Body Composition | Take the Fat Test

Are you fat? What is your BMI? What IS BMI, anyway? What is your body fat percentage?

Have you ever wondered any of these? Or even tried to block the questions from your mind?

Well you are not alone. Body composition is probably not your favorite topic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth understating and tracking. Keep reading as we explain body composition measurements and announce the new Cube.Dweller.Fitness Body Composition Calculator.

What is body composition?

Body composition explores ways to measure how we are built with an intent on measuring our health, fitness, or predisposition to diseases like heart disease, or diabetes. For fitness body composition focuses largely on body fat percentage, but since we are all built differently we need a tool that can help estimate our potential for muscle growth.

That leaves us with three measurements: BMI, body fat percentage, and genetic muscular potential.

What is BMI?

One simple way to measure body composition is to compare your height to your weight. That is basically what BMI measures. BMI stands for body mass index, and is a ratio calculated by dividing your body mass by your height squared.

Check your BMI on the Body Composition Tool.

BMI is one measure and has been talked about a alot recently since it was the underlying measure in “F as in Fat” study that studies obesity in America. Colorado, my home state, is the leanest in the nation and still has almost 20% of the population categorized as obese. It is no wonder our health insurance costs are skyrocketing, we are killing ourselves.

Now I will say that, like any standardized measure, BMI is not without faults. It works well for people that are out of shape, but for those with more muscle it is not accurate.

Now, let’s get honest here. Go for a walk somewhere in pubic (finish reading first). Watch the people you see. Consider their body composition. Try to roughly categorize people into three categories: skinny, muscular, or over-weight. This isn’t scientific, only your own estimation.

If you found that you categorized more than 5% of the people you encountered as muscular, I want to know where you went. Hanging out at a TeamBeachBody conference is not an average cross-section of the population. My guess is you saw very few people that were muscular. That same conclusion is why researchers have found the BMI is a reasonable measure to use for the general population.

But when you combine BMI with an estimate of body fat percentage you get a much clearer picture of your body composition.

How is body fat percentage calculated?

Just how much of your body is composed of fat is not an easy question. The most accurate method is muscle biopsy, but really do you want to go in for surgery every time you would like to check your body composition? I think not.

The two most common methods for measuring body fat are using BIA or body fat calipers. Used properly both of these methods produce fairly good measures of body fat. Now you may be like me and not have access to either method. So now what?

Well thanks to our military I found that they already researched that issue and discovered a quick, easy, and accurate method for estimating body fat by using a tape measure. That’s right, just a tape measure.

They found that by measuring two or three different circumferences that they could determine body fat percentage.

Check your body fat with the Body Composition Tool.

So now you can check your BMI and Body Fat Percentage the combination can give you a better picture of where you are at and how best to set some fitness goals for yourself. That leads to one last body composition measurement your genetic muscular potential.

How much muscle can you build?

There is only one Brock Lesner, Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, or Jason Statham. Each of these men could be your ideal, but your genetics will largely determine if you can transform your body to look like theirs. That is your Genetic Muscular Potential, or GMP.

Check your GMP with the Body Composition Tool.

For women I doubt any of you want to look like Brock, but consider how either of Esquire’s final competitors in the 2011 Sexiest Woman Alive constest: Brooklyn Decker, Katrina Bowden are built. Again set ideals and use envy as a motivator but use your genetics as a guide to make sure your goals are realistic. I couldn’t find a similar study to the GMP for women.

Set smart and realistic goals for your fitness goals, then make a plan built on small changes. One step at a time.

How to use body composition measures?

Measurements are just guides, they can help set your course or check on your progress. With fitness and health I have found the biggest obstacle to change is motivation. Motivation to get started and motivation to keep going. Life-changes are not easy, they may be simple, but rarely easy.

Use the Body Composition Tool to help, if you find it helpful. Find what motivates you.

If you need to lose weight check out the newly released 24-7 Fat Loss product, buy it, and get started with a program that will give you the tools and support you need.

Let your body composition guide you to make practical changes. Your health matters. Make a decision today.