Our YMCA body fat calculator can help you determine the amount of fat you have in your body, so you can decide what changes you need to make in your lifestyle and exercise routine. It uses the exact formulas that YMCA has approved, so you can expect a high level of accuracy from it. The formulas are different for men and women. You need to enter your exact current weight and waist size to get the most accurate results. Read on to find out more about the formula that our YMCA body fat calculator uses, how accurate it is, and what you can do to have optimum body fat.
📖 Related Article: If you are trying to reach an ideal BMI or body weight, you may be interested in our reverse BMI calculator, which can help you determine how much weight you need to lose to achieve your goals. BMI is not an ideal indication of the status of your health but it is still widely used all over the world. Here is the link to our reverse BMI calculator.
Our YMCA body fat calculator
Body Fat Rating :
YMCA body fat calculator formula
Just in case you don’t know, YMCA stands for ‘Young Men’s Christian Association’. This 120-year-old organization was created to help individuals indulge in healthy activities and live productive life. YMCA is still pretty active and keeps introducing programs that focus on motivating people to take up physical activities.
Out of all its contributions, the YMCA body fat calculator has been highly recognized all over the world. It is much simpler than skinfold calipers and other complex calculators such as the Navy method body fat calculator. Even though the formula was invented decades ago, it is still relevant and highly accurate.
As I said above, the YMCA body fat calculator uses different formulas for men and women, which helps get precise results. The formulas are:
YMCA body fat calculator formula for males-
((4.15 × waist – 0.082 × weight – 98.42) / weight) × 100
YMCA body fat calculator formula for females-
((4.15 × waist – 0.082 × weight – 76.76) / weight) × 100
The weight needs to be entered in LBs and the waist measurement has to be in inches. The waist should be measured at the belly level. The best time to take waist measurement is after waking up, using the washroom, but before eating or drinking anything. Use a soft body tape to get correct measurement.
💡 Quick Tip: Do you know some products can help you sweat more and lose weight faster so you can get rid of extra fat quickly and without exhausting yourself? Sweet Sweat Workout Enhancer Roll-On Gel Stick is one such top-rated product. It is a topical gel that you can apply on stubborn areas such as the midsection, belly, etc. The gel will increase sweating, which will further help burn fat from those areas.
Sweet Sweat Workout Enhancer Roll-On Gel Stick
How can you use the YMCA body fat calculator to determine the state of your physical health?
Other than the formula, YMCA has also come up with a fitness determinator chart that you can use to find out where you stand. Here is the table:
| Body fat % men | Body fat % women | Fat category |
| 2-5% | 10-13% | Essential fat |
| 6-13% | 14-20% | Athletic |
| 14-17% | 21-24% | Fit |
| 18-25% | 25-31% | Acceptable |
| 26% + | 32%+ | Obese |
Once you have entered the values in our YMCA body fat calculator, it will calculate your body fat percentage. You can refer to the above table to determine where you stand. Body fat percentage is one of the best indicators of your health. Too much fat can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. If you are an athlete, extra fat can weigh you down and affect your performance.Â
Too little body fat is also not a good thing. It makes you extremely prone to nutritional deficiencies and related health disorders. If you travel a lot and often end up eating food rich in fat and low in nutrition, you should start carrying your own healthy snacks such as Quest Nutrition Tortilla Style Protein Chips and ALOHA Organic Plant Based Protein Bars. There is no dearth of such products and they are a lifesaver. They can keep you full until you have reached home or got a chance to find something healthy to eat.
📖 Related Article: Do you often feel guilty after a cheat day or a cheat meal? Don’t worry; you are not alone. Most of us feel guilty/tempted enough to skip meals the next day. Read this article to find out if you should fast after a cheat day.
How accurate is the YMCA body fat calculator?
There are numerous body fat calculators and all of them provide an approximate result (not exact or accurate).
Experts believe the YMCA body fat calculator has an accuracy of more than 95% i.e. the result that the YMCA body fat calculator provides could vary (more or less) from the exact result by max 5%.
2-5% variation is common and acceptable. In fact, the most expensive and advanced body fat calculators such as DEXA scan and hydrostatic weighing have an accuracy of 95-97%. They are high-end procedures and may not be worth their price if you are just curious about your health. Such body fat measuring procedures are meant for people with health conditions who need to seriously monitor their body fat or for athletes who have to maintain a certain amount of body fat. If you are not one of them, the YMCA body fat calculator is an equally good and affordable option.
💡 Quick Tip: Do you have more fat than needed? Do you want to get rid of that extra fat as quickly as possible? Try strength training or weight training. It is one of the most effective exercises for burning extra fat/calories and building lean muscles. You don’t need to buy a gym membership or expensive equipment. Start with a pair of Protzon hex dumbbells and you can do endless varieties of exercises targeting various muscle groups right from the comfort of your home. They are suitable for everyone.
Protzon hex dumbbells
YMCA body fat calculator FAQs
Why does the YMCA body fat calculator have different formulas for men and women?
That's because men and women have different fat needs. Women need more fat because they have to deal with reproduction. YMCA has taken an extra effort to consider this factor whereas many other calculators and fitness trackers do not believe gender can affect body fat needs. Even the BMI range is the same for men and women. So, it's good to know that the YMCA body fat calculator can provide you with more accurate results.
YMCA or BMI- which is better?
BMI is not a very reliable criterion for judging a person’s physical health. It doesn’t consider various important factors such as gender, lean mass, etc. If you are an athlete, you could weigh much more than an otherwise healthy individual. This extra weight of lean muscles can put you in the ‘obese category’ as per BMI standards, which is incorrect. YMCA is different. It helps calculate your body fat, which is a more reliable method of evaluating a person’s physical health.
Wrap up
I hope this article helps you understand what exactly the YMCA body fat calculator is and how it can help you stay on track. We also have many other calculators such as the Navy Method body fat calculator, the Reverse BMI calculator, push-up calories burned calculator, calories burned skiing calculator, etc. All our calculators use scientifically proven formulas, so they are much more accurate than mere calorie calculators.
If you have any questions/suggestions or if you want us to create a specific calculator for you, please leave a comment or email me.
