Obtaining single digit body fat is akin to getting that badge of honour from the Navy Seals Commander.
Body fat refers to your body’s composition in relation to your general body weight. It determines how much of it is fat.
It is a daunting task for any gym-goer who hopes to reduce body fat percentage and get those attractive abs.
Previously, men did not care much about this. It was a preserve for bodybuilders and male models who had to make a show with their abs.
Today, the craze is real. Others with an obsession for a single digit body fat will frequent the sauna and lose hope in the way as the results take time to show.
More often than not, people ask how easy it is to attain a single digit body fat percentage? The answer is it is not as hard as you would imagine.
The safest and easiest way to achieve a single digit body fat is in your diet. Remember, you are what you eat.
WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT?
Clamouring for the single digit leaves you without a choice other than cutting refined carbs from your diet. The fats you are getting rid of are in the carbs.
Adopt a huge chunk of proteins in your plate but always remember, they should always be the size of your palm. Portioning is a thing too you should worry about.
In your four to five small meals in a day, have lean proteins and, vegetables rich in fiber and unsaturated fats. With such a diet, the nutrients supplied by the carbs are still available.
Protein prevents you from binge eating caused by hunger pangs. You can include complex carbs such as quinoa, bananas and whole-grain foods.
Chicken, tilapia, tuna, salmon, shrimp, lean beef and mutton, milk, almonds, broccoli, asparagus, olive oil berries, avocado, mustard are healthy eating options in a bid to reduce body fat percentage.
EXERCISE
Thinking of the body fat percentage, you need to see abs requiring you to hit the gym.
A daily one-hour routine in the gym split into morning and evening sessions could unlock your potential to attain single-digit body fat.
Moderate to high-intensity workout that breaks a sweat is recommended. Focus on burpees, sprints, battling ropes, and aerobics such as cardio which trigger fat loss.
Biking, swimming and walking are also good options as they burn more calories.
Weight training should also make it in your exercising list. It firms up muscles and burns more fat to keep up with the energy demands of the body.
You can split your workout routine to ensure that each training focuses on different body parts and muscle groups.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism states that sleeping for 7 hours, and taking lots of water promotes the burning of fats to produce energy.
There is nothing better than a good night’s rest. It spurs the body’s performance, especially in the production of healthy hormones associated with regulation of blood sugar, digestion and a stronger immune system.
You are also advised to avoid stress by meditating and having yoga lessons. When the mind is at ease, the rate of metabolism also increases. More calories are burned to produce the energy needed for metabolic-related processes.
When you feel that eating too much is denying you an opportunity to get to single digit body fat, fasting is ideal. It happens when all your eating options lean more on quantity than quality they give to the body.
A glass of water is okay to hold your stomach for hours before you finally decide to take something beneficial to the body.
Limiting the intake of alcohol or staying away from it completely will work magic for your single digit body fat journey. Alcohol affects the rate of metabolism and secretion of healthy hormones.
Lastly, a positive attitude gives you an unseen push to nail your goals. There is nothing impossible with a positive mind.
IS SINGLE DIGIT BODY FAT HEALTHY?
It is not healthy nor safe to have a low percentage of single digit body fat.
In most cases, bodybuilders work towards getting that lean body with just 3-4 percent of body fat for bodybuilding competitions. But these are the males.
For females in the same industry, they have to cut between 8-9 percent of body fat to make a good appearance with their toned physique.
Studies show that having little body fat is as fatal as having too much of it. A separate one year research by the International Journal of Sports Physiological Performance found out shocking details of low body fat percentage.
In men whose body fat percentage was 4.5, researchers found out that they were at higher risk of liver dysfunction, heart diseases, low immunity and reduced performance.
For women bodybuilders with a low body fat percentage, they temporarily stop receiving their periods and may develop reproductive fertility issues.
CAN YOU HAVE ZERO PERCENT BODY FAT?
There are slim chances you could have zero percent of body fat, but this will be a free ticket to the grave. Body fats are crucial in cellular function, the use of energy and cushion the joints and other organs.
According to Carol Garber, professor of movement sciences at Columbia University in New York City, everyone needs a certain percentage of body fat for various body functions. Men need at least 3%, and women 12% for the body functions to be properly executed.
At zero percentage of body fat, organ failure sets in and sends you to an early grave.
“You need body fat for cellular function, energy use, and to pad the joints and organs. Having too little can lead to nutritional deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances and malfunction of the heart, kidney and other organs,” she explains.
WHAT IS THE HEALTHIEST BODY FAT PERCENTAGE?
Your body mass index (BMI) is just a provisional estimate of the body fat percentage in your body.
However, the truth is that there are other accurate but expensive formulas for assessing your body fat percentage as you clamour for a single-digit body fat.
X-rays, air displacement plethysmography and underwater weighing, are some of the accurate methods to assess your body fat percentage.
A healthy body fat percentage for men ranges between 16.6 -19.4%. If it is below 14%, it is considerably low and out of the healthy range category. Beyond 27%, it is dangerously high.
For women, the healthiest range is between 21-33%.
You can use the body fat calculator to estimate the percentage of body fat in your system.
CONCLUSION
A strict diet, discipline and intense workout are three ways to get to a single digit body fat. There is no shortcut when it comes to workout. It must be intense to burn more calories and fats while the diet is also unforgiving.
The abs are pretty, but it takes a lot of work to get that body you have desired for so long. As scary as it sounds, it is doable. Sum up courage, and positivity, and you will make it all come true.
[related_posts_by_tax posts_per_page="4"]
