Author Archive
Body Composition Scale – Growth, Maturation, and Body Composition: The Fels Longitudinal Study 1929-1991 (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology) (Paperback)
Review
“…acessible to scholars from a range of disciplines, including anthropology, medicine, nutrition, and genetics.” S. A. Quandt, Choice”…a valuable contribution….of intrinsic interest to research specialists in growth and development and should be appreciated by serious students of the subject.” Michelle Lampl, American Journal of Physical Anthropology”…a valuable document of research topics and conclusions carried out in the Fels study. It is also a good source b (more…)
Body Composition Scale – Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength (Hardcover)
Review
Bill Phillips had been publishing bodybuilding magazines and marketing nutritional supplements for years when he had a weird revelation at a trade show: many of the most loyal and enthusiastic readers he had were totally out of shape. From that uncomfortable realization came his popular Physique Transformation Contest (top prize that first year: Phillips’s own Lamborghini), now world famous, and this book. The three-times-a-week weightlifting program in Body for Li (more…)
Body Composition Scale – Human Body Composition – 2nd Edition (Hardcover)
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Review
“ a comprehensive reference on body composition measurements and the scope of influence on physiology and pathology related to body composition.” — Journal of Dance, Medicine & Science (review of the first edition)” indispensable for exercise science researchers who want to use the methods and fully understand the literature based on these methods.” — Rivista di Antropologia (review of the first edition)
Review
“…provides a comprehensive referen (more…)
Body Composition Analysis of Animals: A Handbook of Non-Destructive Methods (Paperback)
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Review
“This book has definitely fulfilled its stated goal of providing a useful summary of noninvasive methods of body composition analysis for animal sciences… This book has the potential to become a standard reference for anyone studying body composition, be it animal or human.” Kenneth J. Ellis, Quarterly Review of Biology”Highly informative compilation containing theoretical and practical considerations of eight procedures that have been employed successfully to examine (more…)
Behold the power of the hip to waist ratio: A 6-foot-tall muscle-bound football player steps on a scale. It reads 220 pounds. Now, a 6-foot-tall football-watching couch potato steps on the same scale. It reads 220 pounds. They must be in exactly the same shape and equally healthy, right? WRONG!
You’d be surprised by how many people live and die by the number that greets them on their bathroom scale; but, as you can see from the above example, this seemingly simple measurement is grossly misleading.
First of all, muscle is more dense than fat. Therefore, even if you achieve the amazing and difficult task of building muscle while burning fat, your overall weight may increase. Then, when you see a bigger number on the scale, you think your hard work isn’t paying off, and you give up. What you don’t realize is body composition is much more important than body weight.
Body composition is made up of two parts: lean muscle mass and body fat. Obviously, you want to concentrate on losing fat, rather than just losing weight. Anyone can starve themselves and lose weight, but they will also be losing valuable calorie-burning muscle.
Hip to Waist Ratio
OK, so how exactly do you keep up with your body composition? If you are willing to spend a few bucks ($50-$200), you can spring for a digital body fat scale. While their accuracy can vary from model to model (and even day to day for that matter), many can at least provide an overview of whether or not you’re improving your body composition.
Another cheaper, but equally effective, method is the hip to waist ratio. All you need for this is a tape measure, or an inexpensive MyoTape to make it even easier:
1. Measure your waist at the thinnest point (around your belly button area), and record the number.
2. Measure your hips at the widest point (under your belly button, closer to your butt), and record the number.
3. Now, simply divide the first number (waist) by the second number (hips), and record your score.
Anything below 0.92 is considered safe; closer to 1.0 or higher means you need to start burning some of that dangerous belly fat.
So, don’t be a slave to the scale anymore. It can tell you you’re not making progress when you are, or it can give you false hope that you’re losing weight, when you’re really losing valuable muscle tissue.
The hip to waist ratio never lies — just don’t cheat and suck your stomach in while measuring!
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