Body fat percentage is the amount of your body that is made up of fat tissue. The American College of Sports Medicine notes that body composition assessment is an important part of health-risk screenings because obesity is now an accepted independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. To reach a healthy weight, many Americans need to reduce their current body fat percentage. Now that you have successfully done just that, you're probably wondering the percentage of body fat you've lost.
Step 1
Use your previous body fat percentage as a starting point.
For example, a man beginning a weight loss program has a starting body fat percentage of 28 percent.
Step 2
Find your current body fat percentage. For best results, use the same method used to determine your starting body fat percentage.
The man with a starting body fat percentage of 28 percent had his body fat measured by a trained professional using the skinfold method. His current body fat percentage is 22 percent using the same method and same professional.
Step 3
Subtract your current body fat percentage from your starting body fat percentage to calculate your body fat percentage lost.
For example, the man would subtract his current 22 percent body fat from his starting 28 percent body fat to find that he lost 6 percent body fat.
Tips and Warnings
- There are several ways to measure your body fat percentage including skinfold measurements, hydrostatic weighing, and bioelectrical impedance analysis. It is best to go to a trained professional to have your body fat percentage measured.
- Beware of some commercially available body composition assessment tools, which may be very inaccurate.
Things You'll Need
- Calculator
- Pen and paper
References
- "ACSM's Resource Manual For Guidelines For Exercise Testing And Prescription, Fifth Edition"; Leonard A. Kaminsky, Phd, FACSM, et al.; 2006
- "ACSM's Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessment Manual, Second Edition"; American College of Sports Medicine; 2008
- Sports Fitness Advisor: Proven Ways to Calculate Body Fat... The Best and Worst Techniques
Member Comments