Health and Fitness Information Center

A Step Toward A Healthier Life - Step 3

• Health Topics

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• Body Fat Measuring
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• Weight Control

Step It Up
Make changes in diet and exercise to change the composition of your body, not just your weight.

Most weight loss occurs by cutting calories in the daily diet. According to the USDA, you should restrict your daily intake of fat to no more than 30% of total calories consumed.

To lose weight, the NIH recommends 1-2 pounds per week as a safe and effective goal based on an individually planned low-calorie diet. But the weight you lose will consist of muscle, as well as fat, unless you exercise. With proper diet and regular exercise you can lose the weight and increase your muscle mass. Monitoring body fat as part of your program can tell you if your exercise and diet goals are in step by showing how your proportion of muscle to fat improves.

Even if your weight appears to remain the same from year to year, your body composition can change for the worse.

The good news is that you can catch any change with the regular use of a home body fat monitor and make the necessary adjustments to your diet and exercise. Keep in mind that reducing body fat takes longer than losing pounds. Losing fat and keeping it off often requires permanent changes in eating and exercise habits. Monitoring body fat, as well as weight, can be part of those long-term changes, and tracking body fat percentage over time is the best way to measure any progress.

So figure your body fat and step on it, America!