Your body fat is generally a better indicator of your fitness level than your total body weight. Sports medicine specialists typically express your body fat in terms of the percentage of your total body weight that comes from fat. You can estimate your body fat percentage with a cloth tape measure by making specific body measurements. Dave Draper is a noted fitness author who provides specific formulas for your body fat percentage.
Step 1
Take measurements that apply to your gender. Weigh yourself in pounds with a bathroom scale. Measure your waist at your navel in inches with a tape measure. Perform these measurements when your weight is at its lowest level of the day, usually when you first wake up.
Step 2
Take additional measurements if you're female. These measurements include the circumference of your hips, forearm and wrist. Make these measurements at their fullest points.
Step 3
Calculate your lean body weight if you're male. Draper provides the following equation for this calculation: (1.082 x weight) -- (4.15 x waist) + 94.42.
Let your waist measurement be 34 inches and let your weight be 182 lb. in this example. You have a lean body weight of (1.082 x 182) -- (4.15 x 34) + 94.42 = 150 lb.
Step 4
Calculate your lean body weight if you're female. Draper provides the following equation for this calculation: (0.732 x weight) -- (0.157 x waist) -- (0.249 x hips) + (0.434 x forearm) + (wrist / 3.14) + 8.987.
Let your waist measurement be 29 inches and let your weight be 137 lb. in this example. Your hips measure 39 inches, your forearm measures 9.5 inches and your wrist measures 6.5 inches. You have a lean body weight of (0.732 x 137) -- (0.157 x 29) -- (0.249 x 39) + (0.434 x 9.5) + (6.5 / 3.14) + 8.987 = 101 lb.
Step 5
Calculate your body fat percentage with the following formula from Draper: (total weight - lean body weight) / (total weight) x 100.
Let your total weight be 182 lb. and let your body weight be 150 lb. in this example. You have a body fat percentage of (182 - 150) / (182) x 100 = 17.6 percent.
Things You'll Need
- Bathroom scale
- Cloth tape measure
- Calculator
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