Losing weight isn't only about pounds and inches. If your doctor has recommended that you lower your body fat percentage, knowing where to begin may be daunting. The American Council on Exercise is an authority that determines whether or not your body fat percentage is healthy. Talk to your doctor before adjusting your diet and exercise program to change your body fat percentage.
Ideal Body Fat Percentage
The American Council on Exercise recommends a scale for individuals to determine whether they are obese, average or athletic, depending on the percentage of fat in their body. On average, women have 10 to 13 percent essential fat in the body and men have 2 to 5 percent. An athletic female body contains about 14 to 20 percent body fat, and an athletic male body has 6 to 13 percent. A physically fit woman has 21 to 24 percent body fat, and a physically fit man has 14 to 17 percent. An average woman has 25 to 31 percent body fat and an average man has 18 to 24 percent. An obese woman has 32 percent body fat or more, while an obese man has 25 percent or more.
Measuring Your Body Fat Percentage
A doctor may measure your body fat percentage in her office using calipers or another device to measure the folds of your skin. The body fat of a man is measured at the chest, abdomen and thigh, while the body fat of a woman is measured at the triceps, thigh and pelvis. Although it is possible to measure your own body fat at home with calipers or another body fat measuring device, you may get a more accurate reading if you have a doctor measure body fat.
Obtaining Your Goal
Your doctor will tell you how much weight you must lose to lower your body fat percentage. According to the American Council on Exercise in the article "What are the Guidelines for Percentage of Body Fat Loss?" a woman who weighs 120 pounds with 25 percent body fat must lose 7 pounds to lower her body fat percentage to 20 percent. These numbers are based on her current body fat percentage, as well as how many pounds of her body are lean tissue and how many are fat. Your doctor can help you figure how much weight you must lose to reach your goal weight and body fat percentage.
Considerations
Although calipers and other devices to take skin-fold measurements may give you a rough idea of your body fat percentage, they will not give the most accurate numbers. If you'd like a more accurate body fat measurement, your doctor may recommend dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, an X-ray that provides specific details about the fat, muscle and bone ratios in your body.
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