Being able to gauge healthy body fat levels can be a constant ritual but can also be well worth the effort. Just to give you an idea of what level you should be at, here is a basic chart spectrum explaining different body fat levels for men and women.
Men:
Professional Bodybuilder: 3-5%
Extremely Lean: 6-9%
Lean: 10-15%
Average Healthy Level: 16-20%
Poor: 20-25%
Very Poor: 25%+
Women:
Fitness Model / Bodybuilder: 8-11%
Extremely Lean: 12-15%
Lean: 16-19%
Average Healthy Level: 20-25%
Poor: 25-29%
Very Poor: 30%+
Looking at this chart, you may get an idea of where you want to be at eventually. You also may have no idea how to find out where you are right now on the scale, or how to get a reading on your own body to find out for yourself.
If you are just starting out, your body may be settled into what is sometimes called a “set point,” or the point at which your body is comfortable maintaining your natural body fat level. This level can be in any of the chart’s categories and can be healthy to very unhealthy.
Unless you make a change to your diet and exercise regimen, you probably wont see much of a change either way. For example, if you are not dieting, you may naturally stay close to 10%.
You have more than likely stabilized your metabolism and you will not fluctuate unless you change your diet or activity level.
Making that needed change can be a stress on your body though, so you will need to make an informed decision as to how much you want to change. Dropping your body fat too quickly too far can have adverse effects on your immune system, digestive tract, and your all around general health.
Although there is not a minimum set percentage of body fat that is healthy for either men or women, it is generally accepted to be around 6-9% for men and 13-15% for women. Once there and “acclimatized” to that level of body fat, most people should be able to maintain it at that lower level indefinitely and still stay relatively healthy.
For women who drop into the single digits, or men who drop into the lower single digits may tend to suppress their immune system and begin to get colds or the flu more often, as well as some more serious conditions.
Unless you are an “ectomorph,” someone with a naturally very low body fat level like a greyhound for example, maintaining extremely low levels of body fat can be even deadly.
A lot of bodybuilders have natural set points of 9-10%, sometimes even higher. However, when they compete in contests, they will drop a lot lower than that, but only for a few days at the most.
They will rise back to their set point in no time. But, not everyone is a professional body builder. Whatever you want your set point to be, make it at a point where you feel that you look good to yourself and feel good. It will be a lot easier to maintain that way, and you will be much happier for it.
Men:
Professional Bodybuilder: 3-5%
Extremely Lean: 6-9%
Lean: 10-15%
Average Healthy Level: 16-20%
Poor: 20-25%
Very Poor: 25%+
Women:
Fitness Model / Bodybuilder: 8-11%
Extremely Lean: 12-15%
Lean: 16-19%
Average Healthy Level: 20-25%
Poor: 25-29%
Very Poor: 30%+
Looking at this chart, you may get an idea of where you want to be at eventually. You also may have no idea how to find out where you are right now on the scale, or how to get a reading on your own body to find out for yourself.
If you are just starting out, your body may be settled into what is sometimes called a “set point,” or the point at which your body is comfortable maintaining your natural body fat level. This level can be in any of the chart’s categories and can be healthy to very unhealthy.
Unless you make a change to your diet and exercise regimen, you probably wont see much of a change either way. For example, if you are not dieting, you may naturally stay close to 10%.
You have more than likely stabilized your metabolism and you will not fluctuate unless you change your diet or activity level.
Making that needed change can be a stress on your body though, so you will need to make an informed decision as to how much you want to change. Dropping your body fat too quickly too far can have adverse effects on your immune system, digestive tract, and your all around general health.
Although there is not a minimum set percentage of body fat that is healthy for either men or women, it is generally accepted to be around 6-9% for men and 13-15% for women. Once there and “acclimatized” to that level of body fat, most people should be able to maintain it at that lower level indefinitely and still stay relatively healthy.
For women who drop into the single digits, or men who drop into the lower single digits may tend to suppress their immune system and begin to get colds or the flu more often, as well as some more serious conditions.
Unless you are an “ectomorph,” someone with a naturally very low body fat level like a greyhound for example, maintaining extremely low levels of body fat can be even deadly.
A lot of bodybuilders have natural set points of 9-10%, sometimes even higher. However, when they compete in contests, they will drop a lot lower than that, but only for a few days at the most.
They will rise back to their set point in no time. But, not everyone is a professional body builder. Whatever you want your set point to be, make it at a point where you feel that you look good to yourself and feel good. It will be a lot easier to maintain that way, and you will be much happier for it.
