How to know your percentage of body fat? The key is to measure the waist.
In our previous article, we reviewed the most used methods to measure our body fat percentage, analyzing the pros and cons of each one. We leave you a comparison of the different devices that are currently used to measure fat , including bioimpedance machines, calipers, the Bod Pod system, the use of X-rays (DEXA), etc.
In case you missed our previous post, you can read it here:
HOW TO KNOW YOUR BODY FAT PERCENTAGE MOST USED METHODS
In today's post, we would like to explain three other methods that we can use to estimate your body fat percentage and that we did not see in that article.
The best thing about the methods that we are going to see here is that, unlike the others, they do not require any type of special machine to be carried out; they don't even make use of any mathematical formula.
This is an advantage if you don't have a bioimpedance device or caliper, or if you can't afford a DEXA test or find it difficult to find a clinic that does one.
With these three methods, you will obtain a more or less reliable estimate of your body fat , which you can calculate for free and you will not need to leave the house. You will only need a mirror, tape measure or your own perception. Do you want to know what they are? Go for it!
1. VISUAL APPEARANCE
2. MEASURE THE WAIST TO KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT IN MEN
3. WEIGHT AND HEIGHT COMPARED TO RELATIVE STRENGTH
1.- HOW TO KNOW MY FAT PERCENTAGE WITH THE VISUAL APPEARANCE
How do you see yourself in the mirror? Believe it or not, it's one of the best ways to estimate your body fat percentage . Each percentage of fat has a certain appearance with which you can get an idea of how much fat mass you have, simply by looking in the mirror. Take a look at the photos below and you can take a look at what the different fat percentages look like.
H ow is body fat percentage calculated? Broadly speaking, for men it would be the following:
- 25% body fat would be at the upper limit of what is acceptable and beyond that you will have obesity and health problems.
- Between 14% and 18% is the percentage of fat recommended by doctors. Most men will be able to maintain athletic form and physical performance by moving within these percentages.
- Losing 10% fat is not recommended for everyone, since it depends largely on the individual's genetics to be able to maintain good health with such low fat levels. This percentage of fat is typical of some elite athletes during seasons of maximum sports performance. It is also usually presented by certain actors and models due to the demands of a film or photo shoot.
Although each individual is different and their appearance at each percentage may vary, the photos will serve as a general guide to estimate the percentage of body fat . The photos correspond to individuals with different percentages of fat and levels of muscle development. How to know my percentage of body fat? The following images interest you. We have selected some celebrities that will surely sound familiar to you, with physiques that we believe can be achieved in a natural way without doping substances.
Body fat percentages in photos
◉ 25 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT: - No definition. - The waist is very wide. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT: - All parts of the body look soft. - The waist is as wide as the back. |
Some fighters like Rey Mysterio (Óscar Gutiérrez, left) have high fat percentages. This helps cushion falls and bumps to protect bones and joints. Actor Matt Damon (right) had to gain fat and get down to 25% fat for a movie.
◉ 20 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT: - Still no abdominal definition no matter the lighting. - The waist-to-shoulder ratio is still a little pronounced. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT: - All parts of the body look soft. - The waist remains wide in relation to the back. |
◉ 18 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - You could start to see the first lines of abs when there is good lighting. - The first muscular forms begin to be defined. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - The typical "thin with some fat" appearance. - Due to his low muscular development, it seems that there is more fat than he really has. |
Actor Daniel Craig (left) shows us that you can have a great physique, without fully visible abs, at 18% body fat . However, not all people will be able to look the same in this percentage.
◉ 15 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - The first two lines of abs appear blurred when there is good lighting. - Good muscle definition point and some veins. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - Still maintaining the "slim and squishy" appearance. - Normally, at this point the person does not know if they should gain muscle volume or definition. |
Will Smith (left) is highly muscular and in excellent shape. His abdomen is intuited, but his lines are not drawn too much because he has 15% fat . Hayden Christensen (right) has the same percentage, but without having trained the muscles.
◉ 13 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - The abs look good in good lighting (except the lower area) - Presents good muscular definition and vascularity. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - Slim, but still unhappy with muscle definition. - You wonder if you should gain volume or mark your abdomen more. |
From 13% body fat , you already start to see your defined muscles. In actor Tom Cruise (left), we can see muscle separation between the shoulder, biceps, and triceps. The first lines of the abdomen are also visible. Hayden Christensen (right) is not more muscular than in the previous photo, but he does look more defined because he has less fat.
◉ 10 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - Abs look good in good lighting. - The upper part of the abdominals can be seen even without flexing them. - It presents good definition and vascularity. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - Thin, although in appearance it does not present remarkable shapes. |
The singer David Bustamante (left), after a time of effort and dedication, achieved the physique of the photo. He has definition in all his muscles, including his abs. Most soccer players are around 10% body fat , like David Villa (right). Although not all players train with weights.
◉ 8 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - The abs are all perfectly visible in good light. - You can see all the abs without straining. - It has a lot of definition. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - Very, very thin, although you can see something aesthetic. - You can't pinch fat anywhere. |
Brad Pitt (left) for Fight Club achieved a really low-fat, ripped physique. He had to lose 71 kg to 1.80 m. In addition, he did dehydration to shoot the scenes without a shirt, which is not sustainable for a man's day-to-day life. Daniel Radcliffe (right) has a similar body fat percentage, albeit with less muscle. His slim build allows him to maintain it. He is the typical image of 8% fat .
◉ 7 body fat
GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - The abs are all perfectly visible in good light even without tightening them. - Absolute definition and vascularity. | LITTLE MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT - Possibly something like that. |
When Cristiano Ronaldo (left) was playing for Real Madrid, club doctors claimed he had 7% body fat . They were not misguided, if we see the definition of the player. Cristiano has achieved advanced muscular development for such a low fat level. We can appreciate the congestion of the muscles and vascularity of him during a soccer match. Neymar's muscle definition (right) is similar, though obviously with less muscle.
◉ 6 body fat
The famous actor and martial artist Bruce Lee had remarkably low fat levels in his prime. Due to his little fat and the hardness of his muscles, those who knew him claimed that touching him was like putting your hand on a wooden board. He would be at 6% fat or so in his prime.
2.- MEASURE THE WAIST TO KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT IN MEN
Something curious and interesting about the waist measurement is that it increases or decreases according to our fat percentage . For most people (not everyone, but most people), each fat percentage you are in corresponds to a certain measurement of your waist. How to know the percentage of body fat? Look at the table below:
| BODY FAT PERCENTAGE | BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATES / LITTLE OR ACCEPTABLE ABDOMINAL DEVELOPMENT | ADVANCED / HIGHLY DEVELOPED ABDOMINAL MUSCLE |
| 7-9% | Waist is 42-43% of height | Waist is 43% of height |
| 9-11% | Waist is 43-44% of height | Waist is 44% of height |
| 10-12% | Waist is 44-45% of height | Waist is 45% of height |
| 12-14% | Waist is 45-46% of height | Waist is 46% of height |
| +15% | Waist is more than 46% of height | Waist is more than 47% of height |
The bottom line is that with this method, you'll be able to estimate (more or less accurately) how much fat you have by looking at your waist measurement. Therefore, when you want to get down to a certain percentage of body fat, it would be recommended that you set a target waist measurement. Once you've achieved that, chances are good that you'll be at the level of definition you were looking for.
Best of all, once you've gotten to that point where you're happy with your definition, you can take your waist measurement and reference it from now on. That way, when you want to lose fat again in the future, you'll know that your waist measurement should go back to that point. Remember that the table shown is used to know the percentage of body fat in men . In the case of women, more measures must be taken.
Tip : Taking a belly measurement is also a good method if you are wondering how to find out my abdominal fat percentage .
BTW, DO YOU WANT TO REDUCE YOUR WAIST A FEW INCHES? TRY THIS EASY HYPOPRESSIVE ABS EXERCISE!
3.- WEIGHT AND HEIGHT COMPARED WITH THE RELATIVE STRENGTH TO ESTIMATE THE PERCENTAGE OF FAT
A third method, although not used to determine exact fat percentage, is used by some personal trainers to get an idea of how much fat a client has. What should we do? Look at weight, height and "relative strength".
Imagine that you are a personal trainer and you receive an email from someone who is 1.83 m tall and weighs 86 kg and has been training for only 6 months. From the beginning, we can deduce that she has a good amount of fat in the body. Why?
With 1.83 meters and 86 kg defined, we would be talking about a very advanced level of muscular development. But this person has only trained for 6 months, so it is quite unlikely that he is already so close to his genetic potential. This tells us that he probably has to lose 20-20 pounds of fat to stay ripped by around 10%. That is almost certain.
This looks great in the metric system. A lean, ripped man who is close to his genetic muscle potential may only weigh a few pounds more than the 3-foot-plus inches in his height.
Height in centimeters (subtract) - 100 = weight at which you are close to your genetic muscle potential (while staying below 10% fat)
Therefore, a 1.83 meter male will weigh about 86 kg when he has good muscle development and around 10% body fat. However, if you're a 6'3" beginner weighing 180lbs, let's say you'll have 18-22lbs of fat to lose before you look ripped.
If you liked this article or have any questions, you can leave us a comment or write us a message.
All the best! We hope that the article on the percentage of body fat has been useful to you and we thank you for having stopped by to read it. Until next time!
GAIN VOLUME WITH US. HOW TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS - PART 1
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Muy bueno, me parece completo.
Gracias Fernney. Estamos muy contentos de que os esté gustando el blog.
Muchas gracias por la información, era exactamente lo que estaba buscando. (en realidad mejor de lo que estaba buscando). Saludos