Throughout this site, the emphasis is on fat loss. The goal is to get your body fat percentage down into an acceptable range for good health. Why the focus on body fat as opposed to some other measurement? Keep reading and I’ll tell you why. We’ll look at why concentrating on your body fat percentage is more important than on other commonly-used measurements, the health risks of too much body fat, and target body fat percentages for the best health (not to mention a hot body).

Why Your Weight Isn’t So Important

Most people focus on their weight. It’s easy to measure, and it is the thing that everyone tells us we need to concentrate on. Your doctor or your spouse might tell you that you need to lose weight. It’s a rare one who will instead tell you to reduce your body mass index or body fat percentage.

So why is body fat percentage more important than your weight? Because your weight doesn’t say much about the amount of fat you’re carrying. Say I tell you I weigh 200 pounds. Can you tell me if I’m too fat? You can’t. I might work out all the time and be lean and fit and muscular, or I might have a 40-inch waist and break into a sweat walking to the kitchen for my next snack. Weight alone is a lousy indicator of anything important.

Why Your Body Mass Index (BMI) Isn’t So Important

A better measure of your health and fitness is your body mass index (BMI). BMI takes into account your height and weight. That’s great and it is certainly an improvement over monitoring your weight alone. But BMI is a flawed measure too.

Picture two guys who are 6 feet tall and weigh 200 pounds. Since they are the same height and weight, they have the same BMI. But someone who is 6 feet tall and 200 pounds could be an athlete with broad shoulders, big muscles, and hardly an ounce of fat on him. Or he could have a narrow frame, little muscle, and a big beer gut. There’s no way to tell from just their BMI.

Why Your Body Fat Percentage IS So Important

As we’ve seen, neither your weight or your BMI is a reliable indicator of how much fat you are carrying. And fat, specifically your body fat percentage, is the thing you need to be concerned with. When your body fat percentage is too high, you look fat. When it is lower, you look better, regardless of your weight or BMI.

More importantly, when your body fat percentage is too high, you are at much higher risk for all sorts of health problems. That’s why the focus of this site is on fat loss.

Health Risks From a High Body Fat Percentage

In case you haven’t been listening to all the noise about the dangers of being too fat, here are just a few of the health risks you bring upon yourself when your body fat percentage is too high:

  • Increased risk of premature death

  • Increased risk of heart disease

  • Increased risk of stroke

  • Increased risk of Type 2 diabetes

  • Increased risk of cancer

You really don’t want to do this to yourself, and if you’re already doing it, you need to stop!

Target Body Fat Percentages for Men and Women

Here are some generally accepted healthy body fat percentages for women:

Ages 18-39 21% to 32%
Ages 40-59 23% to 35%
Age 60+ 24% to 36%

Here are some generally accepted healthy body fat percentages for men:

Ages 18-39 8% to 19%
Ages 40-59 11% to 22%
Age 60+ 13% to 25%

What You Should Do Now

By now I’m sure it’s clear why your body fat percentage is a better measure of your overall health and fitness than your weight or your BMI. And I’m sure the risks of your body fat percentage being too high are clear as well. It’s time to take the next step, and that’s to start a program to reduce your percentage.

Please go to the FatLossAtLast.com home page, where you can read my reviews of the top fat loss programs available online. All the programs I’ve reviewed are available for immediate download. You can order one right now and start improving your appearance and your health today.