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The Skinny On: Measuring Body Fat Percentage
If you're in the business of trying to lose weight, the best way to monitor your progress isn't by stepping on a scale. Since a basic bathroom scale measures your entire body weight, it doesn't take into consideration how much of you is made up of fat, and how much is made of healthy stuff like bones, muscle, blood, and organs. For a more accurate picture of your body composition, it's best to measure your body fat percentage, and here are the many ways it's calculated.
Measure Up: BMI vs. Body Fat Percentage
BMI and body fat percentage are weight-loss terms thrown around with little explanation, so if you're confused about what they mean or which you should pay more attention to, you're not alone. Here's a brief primer to help.
BMI stands for Body Mass Index.
Body Fat Percentage Scales
Yesterday I wrote about how your Body Fat Percentage (BFP) is a more accurate way to measure excess body fat when compared to your BMI. The New York Times reported recently that some studies suggest that BFP is a better indicator of health than your weight.
Underwater weighing is considered the most accurate method for determining your BFP, the more body fat you have the less you weigh in water.
Which is Better: BMI or Body Fat Percentage?
Many people are confused when it comes to looking at their Body Mass Index (BMI) versus their body fat percentage, since they do not always agree. So which should you go by?
First of all, body fat percentage is an estimate of the fraction of the total body mass that is fat mass, as opposed to lean body mass (muscle, bone, organ tissue, blood, and everything else that makes you work).
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Increase Your Pace Slightly and Burn More Calories
If you're trying to lose weight, cardio is your best friend. Workouts that get your heart rate up, such as running, biking, and using a cardio machine, are the best way to burn calories and reduce your percentage of body fat. Another fact to point out is that the faster you move, the more calories you'll burn.
Weight control and diet
In This Report- Highlights
- Introduction
- Biological and Medical Caus...
- Cultural and Emotional Caus...
- Risk Factors
- Complications
- Weight Loss and Maintenance...
- Weight Management
- Medications
- Other Treatments
- Resources
- References
- Cancer prevention guidelines from the American Cancer Society stress the importance of maintaining a healthy weight throughout life. A healthy weight is even more important than eating specific healthy foods, when it comes to cancer prevention.
- The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to buy a product known as the "Brazilian diet pill." This product is labeled as a dietary supplement, but contains several chemicals found in powerful prescription drugs.
Diabetes diet
In This Report- Highlights
- Introduction
- General Dietary Guidelines...
- Major Food Components
- Weight Control for Type 2 D...
- Heart-Healthy Diets
- Diabetic Exchange Lists
- Exercise
- Resources
- References
You Asked: Increased Cardio but Gaining Weight
Dear Fit,
I've been increasing my cardio workouts to help me drop the seven pounds I gained after losing my job. Previously I was doing 30 minutes twice a week, but over the last three weeks, I've been doing 30 minutes five or six times a week. I alternate between running, biking, and hiking.
Obesity
Overview- Signs and Symptoms
- What Causes It?
- Risk Factors
- Preventive Care
- What to Expect at Your Provider's Office
- Treatment Options
- Other Considerations
- Supporting Research
Exercise
In This Report- Highlights
- Introduction
- Recommended Exercise Method...
- Exercise's Effects on the H...
- Exercise's Effects on Diabe...
- Exercise's Effects on Bones...
- Exercise's Effects on the L...
- Exercise's Effects on Weigh...
- Exercise's Effects on Other...
- Complications
- Motivation
- Resources
- References
- A new study found that aerobic and resistance training significantly reduced fatigue in men undergoing radiation treatments for prostate cancer. Fatigue is a common side effect of such treatments.
- Doctors at the Mayo Clinic found that exercise improves the physical and emotional well-being of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The patients exercised for as little as 60 minutes each week.
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