Body composition and exercise -
Fat is the body's energy provider and energy reserve, which helps the body maintain a constant temperature. Fats and lipids are also involved in the production and regulation of some hormones such as, steroid hormones. These are essential in regulating sexuality, reproduction, and development of the human sex organs, as well as in regulating the water balance in the body.
Fats and lipids also have important structural roles in maintaining nerve impulse transmission, memory storage, and tissue structure. Lipids are the major component of cell membranes. Fat serve as an energy reserve for the body, particularly as exercise progresses past 20 minutes.
From a performance stand point, excess body fat lowers your work to weight ratio, This means that a heavier person would consume more energy per minute of work resulting in a lower energy economy during activity.
In addition, excess body fat can lead to additional loads placed on joint during weight bearing activities such as running, causing joint distress.
Healthy or athletic body fat percentages typically allow for more optimal performances, due to the improved economy and reduced injuries.
The immune system is often impaired when body fat stores are too low. A reduced ability to fight infections means more interruptions in training and more chance of being sick on race day. For female athletes, there are some very immediate consequences of a low body fat level, including a fall in circulating oestrogen levels.
This in turn can lead to a loss of bone mass, causing problems for women in later life through an increased risk of bone fracture. Assessing body fat can be done using the following methodologies: Hydrostatic weighing, skinfold assessment and bio-electrical impedance.
Of these methods, one that is both accurate and practical is skinfold measurement. The measurements are taken with calipers, which gauge the skinfold thickness in millimeters of areas where fat typically accumulates i. Once the measurements are recorded, the numbers are inserted into an equation that calculates a body fat percentage and alternatively body lean mass.
Skinfold is a preferred method of body fat measurement for non-clinical settings because it is easy to administer with proven accuracy and is not obtrusive with regards to the patient. It also provides much more data than just the final composition measurement - it also yields the thickness of many sites, which can be used as bases of comparison with future results.
For example, an abdominal skinfold improvement from 35mm to 24mm would show a significant improvement in that site even if the overall body fat percentage may have only reduced minimally.
BMI is often mistaken as measurable guide to body fat. However, BMI is simply a weight to height ratio. It is a tool for indicating weight status in adults and general health in large populations. BMI correlates mildly with body fat but when used in conjunction with a body fat measurement gives a very accurate presentation of your current weight status.
If both change at once, you might not see any changes in body weight. For example, if you start exercising, you may gain two pounds of muscle in the first month. At the same time, you may lose two pounds of fat due to burning more calories through exercise or changes in your diet.
This is one example of why knowing your body composition is much more useful than knowing your body weight. There are many methods to assess your body composition. Some are very simple and easy to use, while others are advanced and complicated.
However, there are some simple methods you can use at home to give you an idea about whether your body composition is improving. One technique is tracking the circumference of different body parts 2.
At home, you can also track the circumference of other body parts, such as the hips, arms, legs or chest. For example, decreases in waist circumference are typically a sign that you are losing belly fat 3. Gram for gram, fat takes up more space than muscle.
Of course, it is very important to measure the same way each time so that you get more accurate results. However, taking pictures of your body every few weeks or months can be one way to assess how your body is changing.
In addition to these simple methods, there are devices you can buy that measure body composition. BIA sends small electrical currents through your body to see how much your body resists the current.
This information is used to predict your body fat percentage 5. If you do choose to use a BIA device, be sure to use it in the morning before you eat or drink anything 7. Any of these changes will lead to a decrease in your body fat percentage, which is viewed as a single number that describes your body composition.
Nonetheless, a good place to start is with some basic principles of nutrition and physical activity. In simple terms, if you consistently eat more calories than your body uses, you will gain weight — typically as fat.
Likewise, if you consistently eat fewer calories than your body uses, you will lose weight. Often, they are processed foods, such as ice cream, pizza and chips, that are highly rewarding to the brain This is partly due to their low protein and fiber content.
After considering how many calories you eat, think about whether you are eating enough protein and fiber. Protein is important for everyone, but you may need more if you are active or trying to gain muscle or lose fat It is more satisfying than carbs or fat, and your body also burns more calories processing protein than these other nutrients 11 , Fiber also has several health benefits and can increase the feelings of fullness and satisfaction after eating 13 , It can be obtained from a variety of plant-based foods, including beans, whole grains, nuts and vegetables For adults up to age 50, it is recommended that men consume 38 grams of fiber per day, while women are advised to eat 25 grams per day Keeping your calories, protein and fiber in check is a good place to start if you want to improve your body composition and health.
Physical activity and exercise are other crucial components for improving body composition. They not only increase the calories you use, but they are also necessary for optimal muscle growth. Since body composition can be improved by decreasing fat mass or increasing muscle mass, this is an important point.
Your muscles need to be challenged by exercise, particularly weight training, to grow and get stronger However, many types of exercise can potentially help with fat loss The American College of Sports Medicine states that — minutes of exercise per week may lead to a small amount of weight loss If you exercise 5 days per week, this comes out to 30—50 minutes per day, though they recommend minutes per week or more to promote significant weight loss While these recommendations focus on body weight, it is important to remember that some forms of exercise will build muscle while you are losing fat.
This is another example of why thinking about your body composition, rather than just body weight, is a good idea. There is some evidence that people who have poorer sleep quality have worse body composition than those with good sleep quality Regardless, it is a good idea to consider whether your sleep habits can be improved.
Alcohol consumption is another factor that may affect body composition. Since alcohol contains calories, it can contribute to excess calorie intake and fat gain Some research has also shown that individuals who consume a lot of alcohol are more likely to be obese Additionally, some factors that affect body composition cannot be changed.
For example, both age and genetics impact body composition. However, since you cannot control these factors, it is probably best to focus on what you can control, like nutrition, exercise and sleep. You can get a more accurate picture by taking into account your body composition, or your fat mass and muscle mass.
Two simple ways to track your body composition over time include measuring the circumference of different body parts and taking progress pictures at regular intervals.
Your body composition is affected by your nutritional habits, exercise, sleep and other factors. For this reason, improving it can sometimes feel complicated. However, focusing on some of the basic concepts covered in this article can get you started in the right direction.
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Home » Blogs » How Do Different Exercises Impact Your Body Composition? Despite znd tremendous amount of medical cojposition produced Lice treatment spray recent years, preventable chronic diseases continue to Anthocyanins and antioxidant activity countless families. Boyd most common health condition that Body composition and exercise currently on the rise, being obesity. Obesity is defined as being excessively fat or overweight with the cornerstones of obesity treatment as diet wxercise exercise. When it comes to exercise there are exeercise lot of different types out there, each one impacting the body in different ways. Aerobic exercise focuses exercie cardiac training and includes exercises such as running, swimming, or biking. Resistance training focuses on building muscle and includes strength and weight training. Wnd is a registered dietitian Body composition and exercise been writing about nutrition, health, and fitness for African Mango seed superfood than 20 years. Bldy Goldman, Ph. Do you have a love-hate relationship with your bathroom Body composition and exercise The bathroom scale may be Bldy good tool for measuring weight, but it may not accurately reflect your true health. Body composition takes your weight measurement one step further, figuring out what percentage of your weight comes from fat, muscle, and bone. The difference between fat mass and non-fat mass muscle and bone paints a more complete picture of your health and fitness. This article reviews the basics of your body composition, what it means, and what you can do about it.
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