Hey! In our previous discussion, we talked about what drives us to take extreme actions in terms of body correction, weight loss, participation in various marathons, and hitting the gym, and so on. We found that our ego is the primary motivator, followed by comfort, with health taking the backseat. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we won’t regret our decisions in the future, but for us, the present is today, and we want either a donut or a perfect set of abs, regardless of others’ reactions.
However, it’s worth noting that having a slim and toned body can also pose health issues in the shorter term than obesity. It’s important to consider that it’s not just about visible abs but also the percentage of subcutaneous fat. Today, I want to discuss how much subcutaneous fat percentage one should maintain and what it actually means.
The weight measured on the scale doesn’t reflect the real composition of the body, which includes muscle mass and the percentage of subcutaneous fat. For instance, a person weighing a hundred kilograms and another person with the same weight can look completely different due to differences in body composition. The first may have a high percentage of muscle mass and a small percentage of subcutaneous fat, while the second may have a significant amount of fat around the abdomen, thighs, and buttocks. The weight on the scale won’t tell you that.
Therefore, in addition to weighing during a diet and observing changes in the mirror, to achieve real changes in your figure, it’s necessary to measure waist, hip, and chest circumference, as well as monitor the percentage of subcutaneous fat. It’s crucial to understand that a subcutaneous fat percentage above 30% is considered obesity and a precursor to a myriad of health problems in the future.
These problems include disruptions in the cardiovascular system leading to varicose veins, arrhythmias, and heart attacks, as well as the development of diabetes due to dietary issues. So, it’s important to strive for an optimal percentage of subcutaneous fat to maintain health and well-being.
Joint problems, especially with knees, overall persistent fatigue, excessive sweating, the load on the back, spine, and so on — in short, the musculoskeletal system suffers. • Kidneys, liver, oncology, various internal problems, not to mention the lack of vitamins, micronutrients, and so on, even though it may seem like we eat a lot — but we’ll discuss that another time.
In other words, these are all scare tactics that nobody fears because they don’t interfere with you right here and right now, and everything seems fine. But if you realize that your subcutaneous fat percentage clearly exceeds the norm, then expect a delivery; it will come sooner or later. The problem is that the infamous 30% doesn’t look that scary, and often it’s just ordinary people, plentifully present around us, with a small belly and a second chin. So, they don’t resemble those “meme-worthy” overweight people from the internet; those are extreme cases.
The norm is considered to be a subcutaneous fat percentage from 22 to 29, with women leaning towards 30 and men towards 20, as women are naturally “softer” and “more elastic.” In truth, it’s more tied to childbirth, but we won’t delve into that. Men should be more toned and active. Generally, if you’re within this range, you’re doing well. You might not look great or fit the fitness standard, but it’s the fat percentage that allows you to function normally, minimize health problems, and “blend in” or even be slightly better, considering the modern society of consumption and widespread obesity.
Of course, it depends on your diet, activity level, and so on. Perhaps your body type allows you to maintain this weight while eating anything (ectomorphs), and ultimately, even 20% subcutaneous fat won’t save you from the aforementioned list of problems. For the average person, this is the percentage they can maintain with normal activity (without excessive gym visits), given reasonably correct and balanced nutrition. But this figure won’t satisfy you in terms of the third point of our reasons to lose weight — namely, beauty and toning. And by the way, this is typically the state people reach when losing weight without active workouts; it won’t go further.
Anything below can be considered a fitness standard. For women, it’s approximately 14-18% subcutaneous fat, and for men, around 12-15% — an ideal achieved only through physical activity, sports, and proper nutrition. You’ll increase your muscle mass while maintaining a “normal” percentage of subcutaneous fat, remaining slim and toned. However, it doesn’t guarantee you will have visible abs; it depends on your body type (mesomorph or endomorph) and your sports experience. In other words, 12% subcutaneous fat will look different on different people, depending on how much muscle mass you have.
But, of course, you can push yourself even further, reaching 4-8% subcutaneous fat, when abs will show regardless of your muscle mass. Athletes and bodybuilders dry themselves to this state for competitions to make even small fibers visible. However, it comes with consequences, as in this state, our body doesn’t live but survives, with all processes aimed at preserving organs and normal functioning. It might be normal for a short period, for a competition or a photoshoot, but it’s advisable to return to the 12-18% range and grow from the inside, meaning through muscle mass.
