Ideal fat percentage

Along with regular exercises it is also equally important to know what amount of body fat is lost or the result of hard-core workouts done. It is a good practice to daily monitor the levels of fats so that changes can be made if some exercises are lacking. The kind of diet also affects the fat percentage. Monitoring fat levels will help to reach the desired goal for gaining ideal fat percentage. Ideal fat percentage means the total required fat and the stored amount of fats in the body.

Ideal body fat percentage can be different for different people depending on their gender, age, body type, hereditary reactions, activity level, eating habits and weight. But one other fact is that there has to be no reason or no excuse for any person’s ideal body fat to be more than 25% if there are adequate activities. People having over weight usually develop a higher body fat percentage than the ideal rate. The reason to this can be over consumption of food containing energy than what is required by the body. Sedentary lifestyle also makes fat percentage level higher.

Fats are stored in different areas in the body. Though depending on heredity and genetics factors, it has been observed, that fats accumulate near the abdominal areas for men and at hips and thighs for women. To gain the ideal body fat percentage by decreasing the fat levels, fat is lost at the last from these more storage areas. Progresses in these areas are hence seen after a long time of regular workouts. The body changes play a crucial role for fat percentage, with age the fat storage capacity increases due changes in hormones and also lowering of the metabolism. The growing and developing age of children with more of physical activities tend more requirement of nutrition including fats for the body. Till the age of 16-17 years the fat cells increase in number. Once this age is crossed the fat storage start to increase the fat cell individually rather than in number.

These days BIA technology also helps to find the ideal fat percentage. BIA stands for Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. In this, through the body a low electrical signal is passed on the scale with the help of two footpads. Due to greater water content in the muscle these signal pass faster through them than through fats. The monitors than examine and analyze the data regarding height, gender, weight, metabolism, activity level from the signal. And within seconds this helps to determine ideal fat percentage by converting the information to body fats.

In the competitive race to look better and younger some develop misunderstanding regarding ideal fat percentage. They think that the lower the body fat percentage the better it is. In fact this turns to be unhealthy and dangerous too. Fat percentage lower than 10%for women and 3%for men are not at all safe. This may lead to dehydration and weakness. The minimum expected fat percentage is 12% for women and 5%for men to maintain a healthy living. This percentage is high for women due to her child bearing ability.

Hence it is advisable to check the ideal fat percentage suiting to ones body and than aim accordingly to achieve the same.

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