BODY FAT % EXPLAINED



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HEALTHY RANGES

MEN       -  8-22%
WOMEN -  22-34%

This has nothing to do with looks, being in shape, being flabby or toned. You can be at the lower end of the scale and look terrible (excess fat, flabby, frumpy, untoned) or be towards the upper end and look good (toned, in proportion).
This is simply the ranges at which health is effected for the worse if your boy fat is too high or too low*

If you are above this range your risk of ill health / Cardiovascular disease is dramatically increased. This does not mean you will suffer ill health in the future, but just that you are more likely too. Healthy eating and exercise (even though you may be over weight) will massively reduce the risks. Or you may be lucky like those 40 a day smokers who started at 16 and are now 100 years old.

* It should be noted about the lower levels that it is not referring to athletes but rather normal individuals who do not exercise. Athletes/Very Fit Gym Goers/ Body Builders will aim to have levels lower and it will pose absolutely no risk to their health by dropping under those limits. Most Olympians (Track & field, Swimmers, rowers, gymnasts) will be between 5-13% (both men and women)

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LOOK GOOD RANGES





 

MEN       -  5-15%

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WOMEN  -  15-25%











 

The ranges are a rough guide to the amount of body fat most men/women need to aquire to achieve the look they want. Ie Be in good/great shape.

To give a real life example of why lower body fat doesnt mean better, (we have changed their names) One member of the gym (Lisa) had a body fat of 27.4%. 5'11, Tell, Slim and curvy, small bum, 34dd natural Breasts, very toned. The type of body every woman wants and every man wants too. Another gym goer (Laura) had a body fat of 24.7% (2.7% less than Lisa) but had a "huge" bottom, bit of a belly, completed flat chested (aa) and big thighs).  Skinny upper half, big lower half. 

Another gym member (Lets call them Mark) looked great at 10%,  (Muscular shoulder, chest, arms & with a decent abs showing). After stripping off fat to 5%, their abs looked more defined but alot smaller and not as good, Also losing the small amount of fat that was covering their shoulders and chest, it made their overall shape not look as good. Just another example of how lower isn't necessarily better.

There are hundreds of examples i could give from my years in this professional that would demonstrate this point. They all show that proportion is far more important than body fat. Some figures look better with less fat, some look better with more fat.

You should aim to decrease your body fat to a healthy range and/or to a level that gives you the shape you desire. There is no magic number you should aim for in order to "look good", but rather a magic shape, which is determined by what you find attractive.