Army Body Fat Calculator

An Army body fat calculator is a valuable tool that serves as a guide for people striving to achieve healthy weight loss. The calculator uses requirements mandated by the US Army to determine the percentage of fat on the individual's body. This calculating device is for fitness assessment used before determining whether a weight reduction program is necessary. It also serves as a motivational tool to track weight loss progress.

The subject enters the following information:

• Weight
• Height
• Age

The following measurements are also entered:

• Hips
• Abdominal
• Forearm
• Neck
• Wrist

Using the information and measurements, the calculator estimates the percentage of fat on the body. The human body is composed of different materials including lean mass, working organs and adipose tissue. When people want to lose weight, they typically want to lose adipose tissue, commonly known as fat.

Body Composition

The human body is composed of tissues including bones, organs, fat, and neural tissue. Each tissue type serves a purpose in the body’s systems. The balance of tissue can be measured in percentages. For example, if a person weighs 200 pounds and has 20 percent fat, his body is made up of 40 pounds of fat and 160 pounds of non-adipose tissue.

Adipose Tissue

Adipose tissue is voluminous connective tissue that is necessary for good health. The primary function of this component is to store energy. When a person takes in more calories than he uses, the extra energy is stored on the body in reserve for future use. Other functions of adipose tissue include:

• Insulation
• Protective cushioning for organs
• Store nutrients

The storage in adipose tissue depends on various factors that include:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Hormones
• Genetics

Storing fat is an efficient process that serves an important purpose. However, excess fat can lead to health problems and visible physical changes in the body. A viable first step in the process of losing excess fat is to determine the percentage of adipose tissue on your body.

Benefits of Using an Army Body Fat Calculator

An Army body fat calculator is used to estimate the percent of fat on a person’s body. There are a few benefits to taking this approach whether you are determining a weight loss goal or developing a maintenance plan.

Motivation

The Army calculator, like other body fat calculators, is motivating as you track your progress. Losing fat mass does not always translate into fewer pounds on the scale, especially considering that muscle weighs more than adipose tissue. You can lose five pounds of fat while gaining six pounds of muscle through your exercise program, making it appear that you have gained one pound.

The fat calculating device helps you focus on your body mass rather than the numbers on the scale. Combing the calculator with other tools like printable weight loss charts and exercise charts encourages motivation as you track your progress.

Improving Body Image

As you take accurate measurements of your progress, you become aware of the nature of fitness. Consider the BMI (body mass index) commonly used to determine whether a person is overweight. Those who are muscular may appear to be overweight while those who have poor muscle tone may appear to have normal or low weight on the charts. The BMI calculator uses height and weight. However, there are other elements that play a significant role in diet and fitness.

The best weight loss programs target fat loss rather than weight loss. An Army body fat calculator provides a reliable estimate of the percent of adipose tissue in order to develop a realistic goal.

Healthy Proportions

A cookie-cutter approach to weight control is usually counterproductive. In order to ensure that your goal is realistic and healthy, it is helpful to make some considerations. The following chart provides a general guide for fat mass ratio.

Additional Information

Some websites offer free downloads of calculators but it is important to do a little homework before committing to a certain program. Following are a few helpful resources.

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