Losing weight is a task that requires discipline , both food and sports. Combining this drop with burning fat is also essential, as the body volume bothers many people . However, when thinking about how to decrease the fat percentage, it is necessary to analyze individual and food menu issues, as many use only weight to measure their needs.
As an impact if exercise and food don’t go together, some people may be losing muscle mass , which causes the metabolism to drop, preventing the process loss of body fat. But if you are actually losing weight and fat, it indicates that you are on the right track!
Are you interested in the subject? So stay here to learn how to decrease the fat percentage .
Initial considerations
One food myth that exists is that consuming carbohydrates makes you fat, so many believe that removing them from the menu will help you lose weight. However, in addition to being used to generate energy in the body and for physical exercises, for example, this is the only source of energy for the human brain . So, if it is removed, the body will be forced to use other nutrients, such as protein, bypassing its original functions.
One issue that needs to be understood is: carbohydrates are not the same for all types of food in this group . There are simple carbohydrates that are the most common, like sugar, fruit and chocolate and complex carbohydrates, which are present in cereals and whole grain breads, for example. While one is quickly absorbed, like chocolate, the other helps to satisfy hunger, like cereals.
Another issue that needs to be highlighted: carbohydrate will only be harmful if consumed in excess , as it will not become energy, but will be transformed into a reserve energy in the form of fat, which causes an increase in body volume. Therefore, it is necessary to go beyond common sense to think about issues involving the health and aesthetics of the body.
What is fat percentage?
The fat percentage is the body’s fat index in relation to the other parts of the body, being the blood, muscles and organs. All the parts mentioned, in union, can be called lean mass.
Many think that body fat will not be beneficial, as it is always related to weight gain or something that will not be good for the body. In fact it will be harmful if the rate is high , but in adequate amounts for the body, it will be important for some functions, such as being source of energy, regulate body temperature and assist in the construction of cells .
That is why it is necessary to know its percentage and rethink how it is seen (fat), so that you will have control through your diet and sports routine, ensuring a good body functioning , in addition to having health and well-being.
What is the ideal fat percentage?
Before thinking about how to decrease the fat percentage, it is necessary to know where you are, if your percentage is ideal, below or above the indicated. Values change from man to woman, beyond age, but there is a pattern for most .
The indicated values are calculated by a professional, usually a nutritionist , as it uses methods such as bioimpedance to calculate both fat and lean mass. If you want an accurate answer, seek the assistance of that professional!
Another issue that needs to be deconstructed is also: thinking that the lean body is healthy. This is not correct! As we live with a specific body pattern, it is common to align being thin with being healthy. One of the consequences of this thought is to want to lose weight at all costs to be in a standard, but in many cases the displayed body is not in good health according to the perception of being thin.
It is necessary to understand this thought, as there are cases of a healthy person with the level of fat in good condition for the body and that it is not harmful to him, while another person at the same level of training is not happy with what it looks like, then try to reduce the percentage. Stressing again, the ideal is to go beyond aesthetics .
To understand a little more about the bioimpedance exam, the percentage and how it is calculated for each person, watch the video below:
Percentage of ideal fat in men
As stated earlier, age is a factor in the amount of body fat! Taking into account a man between 20 to 29 years old, the normal percentage is between 14 to 20% and the ideal is 11 to 13%, considering a sports routine.
Consider the ideal word as a goal to be achieved by athletes . It is not a conditioning that everyone should have! To know the other values, just consult the table below:
Percentage of ideal fat in women
In the case of women, when looking at the same age group from 20 to 29 years old, the normal is 20 to 20%, and the ideal is 16 to 19%, also considering a sports routine. The other values of the percentage of fat in women are in the table below:
How to reduce the percentage of fat?
There are some options to know what to avoid and what can be consumed to reduce the percentage of fat. Reinforcing that, for effectiveness, the right thing is to have professional monitoring to analyze your case individually!
What to avoid
To reduce the percentage of fat, one of the foods that needs to be avoided is fat itself. Usually those of animal origin are one of the causes for the increase in body volume, in addition to increasing the levels of bad cholesterol, because they decrease good cholesterol.
To avoid gaining weight and fat, avoid foods such as sour cream, sausages and animal meat fat. Start consuming lean meat, such as skinless chicken breast, fish, seafood and low-fat dairy products with meals.
Refined (or white) flours and sugar are foods that are at the top of the food pyramid, so avoid excessive consumption. These types of foods can cause spikes in blood glucose and insulin , which causes increased appetite and anxiety.
To regulate the body, choose healthy options, such as wholemeal flour and other types of sugars that are not as processed, as is the case with brown.
What to eat
Lean proteins are great options that help you lose body fat, because in addition to maintaining weight control, they speed up your metabolism by 1/4, which provides satiety while you eat. Among the options in this group, you can choose:
- Meats with low fat content.
- Skimmed dairy products (milk and yogurt).
- Boiled egg.
- Soy protein.
- Low-fat white cheese.
Other options concern essential fatty acids for the body, such as omega 3 and 6, which help to reduce the volume of fat. Fish, such as salmon, sardines and tuna are options for acquiring essential acids, plus some are cost-effective options . Other foods that also have benefits for this group are nuts in general and flax seeds.
One more tip to keep the ideal percentage combined with food is to have caloric control, because many think that eating little is synonymous with being healthy . However, this is not the way. Regulate your diet with need and intensity of exercise, as energy is necessary to perform in sports. Other than that, if you want to define muscle and not have fatigue, eating properly will avoid this problem.
Going beyond body fat!
The percentage of fat is something that needs to be assessed for each person’s body needs , but it is not a model to be followed in a cast. It is a parameter for visualizing body health, but it is not limited to the percentage. As said, it serves to understand where the person is in relation to the health of his body and what he wants to do to optimize his results and, in most cases, how to decrease the percentage of fat.
I emphasize that each case is individual, so taking the bioimpedance exam, for example, is necessary to document and monitor your needs, so don’t be afraid to invest in a qualified professional to assist you.
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