How to Measure or Calculate Your Body Fat Percentage (And Lower It!)

Online Calculator

Weighing yourself is one of the easiest ways to check on your weight loss, but as you progress and want to get healthier or have specific fitness goals, you need to measure or calculate your body fat percentage.

Weight and fat are two different things that need to be measured differently. Weight loss can be anything that lowers your weight, including water, fat, muscle, and even just chopping your arm off (that is not my advice).

A healthier body or if you have specific goals will require you to measure your body fat percentage to keep track of results, so you know you’re going in the right direction.

Follow along as I show you how to measure or calculate your body fat percentage and lower your body fat.

It’s possible to measure or calculate your body fat percentage in several different ways. The cost involved in each method can vary from free to fairly expensive if you need to check often.

The most important thing if you’re just looking to lower your body fat percentage is to find a method that works for you and is easily accessible. The actual figure is often not important, but the direction it goes in is what you want to keep track of.

I’m providing the four most common and accessible methods to you. There are certainly other options, but they are harder to access and may cost a lot more money.

Most methods, when used correctly, offer a somewhat accurate value for your body fat percentage.

Using a basic tape measure used for sewing, not construction, can let you check measurements on your body. You can then use an online calculator to check your body fat percentage.

As long as you have a standard scale to check your weight, know how tall you are, and purchase a cheap tape measure, this is the easiest and cheapest option to keep track of your body fat percentage.

When taking measurements, the tape measure should be fully touching your skin but should not be pulled tight, and keep the location and tightness of your measurements the same each time.