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 BC1 Body Composition Analyzer Kit |
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What is Body Composition? What is body composition? What does it mean? More importantly, what does it mean to you? Basically, body composition is exactly what it sounds like – the stuff of which you are composed. Do you know what you’re made of? Let’s take a look. Most body composition analyses divide body composition into two components: body fat and lean body mass. We’ll start with body fat. A certain amount of body fat, about 3 percent of total body weight, aptly dubbed essential fat, is necessary to sustain normal body functions. Women have an additional 9-12 percent essential fat that is considered sex-specific, and is associated with normal sex hormone functioning. Dropping below 3 percent body fat for men or 9-12 percent for women is considered unhealthy and can be dangerous or even life threatening. What is a healthy amount of body fat? This depends on who you are and what you do. The healthy, fit range is from 18-22 percent for women and from 12-17% for men. Athletes on strict training and diet regimens may have as little as 14-18 percent body fat for women and 6-12 percent for men. Having over 30 percent body fat for women and 20% body fat for men increases the risk of disease and is considered obese. If your body fat percentage is higher than the healthy, fit levels yet is lower than the obese levels, you may benefit from a healthy diet and exercise, but are not at health risk related to body composition. Now that we’ve covered the basics on body fat, let’s move on to what’s left, which is collectively termed “lean body mass.” Lean body mass includes everything in your body except fat – muscle, bones, organs, fluids, etc. By exercising regularly and eating a healthy, balanced diet, it is possible to achieve and maintain a desirable ratio of fat to lean. Resistance training can increase muscle mass, which increases your lean body mass. And, since your muscles are what give your body shape and form over your skeleton, building strong, healthy muscles can make you look good, too! Another benefit of increasing lean body mass is that it can help your body become a better calorie-burning machine! It’s true – by increasing muscle mass, you will increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR) and burn more calories all day long! How is this possible? Because muscle tissue contains little organelles called mitochondria, which, put simply, are little energy producing machines. The more muscle tissue you have, the more mitochondria you have. And yes – you’ve got it – the more mitochondria you have, the more calories you burn! Fat cells, on the other hand, do not have any such amazing abilities. In fact, body fat above the level of essential fat is considered storage fat and is actually a source of fuel that can feed the mitochondria and help keep your body running. A certain amount of storage fat is also important for cushioning and protecting the bones, muscles and organs, and for temperature regulation. However, high levels of body fat can adversely affect temperature regulation, as well as overtax the body’s organs and systems over time. A last point to note is that your body weight is about 60-70 percent water, with muscle tissue being 70-75 percent water and fat 10-15 percent water. Women will be slightly less hydrated than men, due to the higher level of essential fat. Water is essential to life – it is present in all of your body fluids and tissues. In blood, water transports nutrients and oxygen to your cells, and picks up waste products for elimination. In sweat, water helps cool your body, and in saliva and digestive fluids it helps break down the food you eat. Water is even a key ingredient for healthy, radiant skin! While height and weight are valuable numbers to know, your body composition will tell you much more about your overall health, and it gives you some insight into what is going on inside you! The BC1 Body Composition Analyzer allows users to accurately monitor their body composition and measure caloric burn through the use of a simple desktop device. When held by the user, the BC1 sends a non-invasive, bioelectrical impulse through the body to determine body fat, lean muscle mass and body hydration. Click here for more information. Jordan, P., ed. (1995) Fitness: Theory & Practice. Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. Clark, N. (1995) Water: the Ultimate Nutrient. Physician and Sports Medicine, 23:5: 32g-32h. Jordan, P., ed. (1995) Fitness: Theory & Practice. Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. Clark, N. (1995) Water: the Ultimate Nutrient. Physician and Sports Medicine, 23:5: 32g-32h. |
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