MUSCLEBLAZE

Hey Ziddis! When people start their fitness journey, they are very focused on the number on the scale. To the point that they become obsessed with it and forget that there are other measures to be considered as well. Two people who weigh the same can be on completely different fitness levels. This is because your fitness and body structure are influenced by your body composition, rather than your weight. One of the most important markers of body composition is body fat percentage. It gives a clearer picture of your health, fitness and progress than just your weight. Let us understand the concept better!

What Is Body Fat Percentage?

Body fat percentage is the proportion of your body mass that is made up of fat. It does not include your muscle, bones, water or even organ weight. For example, if you weigh 70 kgs and 14 kgs of that is fat, then your body fat percentage will come up to 20%. Now, here is why it matters:

• This measure gives you a more accurate estimation of what is possible to lose to reduce weight.
• It is a better health indicator since excess body fat is your enemy, not weight.
• It can help us understand if there is any underlying risk of health issues like heart disease, diabetes or other health issues.
• It guides your training and nutrition in the right direction.
• For starters, you end up losing water weight and think the number on the scale is dropping.

Body Fat Percentage Calculator

You can calculate your body fat percentage in various ways. Some of the most reliable ways are:

• Skinfold calipers
• Bioelectrical impedance analysis
• DEXA Scan
• Circumference measurements + Formula

Whichever mode you choose to determine it, note that you must use the same method consistently to track your progress.

Healthy Body Fat Percentage

It will differ from person to person depending on their age, sex and activity level! Here is a rule of thumb one can refer to as set in a general guideline from the American Council on Exercise, aka ACE:

Some things you must consider here are:

• Essential fat is the minimum percentage of your body needs to function normally.
• Athletes have lower percentages because of their higher muscle mass and training volume.
• Too little body fat can harm your hormonal balance, immunity and performance
• In women, body fat can be helpful if and when they want to conceive.

Ideal Body Fat Percentage for Women

For women, the ideal body fat percentage depends on their health goals, lifestyle and if they have any sport-specific needs.

Going too low or below 14% can lead to a lot of health issues, like irregular menstrual cycles. bone density loss and low energy. Every woman’s body responds differently, so focus should be on feeling strong and staying fit rather than chasing your ideal number on the weighing scale. You can support your fat loss with a MB Shred or L Carnitine.

Read More: Why Tracking Your BMI is Just Not Enough

Takeaway

Your body fat percentage is a far better indicator of health and fitness than your weight alone. It helps you understand your true body composition and guides smarter training, nutrition decisions and realistic health goals. This is a great measure to understand your fitness in a longer run.

This is a far better health and fitness indicator than your weight alone. It helps you understand your true body composition and guides smarter training and nutrition decisions. Instead of obsessing over the scale, track your body composition over time. Your weight might stay the same while your body fat decreases, and that’s real progress.

Hello Ziddis! When it comes to fitness, many people believe that the harder they train or if they train more frequently, they can see better and faster results. With this mentality, they skip resting and put their life and soul into working out. But the truth is that progress does not really happen during the workout. It actually happens when you are resting. So if your goal is building muscle or losing fat, or improving endurance, rest days are just as important as your training days. In fact, skipping the recovery days can increase the chances of getting burnt out, injured or stunting progress. Here is why recovery days are non-negotiable.

Benefits of Active Recovery

Active recovery means keeping your movement low-intensity. This helps promote blood flow, and your body can heal while you still stay lightly active. But the rest days don’t mean lying on the couch all day (unless that is exactly what your body needs). Rest days are days on which your body focuses on making up for the wear and tear, just like how it does when you are recovering in sleep.

Here are some benefits of active recovery:

• Improved circulation of blood, oxygen and nutrients
• Reduced soreness
• Mental reset
• Better flexibility
• More mobility
• Reducing the tightening of muscles and joints.

Some things you can do during your active recovery are:

• Walking
• Slow cycling
• Gentle yoga
• Mobility work
• Light stretching
• Relaxing swim
• Foam rolling
• Massages

Muscle Recovery on Rest Days

If you skip a rest day, your body won’t get a chance to repair and rebuild. This can stall your progress, lead to muscle breakdown or get you injured.

Here’s how you can support muscle recovery on rest days:

• Have good quality sleep for 7 to 9 hours
• Hydrate well to flush out toxins and reduce soreness
• Eat enough protein and nutritious food
• Consider light stretching
• Get a massage done

Importance of Rest Days for Muscle Repair

After a long and intense workout session, your muscles experience tiny tears. These are normal and necessary for growth. Recovery is when those tears repair and rebuild stronger.

Here is what your body is actually doing for muscle recovery during rest days

• Replenishing glycogen stores
• Repairing and building muscle fibres
• Reducing inflammation
• Rebalancing hormones like cortisol and testosterone

You don’t have to take a full week off, but a 1-day rest each week is important for long-term results. It’s not laziness but a strategy.

How Rest Days Improve Motivation

Rest day is not just physical, but also a mental need. Your brain asking for a break should be taken as a sign. These are the rest days that can improve your mental health and motivation:

• Prevent burnout
• Reignite excitement for your next workout
• Maintain consistency over the long term
• Avoid negative feelings like shame, dread, guilt or laziness to be associated with movement

Read Also: Does Heat Affect Muscle Recovery? What You Need to Know

Takeaways

In the world of fitness, rest is not the opposite of a workout but what prepares you to work out better. Whether it is a full day of rest or something as basic as quality sleep. So the next time you feel your body is giving you a hint to slow down, sport your favourite tank tops, wear that comfy joggers, and indulge in something light for the day, like a relaxing yoga session.

So instead of feeling guilty about taking a day off, see it as a training tool to help you get stronger. Your body and mind will thank you.

Hello Ziddis! Time for a show of hands for all those who want to take care of themselves, work out and become fitter but are so busy they have no time to hit the gym! We hear you! In a world that is getting busier by the hour, hitting the gym feels possible once in a leap year. But one solution for all our busy readers is home workouts! No need to spend extra time travelling, no intimidating first timer feeling, no crowd and the comfort of your own space. Despite these advantages, one might not be as consistent as expected. It could be a struggle to pull yourself off your couch and lay down your yoga mat. But once done, it is the only way forward from there. Let’s help you get started and stay consistent.

Do Home Workouts Work?

Absolutely, provided you are consistent with them and doing them correctly.

Home workouts gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world came to a standstill and people were left with more time to focus on their health. Home workouts can be very effective. Even as effective as gym workouts, if done the right way. You can improve your strength, flexibility, endurance and even muscle mass by just using body weights, resistance bands and a few simple tools like dumbbells and kettlebells. Studies show that people who stick to bodyweight and resistance training, even if it is at home, experience similar benefits to those who work out in the gym. The key is improving your intensity and staying consistent. Whether it is a 20-minute HIIT session, yoga or strength training, your body cares more about how you train instead of where you are.

Home Workout Plan

A major reason why people can not stick to their fitness routine is that at home, they lack structure. Going to the gym, being among other people, makes you feel responsible for performing your tasks. At home, you could laze around and justify it. Here’s how you can start your home workouts with a clear plan:

• Set specific goals for your workouts like losing weight, toning up, building muscle or improving your endurance. Your goals will determine your workout type, duration and frequency.
• Choose your days and put exercises for those days. Start with working out 3 to 4 times a week, and then increase the frequency based on your progress.
• Mix it up! A good weekly split looks like a mix of two types of workouts in a day. For example, a full boy workout with strength training or a core workout with cardio. You can pair your rest day with yoga too to keep it lightly active yet relaxing.
• Use a timer or a tracking app. Use tools like Tabata timers or workout apps to guide you through your sessions and reduce the decision fatigue will picking your next exercise.
• Create a dedicated space for your home workouts. Even if you are used to setting your yoga mat in a corner, keep that corner consistent to signal your brain that it is workout time. This helps build a habit and focus.

Core Workouts at Home

Your core is more than just abs. When you work on your core, you are not working out for six packs, but for your overall health. Your core includes your abdomen, lower back, hips and obliques. A strong core stabilises your body and reduces the risk of injury.

If you have just 10 minutes, make sure to do this simple circuit at home for your core.

• Plank for 1 minute
• Russian twists for 40 secs
• Leg raises for 40 seconds
• Bicycle crunches for 40 seconds
• Superman hold for 1 minute.

Repeat this circuit twice. Keep 30 30-second resting gap between the sets. Note that there is no rush. These durations are ideal but not compulsory. Focus on control and breathing to truly engage the muscles.

Workout Routines for Beginners at Home

If you have decided to start working out at home, it is important that you don’t overwhelm yourself in the very beginning. Consistency is more important than intensity. Here’s a beginner-friendly workout template:

• Body weight squats- 15 reps twice
• Incline push-ups on a table or wall- 12 reps twice
• Glute bridges- 15 reps thrice
• Wall sit- 30 seconds thrice
• Marching in place- 1 minute twice.

While you just begin your workout journey from the comfort of your home, you would need to keep a few things in mind:

• Keep your workouts short. 15 to 20 minutes is ideal for beginners
• Track your progress weekly.
• Don’t stress if you miss a day, but don’t miss two in a row
• Celebrate your small wins like increasing reps or visible changes in your body, better stamina or even better sleep.

Supplements for Home Workouts

It does not matter if you go to a gym or work out at home. Your body could use some additional support. But at the same time, you don’t need a cabinet full of powders. Here are a few gym supplements you can have on your shelf:

• Protein powder- Whey or vegan, depending on your dietary restrictions
• Creatine monohydrate for strength and power during intense workouts
• Electrolytes for making up for lost minerals
• Omega-3 or multivitamins for overall growth and recovery, and fill the gaps in nutrition.

Read Also: Best Workouts for Busy People: No Gym, No Problem

Takeaway

Staying consistent with home workouts doesn’t require fancy equipment or hours of training in the gym. All that you need is a realistic and sustainable plan, loads of discipline and willingness to become a better and fitter version of yourself. So roll out your mat, tie those laces, and show up for yourself at home.