The percentage of your total body weight that is due to fat is your body fat percentage. You can calculate your body fat percentage from basic measurements you can make at home. Body fat percentage is a common method of measuring the improvement of your physical fitness as you follow a weight loss program. Each gender uses a specific formula to calculate body fat percentage because of differences in the distribution of body fat.
Step 1
Make body measurements with a tape measure. Measure the circumference of your waist at the level of your navel. If you're female, you must also measure your hips, wrist and forearm circumferences at their fullest point. All of these measurements must be in inches.
Step 2
Obtain your weight in pounds from a bathroom scale. Your body fat calculation is most accurate if you weigh yourself when you first wake up, since this is when your water weight is at its lowest level.
Step 3
Calculate the lean body mass for males. The following formula provides your lean body mass, according to fitness expert Dave Draper: (Weight x 1.082) -- (Waist x 4.15) + 94.42.
Let your waist measure 32 in. and let your body weight be 182 lbs. Your lean body mass is therefore (182 x 1.082) -- (32 x 4.15) + 94.42 = 159 lbs.
Step 4
Compute the lean body mass for females. The following formula provides your lean body mass, according to Dave Draper: (Weight x 0.732) -- (Waist x 0.157) -- (Hips x 0.249) + (Wrist / 3.14) + (Forearm x 0.434) + 8.987.
Let your waist measure 28 in. and let your body weight be 137 lbs. Your hips measure 38 in., your wrist measures 6 in. and your forearm measures 9.5 in. Your lean body mass is therefore (137 x 0.732) -- (28 x 0.157) -- (38 x 0.249) + (6 / 3.14) + (9.5 x 0.434) + 8.987 = 101 lbs.
Step 5
Calculate your body fat percentage with your lean body mass with this formula: (Body Weight - Lean Body Mass) x 100 / (Body Weight).
Let your body weight be 182 lbs. and let your lean body mass be 159 lbs. You have a body fat percentage of (182 - 159) x 100 / (182) = 12.6 percent.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Bathroom scale
- Calculator
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