Forget crash diets, slimming pills and the like — such methods may help you shed the pounds quickly but these are not the most sustainable habits that can help you achieve long-term health.
Rapid weight loss may often be the case of water and muscle mass loss that translates to a lower body mass index. On the other hand, body fat percentage is a better indicator of your overall fitness and health.
To put it simply: Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space. You could be wearing a smaller jeans size but weigh the same on the scale. You may take reference from the below body fat percentage chart.1
Ideal body fat percentage chart
| Age(years) | Body fat (%) | |
| Men | Women | |
| 20 | 8.5 | 17.7 |
| 25 | 10.5 | 18.4 |
| 30 | 12.7 | 19.3 |
| 35 | 13.7 | 21.5 |
| 40 | 15.3 | 22.2 |
| 45 | 16.4 | 22.9 |
| 50 | 18.9 | 25.2 |
| 55 | 20.9 | 26.3 |
How to lose body fat?
Below are ways to get into a routine that helps you gain muscle mass. Protein nutrition is also important to promote muscle repair and bolster the immune system. How to reduce body fat percentage effectively? The key here is to train smart and eat smart for better results.
1. Strength training
Incorporate some weight-bearing exercises into your workout routine. Bodyweight workouts are often the best way to get you started, then you can progress to using dumbbells or other weight equipment in the gym for simple exercises such as squats, lunges and other weightlifting movements.2
Various studies have shown that strength training can be effective fat burning exercises. According to a study carried out in Australia and France, 12 weeks of strength training paired with aerobic exercise can be more effective at reducing body fat and belly fat than aerobic exercise alone.2
2. High-protein diet
Having more eggs and healthy sources of protein such as chicken, seafood, legumes and dairy products in your diet can help you improve your muscle mass and attain an ideal body weight percentage.3
A number of studies have shown that a high-protein diet is effective in lowering the risk of belly fat while eating protein will also help you to feel fuller faster.
3. Get more Zzzz's
Besides diet and exercise, getting a minimum of seven hours of sleep every day will boost your effort to attain the ideal body weight percentage. If you have been snacking more often while feeling drowsy, that is because sleep deprivation contributes to swings in hunger hormones.3
Be persistent and these fat loss tips will do wonders.