Year after year, on New Year’s Day, millions of people around the world resolve to improve their diet, weight, or both. Now that January has come and gone, many of us have already surrendered to the slice of blueberry cheesecake, the irresistible taste of butter on our morning toast, or abandoning what were supposed to be ‘regular’ visits to the gym.
Research indicates that most dieters attempt to lose weight by reducing their calories. Despite all the sacrifice and suffering that goes with dieting, (ever notice that the word diet is spelled “die” with a “t” at the end of it?) 95% of those who lose weight on calorie-restricted diets regain it within five years.
Part of the problem is that we’re focusing on body weight and not on body fat. Losing weight and losing fat is not the same thing. Weight alone is not an indicator of good health because it does not distinguish between pounds that come from body fat and those that come from lean body mass or muscle. Carrying excess fat, particularly around the mid-section is a risk factor for many serious medical conditions including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and some forms of cancer.
Body Fat Ranges for Adults
| Healthy | Overfat | Obese | |
| Female | 29% | 29 to 35% | 35+ |
| Male | <20% | 20 to 25% | 25+ |
Standard weight evaluations such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) measure total body weight based on population averages for height and body frame sizes. According to these charts, athletes and very muscular people are considered overweight (since muscle is heavier than fat is), but that does not mean they are over-fat.
You can’t always tell how much body fat you’re carrying based on your clothing size. After analyzing body fat levels, a person who is larger may have a more acceptable body fat percentage than one who appears leaner.
It is possible to have too little body fat. Women need about 5% more body fat than men do for production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Athletic females with an extremely low body fat percentage may experience an interruption in the menstrual cycle. Over time, this can lead to other health risks such as the loss of bone mass.
On the other hand, female-specific conditions attributable to overweight include infertility, an increased incidence of breast cancer, and higher rates of endometrial cancer.
What is metabolism?
Healthy fat loss is not simply a matter of counting calories. Stimulating your metabolism to work for you rather than against you will result in a healthier body composition and improved energy levels.
Metabolism represents the amount of energy, in other words, calories, that your body uses to maintain itself. Your body uses food energy for movement and concentration, but also for internal, physiological functioning. The minimum energy (calorie) intake required for these processes represents your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Significant decreases in caloric intake can have a negative effect on your metabolic rate. Eating below your BMR – meaning, eating too few calories – might result in some immediate weight loss, but the long-term consequence will be weight gain and fat storage.
How can you determine your body fat?
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is considered one of the most reliable and accessible methods of screening body fat. BIA measures the resistance to the signal as it travels through the water that is found in muscle and fat. The more muscle a person has, the more water their body can hold. The greater the amount of water in a person's body, the easier it is for the current to pass through it. The more fat, the more resistance to the current.
To increase metabolism and reduce body fat integrate exercise and healthy, balanced eating.
- Eat several fiber- and protein-rich meals and snacks throughout the day. Vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean protein should constitute the majority of your calories.
- Consume no more than 25 to 30 percent of calories from fat, and include omega 3 fats daily.
- Reduce salt and sodium, and limit alcohol.
- Your exercise program should include both cardiovascular and resistance exercise, but most importantly, find enjoyable activities and make exercise a part of your daily life.
- The ideal rate of weight/fat loss is one pound to two pounds per week. Any additional losses in weight are often a result of dehydration or muscle wasting rather than a reduction in body fat.
