What is a healthy body fat for a 55 year old male?
Men: 20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 8 percent, Healthy: 8-19 percent, Overweight: 19-25 percent, Obese: over 25 percent. 41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 11 percent, Healthy: 11-22 percent, Overweight: 22-27 percent, Obese: over 27 percent.
Men 20 to 39 years are in the healthy range at 8 to 19 percent. Adult males 40 to 59 years should strive for 11 to 21 percent body fat and those 60 and over want to have between 13 and 24 percent body fat.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there are healthy body fat percentages based on your age. For people aged 20 to 39, women should aim for 21% to 32% of body fat. Men should have 8% to 19%.
So if you are a 30 year old man, a body fat percentage of around 12.7% is considered ideal. You may have noticed as your age increases, your acceptable body fat within these ranges increases as well.
Category | Percentage |
---|---|
excellent | 14–22.5% |
good | 22.6–27% |
fair | 27.1–30.4% |
poor | 30.5–34.5% |
Average Weight for Adult Men in the U.S. (2015–2018) | |
---|---|
40-49 | 206.9lb (93.85kg) |
50-59 | 202.5lb (91.85kg) |
60-69 | 201.2lb (91.26kg) |
70-79 | 193.4lb (87.72kg) |
Age | Percentage |
---|---|
20-39 | 8-19% |
40-59 | 11-21% |
60-79 | 13-24% |
Women: 20-40 yrs old: Underfat: under 21 percent, Healthy: 21-33 percent, Overweight: 33-39 percent, Obese: Over 39 percent. 41-60 yrs old: Underfat: under 23 percent, Healthy: 23-35 percent, Overweight : 35-40 percent Obese: over 40 percent.
refers to the best weight for a person with body fat percentages maintained within an acceptable range. The ideal body fat percentage for males is 15% and for females it is 22%.
10 to 14 percent
This range of body fat is still lean, which means your abs will be visible. But it's also considered healthier and easier to obtain than the 5 to 9 percent range.
Is 15 percent body fat good?
Although no official standards for body fat exist, fitness organizations and medical professionals generally put a man with 15 percent fat into the category of being quite fit. You can drop to a leaner body fat level to look more chiseled and perform better at sports, but such effort isn't necessary for your health.
This level is characterized by muscle definition in most muscle groups and some clear vascularity (the showing of your veins) in areas such as arms, legs, and abs. 10-12% body fat: This level of body fat is a sustainable level for men.

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What Is A Healthy Body Fat Percentage?
Men | Women | |
---|---|---|
Fitness | 14%-17% | 21%-24% |
Average | 18%-24% | 25%-31% |
Obese | 25% and higher | 32% and higher |
“Generally speaking, it's safe to lose 0.5% total body fat per week, or 2% body fat per month.” An easier way to measure it at home is approximately 1 to 2 pounds a week, depending on your starting weight. Also, fat loss is different from overall weight loss.
The acceptable ranges for classification are between 22 percent and 25 percent for women agess19 to 29, 23 percent and 28 percent for women in their 30s, 26 percent and 31 percent for women in their 40s, and between 31 percent and 34 percent for women ages 50 and older.
With aging, we conclude that reductions in the mass of individual organs/tissues and in tissue-specific organ metabolic rate contribute to a reduction in RMR that in turn promotes changes in body composition favoring increased fat mass and reduced fat-free mass.
Height | Normal weight BMI 19–24 | Overweight BMI 25–29 |
---|---|---|
5 ft 4 in (64 in) | 110–140 lb | 145–169 lb |
5 ft 5 in (65 in) | 114–144 lb | 150–174 lb |
5 ft 6 in (66 in) | 118–148 lb | 155–179 lb |
5 ft 7 in (67 in) | 121–153 lb | 159–185 lb |
Height | Weight | |
---|---|---|
5' 10" | 132 to 173 lbs. | 174 to 208 lbs. |
5' 11" | 136 to 178 lbs. | 179 to 214 lbs. |
6' | 140 to 183 lbs. | 184 to 220 lbs. |
6' 1" | 144 to 188 lbs. | 189 to 226 lbs. |
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Adult BMI Calculator.
BMI | Weight Status |
---|---|
Below 18.5 | Underweight |
18.5—24.9 | Healthy Weight |
25.0—29.9 | Overweight |
30.0 and Above | Obesity |
Body fat scale for men
This amount of body fat is associated with health risks such as diabetes, stroke, heart problems, etc. Over 20 % body fat: Mildly/moderately overweight. Some extra fat and no muscle definition visible. 15-19% body fat: Normal/healthy level within the average.
What is a good body fat percentage for athletes?
If you are an athlete and interested in optimal athletic performance, aim for a body fat percentage around 15% (men) or 20% (women). NF team member Staci trains much better at 20% body fat than at 15% body fat.
In general, the total body fat percentage (essential plus storage fat) is between 12% and 15% for young men and between 25% and 28% for young women {Lohman, 1993 #4151} (see also table 13.1).
Essential fat is the minimum amount of body fat necessary for proper physiological functioning and is estimated to be 12% for women and 3% for men.
BMI is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. It is calculated from your height and weight. BMI is an estimate of body fat and a good gauge of your risk for diseases that can occur with more body fat.
Hydrostatic weighing is a valid, reliable and widely used technique for assessing body composition. It has been labeled the "Gold Standard" or criterion measure of body composition analysis. It is based on Archimedes' principle.
Description | Women | Men |
---|---|---|
Essential fat | 10-13% | 2-5% |
Athletes | 14-20% | 6-13% |
Fitness | 21-24% | 14-17% |
Average | 25-31% | 18-24% |
Conversion Formulas
This formula states that adult body fat percentage is equal to (1.39 x BMI) + (0.16 x age) - (10.34 x gender) - 9, with gender equal to 1 for men and 0 for women to account for the lower body fat percentage of men.
Getting Lean and Building Muscle
Your veins start to show when your body is at around 10 percent body fat.
- Set goals. Setting goals and tracking your progress is crucial, especially at the higher body-fat percentages. ...
- Make food your priority. ...
- Plan and track your meals. ...
- Plan indulgences. ...
- Focus on calories over diet types. ...
- Skip high-intensity. ...
- Focus on portions. ...
- Cut liquid calories.
According to the American Council on Exercise, the average for a guy is 18% to 24% body fat; 15% to 17% body fat puts you in the fitness category, while 6% to 13% body fat is athlete status.
Can you see abs at 15 body fat?
The body fat percentage needed to see your pack of abdominal muscles falls somewhere around 14 to 20% for women and 6 to 13% for men. However, the ideal body fat percentage for abs can look slightly different per person, depending on how you carry weight, where you typically store fat and your fitness routine.
The American Council on Exercise says a 1 percent body fat loss per month is safe and achievable. Given that math, it could take a woman with average body fat about 20 to 26 months to achieve the appropriate amount of fat loss for six-pack abs. The average man would need about 15 to 21 months.
"It is impossible to have zero percent body fat," says Dr. Sutterer. Guys should have roughly two to five percent of essential fat, he says. It's just not humanly possible to have only 0.33 percent body fat.
The most attractive men had 12 percent body fat.
The truth is that under the right training and nutrition programme a person can lose an average of five per cent body fat in as little as ten days.
- Start strength training. ...
- Follow a high protein diet. ...
- Get more sleep. ...
- Eat more healthy fats. ...
- Drink unsweetened beverages. ...
- Fill up on fiber. ...
- Choose whole grains instead of refined carbs. ...
- Increase your cardio.
According to the American Council on Exercise, the average for a guy is 18% to 24% body fat; 15% to 17% body fat puts you in the fitness category, while 6% to 13% body fat is athlete status.
Doing targeted exercises like crunches is great for toning abdominal muscles, but losing both subcutaneous and visceral fat is the first step to unearthing your abs. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), you'll need to lower your body fat to about 14 to 20 percent for women and 6 to 13 percent for men.
That one- to two-pound weight loss per week translates to about 12 to 24 pounds over the span of three months. "This means you're aiming for four to eight pounds per month," says Dannah Eve Bollig, a trainer and creator of The DE Method.
Unlike the well-researched and accepted guideline that an individual should lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week, body fat percentage loss is not as well studied and no official guidelines have been published. Still, most experts agree that a 1% loss per month is generally safe and doable.
How do I drop body fat without losing muscle?
- Do cardio. To lose fat and gain or maintain muscle mass, do moderate- to high-intensity cardio for at least 150 minutes per week. ...
- Increase intensity. ...
- Continue to strength train. ...
- Take a rest.
Coming to the point, you will first lose “hard fat” (visceral fat) that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and later, you will burn soft fat (belly fat, thigh fat, back fat, etc.). Women accumulate fat cells around their belly area, hips, thighs and these areas are usually the last from.
- lean meat and poultry, oily fish, and eggs.
- milk, yogurt, and low fat cheese.
- protein powders such as whey, hemp, rice, and peas.
- beans and pulses.
- nuts and seeds.
- avocados, olive oil, and olives.
- whole grains such as brown rice and pasta, oats, whole grain bread, barley, and quinoa.
- Walking. Walking is one of the best exercises for weight loss — and for good reason. ...
- Jogging or running. Jogging and running are great exercises to help you lose weight. ...
- Cycling. ...
- Weight training. ...
- Interval training. ...
- Swimming. ...
- Yoga. ...
- Pilates.
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What Is A Healthy Body Fat Percentage?
Men | Women | |
---|---|---|
Fitness | 14%-17% | 21%-24% |
Average | 18%-24% | 25%-31% |
Obese | 25% and higher | 32% and higher |
35% body fat: According to the chart from ACE, this level is considered overweight. The body has more fat accumulations and the face and neck begin to appear fuller and more round. Belly fat is also more pronounced at this level as well.
The body fat percentage needed to see your pack of abdominal muscles falls somewhere around 14 to 20% for women and 6 to 13% for men.
Crunches:
The most effective exercise to burn stomach fat is crunches. Crunches rank top when we talk of fat-burning exercises. You can start by lying down flat with your knees bent and your feet on the ground.
The American Council on Exercise says a 1 percent body fat loss per month is safe and achievable. Given that math, it could take a woman with average body fat about 20 to 26 months to achieve the appropriate amount of fat loss for six-pack abs. The average man would need about 15 to 21 months.
Final Thoughts: Should You Workout Your Abs If You Have Belly Fat? Yes you should because your abs play several important roles and strong abs are essential even if they are hidden underneath the belly fat.