The cut physique and impressive lines of a fitness model are the result of paying consistent attention to diet and exercise. One result is a body fat percentage that can be considerably lower than average, often on par with professional athletes. Although body fat percentage isn't the only important metric for healthy body weight, it's useful for comparison.
About Body Fat Percentage
Body fat percentage is a measure of how much of your body weight consists of fatty tissue, as opposed to organs, bones and lean tissue. It's a better measure of healthy weight than your weight in pounds, because muscles are denser than fat. A professional athlete often weighs more than an overweight person of similar height. According to CSG Network, average body fat percentages are 13 percent to 17 percent for adult men, 20 percent to 27 percent for adult women. Note that in this case, "average" means normal and healthy, not the most common percentage for the U.S. population.
About Fitness Models
Fitness models differ from fashion models in terms of the kinds of jobs they take and what they must do to get those jobs. Fashion models often strive for a look so thin it was once called "heroin chic," but fitness models must maintain a svelte body with good musculature and defined lines. To maintain this body type, fitness models maintain a daily regimen of exercise, diet and nutrition supplements. Many practice "extreme" weight-loss methods, such as water restriction, crash dieting and purging, as they prepare for an upcoming shoot or appearance.
Body Fat Percentage for Fitness Models
The exact body fat percentage for fitness models varies. A model with a naturally ectomorphic frame may have a higher body fat percentage than an thicker model who had to train harder to get cut. According to fitness resource website "Health and Muscle," female models in shape for a shoot have a body fat percentage between 8 percent and 12 percent. Male models measure 3 percent to 6 percent.
Comparison
The body fat percentage rate for fitness models is very low. According to the American Council of Exercise, it falls below the range of "essential fat" necessary for healthy body function -- 10 percent to 13 percent for women, 2 percent to 5 percent for men. Male performance athletes maintain a body fat percentage around 6 percent to 13 percent. Female athletes range from 14 percent to 20 percent. Because of the health risks of maintaining such a low body fat percentage, fitness models often follow the practices of professional bodybuilders. They maintain an athletic body weight level prior to an engagement, then work to shed the last fat just for the shoot.
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