If you want to calculate your body fat percentage, you are in the right place! We show you how you can determine your KFA.
If you want to train effectively, you should not only keep an eye on your abdominal girth.
It is worth its Calculate body fat percentage or simply do it yourself at home.
The percentage of body fat says the most about your athletic progress.
You'll learn in this post,
- What body fat percentage is and says about you,
- what body fat percentage is normal for women,
- where you can rank yourself in our body fat percentage women chart,
- what methods there are to calculate the percentage of fat,
- which method is the best,
- how to regulate your KFA percentage.
Table of contents
- Definition body fat percentage
- What does body fat percentage say about me?
- Body fat percentage in women - what is normal?
- Body fat percentage women table
- Calculate body fat percentage methods
- Which method to calculate body fat is the best?
- How to regulate the body fat percentage?
- Reduce body fat percentage - How to lower your KFA
Definition body fat percentage
Body fat percentage shows how big the difference is between your fat cells and other components of your body (bones, muscles, etc.).
When you calculate your body fat percentage, you get answers to two important body composition questions:
- How much of my weight is pure fat?
- And how much of the weight is lean mass?
If you know these two things, you can measure the effect of diet and exercise on your body.
Body weight = fat mass + lean mass
The body fat percentage is not measured once, but is used during training to monitor progress.
Or in other words, you can watch as body fat is lost and muscle mass is built.
Do you already know this trick that increases your basal metabolic rate?
Only if you point to the Calculate body fat percentage you can see whether your training really leads to the desired goal.
And not to a low number on the scale. But to a toned and trained body.
What does body fat percentage say about me?
When it comes to healthy weight loss, you shouldn't just keep an eye on the kilograms. It is important to regular the Calculate body fat percentage.
For a long time, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was taken as the starting point for losing weight. This also has its justification. However, here only the height is brought into relation with the weight.
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As female athletes, we know that muscles are much heavier than pure body fat. So if an athlete steps on the scale, she will most likely show overweight according to BMI. And yet she has hardly a gram of fat on her body. But she has muscles, and muscles weigh.
If you compare the athlete and an overweight person, you will not believe that they have the same BMI. Therefore, the Body Mass Index is only conditionally accurate.
It provides us with a rough orientation value. But it should not be taken too seriously.
This is where calculating body fat percentage comes into play.
When calculating body fat values, the muscles and the distribution of fat are also taken into account.
On the other hand, the body fat calculator also reaches its limits. It cannot distinguish between storage fat, depot fat, belly fat and insulating fat.
You can be very thin and still have a high body fat percentage, in this context we speak of Skinny Fat. So deep-seated fat. At first glance, those affected look thin.
Omg! How to tell if you are fat and thin at the same time
Body fat percentage in women - what is normal?
If you compare women and men in terms of body fat percentage, you can immediately see that we are clearly different. We women have a significantly higher proportion of body fat.
This is due to the dear hormones. Men have more testosterone. It favors the building of muscles.
Attention: If you're on the pill, you tend to have Put on more body fat. Hormones are also to blame for this! The muscle building then becomes even more difficult.
Your optimal body fat percentage (KFA) depends on several factors. These include age, body type and gender.
A little further down you will find the "Body fat percentage women table". Here you can see if you are in a healthy range.
If you get a very high value when calculating body fat, you should work on lowering the KFA. A high percentage of fat is usually associated with poor blood values and blood pressure. And leads to calcification of the veins and that in turn to strokes, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
For example, if you weigh 60 kg and have a body fat percentage of 35%, you are carrying around 21 kg of pure body fat. That's really a lot.
You should especially keep an eye on your abdominal girth. This visceral fat is not without danger.
Why overweight people burn more calories than you when jogging
If you, as a woman, want to calculate your body fat percentage and arrive at a value of 39 to 40 percent, you urgently need to see a doctor.
Important: Our body fat percentage changes with age. The older we get, the more body fat we may have. Our body fat is also naturally higher during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
As much as we hate the fat pads. In a healthy way, they have an important task: they protect our organs.
Too low body fat percentage in women
Too little body fat in women can lead to immune disorders and make them infertile. The cycle remains off.
If the body fat percentage in women falls below 12 percent, disorders can occur in the entire organism. For men, by the way, it is 5 percent.
Female athletes often have a very low body fat percentage. Very athletic women, such as bodybuilders or competitors, can achieve a KFA of 12 percent. They do this so that their muscles appear more defined.
Low body fat percentage in women
Gymnasts or marthon runners range from 14 to 20 percent body fat.
Healthy body fat percentage for women
Those who are fit and in very good physical condition manage a body fat percentage of 21 to 24 percent.
Acceptable percentage of body fat in women
If your body fat percentage as a woman is 25 to 31 percent, this is still acceptable. However, you should know that your risk of diabetes and other diseases is already increased. It won't hurt you to lower your body fat percentage a little.
Too high body fat percentage as a woman
Once your body fat exceeds 31 percent of your total weight, you are considered overweight. Your risk of disease increases sharply.
Body fat percentage women table
Calculate body fat percentage methods
This much in advance: There are different ways to measure the percentage of body fat.
Calculate body fat percentage with body fat scale
The easiest is to buy a body fat scale, which you then use regularly to keep track of your progress.
You enter your height, age, gender and body weight into the scale.
Then the body fat scale measures the electrical resistance in the body with four electrodes. The bioimpedance method is used for this. A very weak current flows through your body. You do not feel anything.
Fat conducts worse than muscle mass. This results in resistances that are recorded by the body fat scale.
With this sport you actually lose weight fast
Very cheap scales are very inaccurate when it comes to calculating body fat percentage. They usually have the electrodes only in the scale itself. This means that the current only flows through the legs and groin area. The abdominal fat is not recorded.
It is different with more expensive body fat scales. They have more electrodes on the hands and feet. This means that the body fat percentage in the upper body can also be recorded.
However, if you want to calculate your body fat percentage with a scale, the result can be falsified. For example, if you have a full bladder or have just eaten.
Therefore, you should always measure your body fat at the same time. For example, on Sundays directly before breakfast and after the morning toilet.
This model provides the results not only on the scale. There is also a free app that helps you calculate your body fat. So you can keep an eye on your progress.
The app is controlled via Bluetooth and is compatible with Fitbit, Apple Health and Google Fit.
This body fat scale measures
- BMI
- Weight
- Body fat
- Fat free body weight
- Subcutaneous fat weight
- Visceral Fat
- Body water
- Bone and muscle percentage
- Muscle mass
- Bone mass
- Basic turnover
- Metabolic age
The KFA (body fat) Manur scale measures the fat content with 4 sensors in 100 gram increments.
All you have to do is stand on the scale. Without switching on or off, you will get a result immediately.
You can save your data directly on the scale. So you can monitor progress. Data from ten people can be recorded per scale.
This body fat scale measures
- Body fat
- Body moisture
- Muscle mass
- Bone mass
- visceral fat
- BMI
Also equipped with an app is the Renpho scale. The scale is compatible with iOS and Android.
The app lets you share your progress with friends and family. You can also create unlimited users.
The scale measures
- Fat free body weight
- Body fat
- Water content
- Skeletal Musculature
- Muscle mass
- Bone mass
- Protein
- BMI
- Metabolism basal metabolic rate
- biological age
Better than gym: lose weight and build muscle at home
Measure body fat percentage with Caliper forceps
The Caliper is considered to be somewhat more accurate. You can also use it to measure your percentage of body fat at home. Calipometry measures the thickness of the subcutaneous fat layer.
Tip: You can order the Caliper pliers to measure your body fat from Amazon.
The thicker the skin fold, the higher the body fat percentage.
To do this, grab a body fold on the abdomen, the device now measures the thickness. For the result to be correct, however, you have to measure on different parts of the body.
These are the numbers you need to calculate body fat:
- Belly fold - Measure vertically 2-3 cm to the left of your belly button
- Triceps fold - Measure the skin fold on the triceps between the shoulder and elbow
- Hip fold - Measure above hip bone centered between last rib and pelvic bone diagonally
In calipometry, a distinction is made between the 3, 4, 7 and 9 fold formula. Men, by the way, have to measure other values and body parts.
The disadvantage with body fat tongs is that you have to write down a lot of data and then calculate it. With the Eaglefit Caliper is that differently. It already belongs to the newer models - digital body fat tongs.
Equipped with Bluetooth, you'll have the results within seconds. It is especially popular with trainers, nutritionists and athletes.
There are a total of 6 different measurement methods to choose from in the app. You can track your progress on your cell phone.
Also equipped with a practical app is the Caliper from blupalu. Conveniently packed in a small bag, you always have everything you need at hand to calculate your body fat percentage.
This pliers comes with a tape measure and video explanations on top. It mist according to the 3- and 7-fold method.
Measure fat percentage with DEXA
The DEXA method is used in larger clinics and orthopedic practices. These scanners measure your percentage of total body fat and the distribution of that fat. The DEXA method is very precise.
A body fat measurement costs about 100 euros.
Calculate body fat percentage with the US Navy method
The US Navy method for body fat involves measuring different parts of the body with a tape measure.
These are the numbers you need to calculate body fat:
- Abdominal girth - Place the tape measure at the level of the belly button. Measure the circumference in a relaxed state and after exhaling.
- Hip Circumference - Place the tape measure on the largest measurable circumference of the hip.
- Neck circumference: Measure the circumference of your neck at the level of the larynx.
Watch body fat percentage
In addition to calculating body fat percentage, you should rely on your eyes. So work with comparison photos. This may sound very inaccurate and a bit irritating. But it's a proven way to get a feel for your body and your body fat.
Mark a spot in front of the mirror. And take a picture once a month. Wear the same clothes and hairstyle. Posing is allowed as long as you always do it. But do not deceive yourself.
How to get rid of belly fat without dieting
Calculate body fat percentage at the sports doctor
A sports physician can calculate your body fat percentage even more accurately. He can tell you how much fat and muscle is actually present in your body.
Very often, sports physicians also rely on bioimpedance analysis. However, they know better and use even more electrodes, which are placed on different parts of the body.
A professional body fat measurement by a sports doctor costs about 25 euros.
Which method to calculate body fat is the best?
Well, as you can see, there are many ways to raise the percentage of body fat.
The most accurate method
By far the most accurate method is the DEXA measurement. However, you cannot have such a scanner at home and if you did, it would cost a fortune.
Spending 100 euros once a month for a DEXA measurement is less of an option. But you can allow yourself that once a year.
For a DEXA measurement, you must allow at least 30 minutes. However, waiting time, arrival and departure have to be added. So you will probably need 1-1.5 hours in total.
In summary: DEXA body fat measurement is very accurate. But very expensive and time consuming.
The easiest method to calculate body fat
You can quickly and easily calculate your body fat percentage with the scale. However, the results can vary greatly.
Tip: I ordered my body fat scale from Amazon.
If you don't want to know exactly to the dot and coma what your body fat percentage is, however, a scale is a good purchase.
You should not necessarily rely on the exact number. But measured over a longer period of time, you can keep an eye on the changes.
In summary: Body fat scales are rather inaccurate. For this, the calculation sees simple.
The exact method for home
This leaves the caliper method. If you perform this measurement method correctly, you will get accurate values.
The purchase is very cheap at around 15 euros. And with a little practice, calculating body fat with the tongs is done very quickly.
Tip: If you want to use the tongs to calculate your body fat, order them from Amazon.
How to regulate the body fat percentage?
If you have a high body fat value, you can lower it by targeted muscle building. If you want to lower your body fat percentage, you need to know that mostly the visceral fat - the fat around the organs - is lost first. Only then is the visible subcutaneous fat on the abdomen, legs, buttocks, etc. reduced.
Watch for trends
To get a better sense of whether your workouts and diet are a true fit, monitor body fat trends.
Measure your body fat percentage regularly. The less often you measure, the less you can be sure whether you've built muscle and lost fat or just measured yourself.
For the results to be really meaningful, you have to create comparable conditions. The same day, the same time, the same procedure.
Don't measure your body fat right after a workout or when you've just sweated profusely.
This is the secret to a better metabolism!
Reduce body fat percentage - How to lower your KFA
Depending on how high your KFA is, the methods of how you approach the challenge will differ.
Your body fat percentage is higher than 30 percent
Nutrition
- Drink up to 2.5 liters of water and unsweetened teas daily
- Eat more whole grains and completely avoid white flour
- Stay away from sugar in any form (soda, cake, etc).
- Do not eat processed foods
- Reduce meat
- Daily 3x vegetables and many Low calorie food
- Make sure to eat slowly, chew well and eat small portions
Sport and lifestyle
- Sleep at least 7 hours every day
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Try to incorporate as much exercise as possible into your daily routine
- Move at least 50 minutes a day (cycling, walking, fast walking, swimming)
- Start swimming and cycling so you can lose weight
- Set on a mix of endurance and strength training
Your body fat percentage is between 25 and 30 percent
Nutrition
- Eat slowly until you are at least half satiated
- Make sure you get enough protein
- Reduce meat
- Drink at least 2 liters of water or unsweetened tea
- Set on healthy vegetable snacks
- Reduce sugar as much as you can
- Stay away from processed foods
Fitness and lifestyle
- Walk a lot
- Do sports 3-5x a week
- Do NOT give up carbohydrates. Eat healthy carbs from whole grains instead
- Set on a mix of endurance and strength training
- Go run
- Start with bodyweight exercises for initial muscle development
Your body fat percentage is between 21 and 24
Nutrition
- Make sure you get plenty of protein
- Drink enough
- Eat lots of vegetables and fiber
- Don't forget healthy fats like Coconut oil*Olive oil, Avocado oil* or Omega 3 and 6
- Reduce sugar in any form
- Stay away from fast food and processed foods
Fitness and lifestylee
- Make HIIT training
- If pure muscle exercises are too little for you, you can switch to Dumbbells or Barbells set
- Plan 3-4 training sessions per week
- Don't forget endurance training!
Our conclusion
It is not difficult to have your body fat percentage calculated. If you really want to get fit, you should know your KFA and especially track it. This is the only way to see if you are really succeeding with your training.
For all those who like to have it easy, they reach for a body fat scale when calculating body fat percentage. Those who like it exact should prefer the Caliper.
It is quite normal that the body fat percentage is higher in women than in men. But don't let that discourage you.
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