The body is composed of two types of mass-fat mass and lean body mass. Simply put, anything in your body other than fat is considered lean mass. This includes bones, muscles, skin, hair, teeth, cartilage, fluids, ligaments and tendons. Having a high amount of fat mass increases all the complications that come from being overweight, such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and metabolic syndrome. Calculate your fat mass and lean body mass with basic math skills.
Step 1
Step on the scale to get an accurate body weight. Do this first thing in the morning after getting out of bed. Use the bathroom, wear as little clothing as possible and do not eat anything. Commit your weight to memory or write it down.
Step 2
Determine your body fat percentage using a hand held analyzer. Hit the "On/off" button and answer the questions on the digital screen. Input your age, height, gender, activity levels and weight. Wrap your hands around the galvanized handles, extend your arms straight in front of your chest and hit the "Start" button. Press firmly and wait seven seconds for your body fat percentage to come up. During this time, a painless electrical signal gets sent through your upper body to determine your body fat percentage.
Step 3
Multiply your body fat percentage by your weight to figure out your fat mass. Use 200 lbs. and 12 percent body fat as an example. 200 x .12 = 24. Your fat mass would be 24 lbs.
Step 4
Calculate your lean body mass. Subtract your fat mass from your weight to get your lean body mass. Use the same example from step 3 to determine this. 200 - 24 = 176. Your lean body mass would be 176 lbs.
Tips and Warnings
- If you do not have access to a hand held body fat analyzer, visit your local gym and seek out a personal trainer who has experience with body fat measuring. He will either have an analyzer or a pair of skinfold calipers to determine your body fat.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Hand held body fat analyzer
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