Let's face it,we are a society that tends to over-identify ourselves with how much we weigh, instead of focusing on what is healthy and ideal in regards to our specific body type. Way too often people get frustrated and even depressed because they can't seem to get to the weight (usually a specific number) or have the body type that society says is ideal. Guess what?! For about 90% of the population, society's "ideal" is NOT ideal, nor realistic.

At State of the Heart Fitness, we want you to feel good about yourself (as you should!) and that's why we will educate you on what is realistic as well as what is a healthy weight taking into consideration your body type, your genetics, your age & your lifestyle. Your success is as individual as you are so we will make sure it is measured based on your individual parameters, not on what society thinks is your ideal!

Body Composition: What does it tell you?

Body composition refers to the percentage of body fat in relation to lean tissue (muscle, bones, organs and water). Testing body composition provides an estimation of fat mass vs. fat-free mass & thereby allows you to know specifically what percentage of your body weight is fat.

Why is it important?

Both excessive and deficient body fat present risks to your health. The importance of knowing your body fat, therefore, can help assess risk as well as give you a better idea of what your ideal & healthy body weight should be, as opposed to striving for some unrealistic weight that may not even be healthy for you. Like the Fitness Assessment, measuring your body composition provides measure for change & progress over time.

Methods to test body composition

There are different methods to test & estimate one's body composition. Though hydrostatic (underwater) weighing is considered the "gold standard" when performed properly, it is not the most practical method. For practical purposes (considering time, ease & comfort to you), the methods we use at State of the Heart Fitness are:

Anthropometry (skinfold calipers): skin fold and circumference measures are taken at various sites and then compared to standards.

Bioelectrical Impedance: determines body fatness by a measure of electrical conductivity; lean tissue conducts a mild electrical current whereas fat tissue does not.

Other Body Composition Methods
(not used at State of the Heart Fitness):

Underwater (hydrostatic) weighing: the "gold standard" for measuring body weight compared with volume; lean tissue is denser than fat tissue, so the denser a person's body is the more lean tissue it must contain. This method requires a specific water tank & takes a lot of time.

Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA): radiographic technique that differentiates fat and fat-free tissue.

Ideal recommendations for Body Composition
(body fat (%BF) & circumference):
Men < 40 yrs. old = 12-22% BF Men > 40 yrs. old = < 25 % BF
Women < 40 yrs. old = 20-32% BF Women > 40 yrs old = < 35 % BF

Desired Waistline circumferences:
Men < 102 cm (40 in.)
Women < 88 cm (35 in.)

Desired Waist-to-Hip Circumference Ratio:
Men < 0.9
Women < 0.7