Understanding body fat is important – and to do this we need to understand the biology behind body fat itself.
Essential fat
There are two types of body fat: essential and stored. Essential fat is necessary for your body to function healthily. Without essential fat, our bodies would not be able to process nutrients like vitamins A, K, and D, which support our immune systems, help to produce healthy blood and encourage the absorption of calcium. Fat is also important to protect our organs and to form the insulation that regulates our internal temperatures.
Storage fat
The other type of fat is called storage fat and is the result of consuming too many calories. Storage fat is the result of calories that are not used for immediate functions (such as breathing and heart rate). These are then converted into the triglycerides that make up storage fat. When we frequently consume more calories than we need, storage fat accumulates, resulting in weight gain. This is the opposite of a recurring calorie deficit, which forces the body to use storage fat as energy which then depletes its supply and results in weight loss.
Healthy body fat percentage
A healthy body fat percentage is the ratio of fat to total body weight. There are numerous factors to take into account when considering this number. Generally speaking, the ‘healthy’ range for men ages 20-40 starts as low as 5% and can reach up to 20%. A healthy woman of the same age group could have anywhere between 15 and 31% body fat.
What is your body fat percentage?
Monitoring your body fat percentage is essential to tracking progress. Luckily, there are several methods available for determining your body fat percentage – including QardioBase, our smart scale and body analyzer which measures your body fat levels and sends them directly to the Qardio app for easy tracking. To be regarded as ‘healthy’, men should aim between 5 – 20% and women between 15 – 31%.
Know more than just your weight
QardioBase is a smart scale and body analyzer that helps make weight management an integral part of everyday life – providing you with accurate measurements of your weight, BMI, body fat, muscle mass, water and bone composition and seamlessly syncing your data to your iOS or Android device. You can even share your data with your friends and family, providing all the support and motivation you need to lose weight and keep it off.
