Using a Body Fat Monitor - The way to effective weight loss

September 23, 2004 - The most effective weight loss programmes can be measured by the amount of fat lost, this is usually determined as a percentage of body fat a person is carrying in proportion to their actual weight.

The most effective and by far the most accurate way to measure your body fat percentage is to use a body fat monitor. If you are serious about weight loss then a good body fat monitor is essential and will measure your body fat to within 0.1% of the actual total.

When someone says they want to lose weight, what they actually mean is they want to lose body fat; of course every human needs a certain amount of fat as it is essential for correct bodily function. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body's energy storage. However, too much body fat, especially visceral fat around the major organs, can cause wide spread problems such as heart disease, diabetes and strokes.

It is also a fact that women do carry more body fat than men; this is natural and means that a woman's body naturally has a higher percentage of body fat than the body of a man. The percentage of essential body fat in a typical women’s body is between 10-12% whereas a man's body contains only around between 2-4%.

Including our essential fat it is considered acceptable to have a total body fat content of between 25-31% for a woman and between 18-25% for a man. Anything above these figures and you would be considered to be both obese and having too much total body fat given the overall composition of your body.

When undertaking a weight loss programme it is important to monitor body fat as this is a realistic indicator of your progress and if the diet is working for you. Remember, weight loss doesn't always mean fat loss, yet fat loss should be the main aim of any weight loss or healthy diet regime. Many people often make the mistake of setting themselves impossible goals when they embark on a weight loss programme and lean body mass is not taken into consideration when setting yourself an ideal target weight.

By using a body fat monitor you can assess your exact requirements and achieve realistic goals. Judging exactly how much body fat you need to lose rather than how much weight is vital and this will lead to the maintenance of essential lean body mass which usually means calorie-burning muscle.

The market leader in body fat monitors is Tanita, through a great understanding of technology and years of extensive research Tanita have created a superb range of body fat monitors and full body composition monitors that will help you to achieve your ideal body fat ratio. Both easy to use and accurate a Tanita Body Fat Monitor should be an essential part of your weight loss programme and can play a vital role in any healthy lifestyle change.

The Tanita Body Fat Monitor uses Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, which involves sending a very low electrical signal through the body. Tanita uses Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis to make an indirect measurement of body composition. A safe electrical signal (50Khz, 800µA) is sent through the body via the patented pressure-contact footpads on the body fat monitor platform.

The only direct measurements that Tanita Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis makes are weight and impedance, all other values such as % body fat, Fat Free Mass, etc., are calculated. Impedance is measured in Ohms and can be defined as the strength and speed of an electrical signal travelling through the body.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis is based on the fact that lean muscle tissue contains high levels of water and electrolytes, and therefore acts as a conductor of an electrical signal. Fat mass is comparatively anhydrous and acts as a resistor to the flow of an electrical signal. Increasing levels of fat mass result in a higher impedance value, and correspond to higher levels of body fat.

Tanita are at the forefront of the technological advancement of body composition monitors and their commitment to the end user has lead to many advanced features appearing on selected models. Along with body fat they also include calculations of your muscle mass, body water, basal metabolic rate, visceral fat rating and bone weight.

Ranging from the stylish and simple to use BF-574 Body Fat Monitor through to the new range of advanced Innerscan Body Composition Monitors, the BC-531 and BC-532, Tanita have catered for your every body composition need and with a range of prices to suit every budget.

The bodykind.com Team
info@bodykind.com
http://www.bodykind.com





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