Lean body mass is the difference between your total body weight and the weight of fat in your body. It includes the weight of muscle in your body as well as bone and other tissue. Lean body mass is a common way of measuring your progress in a weight-training program, since it ignores the weight of fat. You can determine your lean body mass with some basic physical measurements and a gender-specific formula.
Step 1
Take female body measurements in inches with a tape measure. Women must measure the circumference of their wrist, forearm and hips. Take these measurements at their fullest point.
Step 2
Make body measurements for both genders. Weigh yourself in pounds with a bathroom scale. Measure the circumference of your waist in inches at the level of your navel.
Step 3
Calculate your lean body mass with the following formula from Dave Draper if you’re female:
Lean body mass = (0.732 x weight) - (0.157 x waist)
+ (wrist / 3.14) + (0.434 x forearm)
- (0.249 x hips) + 8.987
Assume you have the following measurements for this example: 142-lb. body weight, 31-inch waist, 6-inch wrist, 9-inch forearm and 39-inch hips. Your lean body mass is:
(0.732 x 142) - (0.157 x 31)
+ (6 / 3.14) + (0.434 x 9)
- (0.249 x 39) + 8.987 = 104 lbs.
Step 4
Compute your lean body mass with the following formula from Dave Draper if you’re male: lean body mass = (1.082 x weight) - (4.15 x waist) + 94.42.
Assume you weigh 182 lbs. and have a 33-inch waist in this example. Your lean body mass is (1.082 x 182) - (4.15 x 33) + 94.42 = 154 lbs.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Bathroom scale
- Calculator
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