Body composition and “normal weight”

A beautiful figure, a healthy body is what most of the world’s population dreams of. We often wonder if our weight is normal. And if we understand that he is normal, why are we still unhappy with our figure? Often due to the fact that with a healthy weight, the body contains less muscle tissue, and more fat.

Methods for Calculating Normal Weight and Body Fat Percentage

Our weight is what worries us quite often, because not only the appearance and figure, but also the state of health depends on it. We constantly think if our weight is normal, or maybe we should lose a couple of kilograms, and sometimes even gain. So, you can calculate a healthy body weight for yourself, and it’s not at all difficult.

In most cases, doctors use Broca’s formula to calculate the normal weight.

Weight = growth rate – 100 (up to 165 cm)

Weight = growth rate – 105 (from 166 to 175 cm)

Weight = growth rate – 110 (for height above 175 cm)

This formula also takes into account your physique and age. So, if you are a thin physique, 10% should be subtracted from the indicator, if you are stocky, then 10% should be added. If you are 20-30 years old, 10-12 %% is subtracted from the indicator, after 50 years, 5-7 %% is added to the indicator.

Indicators of the weight-height index have been developed, which is calculated by dividing your own weight, measured in grams, by your height in centimeters. If the calculated value is in the range from 300 to 500, then this is considered within the normal range.

Most often, the body mass index (BMI) is now taken as a basis, which is calculated by the formula

Index = body weight in kg / height in meters 2.

The resulting result is your body mass index. If the resulting figure is less than 18,5, there is a deficit in weight, if the figure is more than 25, this stage is called pre-obesity. A score of 30 or more indicates obesity.

However, such techniques only give a general idea of ​​the correct weight of a person. After all, they completely do not take into account what the percentage of body fat is. Thus, athletes with solid and voluminous muscles will have BMI as if they were overweight, but they will look and feel completely healthy. Or the opposite situation, when the body mass index indicates a normal weight, but the percentage of body fat is quite high, which makes the figure not particularly tempting and the state of health is at risk.

Therefore, if you decide to monitor your body weight, do not forget to measure the level of body fat as well. To measure the level of central obesity (that is, fat around organs), the ratio of the waist circumference (T) to the circumference of the thighs (B), as well as to the circumference of the leg (H) just below the thigh, the circumference of the arm, namely the biceps (P) and waist-to-height ratio (B). So are considered normal:

For women

T / B = less than 0,85

T / N = less than 1,5

T / P = less than 2,4

T / B = less than 0,5

For men

T / B = less than 1

T / N = less than 1,7

T / P = less than 2,4

T / B = less than 0,5

The percentage of subcutaneous fat should also be measured. The only method available at home is to measure the thickness of the skin folds in 4 places (biceps, triceps, abdomen and scapula) using a caliper, caliper, or a regular ruler. To do this, it is necessary to make a sufficiently strong tint of the skin (but not the muscles!) And measure it just above the fingers. Further, the obtained indicators in millimeters must be added and the ratio of the amount received to the percentage of fat in a special table is shown. This method is not ideal, but it is fine for determining the approximate percentage of fat. In addition, by conducting such measurements, you can understand whether your body fat is growing or decreasing. So, if your total weight has decreased, and the measurements have not changed, it means that you have lost weight more likely due to water or muscle tissue; and if the total weight remains the same, but the skin folds have become smaller, it means that your muscle mass is growing, and your body fat decreases.

There are a number of methods that are difficult to do at home, one of which is measuring weight in air and in water. This method takes into account the difference between weight measurements on the ground and when the body is submerged in water, based on the fact that fat is lighter than water. And this difference will be the greater, the more fat in the body composition. The percentage of fat is also determined by measuring the electrical resistance of the tissue – this method is implemented in most modern measuring scales. The method is based on the fact that muscles conduct current better than fat, due to the greater water content in the muscles.

Based on their own goals and desires, everyone can determine for themselves the desired percentage of body fat. However, obesity or dystrophy should not be allowed, and not only because of the unaesthetic appearance, but mostly because of health problems that can be caused by improper weight. Obesity is defined as the condition when the body weight is 20 percent more than the “ideal weight”.

In the case of overweight with a fat composition of 20 to 29 %%, one speaks of 1st degree obesity. With the composition of fat from 30 to 49 %% – obesity of the 2nd degree is put. From 50 to 59 %% – obesity of the 3rd degree, and with an excess of fat by more than 50%, obesity of the 4th degree is recorded and carries a high risk to human health. If we talk about athletes, then only some obesity may be present, which does not bring harm to health and usually appears due to developed muscles.

Weight is not an indicator of good health. For example, having increased 1 kg of muscle while getting rid of 1 kg of fat, the weight will remain the same, but the state of health, the work of the body and the appearance will change. In addition, one should not discount the fact that during the day the fluctuation of a person’s weight is 0,5-1 kg. Therefore, you should not trust the scales 100 percent.

The state of health can be judged by conducting a series of tests to determine aerobic endurance and spirometry – the vital capacity of the lungs, taking into account functional tests. That, together with dynamometry tests, is the measurement of strength indicators, you can get a reliably complete picture of possible deviations in the body’s work.

Remember: keeping a weighing diary, always try to take measurements at the same time, preferably sutra and always on an empty stomach. Consider the clothes you wear when weighing. The result will be reliable and truthful only if these rules are followed.

Weight is an important indicator of the body’s well-being, however, you should not take it alone as a basis. Monitor your health, eat right and exercise moderately, then you will not have any problems related to fat.

​​