You express the amount of fat in your body as a percentage of your total body weight, also known as your body fat percentage. You can estimate your body fat percentage with a standard formula that uses a few body measurements. Body fat percentage is a more meaningful measurement of fitness than body weight since you can actually gain weight after beginning a fitness program. This occurs when you gain more muscle weight than you lose in fat.
Step 1
Weigh yourself in pounds with a bathroom scale just after you wake up. This will ensure that your water weight is at its lowest level of the day.
Step 2
Take your body measurements in inches with a tape measure. Measure your forearm, wrist and your hips at their fullest point if you’re female. Measure your waist at the navel regardless of your gender.
Step 3
Calculate lean body weight if you’re male with the formula (weight x 1.082) – (waist x 4.15) + 94.42.
Example: Assume you weigh 184 lb. and have a 33-in. waist. Your lean body weight is therefore (184 x 1.082) – (33 x 4.15) + 94.42 = 157 lb.
Step 4
Compute your lean body weight if you’re female. This computation uses the formula (weight x 0.732) - (waist x 0.157) + (forearm x 0.434) + (wrist / 3.14) – (hips x 0.249) + 8.987.
Example: Assume you weigh 134 lb., and have a 28-in. waist, a 10-in. forearm, 6-in. wrist and 37-in. hips. Your lean body weight is (134 x 0.732) - (28 x 0.157) + (10 x 0.434) + (6 / 3.14) – (37 x 0.249) + 8.987 = 100 lb.
Step 5
Convert your lean body weight to your body fat percentage with the formula (total weight - lean body weight) x 100 / (total weight).
Example: Assume you weigh 184 lb. and have a lean body weight of 157 lb. Your body fat percentage is (184 - 157) x 100 / 184 = 14.7 percent.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Bathroom scale
- Calculator
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