Pop quiz for you: If you’re 36 years old and weigh 135 pounds and you’re told you have a body fat percentage of 30%, would a doctor consider you healthy? The answer, like most poker-related questions, is “it depends.” The missing information is whether you are male or female. How we got the weight and fat percentages in the first place is the subject of this article. And the answer is on a body fat scale.
A body fat scale tells you more than your weight. It tells you your body fat percentage. In our pop quiz example above, the person has a fat composition of 30% or 40 1/2 pounds of fat. That may seem like a lot, but depending on whether it is a man or a woman, it will tell us if that person is healthy or not.
How much body fat should a healthy person have?
Women ages 20 to 79 are considered healthy if their body fat percentages are between 25 and 35%. Men’s ranges are wider, from 7 to 25% is considered a healthy composition. If you’re in your 20s and 30s, you want to be in the lower ranges and then as you get older, in your 40s, 50s and beyond, you’ll still be considered healthy as you get closer to the higher side of the range . This applies to men and women alike.
How do you control your body fat?
There are several options available to the health conscious consumer for taking their body composition measurements. You can go to a doctor and use a skin caliper or body composition machine. Or you can buy a body fat scale and weigh yourself at home. You can also monitor your progress as you lose body fat. You’ll stay motivated as you add healthy, calorie-burning lean muscle through diet and exercise.
Cost is no longer an issue for home scales. Scales and monitors are much more affordable these days and you can pick one up for as little as $25-$30 on Amazon.com or Ebay. Most people have no need for high-end models that cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The lower priced ones will give you the information you need.
When looking for ways to help you lose weight and get fit, consider adding a body fat scale to replace your current scale that only gives you your weight. You’ll be able to stay more motivated as you review yourself each day and track your progress as your body fat percentage decreases and you gain lean muscle. The less body fat you have, the better, and likewise, the more lean muscle tissue you have, the better. If the scale says you have too much fat, then you need to look for ways to start losing weight before serious long-term damage to your body occurs. And finally, the answer to the questionnaire is that if it’s a man, he’s not healthy and if it’s a woman, she’s healthy.