The topic of WEIGHT has been speratically cropping up around me for the past week. This ongoing conversation came to a climax Thursday night when a group of friends and I decided to go apartment hopping to weigh ourselves on various scales. In an effort to relieve the potential anxiety that some in the group may feel when they get around scales I said that I felt uncomfortable with our scale-hopping plan, but they just laughed and thought I had to be joking. "You've got nothing to worry about, Bro, lol."
Everybody jokes when it comes to the subject of weight (except for those who are serious--you don't mess with those people). But underneath all the smiles and "I don't care"s, seeing those three and sometimes four digits (if the scale has a decimal point) deeply affect us both mentally and spiritually. Those two then affect what we choose to do physically.
For example, let's say that I weighed 117 last time I got on a scale. I would naturally think I would weigh 117 again but I would actually guess 119 to adjust for the two times I went out for dinner this week. 121! Shocked and slightly embarrassed, I would smile and step off the scale and laugh about how I'd have to go the gym the following day. But inside, I am instinctively degrading myself and calling myself an ugly, obese, Fatsoid.
I guess what I'm saying is, I really don't feel comfortable when other people talk about their weight because I'm sure it must affect them negatively on some level. And that makes me feel a bit awkward because I have always been able to maintain an athletic build my entire life, seemingly without effort.
Solution:
I find that when we are afraid or bothered by something, the best course of action is to become educated on the issue. Then, irrationalities and ignorance drop out of the equation and we are left with something conceivable and manageable.
How do I define my body?
What is "Overweight"? This is impossible to say without first defining some terms:
Weight - the most common standard, is cheap, convenient, and fairly reliable, although it can fluctuate up to five pounds with body fluids.
BMI (Body Mass Index) - BMI is basically your weight adjusted for height; BMI also varies with body fluids. BMI, measured in kilograms per meters squared, is an unreliable guideline because standards usually do not differentiate between men and women or allow for the difference in muscle or fat content. In athletic women, BMI is especially inaccurate because muscle weight is heavier than fat weight, making you seem "fat" by BMI standards. Essentially, Body Mass Index is a number value that has replaced height and weight charts. The number is even more confusing because the recommended numbers are similar to but slightly different from body fat percent. Example: According to standard guidelines, BMI over 30 is considered obese, under 18, extremely underweight, and between 18 and 25, normal.
Body Fat Percentage - Body fat percentile provides the most accurate estimate of body composition. Body fat percentile is an indication of the percent of your body that is made of fat. Normal body fat percent for women is 20 to 30 (for men it is lower). In women, below 17 is extreme low body fat; between 30 to 33, high body fat; and above 34, extremely high body fat or obese. The recommended healthy body fat percentiles increase slightly with age.
How Much Body Fat Is Too Much?
The reason why these terms are important is because of the associated health risks that correlate with them. According to Sportsmedicine.com, here are the 2009 standards for what is considered "overweight": men = over 25% body fat; women = over 32% fat.
How low is too low?
While the average body fat percent in the United States and Europe is increasing, extremely low body fat percent is also a health problem. The female athlete triad highlights the problem. Women athletes who lose too much fat risk injury, decreased performance and health issues.
The female athlete triad refers specifically to three related health problems often found in women athletes:
* Eating disorders and low energy availability.
* Amenorrhea and menstrual disorders.
* Decreased bone mass and increased risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis.
This attempt to reduce body fat by extreme measures not only leads to decreased exercise performance, but can lead to severe health complications. Nutrient deficiencies and fluid/electrolyte imbalance from low food intake can lead to increased risk of fractures, illness, loss of reproductive function and serious medical conditions such as dehydration, and starvation. The medical complications of this triad involve almost every body function and include the cardiovascular, endocrine, reproductive, skeletal, gastrointestinal, renal, and central nervous systems.
Isn't Body Composition Genetic?
Some aspects of your body composition are genetic (where you store fat), but most fat increase is related to lifestyle. But that's not to say there aren't exceptions. Everyone is different.
Can I Change My Body Composition?
Yes, usually. To increase or decrease your percent of body fat you need to create the right balance between the calories in and calories out. The best way to do this is to decrease daily calories by about 500 and increase your exercise. Aerobic exercise along with strength training is ideal. If you are beginning a new exercise program, you are advised to first consult your physician.
What you HAVE TO KNOW about Body Fat:
I learned from this website that health-conscious people should not set goals to lose a specific number of pounds, but a percentage of body fat instead. (Body fat then translates to pounds).
"Body fat measurements and the measuring tape are recognized as superior methods for measuring "weight loss". When one declares that they want to "lose weight", what they often mean is that they want to lose fat. So, now that you've had your body fat percentage measured, what does the number really mean? Understanding what your body fat percentage means can help you set goals for achieving a healthy weight.
First, your body fat percentage is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. If you are 150 pounds and 10% fat, it means that your body consists of 15 pounds fat and 135 pounds lean body mass (bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood and everything else).
A certain amount of fat is essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body's energy storage. The following table describes body fat ranges and their associated categories:
Knowing your body fat percentage can also help you determine if your weight loss goals are realistic. Remember, weight loss doesn't always mean fat loss. For example:
Let's say you're a 130# woman with 23% body fat, and you goal is to "lose 20 pounds":
Initial body fat: 130# x 0.23 fat = 30 # body fat
Lean body mass: 130# total - 30# fat = 100# lean body mass (bones, organs and all else)
Goal: 130# - 20# = 110 pounds
As you can see, the goal of losing 20 pounds is not realistic or healthy. At 110 pounds, this woman still requires 100# of lean body mass (bones, organs, etc.), but would only be carrying 10#, or only 9% body fat. From the chart above, you can see that this is a dangerously low percentage.
A better goal might be for the woman to reduce her body fat from 23% to 18%. In this case:
130# x 0.18 = 23 # body fat
100# lean body mass + 23 # = 123# goal weight
So, for this individual to achieve a lean, but healthy 18% fat, she would need to lose only 7 pounds of fat, reducing her weight from her current 130 pounds to 123 pounds. Losing more than 7 pounds means losing lean body mass (usually metabolically-active muscle tissue), which is clearly not desirable.
So before you decide that you need to "lose weight", remember to consider that "weight" consists of both lean body mass and body fat. Try to keep your weight loss goals realistic, and remember, keep the calorie-burning muscle, and lose only the fat."
Personal Experiment:
Here are my results base on this ultimate Healthy Body Calculator:
Based on the following input:
Measure: US
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 6 feet, 0.5 inches
Weight: 148 pounds
Activity level: Sleeping 10 hours
Sedentary 7 hours
Low activity 2 hours
Active 3 hours
Very active 2 hours
Weight goal: Maintain weight
Body fat: Current 9 percent
Goal 9 percent
Calorie distribution: Fat 30 percent
Protein 20 percent
Carbohydrate 50 percent
Waist to hip ratio: Waist 31 inches
Hip 32 inches
Here are some excellent online resources:
* Body Fat Calculator - Measure waist one inch above the belly button.
* If you don't know whether your body type/frame is small, medium or large, try this index.
* Your Ideal Body Weight Calculator - This is slightly inaccurate but is the simplest tool since all you need to know is your weight and height. For me, it said, "You are underweight." Not a big surprise there!
* 3 methods for calculating body composition - Very educational.
* How to use a home body fat scale to measure body fat.
----------------
Listening to: Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
Everybody jokes when it comes to the subject of weight (except for those who are serious--you don't mess with those people). But underneath all the smiles and "I don't care"s, seeing those three and sometimes four digits (if the scale has a decimal point) deeply affect us both mentally and spiritually. Those two then affect what we choose to do physically.
For example, let's say that I weighed 117 last time I got on a scale. I would naturally think I would weigh 117 again but I would actually guess 119 to adjust for the two times I went out for dinner this week. 121! Shocked and slightly embarrassed, I would smile and step off the scale and laugh about how I'd have to go the gym the following day. But inside, I am instinctively degrading myself and calling myself an ugly, obese, Fatsoid.
I guess what I'm saying is, I really don't feel comfortable when other people talk about their weight because I'm sure it must affect them negatively on some level. And that makes me feel a bit awkward because I have always been able to maintain an athletic build my entire life, seemingly without effort.
Solution:
I find that when we are afraid or bothered by something, the best course of action is to become educated on the issue. Then, irrationalities and ignorance drop out of the equation and we are left with something conceivable and manageable.
How do I define my body?
What is "Overweight"? This is impossible to say without first defining some terms:
Weight - the most common standard, is cheap, convenient, and fairly reliable, although it can fluctuate up to five pounds with body fluids.
BMI (Body Mass Index) - BMI is basically your weight adjusted for height; BMI also varies with body fluids. BMI, measured in kilograms per meters squared, is an unreliable guideline because standards usually do not differentiate between men and women or allow for the difference in muscle or fat content. In athletic women, BMI is especially inaccurate because muscle weight is heavier than fat weight, making you seem "fat" by BMI standards. Essentially, Body Mass Index is a number value that has replaced height and weight charts. The number is even more confusing because the recommended numbers are similar to but slightly different from body fat percent. Example: According to standard guidelines, BMI over 30 is considered obese, under 18, extremely underweight, and between 18 and 25, normal.
Body Fat Percentage - Body fat percentile provides the most accurate estimate of body composition. Body fat percentile is an indication of the percent of your body that is made of fat. Normal body fat percent for women is 20 to 30 (for men it is lower). In women, below 17 is extreme low body fat; between 30 to 33, high body fat; and above 34, extremely high body fat or obese. The recommended healthy body fat percentiles increase slightly with age.
How Much Body Fat Is Too Much?
The reason why these terms are important is because of the associated health risks that correlate with them. According to Sportsmedicine.com, here are the 2009 standards for what is considered "overweight": men = over 25% body fat; women = over 32% fat.
How low is too low?
While the average body fat percent in the United States and Europe is increasing, extremely low body fat percent is also a health problem. The female athlete triad highlights the problem. Women athletes who lose too much fat risk injury, decreased performance and health issues.
The female athlete triad refers specifically to three related health problems often found in women athletes:
* Eating disorders and low energy availability.
* Amenorrhea and menstrual disorders.
* Decreased bone mass and increased risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis.
This attempt to reduce body fat by extreme measures not only leads to decreased exercise performance, but can lead to severe health complications. Nutrient deficiencies and fluid/electrolyte imbalance from low food intake can lead to increased risk of fractures, illness, loss of reproductive function and serious medical conditions such as dehydration, and starvation. The medical complications of this triad involve almost every body function and include the cardiovascular, endocrine, reproductive, skeletal, gastrointestinal, renal, and central nervous systems.
Isn't Body Composition Genetic?
Some aspects of your body composition are genetic (where you store fat), but most fat increase is related to lifestyle. But that's not to say there aren't exceptions. Everyone is different.
Can I Change My Body Composition?
Yes, usually. To increase or decrease your percent of body fat you need to create the right balance between the calories in and calories out. The best way to do this is to decrease daily calories by about 500 and increase your exercise. Aerobic exercise along with strength training is ideal. If you are beginning a new exercise program, you are advised to first consult your physician.
What you HAVE TO KNOW about Body Fat:
I learned from this website that health-conscious people should not set goals to lose a specific number of pounds, but a percentage of body fat instead. (Body fat then translates to pounds).
"Body fat measurements and the measuring tape are recognized as superior methods for measuring "weight loss". When one declares that they want to "lose weight", what they often mean is that they want to lose fat. So, now that you've had your body fat percentage measured, what does the number really mean? Understanding what your body fat percentage means can help you set goals for achieving a healthy weight.
First, your body fat percentage is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. If you are 150 pounds and 10% fat, it means that your body consists of 15 pounds fat and 135 pounds lean body mass (bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood and everything else).
A certain amount of fat is essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body's energy storage. The following table describes body fat ranges and their associated categories:
Knowing your body fat percentage can also help you determine if your weight loss goals are realistic. Remember, weight loss doesn't always mean fat loss. For example:
Let's say you're a 130# woman with 23% body fat, and you goal is to "lose 20 pounds":
Initial body fat: 130# x 0.23 fat = 30 # body fat
Lean body mass: 130# total - 30# fat = 100# lean body mass (bones, organs and all else)
Goal: 130# - 20# = 110 pounds
As you can see, the goal of losing 20 pounds is not realistic or healthy. At 110 pounds, this woman still requires 100# of lean body mass (bones, organs, etc.), but would only be carrying 10#, or only 9% body fat. From the chart above, you can see that this is a dangerously low percentage.
A better goal might be for the woman to reduce her body fat from 23% to 18%. In this case:
130# x 0.18 = 23 # body fat
100# lean body mass + 23 # = 123# goal weight
So, for this individual to achieve a lean, but healthy 18% fat, she would need to lose only 7 pounds of fat, reducing her weight from her current 130 pounds to 123 pounds. Losing more than 7 pounds means losing lean body mass (usually metabolically-active muscle tissue), which is clearly not desirable.
So before you decide that you need to "lose weight", remember to consider that "weight" consists of both lean body mass and body fat. Try to keep your weight loss goals realistic, and remember, keep the calorie-burning muscle, and lose only the fat."
Personal Experiment:
Here are my results base on this ultimate Healthy Body Calculator:
Based on the following input:
Measure: US
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 6 feet, 0.5 inches
Weight: 148 pounds
Activity level: Sleeping 10 hours
Sedentary 7 hours
Low activity 2 hours
Active 3 hours
Very active 2 hours
Weight goal: Maintain weight
Body fat: Current 9 percent
Goal 9 percent
Calorie distribution: Fat 30 percent
Protein 20 percent
Carbohydrate 50 percent
Waist to hip ratio: Waist 31 inches
Hip 32 inches
Here are some excellent online resources:
* Body Fat Calculator - Measure waist one inch above the belly button.
* If you don't know whether your body type/frame is small, medium or large, try this index.
* Your Ideal Body Weight Calculator - This is slightly inaccurate but is the simplest tool since all you need to know is your weight and height. For me, it said, "You are underweight." Not a big surprise there!
* 3 methods for calculating body composition - Very educational.
* How to use a home body fat scale to measure body fat.
----------------
Listening to: Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
I just LOVE how that Body Fat Calculator told me I was athletic. Although, I realize the estimate is just that, an estimate. Genetically I don't carry weight around my waist. It's all in the hips.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the nasty booty pics off. This was a very interesting post.
ReplyDelete