The norm for women and men: what should it be
So, what is the normal percentage of body fat for a woman?
- up to 30 years – 15-23%;
- from 30 to 50 years – 19-25%;
- from 50 years old - 20-27%.
Normal body fat percentage for men:
- up to 30 years – 11-18%;
- from 30 to 50 years – 14-20%;
- from 50 years old – 16-22%.
If there is more than 32% fat, a person develops obesity.
More visual tables:
How to reduce body fat percentage
With the question “What does % body fat mean?” Looks like we figured it out. For those who want to bring their body to a healthy level of fat tissue, there are several tips that, coupled with properly planned nutrition and training, will achieve the desired results.
Choose your food wisely
Nutrition is 80% of the result. Reducing your calorie intake while tracking your nutrient balance is the best way to lose excess fat. For best results, eat a variety of natural, unprocessed foods. Eat foods rich in protein, quality carbohydrates, healthy fats and a variety of vegetables.
Move often
While nutrition is the most important factor in losing excess fat, exercise can help you get into better shape, become stronger, and build and tone muscle. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) with bodyweight 3-4 times a week is good for this point. Some types of training, like the aforementioned HIIT, have a kind of afterburn effect, after which the body continues to burn calories for up to 48 hours.
You can start with entry-level Tabata and then supplement it with walking, jogging, cycling or yoga on non-training days.
Functions of subcutaneous fat
The main task of this layer in the body is to regulate energy balance. Nature has thought out such a way that a person can survive in the event of forced long starvation. Each gram of fat contains 9 kcal. When released, accumulated reserves ensure physical and mental activity and support all vital systems and organs. As for the latter, they are additionally protected from injuries, concussions and other impacts with the help of the shock-absorbing function of the fat layer.
At the same time, we can list many more beneficial effects of this component. For example, a sufficient percentage of subcutaneous fat acts as thermal insulation. However, there is a double-edged sword here. In cold weather, a person receives additional warmth from his own fat, but on hot summer days or when staying in stuffy rooms at the slightest activity, excess fat causes profuse sweating and a general state of discomfort.
Weight gain at home
Gaining weight at home, that is, without the constant supervision of specialists, is possible if you first rule out health problems and then take up nutrition and physical activity. To help you gain weight correctly:
- excess calories;
- sufficient amount of proteins.
You can calculate the first indicator yourself using the basic Harris-Benedict energy consumption formula or use a special calorie calculator on a fitness bracelet, in the gym or on websites for athletes. The formula uses data on height, weight, special coefficients, and takes into account gender and physical activity. An excess of daily calories provokes weight gain; for this, the individual calorie intake must first be increased by 15%; if weight gain is not observed within a week, another 10% is added.
Weight gain occurs due to muscle growth, and proteins serve as the building material for these fibers. Increasing protein will help you gain weight in a week at home, the daily amount of which should be 2 g of protein per 1 kg of weight.
Nutrition for accelerated weight gain
Healthy weight gain is directly related to the quantity and quality of nutrition. Nutritionists recommend monitoring your diet and keeping a calorie diary, which records all meals, volume and energy value of dishes. This allows you to track weight changes in a timely manner and adjust your diet if necessary.
High-calorie and nutritious foods help you gain weight, and cooking does not require special preparation or skills. Products that promote weight gain should supply the body with complete nutrients:
| Nutrient | Products |
| Protein | Poultry, eggs, all types of red meat, offal, fish, cottage cheese, nuts, legumes, dairy products |
| Healthy carbohydrates | Cereals, durum wheat pasta, potatoes, wholemeal bread |
| Fats | Fatty fish, fish oil, avocado, vegetable oils |
Food for weight gain contains few vegetables; they are used in soups and salads to normalize digestion; the best option is to prepare nutritious smoothies from garden produce. Fruits promote weight gain when eaten as an afternoon snack, with bananas, grapes, peaches and apricots especially effective.
The fastest way to gain weight is to include high-calorie foods in your menu: dried fruits, fatty meats, high-fat milk, cereals, potatoes, dark chocolate, nut butter. Nuts are also a great snack for weight gain, along with cheeses and avocados.
Products for women's weight gain also improve the condition of hair, nails and skin, prolong youth, strengthen bones and teeth, and normalize the menstrual cycle. Useful for girls:
- chocolate;
- bananas;
- fatty fish;
- caviar;
- cottage cheese;
- cheese;
- heavy cream;
- porridge;
- pasta;
- eggs;
- grape.
Seasonal products grown in the area where people live help to gain weight cheaply. Budget cereals, potatoes, eggs, dairy products, poultry, meat, and nuts are suitable for Russian consumers.
Three Elements of a Healthy Weight Loss Program
Strength training is important in reducing fat tissue. An intense workout (but no more than 45 minutes) will increase your oxygen use and also require a lot of energy. This will raise your body temperature and burn more calories.
Cardio frequency over a 7-day period
| A week | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Frequency | 2 times | 3 x | 3 x | 3 x | 3 x | 4 x | 4 x | 4 x | 4 x | 5 x |
| Intensity | 45 % | 50 % | 50% | 55% | 55% | 55% | 55% | 60% | 60% | 65% |
In order to determine the intensity, you need to multiply the percentage given in the table by the maximum heart rate.
MP = 220 – Age
MP = 220-21 = 199 beats per minute
First day intensity = MP*45% = 199*45% = 89.55 beats per minute
To create a strength training plan, you need to consider some points.
- Reducing fat and carbohydrate intake can cause testosterone levels to drop.
- Decreased testosterone levels may result in decreased strength.
Day 1: deltoids, triceps
Day 2: trapezius muscles, back
Day 3: rest
Day 4: legs, forearms
Day 5: chest, biceps
Day 6: rest
Day 7: rest
To avoid overload, limit your workout time to 45 minutes. Use isolated exercises rather than complex ones, do a lot of repetitions.
Thus, the program described above is based on the principles of proper nutrition, cardio training and strength training.
Why is it necessary to know?
Muscle is heavier than fat , so even with the same weight, two people can have completely different body quality. The lower the percentage of body fat and the higher the percentage of muscle, the more prominent the body will be. So a beautiful, athletic body is not kilograms on the scale , because the “quantity of the body” does not always correspond to its “quality”. Women, for physiological reasons, have more fat cells than men, so it is always more difficult for women to build muscle mass.
A beautiful body really means a lot of work on yourself. Not a search for “miracle diets”, magic pills or the cunning technique of the third wife of the Chinese Emperor Tsin, but daily nutrition control, regular exercise in the gym and the desire to understand how it all works. Like the work of a sculptor who calmly and methodically carves a beautiful statue out of shapeless stone.
If you are losing weight and monitoring the quality of your body, then try to measure your body fat percentage at least once a month. This will help you not mindlessly lose extra pounds, but systematically improve your body composition.
Besides:
- You can track changes in your fat mass both while losing weight and while gaining muscle. This is much more revealing than the arrow on the scale.
- Knowing your lean muscle mass can help you
Carbohydrates in the morning
Recently, the best results in losing weight with fat rather than muscle have been shown by a low-carbohydrate diet with an emphasis on protein. By reducing them in your diet, you increase the likelihood of losing weight while maintaining body quality. Study the amount of carbohydrates per 100 grams in each of your products and control the total value for the day using calorie counting applications (FatSecret, LifeSun).
Save not only fruits, but also other carbohydrates for meals in the first half of the day. These include cereals, pasta and bakery products, starchy vegetables, dairy products, and legumes. The explanation is simple: these are carbohydrates, which are the main source of human energy. They are so necessary in the morning and during the day, and generally not needed in the evening and before bed.
But there is an exception here: if you have a workout planned for the evening, then before it (1-2 hours) you need to eat something carbohydrate, otherwise you will not have the strength for the workout. What's the point of it then?
And don’t forget that it’s important to think not so much about the quantity of carbohydrates, but about the quality. Buns, donuts and cookies are unlikely to help you lose weight effectively, that is, get rid of fat. If you want something sweet, it’s better to eat an apple, pear or orange.
