, enzymes, hormones to cells

Removes toxins and metabolic products from the body

Supports normal joint function

Provides natural moisture to the skin and other tissues And etc.

With a lack of water, the work of the kidneys will deteriorate, the load on the liver increases, the body becomes slagged, the metabolism worsens, etc.

For the success of the program of weight loss and weight gain, it is extremely important to normalize the content of water in the body.

Body water content:

PARAMETER 7 - BONE MASS

Bone deficiency can occur with an unbalanced diet and a lack ofphysical activity. For athletes, it is especially important to maintain normal bone mass.

The human body contains more than 1 kg of calcium. It gives strength to bone tissue and is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system and muscles. With the participation of calcium, blood coagulation occurs.

That is why it is necessary to eat a balanced diet and maintain the level of calcium entering the body in the normal range.

Bone mass scale

Source : World Health Organization (WHO)

PARAMETER 8 - METABOLIC AGE

Metabolic age is determined by the Device based on the integration of all of the above body parameters and differs from chronological age.

Chronological age is the age in calendar years. metabolic age depends on your metabolism and general chemical processes in the body, in fact - this is the age of your body. Therefore, it is especially important to ensure that yourMetabolic age was at least no older than Chronological.

The duration of such an analysis of the main parameters of the body is about 30 minutes. Cost - FREE.Everyone can pass it by making an appointment with.

As you understand, these body parameters depend primarily on our diet and lifestyle. In order to adjust to a new diet, the body needs about twelve weeks. Therefore, I suggest that you consider an example of a change in the parameters of the human body that has passed

DYNAMICS OF CHANGES IN THE PARAMETERS OF THE ORGANISM:

These are the numbers of a particular person, since each person is purely individual and pursues different goals, so each of these numbers will also be individual (maybe better, maybe not). It all depends on your desire, perseverance and following the advice of a personal trainer.