How Much Body Fat is Too Much?

Words like weight loss, fat loss, diet control and exercise are the new buzz words floating around the media today. Diet and exercise are promoted at every turn to trim and tone the unwanted and unsightly parts. We are told that the average person has too much body fat. And, for the most part that is true. But, do we really know how much body fat is too much?

What Is Body Fat For?

Contrary to what you may have come to believe, all body fat is not bad. You actually do need a certain amount to survive - although that is not generally a problem! Note the chart below. Body fat is crucial in regulating body temperature, insulating organs and is also the main source for supplying energy. If you take away too much body fat, you run the risk of potential life threatening complications.

So, how much body fat is right for your body? According to the American Council on Exercise, the following chart will help you determine what percentage is right for you.  You can see by the chart where your body fat percentage should be.

Monitor Your Body Fat Instead of Weight

When it comes right down to it, monitoring your body fat is more important than monitoring your weight.  It is entirely possible to be losing fat and not pounds.  More than one discouraged beginner has learned this from experience.  We are so programmed to watch the numbers on the scale that sometimes we miss the most important progress of all.  Loss of body fat can change inches on your body before numbers on the scale.

BMI Calculators

Most methods of calculating body fat are not 100% accurate (because of so many uncontrolled variables) - but do offer a good estimate. You can purchase a BMI (body mass index) calculator quite inexpensively.  The most popular ones are hand held devices or bathroom scales. Chart your measurements once a month for best results and track your progress.  Watching your body fat numbers go down is exhilarating and rewarding.  You look better and you feel better!

Staying Fit with Exercise

To some, just the word exercise brings groans and negative thoughts. To others, unless you are at a sports club, exhausted and sweating, you haven’t exercised. More is better, right?  Wrong. Exercise has gotten a bad wrap through years of misunderstanding what is - and isn’t - exercise.

There actually was a time when exercise was not a structured program: a time when push buttons and batteries were not yet a part of the general community. Everything had to be done by hand - and during an average day - every muscle group was put into action. We got all the exercise we needed - naturally.

The Push Button Generation

Today, with so many conveniences at our fingertips, an exercise program is not just desired, but critical to good health. Our lives are - for the most part - driven by battery, electricity or fuel. We have push buttons for nearly everything and - for some of us, the big exercise of the day is getting up to change the television channel by hand because the batteries wore out of the remote control.

Contrary to what you may have been taught, you don’t have to get sweaty in order to exercise and you don’t have to exercise for long periods of time in order to see results. You don’t have to go to a sports club. Check with your doctor for the OK, then put on your tennis shoes and take a brisk 20 minute walk.

Exercise for Fitness

I have a treadmill I purchased a few years ago and - of all the exercise equipment I have accumulated over the years, my treadmill is the only one that gets used nearly every day. On a side note, for those who walk on a treadmill - have you noticed that you use different muscle groups when you walk outside - compared to the treadmill? I have high praise for a treadmill, but I get a better workout walking outside because of the unevenness of the streets and paths I walk on.

When I started walking on my treadmill, I had problems with one of my knees. My treadmill had to be the kind that was at a zero incline. I could only walk at .5 miles an hour for 5 minutes - and barely that - causing quite a bit of discomfort. But, I kept at it and very slowly increased my speed and the length of time I walked. At the end of a year I was walking at a brisk 3.2 mph for 30 minutes without problems.

The benefits of exercise will surprise you - even from the very first day. If you experience a few aches and pains - stick with it. Slow down for a few days and, before you know it, you will be up to speed and feeling great. Do something nice for yourself and begin today to take the first steps toward a healthier you. No one else will do it for you!

How Much Exercise is Good?

Getting daily exercise is critical for good health. Getting the right kind of exercise is even more important. Is your idea of a good workout one that leaves you exhausted and sweaty? Can too much of a good thing actually be bad for your body? How much exercise is good for you?

By using a heart monitor, you can accurately create and track a good workout program. When doing a cardiovascular workout, it is important to exercise within your target heart range to improve your cardiovascular health.

Do you think that the faster and harder your heart pounds during a workout - the better the workout? Not quite. It’s not about how fast you are walking - it’s about how fast your heart is pumping. With a heart monitor, you can be sure you are exercising at a pace that is safe and most beneficial to your heart. When you exercise outside of your target heart rate, too high can strain your heart - too low will simply burn a few more calories.

So, how do you find your target heart rate? This is a simple formula I use - taken from What’s a Nice Person Like Me Doing in a Body Like This? by Dr. Neecie Moore.

220 minus your age = maximum safe heart rate

YOU SHOULD EXERCISE BETWEEN 50% AND 75% OF THAT RATE

Find your lower target heart range:

Maximum safe heart rate x .5 = your lower heart range

Find your upper target heart range:

Maximum safe heart rate x .75 = your upper heart range

When exercising, your target heart range should be between the lower heart range and the upper heart range. By working out within the target guidelines for your body, you will get the most benefit to your cardiovascular system and will be less likely to strain your heart. Getting the right kind of exercise is an important step toward a healthier you.