
In the past men hit the weights room with the primary aim of bulking up, but today the main fitness goal of many is to “get lean” – namely to strip away the fat in your body to reveal the array of muscles beneath. Think Brad Pitt in Fight Club or Cristiano Ronaldo at any point in the past ten years. Ripped muscles, and not a shred of excess flab.
To achieve this physique there has been an increased focus among trainers and gym-goers alike on body fat percentage, with the ultimate target considered to be single digits. However, even if you’re not aiming for a shredded physique, it’s worth figuring out what your body fat percentage is and whether you need to improve it because it’s a good overall indicator of how healthy you are.
“Having a healthy body fat percentage can reduce the risk of numerous medical conditions,” says Dr Luke Powles, a GP at Bupa’s Crossrail Health Centre in London.
“An elevated body fat percentage has proven links to higher cholesterol levels and raised blood pressure, which are both factors that increase the chance of having a stroke or suffering from heart disease. As well as being linked to some types of cancer and diabetes, a higher body fat percentage can cause erectile dysfunction in men.
“It is also important not to have a body fat percentage that is too low – being underweight is linked with a number of health issues as well.”
For men aged 20-39, the healthy range for body fat percentage runs from 8% to 20%, and for men aged 40-59 it’s 11-22%. It’s now easier than ever before to monitor your body fat: you can get smart scales, fitness trackers and handheld scanners that provide the stats on your body composition. For fans of more old-school (and cheaper) methods, calipers will also do the job.
Before you start trying to shed fat, however, it’s useful to understand a bit about the biology behind body fat, starting with the two different types: essential and stored.
Essential fat, unsurprisingly, is essential to the normal and healthy functioning of the body. For men, this accounts for roughly 3% of total body weight. Without essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 from oily fish, nuts and seeds, it would be impossible for our bodies to process nutrients like the fat-soluble vitamins A, K, and D, which assist in immune health, blood clotting, and the absorption of calcium. Fat is also essential for the protection of our organs as well as to the insulation that regulates our internal temperatures.
The other type of fat, called storage fat, is the result of a calorie surplus. When we eat, calories that are not used for immediate functions (such as to provide the energy for respiration and to provide the fuel to keep your heart ticking) are converted into the triglycerides that make up storage fat. A frequent surplus of calories causes fat stores to accumulate, resulting in weight gain. On the flip side, a recurring calorie deficit forces the body to use up its stored fat as energy, depleting the supply and resulting in weight loss.
Put simply, fat is a collection of unused energy and is vital to our survival as humans. Body fat percentage, then, is the ratio of fat to total body weight. Many factors such as height, gender, and genetics can have an impact on this number, bringing us back to the topic in question: what is a healthy body fat percentage? Generally speaking, the ‘healthy’ range for men ages 20-40 starts as low as 8% and can reach up to 20%. A healthy woman of the same age group could have anywhere between 15 and 31% body fat. Here’s an indication of what a healthy body fat percentage is, taken from the Royal College of Nursing in November 2015.
While most people who fall within these numbers are in good shape, such broad ranges certainly do not take into account the individual fitness goals that each person may have. Bodybuilders looking to attain an ultra lean and muscular physique have some of the lowest average body fat percentages at 5-8%. Cyclists, gymnasts, and triathletes are also among the leanest of athletes, usually falling between 5 and 12% body fat. When it comes to looking ripped, guys should keep body fat between 5 and 10%.
Your body fat percentage is the best indication of health and fitness. It’s a far better marker of body composition than outdated systems like body mass index (BMI) or simply measuring your total weight using scales. Your total weight can fluctuate considerably due to regular hormonal swings, the time of day you weigh yourself and how much you’ve eaten or drunk just before stepping on the scales.
If you’re relatively tall and muscular, BMI makes no sense whatsoever and can typically shunt you into the overweight or obese category. Part of the problem is that it was never meant to apply to individuals, but to entire populations. It was developed in 1832 by a Belgian mathematician, Adolphe Quetelet, to define the average man (noting how “weight increases as the square of height”) but not to define if people were under or overweight.
In the 1980s it was seized upon as a useful formula to estimate expected life spans and has been the bane of the muscular man ever since – often denying strapping young men of the chance to join the police or similar physically-orientated organisations where they still use BMI in the recruitment process. Measuring your body fat percentage, however, records your specific composition of total fat, rather than an estimation based on your height and weight.
What Is A Healthy Body Fat Percentage?
thumbnail courtesy of coachmag.co.uk
viagra from canada viagra without a doctor prescription discount viagra
where to get viagra buy viagra online generic name for viagra
cialis going generic in 2019 in us generic cialis for sale lowest cialis prices
can you buy viagra over the counter buy viagra online viagra 100mg price
buy ed drugs online best natural ed treatment men ed
best ed supplements best drugs for ed prescription drugs
canadian viagra generic viagra cheap viagra online
viagra without a doctor prescription usa buy viagra online buying viagra online
viagra walmart buy ed pills online viagra over the counter usa 2020
best over the counter viagra buy ed pills online viagra amazon
ed pharmacy generic cialis best ed pills
dysfunction erectile cheap ed pills male ed
cat antibiotics without pet prescription cheap ed pills drugs for ed
viagra without a doctor prescription generic ed pills medications list
erectyle disfunction cheap ed pills canadian drug prices
treatments for ed ED Pills prescription drugs without prior prescription
does medicaid cover cialis buy cialis cialis coupon code
viagra vs cialis vs levitra cialis for sale 30 day cialis trial offer
bimatoprost brand or generic https://carepro1st.com/
cure ed ed drugs online from canada ambien without a doctor’s prescription
buying ed pills online ed meds online without doctor prescription best ed pills at gnc
generic dapoxetine citrate for sale https://salemeds24.wixsite.com/dapoxetine
personal loans payday loans online fast deposit
tadalafil pharmacy tadalafil pharmacy
compare pharmacy prices for prescriptions generic drugs from india
buy generic drugs from canada buy generic drugs from canada
payday loans direct lenders cash advance
sildenafil 100mg for sale http://droga5.net/
hydroxychloroquine states not allowing https://hydroxychloroquine.mlsmalta.com/
keflex for foot infection duration https://keflex.webbfenix.com/
ivermectin tablets for sale https://ivermectin.webbfenix.com/
ivermectin human consumption https://ivermectin.mlsmalta.com/
is hydroxychloroquine a prophylactic https://hydroxychloroquine.webbfenix.com/
is there a generic for viagra buy viagra online viagra discount
priligy black 800mg https://ddapoxetine.com/
how to order vidalista online no prescription https://vidalista40mg.mlsmalta.com/
tiujana cialis cialis canadian viagra cialis
prescription refill log https://medpills.bee-rich.com/
ed problems treatment Prednisone sale natural cures for ed
cheap viagra 100mg viagra pill viagra buy viagra online canada
ed treatment natural canadian pharmacy viagra ed treatments
how much does cialis cost generic cialis side effects for cialis
erectile dysfunction medicines canadian pharmacy review dog antibiotics without vet prescription
how much will generic viagra cost viagra for sale how much does viagra cost
canada cialis cialis for sale cialis or viagra
viagra from india buy viagra online viagra without prescription
how much does cialis cost at walmart buy cialis cialis tadalafil 20 mg
daily use of cialis cheap cialis average price cialis
amstyles.com https://amstyles.com/
amazon viagra viagra for sale viagra 100mg price
buy viagra online cheap viagra pill viagra no prescription viagra
muse ed drug canada drug pharmacy erectile dysfunction medications
cialis generic goodrx https://wisig.org/
homeopathic remedies for ed: sexual dysfunction in men buy prescription drugs online without
online ed meds: online ed meds canadian online pharmacy
otc cialis 30 day cialis trial offer when will cialis go generic
online ed drugs canadian pharmacies online erectile dysfunction treatments
how to buy viagra cvs viagra viagra canada
daily use of cialis hard erections cialis cialis dosage
natural cures for ed buy cialis in canada online over the counter ed medication
generic name for viagra viagra from india over the counter viagra cvs
buy prescription drugs without doctor canadian pharmacy viagra best pills for ed
malaria drugs used in vietnam https://hydroxychloroquinee.com/
viagra pills viagra without doctor prescription no prescription viagra
best place to buy viagra online
viagra generic generic pills roman viagra
viagra coupons
viagra professional generic viagra canada viagra no prescription
cheapest viagra online
best price for generic viagra on the internet erectile dysfunction pills best erectile dysfunction medication
natural ed remedies canadian healthcare pharmacy canadian pharmacy
canadian medications online pharmacies without an rx canadian healthcare pharmacy
drug pharmacy canada prescription pharmacy canadian pharmacies shipping usa
homeopathic remedies for ed ed meds online best erectile dysfunction pill
chloroquine prophylaxis covid 19 https://hydroxychloroquine.grassfed.us/
which ed drug is best buy Plaquenil Aciclovir
drugs causing ed canadian licensed pharmacies listing canadian healthcare pharmacy
pills erectile dysfunction buy lipitor online lipitor tablets
generic ed pills lipitor generic buy lipitor
cialis 200mg tadalafil show cialis working
cialis 30 day sample cheap cialis cialis 30 day sample
buy ed pills online canadian pharmacies shipping to usa canada drugs online
viagra online best over the counter viagra generic for viagra
cheap online pharmacy online pharmacy canada canada drugs
viagra online canada https://cheapvgr100.com/ ymmiegck
cvs viagra https://cheapvgr100.online/ silaankd
viagra amazon https://cheapvgr100.com/ jhjuvoxh
vidalista without a doctor vidalista sale https://vidalista.buszcentrum.com/
Taxi moto line
128 Rue la Boétie
75008 Paris
+33 6 51 612 712
Taxi moto paris
Thanks for any other excellent article. The place else could anyone get that type of info
in such a perfect method of writing? I have a presentation next week,
and I’m at the look for such information.
clomid purchase online yasmin uk levlen generic australia
buy pilex online yasmin contraceptive canada yasmin over the counter
where to get zithromax doxycycline 100mg price amoxicillin over the counter in canada
yasmin cost yasmin 2004 online canadian pharmacy levlen online no prescription
which is better cialis or viagra or levitra https://www.lm360.us/
benadryl otc canada price of generic zyrtec allegra discount prices
zithromax generic cost buy bactrim buy antibiotic
cost of zovirax tablets order acyclovir over the counter acyclovir
ojbbzyhx cialis online pharmacy http://cialisirt.com/ switching from tamsulosin to cialis
xjbxrwvt cialis 200mg http://cialisirt.online/ high blood pressure and cialis
rlbtjcxg buy viagra online usa http://viagrastm.online/ is there a generic viagra
ahnulxib buy viagra online cheap http://viagrastm.com/ viagra doses 200 mg
wiyiekwg cialis generic availability http://cialisirt.online/ how to get cialis samples
medications online https://canadianpharmacyvikky.com pharmacy drugs
how long is ivermectin effective http://ivermmectin.co/
ed symptoms https://canadianpharmacyvikky.com ed natural remedies
erectile dysfunction causes pharmacy orlando india pharmacy
rx express pharmacy best drugstore bronzer online drugstore pharmacy
pharma med rx pharmacy online pharmacy without scripts
online pharmacy drugstore rx pharmacy coupons thrifty drug store
men ed
https://canadarx24.com/
how to get prescription drugs without doctor
chloroquine online http://viaaagra.com/
buy ed drugs
https://canadarx24.com/
over the counter ed
ed medications canadian pharmacies online my canadian pharmacy
cialis canadian pharmacy https://ciaaliss.com/
cheapest ed pills online dawcmvjf levitra generic medications online
how long does 20mg cialis keep in system cialis generic rdawnffy how often to take 10mg cialis
what is cialis buy cialis jrmpxviw cost of cialis 20mg tablets
causes of ed ofnzomkn buy levitra ed meds online
best medication for ed tmeeyqxi buy levitra online aspirin and ed
viagra coupons thwdnfor cheap viagra canadian pharmacy viagra
where can i buy viagra over the counter pxbbpkfp cheap sildenafil online pharmacy viagra
kfvc viagra online canadian pharmacy http://dietkannur.org dhhk vqsg
lewj generic viagra online http://dietkannur.org ipsu sxck
cialis dosage 40 mg dangerous jttpcwyu http://tadedmedz.online/ show cialis working
cialis without doctor prescription wslqwebx http://tadedmedz.online/ cialis reps
buy cheap prescription viagra online meds online without doctor prescription
viagra without doctor script prescription viagra online without doctor