Quick guide to body composition, lean body mass and body fat Body composition analysis can tell you a how much fat and how much lean body mass you have, and help you find your best weight. The term body composition is mentioned by registered dietitians like me all the time, but what does body composition mean? Let me explain… You’ve probably seen charts in your doctor’s office that provide a rough idea of what you should weigh. These charts take into account your weight, your height, your frame size and your gender – and then provide an estimate of an appropriate weight for you. At best, the charts can only classify you as underweight, at a proper weight, or overweight, based on your frame size. But what the charts don’t take into account is your body composition – that is, how much lean body mass you have, and how much fat you have. Body Composition 101 Your Body’s Two Parts You can think of your total body weight (or body composition) as being made up of two parts – one part is your body fat, and the other part is your lean body mass. And, your body fat can be further divided into two types – one type is termed essential fat, while the other is called storage fat. Body Fat and Lean Body Mass Essential fat is made up of a very small amount of fat that is stored in organs – the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and intestines – as well in muscle tissue, in tissues throughout the central nervous system and in the bone marrow. It is termed essential fat because the body requires this fat in order to maintain normal bodily processes such as temperature regulation, shock absorption and energy production. Women, by the way, have more essential body fat than men do because of the body’s need to store energy in the form of fat to support childbearing and other hormone-related functions. Storage fat, on the other hand, is the fat that serves to cushion the internal organs (called visceral fat, or abdominal fat) and the fat that lies just beneath the skin surface (subcutaneous fat) that serves to cushion the skeleton and conserve body heat. Excess accumulation of visceral fat is associated with various health concerns, which is one reason why it’s important to keep body fat within a healthy range. Lean Body Mass is simply everything that’s not fat – so this component includes your bones, organs, muscles, ligaments, tendons and fluids. Lean mass and fat mass are made up of two entirely different types of cells and tissues – which is why (even though people say this all the time) muscle can’t “turn into fat”. If you stop exercising your muscles, it might seem as if that’s happened – without resistance training to maintain your muscle mass, your muscles can become smaller, which can make the fat on the surface more apparent. But just as you can’t change a liver cell into a skin cell, you can’t change a muscle cell into a fat cell. Thin or Lean? Overfat or Overweight? Body composition analysis provides useful information that can be used to distinguish between someone who is “thin” and someone who is “lean” as well as someone who is “overfat” and someone who is “overweight”. For instance, someone who weighs less than a height and weight table suggests would be classified as “thin” – according to the table. But, since body composition isn’t taken into account by the height and weight table, that person could actually be carrying excess body fat – in which case they’d actually be “overfat”. On the other hand, someone who weighs more than a height and weight table suggests would be classified as “overweight”. But, again, since body composition isn’t taken into account, that person could be actually have a low body fat percentage (such as an athlete who has a lot of muscle) – in which case they’d actually be “lean”. This is important, because it is excess body fat – not simply excess weight – that has an impact on an individual’s overall health and well-being. Healthy body fat levels are around 15% for men and 22% for women, but these values will vary depending on your age. And, while it’s true that having excess body fat can put your health at risk, you do need to carry some body fat, because it performs some important body functions. Achieving Your Best Weight and Shape A proper diet and exercise program can help individuals achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and shape. A proper exercise program can help to build and maintain muscle mass, and therefore increase the body’s lean mass. At the same time, a weight management program can also help to reduce overall body fat – but keep in mind that you can’t “target” your fat loss or “spot reduce”. Yes, if you do a lot of exercise that targets your abs or your legs, you’ll tone the muscles underneath – and that will make you look slimmer. But when you lose body fat, you lose it more or less uniformly. If you start out heavy and curvy and then lose weight, you’ll probably keep your curves. And, if you’re built without much of a waistline, you can’t really create one – no matter how many situps you do. When you lose body fat, your basic shape will be more or less the same – only smaller. Susan Bowerman is Director of Nutrition Training at Herbalife. Susan is a Registered Dietitian and a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 06:40:47 +0000
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