The Correct Body Fat Percentage Necessary for Females
In the 21st century, women are constantly being told that they should be able to look like the models in fashion magazines and the actresses in movies. Although it is true to some extent that women can look fit and healthy, some people either still remain obese or go to extremes in order to become skinny. Sadly, most forget that a healthy body fat percentage for women is crucial to wellbeing.
Contrary to popular belief, weight and BMI are not necessarily the best indicators for health, and contain many flaws which seem OK on a macro scale. But in actuality, weight and BMI will not detect your true level of healthiness.
Weight changes depending on food intake and will vary from one meal to the next. BMI fails to notice the difference between muscle and fat, which may cause athletes to believe that they are not exercising enough to stay fit when it is simply not the case.
A much more important factor would be the fat percentage. When people say that they would like to lose weight, they actually want to lose fat. Those who go to extremes attempting to look skinny should know that fat is actually essential to maintaining a healthy weight. People who play sports are expected to have a minimum of 14%, whereas regular women who are not athletes are required to have at least 21%. Women who have above 32% of fat are classified as overweight.
In order to maintain a healthy level of fat and appearance it’s important to set goals and make sure that you are not gaining more fat over the course of time. Equally important are realistic goals; while losing 20 pounds may be beneficial for one person, it may not be beneficial to you. Every time you set a goal to lose weight, calculate the precise amount that you need to lose in order to remain at the optimal level of the fat.
There are plenty of ways to determine your fat percentage, for example, a DEXA, which is the most accurate procedure. The only downside is that it is expensive. If you have the money, then it is highly recommended. If not, there is no need to despair, because some health websites have calculators that can help. It takes less than thirty seconds to punch in all the numbers; just make sure that they are accurate.
Weight loss cannot become a reality just through dreaming about it; you must be willing to put in the time and effort by doing cardio and yoga most days. Besides exercise, you also need to watch the foods you are eating. Be sure to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, also keep all portions of food at an acceptable amount.
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) provides a plethora of resources for those who want to embark on a journey to lose weight. The best ones are “Choose my Plate” and the “Food Pyramid”, which will give valuable advice on daily consumption requirements. Take advice from the USDA website; make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. Pace yourself, and never give up.
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