Healthy body fat can be higher than you realize. The absolute minimum percentage of body fat which is considered safe and healthy is 5% for males while it is 12% for females. However, the average body fat in adults is much closer to around 15-18% for males and 22-25% for females.
If you do plenty of high intensity training then you will most likely be at the lower end of this scale. This, of course, will depend largely on the type of sport you are training for. If you are a triathlete then your body fat will be lower than a footballer for example. Moreover, heavy weight training routines will result in increased muscle mass.
While we hear about the obesity problem arising in the western world, with the average body fat percentage steadily increasing, we don’t often hear of the health risks involved with a body fat percentage that is too low.
Female athletes, in particular, are susceptible to health issues if their body fat is too low (under 12%). This could result in decreased performance as well as a much higher risk to injury. Problems are often related to eating disorders and nutrient deficiencies. Other extremely detrimental effects include a high risk of osteoporosis due to decreased bone mass, reproductive disorders and even cardiovascular problems in the long term.
If you need to increase your body fat percentage, start by creating the correct balance between calories in and calories out. It is recommended that you consult a health care professional if you feel your body fat percentage is too high or too low so you can achieve the optimum health body fat.
5 Effective Ways on How to Lose Lower Belly Fat
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