Although body composition refers to the relative percentage of muscle, fat, bone, and other tissue of the body, it is almost exclusively associated with fat percentage. Muscle is the metabolic tissue in your body, meaning it is the engine that burns fuel. Fat is not metabolic tissue, and it needs to be burned by muscle. Aerobic exercise and resistance training can help you achieve a healthy body composition by burning calories (including fat calories) and building the muscles so that you have a bigger engine to burn calories. If you are engaging in exercise to achieve a healthy percentage of body fat, you need to understand the range of body fat that is healthy. The following table provides you with standards for body fat.
| Classification | Males | Females |
| Essential fat |
no less than 5% |
no less than 10% |
| Borderline |
5%-9% |
10%-16% |
| High performance |
5%-15% |
10%-23% |
| Good fitness (healthy) |
10%-20% |
17%-26% |
| Marginal |
21%-25% |
29%-35% |
| Overfat |
25%+ |
35%+ |
Note: Your body needs a certain percentage of fat (essential fat) for temperature regulation, shock absorption, and regulation of your body’s nutrients.
