Babyboomers.com

If you’re among those anxious to lose weight during 1998, you may do yourself a favor by having a body fat assessment done. Before you shy away from the idea, be aware that knowing your body fat percentage is a useful tool for determining appropriate weight loss goals and for monitoring real success.

A healthy weight is not always reflected by the bathroom scale. Knowing your body composition your ratio of fat to lean body mass is a much more accurate and objective measure of health and fitness.

There are several body composition testing methods available. Hydrostatic (underwater) weighing, skin-fold calipers, bioelectrical impedance, near infrared interactance (NIR), and total body potassium are among the most popular. They range in cost and accuracy, so you may want to research what’s available locally before you make your choice.

Also, be sure to choose a method you’ll be comfortable repeating. As you follow your weight loss program, you’ll want to have your body fat measured periodically as an indicator of your progress. You’ll have a much more accurate assessment if you’re comparing two skin-fold caliper measurements rather than a hydrostatic weighing and a skin-fold caliper measurement.

Here are some general tips to keep in mind when seeking body fat assessment:

• Choose a qualified technician with ample experience.
• Have follow-up evaluations performed by the same person.
• Don’t concern yourself with decimals, fractions and error ranges. What you’re looking for is a general trend of body fat reduction over time.

Fitness experts recommend acceptable body fat ranges of 18 to 20 percent for women under age 40, 13 to 16 percent for men under age 40, 23 to 27 percent for women ages 40 to 60+, and 19 to 20 percent for men ages 40 to 60+.

Courtesy of Article Resource Association, www.aracopy.com