Don't you just love all those celebrities who say they never work out and eat whatever they want, but still manage to look fabulous? Would it surprise you to know that many of these beautiful women may actually have high percentage of body fat? They may unknowingly be laying the groundwork for many chronic diseases associated with aging. There is a difference between being thin and being healthy and it lies in our body composition.
What is body composition?
Body composition is a measure of the lean and fatty tissues that make up your body weight. Your body is comprised of many tissues: fat, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs and lots of water. A healthy body composition is determined by the percentage of fat versus lean muscle mass. Ideally, it is best to keep fat lower and lean muscle mass higher.
You can develop poor body composition when the percentage of body fat is too high. The most common cause of a high percentage of body fat is excess fat, although it can also result from a loss of bone, as in osteoporosis, or a loss of muscle. I find that patients who do an excessive amount of cardio and skimp on the weight training often have a higher body fat percentage.
Being overweight doesn't automatically mean that your body composition is off, just as thin is not synonymous with being fit and healthy. Extreme athletes or weight lifters can have a body weight that is considered outside of a normal range, but their body compositions may be healthy due to their high amount of lean muscle. Muscle actually weights more than fat, so if you are on a weight loss plan that includes lifting weights, stepping on the scale may frustrate you. You should judge your progress by how your clothes fit and feel, not by the number on the scale.
How do you measure body fat?
Body composition is measured by
calculating body mass index (BMI), using your weight and height measurements. A BMI in the range of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while 30 or more is considered clinically obese. This may not be accurate for assessing body composition for people who are very short, very petite, very muscular, very tall or for people with edema (swelling and water retention). It is best to evaluate BMI in conjunction with measuring waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio.
Where you carry body fat is just as important as how much of it you carry. People who tend to accumulate fat around the waist (apple shape) have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure than those who carry excess weight on the hips and thighs (pear shape). Calculating your
waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is one way to determine if the weight in your abdomen exceeds that of your thighs. WHR is the measurement of your waist divided by the measurement of your hips. Measure your waist at the level of your belly button. Waist circumference greater than 35" for women and 40" for men is associated with increased health risk. A WHR greater than 1 for men and 0.8 for women is considered unfavourable.
Measuring body fat with skin-fold calipers is easy, but the accuracy of the reading is only as good as the qualifications of the person doing the measurements. This method seems to be more accurate in people with higher percentages of body fat than in those within a healthy range.
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) testing is even simpler than calipers. It uses an electrical frequency, typically sent from your hand to your foot or from hand to hand. This is the premise behind many of the scales or hand-held units on the market that measure body fat. Different tissues conduct the signal at different rates, thereby giving a quick assessment of body fat, water and muscle. BIA readings are affected by level of hydration, electrolytes and exercise. More expensive machines tend to be more accurate and it is best to do the reading on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning.
The optimal body-fat percentages are as follows:
- Ideal range for women: 18-24 percent
- Ideal range for men: Eight-18 percent
- Clinical obesity for women: >32 percent
- Clinical obesity for men: >22 percent
If you live in the Toronto area, my
clinic is offering free BIA sessions this month and next — get in touch via the contact info on our website.
How can you improve or maintain a healthy body composition?
A weight-loss program can actually be harmful if it results in excessive loss of muscle along with fat. Our reserves are in our muscles. As we age, we naturally tend to lose muscle — unless we work to keep it. A loss in muscle mass has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure and
metabolic syndrome (otherwise known as Syndrome X — a condition that has been linked to heart disease and diabetes). It also means that the amount of calories that your body burns on a day-to-day basis takes a decline — which is a recipe for a being skinny fat, at best.
Tips to maintain muscle and boost fat loss
1. Pump it up: Research shows that muscle strength declines by 15 percent
per decade after age 50, and 30 percent per decade after age 70. As expected, along with this decline in muscle mass is a five percent decrease per decade in our metabolic rate. You should adopt an exercise plan that incorporates cardiovascular exercise along with weight training. Do not overdo cardiovascular exercise — it can damage the muscle fibres that you are working so hard to build and maintain. Do your weight training first, followed by your cardio, if you are doing them both on the same day. This will ensure your strength is at a maximum for lifting and you will continue to burn fat during your cardio session. Visit the
Book Extras section of
The Hormone Diet for a downloadable strength training circuit for men and women.
2. Don’t skimp on protein: Protein is the building block of muscle and it is essential for repair after workouts. According to a
recent study from the University of Illinois, a higher protein intake during weight loss can offset negative effects on muscle mass by maintaining more muscle relative to the amount of weight lost. Women who ate more protein lost 3.9 percent more weight and had a relative gain of 5.8 percent more thigh-muscle volume than woman who did not. Complete your meal with low-glycemic carbohydrates. Revisit
The Supercharged Hormone Diet for a selection of recipes and further guidelines.
3. Practice stress management: Elevated levels of stress hormone (cortisol) can have a negative effect on body composition by increasing the breakdown of muscle mass and increasing the deposition of fat around the abdomen. Relora is an herbal compound found to be effective in keeping stress hormone levels balanced and reducing abdominal fat. Phosphatidylserine may also help reduce stress hormone levels and protect body tissues, such as the brain and muscles from the negative effects of stress.
Remember: it's not your weight but your composition that is most important in assessing your health. It's like the old adage says — it's what's on the inside that counts.
Natasha Turner, N.D. is a naturopathic doctor and author of the bestselling books The Hormone Diet and her newest release, The Supercharged Hormone Diet, now available across Canada. She is also the founder of the Toronto-based Clear Medicine Wellness Boutique.