How much of your weight is actually fat?
Your scale gives you one number. This gives you the one that matters: your body fat percentage, your lean mass, and what a healthy range looks like for you.
Your measurements
We use the US Navy circumference method. Measure over bare skin, tape snug but not tight, and stand relaxed.
Estimated body fat
Where you sit
What would it take?
Choose a target. We assume you keep your lean mass, which is the whole point of doing it properly.
This is an estimate from a validated formula, typically within 3 to 4 percentage points of a lab measurement. It is educational, not medical advice. Ranges follow the American Council on Exercise (ACE) categories.
How to measure well
Most wrong results come from the tape, not the maths. Three minutes of care makes this number worth tracking.
- MorningMeasure before food and after using the bathroom. Same time each week.
- Bare skinTape flat on skin, level with the floor, snug without pressing in.
- TwiceTake each measurement twice and use the average. If they differ by more than 1 cm, take a third.
- Every 2 weeksDaily changes are mostly water and food. The trend over weeks is what tells the truth.
What the number means
Two people can weigh the same and look completely different, because weight does not say how much of it is muscle and how much is fat. Body fat percentage does. It is also a better guide to metabolic health than BMI, which cannot tell a strong 80 kg person from a soft one.
A "high" result is not a verdict. It is a starting point, and the most reliable thing about it is that it will move when you train, eat and recover properly.
Common questions
How accurate is the tape method?
The US Navy method was built on thousands of measurements and tracks lab results reasonably well, usually within 3 to 4 percentage points. It can be less accurate at very low or very high body fat and for people with unusual proportions. Use it for tracking your own change, not for comparing with someone else.
Why do you also show a BMI-based estimate?
A second formula (Deurenberg) uses BMI, age and sex. When both estimates agree you can trust the picture more. When they disagree by a lot, your tape measurements may be off, or you carry more muscle than average.
My bathroom scale gives a different number. Which is right?
Home scales use a small electrical current and are very sensitive to hydration, food and even foot temperature. Readings can swing several points in a day. Neither is a lab test. If the number matters for a decision, get a DEXA scan.
What is a healthy body fat percentage?
Using the ACE ranges, "fitness" is 14 to 17 percent for men and 21 to 24 percent for women, and "average" runs to 24 percent for men and 31 percent for women. Health risk rises above those. Essential fat is the minimum the body needs to function and is not a goal.
How fast can body fat change?
With a proper structure, around 0.5 to 1 percent of body weight per week as fat, while keeping muscle. Faster than that usually means muscle and water are going too, which is why crash approaches look good for a month and reverse.
We measure it properly, then we change it
At Fitness Bootcamp your body composition is measured with BIA and DEXA scans, alongside independent blood panels, before and after your stay. You live in for four weeks with structured training, cooked vegetarian meals, recovery and a coach beside you. The result is on paper, and your own doctor can verify it.
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