Body Fat Calculator

This is an online body fat calculator that lets you get an instant body fat percentage. We will also explain in detail how to calculate your body fat and give you some tips regarding reducing your body fat.

What is body fat?

Body fat is actually adipose tissue. It stores energy in the form of lipids, but it cushions and insulates your body, too. There are two types of fat your body stores: essential and storage body fat.

• Essential body fat: Supports life and reproductive functions. It is substantially higher for women because of childbearing and hormonal functions.
• Storage body fat: The mass of additional accumulated fat. Part of it protects your abdomen and internal organs.

Why measure body fat?

You may ask: Why do I need to know my body fat percentage when I can use a simple bodyweight scale to find my body weight?

Well, the body fat percentage tells you much more than the scale does. Body fat percentage matters.

If you intend to slim down, improve health, or increase your level of fitness, fat loss should be your goal, rather than weight loss. Muscle loss sometimes occurs when you are losing weight, but it’s not the kind of weight loss you look for. It is important to maintain muscle mass because it helps your body to function and perform more efficiently, boosts your metabolism, and gives your frame a lean, tight appearance.

Changes in body fat percentage tell how well your fitness or weight loss campaign is helping you to lose fat while maintaining fat-free mass.

How to calculate body fat?

There are different ways to calculate your body fat percentage. Some of them require special equipment or seeking medical advice. Although these methods are recognized as being the most accurate, you may want a convenient method to calculate body fat, one that allows you to perform at home for free.

Using a body fat calculator is the easiest method. You just need a basic tape measure and a few minutes to gather all the data you need to get an instant body fat measurement.

How to use the body fat calculator?

The body fat calculator finds your body fat based on several inputs. In this section, let’s see you how you can obtain those input figures and things that you should pay attention to obtain a more accurate and meaningful result.

When to take measurements?

Since your weight can fluctuate throughout the day, we recommend you take measurements in the morning, as the first thing you do in a day.

How to take the measurements?

Men

• Body-weight: Use a digital scale.
• Waist: Measure the largest part of your belly, usually right at the level of your belly button. Don’t hold your breath or suck in to get the measurement and make sure that the tape measure stays level to the floor.

Women

• Body-weight: Use a digital scale.
• Waist: Measure the largest part of your belly, usually right at the level of your belly button. Don’t hold your breath or suck in to get the measurement and make sure that the tape measure stays level to the floor.
• Forearm: Measure around at the widest part of your arm below your elbow. Keep your arm relaxed and let it hang alongside your body. Make sure you don’t bend or flex the arm while measuring.
• Wrist: Measure around the smallest part of your wrist.
• Hip: Measure around the largest part of your hips, usually at the posterior extension of the gluteals.

Once you’ve gathered those figures, input the data to the body fat calculator to obtain your body fat percentage.

The body fat formula

You can calculate your body fat percentage with our body fat percentage calculator, or perform a manual calculation with the formulas below.

Step 1: Find the lean body mass:

• lean body mass (men) = (weight * 1.082) + 94.42 - Waist * 4.15
• lean body mass (women) = (weight * 0.732) + 8.987 + wrist / 3.140 - waist * 0.157 - hip * 0.249 + forearm * 0.434

Step 2: Find the body fat weight

body fat weight = weight - lean body mass

Finally: Find the body fat percentage

body fat percentage (BFP) = body fat weight / weight

Am I fit? Is my body fat percentage normal?

Once you obtained your body fat percentage, you can compare it with the recommended values. The list below summarized the average percentages in specified groups. It comes from the American Council on Exercise.

• Essential fat: 10–13% (women), 2–5% (men)
• Athletes: 14–20% (women), 6–13% (men)
• Fitness: 21–24% (women), 14-17% (men)
• Average: 25–31% (women), 18–24% (men)
• Obese: 32%+ (women), 25%+ (men)

How to reduce body fat?

The answer is simple: Burn more calories than you eat.

But yes, we know that the process is not easy. To reduce body fat requires making changes to different areas of your life, not just in the way you eat and exercise.

Here are some areas you may want to focus on to reduce fat:

Diet

The amount you eat has a big influence over your body fat. The list below summarises some tips:

• Reduce your portion sizes.
• Eat smaller meals more frequently
• Don’t skip your breakfast.
• Eat fruits and vegetables to obtain the nutrients you need.
• Eat more fiber to fill you up so that you don’t have room for less healthy foods
• Avoid sugary drinks
• Avoid junk food. Try not to store junk foods or any non-healthy foods at home and in your workspace
• Avoid/Limit how much alcohol you drink.

Cardiovascular Fitness Program

Cardiovascular exercise is essential to fat loss, but make sure you do the right kind of cardio. Do include some high-intensity interval training in your program, up to two to three times per week. Incorporate moderate and easy workouts as well.

Strength Training Program

Muscle helps you burn fat. The more you have, the more calories you burn all day long. Perform strength training a couple of times a week to add lean muscle tissue.

Adjust your Lifestyle

Stress hormones can contribute to weight gain. Therefore, pay attention to your stress levels and make sure you get enough sleep.

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