Body fat percentage is a measurement that tells you what percent of your body composition is made up of fat. Subcutaneous fat is the layer of fat just below the skin; it covers the muscles and is the most visible and noticeable type of fat, particularly in individuals with high body fat percentages. Fatty tissue can also form between muscles, and can sometimes surround your organs. 

Not all body fat is considered unhealthy. Essential body fat is important for a variety of metabolic processes, including hormone regulation. It’s also important for the body to store certain amounts of fat for energy, and fat can also insulate the body and protect some internal organs.  Don’t forget, though: while everybody is different, the body generally only requires fat in moderation. 

Lean body mass is comprised of the bodily tissues that don’t contain fat: organs, bones, and lean muscle. Lean body mass is metabolically active: it burns calories for energy. Body fat, however, is not metabolically active. Fat burns far fewer calories than, say, lean muscle. In order to maintain optimal metabolism, your body requires, in part, a higher muscle-to-fat ratio. 

The calories you take in through the foods you eat are required to fuel your body’s metabolic processes, though excess calories are stored as fat. Because fat does not burn as many calories as lean muscle, a higher body fat percentage may actually lower your metabolism. That is why, when it comes to weight management, building lean muscle can be as important as losing fat. 

There are numerous factors that impact your body composition, including genetics that may play a role in how your body retains fat, and even where it stores it. Gender is also a factor, as women generally have more body fat than men. Your age may also contribute to your body fat percentage, because the older you get, the more your metabolism slows down. You may also naturally lose muscle mass as you age, resulting in lower metabolism and higher body fat percentage. Strength training to build muscle may be a way to mitigate this. 

Some factors that impact body composition are out of your control, but it is still within your power to help promote your body’s metabolism and live healthier to change your muscle-to-fat ratio. Living an active lifestyle that incorporates adequate amounts of cardiovascular and other forms of exercise, eating a well-balanced diet that ensures you receive the right kinds of nutrients (complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy, unsaturated fats)--these are all ways you may be able to lower your body fat percentage.

If you’re looking to transform your lifestyle and promote sustainable results, it will be important to monitor your progress along the way. Before beginning any sort of weight management program, it is important to consult with your physician, and it may also be helpful to enlist the help of a personal trainer, coach, or nutritionist to assess your goals and determine your level of fitness. 

When monitoring your progress, however, it is important to remember that weight can be deceiving. Muscle is more dense and takes up less room than fat; the number you see on a scale will not tell you how much of your body composition is fat and how much is lean muscle mass. This is why it is important to measure your body fat to determine if the percentage is healthy. (While national organizations like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Council on Exercise set forth standard guidelines for healthy body fat percentages, you should speak with your physician to assess your own measurements on an individual basis). 

Body composition can be measured in a variety of ways, the most widely known of which may be BMI. BMI refers to Body Mass Index, and it measures your body fat in relation to your weight and your height. It does not, however, measure body fat percentage directly, and therefore is not the most accurate method.

BMI calculators are readily available and easy to use, hence their popularity. Your trainer can take a BMI measurement in the gym, and you can even do it yourself at home. The most practical use for BMI measurements is a general indication of where you might fall in a range of healthy to unhealthy body fat percentages. A person’s BMI generally correlates to their body composition, though more accurate measurements are needed to determine the healthiness of their body fat percentage. BMI does not distinguish between lean muscle mass and fat and does not account for any of the important factors, such as gender or heredity, that may influence body composition.

A more accurate indication of body composition may be gleaned by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). BIA refers to a variety of technologies and techniques to collect bioelectrical information about various bodily tissues and determine your fat-to-muscle ratio. It can be completed at home via equipment that varies in cost, or in a clinical setting by a health professional. Essentially, very low electrical signals are passed through the body; the electricity passes quickly through water (including the water present in muscle tissue) but meets resistance when it hits fatty tissue. The levels of resistance, or impedance, are analyzed to determine the fat-to-muscle ratio.

Caliper tests are a relatively accurate way to measure body fat. Also known as the skin fold test, this method uses a small instrument called a caliper to measure the thickness of folds of skin. The person conducting the test, either yourself, a trainer, or a doctor, pinches folds of skin on different parts of the body. The measurements are plugged into various equations that yield a measurement of body fat.

Hydrostatic weighing may be the most accurate form of measuring body composition, yet it is the least practical due to the equipment needed and the complexity of the procedure. Also known as underwater weighing, it involves submerging a person in water to calculate the mass per unit volume of their body.

Now that you know a little bit more about body composition, what kind of insight does that give you into how you can achieve your fitness goals? Diet and exercise are important ways to start, but sustainable change may entail a transformative lifestyle change that promotes well-being in numerous aspects of your life. That’s where TLS® Weight Loss Solutions may help.* 

TLS® is an innovative program that has completely redefined the way people think about weight management and healthy living. TLS® is more than just a weight loss system: it goes far beyond encouraging healthy eating to promote an overall, well-rounded lifestyle change. Exercise, positive reinforcement, fostering good habits, developing an optimistic mindset--these are just some of the ways TLS® seeks to help you achieve your health and nutrition goals.* 

TLS® uses a four-pronged approach to transition to a healthier lifestyle:

• Low-Glycemic Eating to incorporate healthy foods into your diet that promote metabolism, help you lose fat, and maintain normal blood sugar.
• Body Composition focuses on exercise that not only burns fat but promotes an optimal muscle-to-fat ratio.
• Education, because knowledge is power, and TLS® seeks to empower you with insight into the most important aspects of healthy living so you can make informed decisions about your new lifestyle.
• Science-Based Supplementation to support your other efforts to eat right, support metabolism, and boost energy.* 

You can learn more about this revolutionary program by checking out the TLS® Health Guide & Journal.  

The TLS® program features several dietary supplements that can be used short-term or long-term, depending on your individual needs and goals. The following supplements may help to promote your body’s normal metabolism.*

TLS® Thermochrome with Advantra Z is a unique, proprietary formula that may help to support increased energy levels by promoting the metabolic processes of lipolysis and thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is the production of body heat generated from burning stored fat, and lipolysis is the breakdown of fats. Advantra Z® Citrus Aurantium may help to control appetite.

By promoting thermogenesis, TLS® Thermochrome with Advantra Z may be able to promote the body’s burning of fat for fuel, potentially increasing energy while supporting weight management.*

TLS® Tonalin® CLA may help support the redistribution of fat to fat-burning muscle tissue, thus decreasing the amount of fat your body stores while promoting lean muscle mass. CLA refers to conjugated linolenic acid, which is thought to help improve the body’s fat-to-muscle ratio. Tonalin CLA is a combination of fatty acids that are extracted from safflower oil, a source of CLA.*

Protein is the building block of lean muscles. TLS® Whey Protein Shakes provide you with 21 grams of protein per serving to both help promote muscle growth and to support muscle retention--even as you lose weight. Whey is a byproduct of cheesemaking, a natural protein that may help support healthy body mass. TLS® Whey Protein Shakes provide a source of quality protein that may also promote normal muscle recovery after exercise.*

TLS® Plant-Based Protein Shakes are an effective alternative for people who are vegetarian, are sensitive to dairy products, or who practice a plant-based diet. This protein supplement contains an optimal blend of rice and pea protein to provide the essential amino acids found in whey protein. Additionally, TLS® Plant-Based Protein Shakes contain 22 essential vitamins and minerals. 

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product(s) is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.