Archive for January, 2010
Body Composition Scale – Body Fat Measuring
Posted by: | CommentsBody Composition Scale – Body Fat Measuring
There are basically four major methods of measuring body fat. They include the Navy Method, Home Body Fat Scales, Skinfold Calipers and Hydrostatic Weighing. In this article we will look at the three that are most commonly used.
Home Body Fat Scales – This device measures body fat using the Bio metrical Impedance method. A very small electrical current is passed through your body and the resistance is measured. When this result is compared to the weight, the percentage of body fat can then be determined.
This test is prone to error however; because the impedance in the body is altered by other body parts that also generate some current. One example is the electrical waves in the heart and the skeletal muscles. Other factors include water in your body, your skin temperature and physical activity. In order to get semi reliable results you should also fast for 3-4 hours before the test, and avoid any form of physical activity at least 12 hours before the test.
Probably the most popular method of body fat testing is the Skin Fold Caliper test. This test should be performed by someone trained in this method. You can do it yourself but it is not recommended. If you just have to do it without professional help, I recommend getting a set of Accumeasure calipers. These are quite accurate if you follow the provided directions closely. Your skin is pinched between the calipers and a measurement is taken. After taking measurements from different parts of the body; they are plugged into a formula and your body fat is determined.
Hydrostatic weighing is the most accurate way to measure body fat. If you studied physics in school then you are familiar with the Archimedes Principle. The principle states that an objects density is proportional to the amount of water it displaces when submerged. The tester will submerge the subject in a Hydrostatic weighing tank and measure the displacement. The tester then calculates the subjects body density. Body fat is then determined by a formula based on your body density. This method takes the longest and is probably the most complicated; but it still remains the most accurate.
Why bother with measuring your body fat anyway? After all, it seems like a lot of trouble. Knowledge of the exact amount of fat in your body can help you set realistic goals for your weight loss plans. Body fat is an important element in successful weight control. You will be objective and scientific choosing the program that is the best way for you to lose weight. Keeping track of fat loss is the same as watching your calorie intake or getting on scales and checking your weight. Fat measurement is the only way you can objectively track the success or progress of your weight loss program.
When choosing a supplement to add to your diet and exercise program be sure and check out the #1 Fat Binder on the market.
Body Composition Scale – The Body Mass Index Chart – An Effective Weight Loss Tool
Posted by: | CommentsBody Composition Scale – The Body Mass Index Chart – An Effective Weight Loss Tool
If you are looking for a way to determine what your proper weight value is, then the best instrument to use is the body mass index chart. This chart used to be utilized solely by medical doctors but today, as it has become easily available over the Internet, common individuals are also starting to make use of this chart.
The body mass index works by using your weight and height measurements to determine if you fall within the normal weight range that is suitable for your height. The data that people can get out of this index chart gives people an idea of how far or how near they are from normal body weight and can be a very effective tool in achieving the recommended weight value.
In any weight loss plan, the very first thing you need to know is how much pounds you need to lose to achieve a healthy weight. And the body mass index chart is the perfect way to help you get that information. After getting your weight and height measurements, the weight value will be divided by the squared height value and the result of which will be compared to the index chart to determine if your values fall within normal range.
The body mass index chart will determine if your body weight falls under the ideal range in relation to your height. And once you get this information, you now have the idea on how much work you need to do in order to attain a healthy weight. In a way, this gives you an actual numerical value as your target in terms of how much pounds you need to lose.
Through this index chart, you can now have a tool for effectively losing those excess pounds. And as you get an actual value, you can now make an effective exercise regimen to help you reach that healthy and recommended weight. But do not limit yourself to plain exercise; you can also include dieting regimens and pills to help you achieve that goal.
Once you get that value, you can now use this to help you plan out your exercise activities and determine just how much pounds you need to work on so you won’t lose too much fat which could be unhealthy. So if you want to shed off those extra pounds, then do not forget to make use of the body mass index chart today!
Looking to find useful information about body fat chart, then visit www.bodyfatcharthelp.com to find the best advice on effectively losing weight.
Body Composition Scale – Do You Know Your Waist To Hip Ratio?
Posted by: | CommentsOnce upon a time it was thought that body mass index, also known as BMI, was the best predictor of cardiovascular disease risk. Now doctors know that a better predictor of future cardiac disease is a person’s waist to hip ratio. People fit into one of two categories of fat distribution known as the apple shape and the pear shape.
The person with an apple shape fat distribution pattern collects fat on the chest and abdomen. Cortisol is thought to play a role in creating the apple shape. More cortisol is usually found in apple-shaped people. Men with pot bellies are a classic example of the apple shape, and it is men who normally have fat distributed this way.
Women, on the other hand, usually have pear-shaped bodies. Fat distribution in a person with a pear shape is throughout the hips and thighs. While this fat distribution pattern is less of a cardiovascular risk factor, people with pear shapes also have more eating disorders than those with apple shapes.
The apple-shaped person likely has (or will have) metabolic issues. Fiber is a good solution to help with this. The recommended daily intake of fiber for apple-shaped people is 34 grams.
Pear-shaped people do best on low-fat, low-calorie eating plans. Although fat distributed through the hips and thighs has a lower risk of heart disease, the downside is that it is harder to lose weight and much easier to gain weight.
To measure waist to hip ratio you want to take your waist measurement in inches or centimeters. Next, divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Men should have a waist to hip ratio of 1. 0 or less. Women should have a ratio of 0. 8 or less.
Nobody wants to have insulin resistance, type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or sleep apnea. But, if your waist to hip ratio is not in line with recommendations, you could very likely end up with any or all of these diseases and others.
The consequences of those diseases have a very significant impact on quality of life. Let us take a look.
If you have spent a lifetime overworking your pancreas it is eventually going to stop functioning correctly. When a person is insulin resistant, the pancreas is pushed to release extra insulin because the cells cannot accept the glucose the way they are supposed to. In the end, you find yourself with a diagnosis of type II diabetes.
The consequences of type II diabetes happen all throughout the body. All of the extra sugar in the bloodstream damages the whole cardiovascular system. Kidney damage, blindness, nerve damage and sexual dysfunction are just a few of the commonly seen results of type II diabetes.
Individuals with type II diabetes are more likely than non-diabetic people to have a stroke or develop another type of cardiac disease. The consequences of a stroke can be catastrophic. Paralysis and other life-altering results can occur.
Heart attacks are responsible for killing part of the heart muscle. This is due to a lack of blood flow to a specific area of the heart during the attack.
It is easy to dismiss the facts that your waist to hip ratio is not that big of a deal. You could remain in denial until the day when you can no longer change the outcome and are living with the daily results of diabetes or stroke. Or, you can resist the denial and lower your body fat to within the guidelines. It is your choice. Make the right decision for yourself. You will be happy you did.
Learn more about your waist to hip ratio. Stop by HealthStatus.com where you can find an easy to use wasit to hip ratio calculator and many more interactive health tools.
