GLEN TITHER HEALTH & FITNESS ARTICLES
Website: www.gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
Email: glen@gtpersonaltrainer.co.uk
BODY COMPOSITION
Question:
Women - would you rather be 9 stone & a dress size 14 or 9 stone & a dress size 10?
Men - would you rather be 13 stone with a 38 inch waist or 13 stone with a 32 inch waist?
Rather than concentrating on Body Weight, individuals should place more importance on Body Composition.
Body
composition is the body’s relative amount of Fat to Fat-Free Mass.
Those with optimal body composition tend to be healthier, more mobile,
and generally feel better than those with less-than-ideal body
composition. Achieving a more optimal body composition goes a long way
toward improving your quality of life and overall wellness.
Body composition is divided into two separate types of mass;
1:
Fat-free mass, sometime referred to as “lean mass”. This includes
water, muscle, bone, connective tissues and internal organs.
2: Fat mass, sometimes referred to as “body fat”. This includes storage fat (adipose tissue) and essential fat.
Storage
fat is a major source of fuel. This type of fat is stored in fat cells
(adipocytes) found under the skin (subcutaneous fat) and around the
vital organs, where it has a protective function.
Essential fat is
found in the brain, nerves, bone marrow, heart tissue and cell walls.
Approximately 10% of body weight of women, and 3% of body weight of men,
is accounted for by essential fat. The higher percentage of essential
fat in women is associated with the pelvic and breast region, also known
as “gender specific fat” and plays a key role in reproduction.
When
overweight or obese people lose weight, the amount of fat in the
adipocytes drops but the actual number of adipocytes does not change.
Only surgery to physically remove adipocytes will result in a reduction
in their numbers.
Body fat percentage is the percentage of total
body weight that is comprised of fat. If it is too high, then
decreasing your body fat percentage isn’t just about improving your
appearance. A high body fat percentage is associated with numerous
health problems e.g. cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
The minimum body fat level for women should be 12 - 15% and for men it should be 5% - 8%.
There
are various methods available of measuring body composition e.g body
mass index, skinfold thickness, densitometry, bio-electrical impedance
analysis, near-infrared interactance etc
Due to the fact that
there is no ideal weight for all people of the same height there are
flaws in many associated measuring tables. The body mass index (BMI) in
particular is a widely used reference tool in the health and fitness
industry. However, it still doesn’t take into consideration body
composition. An individual with a high percentage of muscle and low
percentage of body fat could have a BMI which classifies them as
overweight, whereas a sedentary individual with more fat and less muscle
could have a BMI which puts them in the normal range.
The most readily available measuring methods for the general public are body weight and body measurements.
Body Weight.
To
obtain comparable weight results, they should be carried out under the
same conditions: no shoes, minimal or no clothing, at the same time of
day, using the same set of scales, in the same nourished and hydrated
state and after a successful visit to the lavatory. Body weight may
fluctuate by up to 2kg / 4.4lb or more on a daily basis, so it is
important not to get too obsessed with the precise readings but to use
them as an indication of the general trend in body weight.
Body Measurements.
Using
a flexible tape measure make note of the measurements at points listed
below. The tape should be pulled to where it is lying flat against the
skin all the way around. Only take the measurements once a week. As with
the body weight, take them at the same time of day and you will get an
accurate view of your progress with each body part.
Neck - Standing, measure your neck at its largest girth; for men that's right over the Adam's apple.
Shoulder
- Standing, you can either be measured as a straight line from the
largest points on each shoulder across the chest or as a girth
measurement all the way around the body.
Upper Arm - Measure at
its largest girth, it can be taken with your arms relaxed by your side,
relaxed with arm bent, flexed with arm bent or all three.
Chest - Standing, breathe out and measure just above the nipple.
Waist
- Standing, measure at the narrowest point or at the midway point
between the top of the hip bone and the bottom of the rib cage.
Hips - Measure at the largest girth, where your bum is protruding the greatest.
Thigh - Standing, measure at the largest girth, just below your bum.
Calf - Seated if you are measuring yourself or standing if you have a partner, measure at its largest girth.
