how to measure your body fat

7/29/2019 How to Measure Your Body Fat

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How To Measure Your Body Fat % UsingCalipers

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This in-depth guides teaches you how to calculate your body fat percentage and measure yourprogress using skin fold calipers. This is the most accurate method to measure your body fat.

Tutorial written by Doug Lawrenson

The following tutorial was written by Doug Lawrenson and aims to teach you how to measureyour bodyfat and fat free mass using calipers. The tutorial includes detailed charts, instructionsand diagrams.

Bodyfat Testing With Skinfold Calipers

The Skinfold caliper is a device which measures the thickness of a fold of your skin with itsunderlying layer of fat. By doing this at the key locations can be a quite accurate representativeof the total amount of fat that is on your body, it is also possible to estimate the total percent of bodyfat on your body.

The diagrams show the locations of the areas for the measurements to be taken. Because of thelocation of the tests you will need someone who can do the measurements for you. It is importantthat the measurements are taken as close to the area's shown in the diagrams for eachmeasurement.

Recommended caliper:

How To Correctly Take Measurements

If you're right handed, pull out the fold of skin with the underlying layer of fat with your lefthand and hold it with the fingers of the left hand. Then with the calipers in your right hand, placethe jaws of the calipers as shown in the diagrams below. The jaws of the calipers should be about1/4" (7.5mm) from the fingers of your left hand which continues to hold the fold of skin. Release

the trigger of the calipers so the entire force of the jaws is on the Skinfold. Do not release thefingers of the left hand while taking the readings.

It is important to keep holding firmly the fold of skin with the fingers so that the calipers aremeasuring just the thickness of the fold of skin. You will notice that when you place the caliperson the Skinfold that the calipers will "creep" a little, after a few seconds the creep will slowdown and this is the time that the measurement should be taken. You must note the reading onthe scale before releasing any pressure off the calipers.
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Taking Measurements & Calculating Your Percentage

Measure all four locations shown in the diagrams below and write down the readings on thecalipers scale. It doesnt matter what order you do the readings in. Add up the four readings. The% bodyfat can then be determined from the chart at the bottom of this page. You will notice oneset of figures for males and one for females, make sure you use the right one!

You may also note that the charts do not have a line for every millimetre or column for every agegroup on the chart, to do this would make the chart very large. To get accurate figures it isnecessary to interpolate. For example, a female in the 16-29 age groups could have a sum of 29mm for the four measurements. This is halfway between the 28 and 30 on the chart. The %bodyfat for 28mm is 18.6% and that for 30 is 19.5%. Interpolating halfway between would giveapproximately 19.0%. Another example would be a 40 year old male with a sum of 42mm forthe four measurements. Referring to the chart for males we find % bodyfat listings for 40 and45mm. 42mm is 2/5ths of the way between 40 and 45. The bodyfat for 48mm is 20.3%, and for45mm it is 21.8%. Two fifths of the way from 20.3 to 21.8 is approximately 20.9%.

Where To Take The Measurements

Back of the arm (triceps):

The back of the upper arm, (Triceps). This is located halfway between the shoulder and elbow joints. The fold is taken in a vertical direction directly on the centre of the back of the arm.

Front of the arm (Biceps):

The front of the upper arm, (Biceps). This is taken exactly the same as the Triceps, Figure 1,except it is taken on the centre of the front of the upper arm.

Shoulder blade:

Back, below the shoulder blade (subscapular). This is located just below the shoulder blade. Notethat the skinfold is taken at 45 degrees angle as shown on the diagram.

Waist:


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Waist (Suprailiac). This is located just above the iliac crest, the protrusion of the hip bone, a littletowards the front from the side of the waist. The fold is taken approximately horizontally asshown on the diagram.

Charts To Calculate Your Bodyfat Percentage

Men's Chart:

Chart #1 - Men% Fat For Sum Of Measurements At All 4 LocationsSum in mm Age 16-29 Age 30-49 Age 50+ 20 8.1 12.1 12.5

22 9.2 13.2 13.924 10.2 14.2 15.126 11.2 15.2 16.328 12.1 16.1 17.430 12.9 16.9 18.535 14.7 18.7 20.840 16.3 20.3 22.845 17.7 21.8 24.750 19.0 23.0 26.3

55 20.2 24.2 27.860 21.2 25.3 29.165 22.2 26.3 30.470 23.2 27.2 31.575 24.0 28.0 32.680 24.8 28.8 33.785 25.6 29.6 34.690 26.3 30.3 35.595 27.0 31.0 36.5

100 27.6 31.7 37.3110 28.8 32.9 38.8120 29.9 34.0 40.2130 31.0 35.0 41.5140 31.9 36.0 42.8150 32.8 36.8 43.9160 33.6 37.7 45.0


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170 34.4 38.5 46.0180 35.2 39.2 47.0190 35.9 39.9 47.9200 36.5 40.6 48.8

Women's Chart:

Chart #2 - Women% Fat For Sum Of Measurements At All 4 LocationsSum in mm Age 16-29 Age 30-49 Age 50+ 14 9.4 14.1 17.016 11.2 15.7 18.618 12.7 17.1 20.120 14.1 18.4 21.4

22 15.4 19.5 22.624 16.5 20.6 23.726 17.6 21.5 24.828 18.6 22.4 25.730 19.5 23.3 26.635 21.6 25.2 28.640 23.4 26.8 30.345 25.0 28.3 31.950 26.5 29.6 33.2

55 27.8 30.8 34.660 29.1 31.9 35.765 30.2 32.9 36.770 31.2 33.9 37.775 32.2 34.7 38.680 33.1 35.6 39.585 34.0 36.3 40.490 34.8 37.1 41.195 35.6 37.8 41.9

100 36.3 38.5 42.6110 37.7 39.7 43.9120 39.0 40.8 45.1130 40.2 41.9 46.2140 41.3 42.9 47.3150 42.3 43.8 48.2


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160 43.2 44.7 49.1170 44.6 45.5 50.0180 45.0 46.2 50.8190 45.8 46.9 51.6

200 46.6 47.6 52.3

Normal Or Ideal % Bodyfat?

What is the correct or ideal % bodyfat? This is perhaps the most difficult question to answer. Notall people have the same ideal % bodyfat. It varies with age, sex, and genetics. One person mightbe better at a higher or lower bodyfat than another person of the same age and six. And thedesirable bodyfat of athletes can vary depending on the sport. For example, swimmers seem toperform better at a higher % bodyfat than runners. But, some general guidelines can be given thatare applicable to most people.

For men: For men up to about the age of 30, 9-15% is good, from age 30 to 50, 11-17% is a good range,and from age 50 and up, 12 to 19%. A person should try to stay at or below the upper limitsgiven, and a person near the lower limit would be described as lean.

For women: For women, the range up to age 30 is 14-21%, from 30-50 it is 15-23%, and from 50 up it is 16-25%. Again it is desirable to be at or below the upper limit, and a woman near the lower limitwould be lean.

It should be noted that the ranges given above are not averages for the US and UK populations,but are the desirable ranges. The actual averages for the populations as a whole are much higherbecause of the large number of people with % bodyfat well above the upper limits of thedesirable ranges.

How To Determine Muscle Loss Or Gain

As explained earlier, the measurement of muscle loss or gain is one of the most important uses of bodyfat measurements. It is very easy to determine and simply involves finding the weight of the"lean mass" by measuring % bodyfat and weight. Since muscle tissue is the component of thelean mass that can change the most, changes in the lean body weight are going to be caused

mostly by changes in the weight of the muscles.

To determine the weight of the lean mass, the person must be weighed on an accurate scale. Thiswill give the weight of the lean mass. After a period of time on a diet and/or exercise program,the measurements are repeated. Any change, up or down, of weight obtained for the lean bodymass, will represent the amount of muscle lost or gained.


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Male example: For example a male weighing 210 lbs. He measures his % bodyfat and finds it is 30%.Multiplying 210 lbs x 30% gives 63 lbs, as the weight of this mans bodyfat. Subtracting 63 lbsfrom 210 lbs shows that his lean mass weights 147 lbs. After a month of regular exercise and aproper diet, his weight has dropped to 195 lbs. and his bodyfat to 25%. Multiplying 195 lbs. x

25% gives 49 lbs. as his bodyfat weight. Subtracting this from his 195 lb. bodyweight shows thathis lean mass is 146 lbs. This shows that he has lost 1 lb. of muscle while losing 14 lbs of fat, avery good result, and means that his diet and exercise program is working very well for him.

Reviewing the basic calculations above:

Before: Bodyfat = 30% & Bodyweight = 210 lbs210 x .30 = 63 lbs. 210 63 = 147 lbs. lean body weight

After:

Bodyfat = 25% &Bodyweight = 195 lbs195 x .25 = 49 lbs. 195 49 = 146 lbs. lean body weight

Difference: 147 146 = 1 lb. loss of lean body weight.63 49 = 14 lb. loss of bodyfat.

Female example: Another example could be a female who weights 150 lbs. and has 30% bodyfat. Multiplying herweight by her % bodyfat will show that she has 45 lbs. of bodyfat. Subtracting this from her 150lbs. bodyweight shows that her lean mass is 105 lbs. After a month of a low calorie diet, she has

lost 20 lbs. and is down to 130 lbs. measuring her % bodyfat gives 27%. Again multiplying thistimes her bodyweight of 130 lbs. and subtracting the result of 35 lbs. from her bodyweight showsthat her lean body mass dropped to 95 lbs, a 10 lb. loss from her previous lean mass weight of 105 lbs. Bodyfat and weight measurements used to compute lean mass weight, have shown thatshe lost as much muscle tissue as fat and that her weight loss program is not a good one.


Before: Bodyfat = 30% & Bodyweight = 150 lbs.150 x .30 = 45 lbs. 150 45 = 105 lbs. lean body weight.

After: Bodyfat = 27% & Bodyweight = 130 lbs.130 x .27 = 35 lbs. 130 35 = 95 lbs. lean body weight.

Difference: 105 95 = 10 lbs loss of lean body weight.45 35 = 10 lbs loss of bodyfat.


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People who have lost muscle mass and replaced it with fat over the years due to inactivity canactually build this muscle back up and reduce fat at the same time. An example of this might be68 year old male who weighs 155 lbs. Measurements with Skinfold caliper indicates he has 28%bodyfat. This is 43 lbs of bodyfat and 112 lbs. of lean mass. For 4 months on a regular basis hedoes a variety of exercises including weight lifting, combined with a very sound diet. At the end

of 4 months he weights 150 lbs. and his % bodyfat has dropped to 18%. Again multiplying his150 lb. bodyweight by his 18% bodyfat shows that his bodyfat has dropped to 27 lbs. subtractingthis from his bodyweight of 150 lbs. shows that his lean mass has increased to 123 lbs. a gain of 11 lbs. In other words, he has gained back 11 lbs. of the muscle he had lost over the years, andlost 16 lbs. of fat.


Before: Bodyfat = 28% & Bodyweight = 155 lbs.155 x .28 = 43 lbs. 155 43 = 112 lbs. lean body weight.

After: Bodyfat = 18% & Bodyweight = 150 lbs.150 x .18 = 27 lbs. 150 27 = 123 lbs. lean body weight.

Difference: 123 112 = 11 lbs. gain in lean weight.43 27 = 16 lbs loss of bodyfat.

How To Find a Persons Weight For a Desired % Bodyfat

If you know your present weight and % bodyfat it is possible to determine what your weightshould be for any % bodyfat. This can be done by simple calculations. Firstly subtract yourpresent % bodyfat from 100 and divide this by 100 minus the desired % bodyfat. Multiply this bythe present weight and this will give you the weight for the desired % bodyfat. For example, afemale 145 lb. who is now 32% bodyfat. She desires to be 21% and wants to know what shewould weight if she was 21% bodyfat. Subtracting 32 from 100 she gets 68. 21 from 100 equals79. Then, 68 divided by 79 equals 0.86. Multiply 145 lbs. x 0.86 and this will give her a desiredweight of 125 lbs.

She has learned that to reduce her % bodyfat to 21%, she must lose 20 lbs. However, the aboveformula only works if the person reduces in such a way as not to lose muscle tissue. This can be

done through adequate exercise and proper nutrition. If the weight is lost primarily through a lowcalories diet in a short period of time then muscle tissue will be lost, as well, and the weight forthe desired % bodyfat will be correspondingly less.


Present % Bodyfat = 32% ~ Desired % Bodyfat = 21% ~ Present Weight = 145 lbs.100 32 = 68


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100 21 = 7968 79 = 0.86Desired Weight = 145 x 0.86 = 125 lbs.

Another example of the above is a weight trainer who is currently 200 lbs. and is 21% bodyfat

and wants to get to 5% bodyfat, how much weight would he have to lose to achieve this goal?

Present Bodyfat = 21% ~ Desired Bodyfat = 5% ~ Present Weight 200 lbs.100 21 = 79100 5 = 9579 95 = 0.83200 x 0.83 = 166200 166 = 34 lbs.

So to achieve a 5% bodyfat he would have to lose 34 lb of bodyfat and should have a lean bodymass of 166 lbs. By having his bodyfat done on a regular basis will enable him to see if his

dieting to achieve his goal involves the loss of his hard earned lean body mass (muscle tissue).

So there you go, there's all the information you need to measure and monitor your bodyfat andlean muscle mass. If you would like to discuss anything from this article you can join our muscleforum and chat to the authors from this site!
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