How does one measure health? It depends on whom you ask. A physician may measure health in terms of lab values – cholesterol, blood sugar and so on. A personal trainer might tell you that your body fat percentage is the best indicator of good health. You can rely on what the scale tells you or on the shape of your clothes.
Monitoring things like these is always cool, some seem like a big job though, but it only takes a few minutes to do each one, involves inexpensive equipment otherwise it can be a regular part of a visit to your physician. Here are aspects you need to consider when taking health and fitness measures.
- – Weight (weight loss)
- – BMI (Body Mass Index)
- – Body composition
- – Measurements
- – Energy level
- – Blood pressure
- – Glucose & cholesterol
Why keep track of all these things? First, because there is not one single good way to define what makes a person healthy or fit. For example, having a moderate weight does not mean you do not have high cholesterol. It can be disappointing to use only one method. You may find yourself in a situation where even though you did not lose any weight in a given week, you may have lost little weight.
Various health and fitness indicators help you get a complete picture of your whole being. We do not judge our children in a single subject in school. And just because the child does poorly in math does not mean he won’t excel at other subjects. And just because you have not lost any weight on the scale does not mean that your waist isn’t getting smaller.
So, what’s the first thing you think about if you want to measure your weight loss? Did you say the scale? If you did, then you should know how frustrating it could be getting on the scale and NOT seeing what you wanted to see. There are many reasons why that scale may fluctuate so much and show a number that makes you baffled. And this is why it is so important to measure your progress in other ways than JUST using a scale. Here are steps to take in monitoring your weight loss progress.
Measure fat loss
How to precisely measure body fat is crucial and significant for us to maintain our physical health and agility. This is perfect for those who are preparing to shed off a few pounds. To be able to flaunt in public with a stunning body is what everybody desire.
We all want to look great as well as feel great. The good news is getting that desirable waistline is not so complicated. All you need to know is your most suitable body fat percentage.
A lot of people think that just because you have a normal weight means that you are also healthy. But on the contrary, this assumption is not true. It is a requirement for us to be informed of the correct weight levels of our bodies. This is technically because our bodies need a specific amount of fat for our systems to function well. However, if we are not cautious we might end up with excessive amounts and cross to the other side, which is detrimental.
The basic way for us to know the current amount of fat we have is to use the traditional BMI calculation or otherwise known as body mass index. Calculating our BMI will help us know how to measure fat from your body and how much fat removal is needed.
The ways on how to measure body fat is surprisingly easy and can be done by everyone. Body to fat percentage just involves the basic equations.
- 1- First, you need to get your current exact weight and record it.
- 2- After, you need to multiply the number you got for your exact eight by 703.
- 3- After that, you need to determine the measurement of your height in inches and multiply it by itself.
- 4- Then the formula to get your BMI is to divide the product you get from your weight by that of your height. Very easy indeed.
There are other ways on measuring body fat. It also can be done with the use of a body caliper that measures your skin folds for fat and many others.
Each person has his own ideal and suggested body to fat percentage level. That surely is vital information for you to know how to measure your body fat percentage. Every now and then you can check if you are on the right level.
Men and woman have different ideal fat levels. A man in shape is supposed to have a percentage between 12 to 18% and should at his best when his body fat is as low as 2%.
Women’s body fat are best if it falls within the range of 19 to 25% and is believed to at her optimum when it becomes as low as 5%.
Then again, after calculating your body fat, you will know how much you would need to store and how much need to get rid of.
How to measure body fat will not only help us in our achieve and maintain that ideal fitness, but more importantly, it aids our body fight against free radicals that pushes us towards the risk of getting unwanted diseases.
So start measuring your fat percentage and work on having a healthy lifestyle.
How you feel
Do you feel more energetic? Do you feel stronger? Do you feel healthier? Well, if you do, then you are making progress in your diet and exercise plan!
How your clothes fit
Couldn’t fit those skinny jeans before, but now you’re fitting them better? Did your pants used to ride up between your legs, but now they don’t? Did some shirts used to fit your tightly, but now they don’t? If so, then you are making progress!
Your motivation level
Are you now able to exercise without forcing yourself? Do you feel the need to eat healthy more than unhealthy? Are you more self-conscious about everything that involves improving your body and health? If so, then you are making progress! Bottom line, it takes more than just the scale to see how far you’ve come with your goals.
Speaking of the scale, if you want to measure yourself as accurate as possible, I recommend weighing yourself first thing in the morning after using the bathroom, and without eating or drinking anything. This will give you the most accurate number.
Therefore, the next time you want to measure your progress, take those 4 things above into account, and just as long as you are on an effective diet program, you WILL see progress!
In conclusion, it serves as a point of inspiration to see how far you have come. Since the changes you are making will only show off a little, it may be discouraging at times not to see overt progress. However, by keeping track of a variety of fitness indicators, it is easier to see, in black and white, all of the progress you are making.
