This lean body mass calculator is used to measure your body weight that is not composed of fat. To measure your lean body mass you need to have your total body weight and body fat percentage. The calculator will then determine your lean body mass in pounds or kilograms. For example, an individual weighing 220 pounds and having a body fat percentage of 19% would have a lean body mass of 178.2 pounds.
You can use an ordinary scale to obtain your body weight but you will need to find your body fat percentage using one of several methods. Unlike other calculators that determine your lean body mass by just using your weight, height and gender, this calculator is designed to be much more accurate since it adds your body fat percentage into the equation. Some methods of calculating your body fat percentage include (these methods vary in accuracy):
- Skinfold Calipers
- BodPod (air displacement technology)
- Bioelectric Impedance Analysis
- Anthropometric Method
- Hydrostatic Weighing
- Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry or DEXA Scan.
One benefit of calculating your lean body mass is that it helps you monitor your current physique and overall composition in order to achieve your fitness goals. Achieving optimal lean body mass composition is usually the goal of every bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast. This usually involves losing fat while retaining or even building as much lean muscle mass as possible. This calculator can help you keep track of how much body fat you currently have. Regular measurements will enable you to monitor your fat loss progress while optimizing gains in lean muscle.
Hard dieting and lots of cardio can wreak havoc on your body so it’s essential to closely monitor your levels to make sure you only lose body fat and not hard-earned lean muscle tissue. This calculator can help you stay on the right track to reaching your fitness goals by ensuring that you only lose unwanted adipose tissue.
Having a high percentage of fat on your body increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Monitoring your body fat versus lean mass levels can benefit you with crucial information that will improve your health.
However, it is also not recommended to have an extremely low body fat percentage. The body requires essential fat for brain function, bone marrow, conduction of nerve impulses, hormone production and for child-bearing in women. On the other hand, storage fat is also important to the body. This is located within muscle tissue, around internal organs and beneath the skin. It protects the vital organs and provides insulation.
This calculator can also be used to determine your protein requirements. Generally more active individuals require about 84 grams of protein per day or more. If you have an active lifestyle, you probably have a higher percentage of lean body mass. Individuals with a higher fat composition are usually less active. Sedentary individuals require about 60 grams of protein per day.
Higher lean body mass is also associated with a higher metabolism. This means that the calculator also allows you to accurately calculate your dietary and calorie requirements. If you’re overweight, you may need to reduce your calorie intake. Balancing your protein intake with a regular exercise program can help you increase your lean muscle mass.
This calculator’s main function is to indicate how much lean muscle versus body fat you have on your physique. It is an essential tool that can be used to set fitness goals. It is also important for your overall health given the adverse effects that excess fat has on your body.