Body Composition

Calculate your body fat percentage.

Q: How does the body fat calculator work?

This calculator uses the US Navy Circumference Method to estimate body fat percentage. It takes measurements of the neck, waist (and hips for women) relative to height. This formula correlates closely with clinical body fat scanners when measured accurately.

Q: What is a healthy body fat percentage?

Healthy ranges vary by sex: for men, a fitness range is 14-17% and acceptable is 18-24%. For women, fitness range is 21-24% and acceptable is 25-31%. Women require higher essential fat percentages (10-13%) for reproductive and hormonal health compared to men (2-5%).

Q: Can you lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time?

Yes. This process is known as body recomposition. It is most achievable for beginners, individuals returning to training after a break, or those with high initial body fat percentages. It requires a high protein intake and progressive overload resistance training.

Your body fat percentage dictates your Lean Body Mass (LBM), which is the primary driver of your basal metabolic rate. Check your metrics below.

Body Fat Calculator

Enter your details below. We support both metric and imperial units.

Estimated Total Daily Energy Expenditure

2,450 kcal/day

Based on your physical details, this represents your estimated maintenance calories—the amount of energy needed to maintain your current weight.

BMR: 1,600 kcal

BMI: 22.4 Normal

Macronutrient Splits

Customize your nutrition macros according to your current diet.

Target Intake Calories: 2,450 kcal

Customize Percentages Total: 100%

Carbs: 35%

Fats: 35%

Protein: 30%

Macronutrient	Ratio	Daily Weight	Energy Content
Carbohydrates	35%	214 g	858 kcal
Fats	35%	95 g	858 kcal
Protein	30%	184 g	735 kcal

Weight Management Goals

Adjusted calorie targets to help you lose weight or build muscle.

Goal	Daily Calories	Adjustment	Weekly Rate
Extreme Weight Loss	1,450 kcal	-1,000 kcal	~2.0 lbs (0.9 kg) loss
Weight Loss (Cutting)	1,950 kcal	-500 kcal	~1.0 lbs (0.45 kg) loss
Weight Maintenance Current	2,450 kcal	0 kcal	Stable weight
Weight Gain (Bulking)	2,950 kcal	+500 kcal	~1.0 lbs (0.45 kg) gain

TDEE Activity Comparison

Compare your daily calorie burn estimates across different levels of physical exertion.

Activity Level	Multiplier	Estimated TDEE
Sedentary (Desk Job / No exercise)	1.20	1,920 kcal
Lightly Active (Exercise 1–3 days/wk)	1.375	2,200 kcal
Moderately Active (Exercise 3–5 days/wk)	1.55	2,480 kcal
Very Active (Exercise 6–7 days/wk)	1.725	2,760 kcal
Extra Active (Intense work / Athlete)	1.90	3,040 kcal

Ideal Body Weight Estimates

Calculated using standardized medical equations for a height of 5'9".

Formula	Ideal Weight	Formula Definition
Devine Equation (1974)	155.4 lbs (70.5 kg)	50.0kg + 2.3kg/inch over 5ft
Robinson Equation (1983)	153.9 lbs (69.8 kg)	52.0kg + 1.9kg/inch over 5ft
Miller Equation (1983)	157.0 lbs (71.2 kg)	56.2kg + 1.41kg/inch over 5ft
Hamwi Equation (1964)	160.1 lbs (72.6 kg)	48.0kg + 2.7kg/inch over 5ft
Healthy BMI Range (18.5–24.9)	125 – 169 lbs (56.8 – 76.5 kg)	Standard WHO body index

Maximum Muscular Potential (Lean Limit)

Estimates the natural skeletal weight limit of your body at different body fat percentages using Martin Berkhan's models.

Body Fat Percentage	Max Body Weight	Lean Mass Portion
5% – 6% Body Fat (Contest Shredded)	165.3 lbs (75.0 kg)	157.1 lbs (71.3 kg)
10% Body Fat (Very Lean / Visible Abs)	174.5 lbs (79.2 kg)	157.1 lbs (71.3 kg)
15% Body Fat (Athletic / Moderately Lean)	184.8 lbs (83.8 kg)	157.1 lbs (71.3 kg)

* Note: Martin Berkhan's formula is designed for male natural athletes. Women typically support about 12-15% less lean muscle mass for the same frame size. Calculations are adjusted accordingly.

Body Fat and Your Metabolism

Your body weight is divided into two parts: Fat Mass and Lean Body Mass (LBM) (which includes muscles, bones, organs, and water). Unlike a simple weight-to-height ratio like our BMI Calculator, body fat percentage separates adipose tissue from active muscle mass. Knowing your body fat percentage allows you to calculate BMR using the Katch-McArdle formula, which is widely considered the most accurate resting metabolic formula because it adjusts for your body composition. You can calculate your resting metabolism directly using our BMR Calculator. Lean mass is also the primary driver of your daily calorie burn. Find your total daily energy needs using our TDEE Calculator. A person with 200 lbs of muscle burns significantly more energy at rest than a person with 200 lbs of fat. Once you determine your body fat and lean mass, you can customize your target nutrition plans using our Macro Calculator.

To learn how to use calipers and make precise measurements at home, read our guide: How to Measure Body Fat at Home: A Complete Guide.

Common Measurement Methods

Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA): The clinical gold standard. Uses a full-body scan to map bone density, fat, and muscle mass down to the gram.
Skinfold Calipers: Measures subcutaneous fat thickness at specific sites (e.g. chest, abdomen, thigh) and converts it to body fat % using math tables. Highly accurate when done by a professional.
US Navy Tape Method: Uses measurements of the neck, waist (and hips for women) relative to height. An accessible, reliable estimation.
Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA): Found in consumer smart scales. Sends a safe, low electrical current through the body to estimate composition. Simple but prone to heavy fluctuation based on hydration levels.

Standard Body Fat Brackets

Ideal body fat percentages vary by gender due to hormonal and childbearing requirements. You can compare your overall weight with clinical limits on our Ideal Weight Calculator:

Category	Men	Women
Essential Fat	2 – 5%	10 – 13%
Athletes / Lean	6 – 13%	14 – 20%
Fitness Range	14 – 17%	21 – 24%
Acceptable	18 – 24%	25 – 31%
Obese	≥ 25%	≥ 32%

The Role of Essential Fat vs. Storage Fat

It is important to understand that not all body fat is created equal. The human body requires a minimum amount of fat to survive, known as essential body fat. Essential fat is present in nerve tissues, bone marrow, and membranes surrounding key organs. For biological males, essential fat is incredibly low, ranging from 2% to 5%. However, biological females require a much higher baseline of 10% to 13% essential fat to maintain standard hormonal function and reproductive health. In contrast, storage fat consists of adipose tissue accumulated under the skin (subcutaneous fat) and around internal organs (visceral fat). While excess storage fat leads to increased risks for metabolic conditions, some storage fat is necessary for cushioning organs and insulating the body. Using a reliable body fat calculator helps monitor these metrics to target fat loss while preserving essential tissues.

Why Choose MyHealthCalculate Over Competitors?

Unlike other online tools that overwhelm you with screen-blocking ads, popups, and slow load times, we provide a clean, free, and privacy-first Vercel-style health tracking suite. Here is how we compare to the top health calculators.

Feature / Metric	MyHealthCalculate	Calculator.net	TdeeCalculator.net	Healthline
Advertisements & Popups	Zero Ads (Clean Experience)	Heavy Ads & Scripts	Aggressive Ads & Cookies	Sticky Display Banners
Dark Mode Support	Full Native Support (Toggleable)	No (Light Mode Only)	No (Light Mode Only)	No (Light Mode Only)
Design Aesthetic	Premium Vercel-Style (Minimal)	Outdated 2000s Layout	Basic & Cluttered Layout	Standard News / Article Layout
Mobile Optimization	100% Touch-Friendly (Fluid Responsive)	Tiny fonts on Mobile viewport	Cluttered with ad overlays	Ad banners block content
Page Load Speed	Ultra-Fast Static (99+ Lighthouse)	Medium (Delayed by ad servers)	Medium (High script load)	Slow (Tracking script overhead)
JSON-LD Structured Schema	Fully Optimized Rich Snippet Schemas	Basic schemas only	Partial schemas	Informational Article schemas only

Frequently asked questions.

Answers to common queries regarding body fat percentages and lean body mass estimations.

How does the body fat calculator work?

This calculator uses the US Navy Circumference Method to estimate body fat percentage. It takes measurements of the neck, waist (and hips for women) relative to height. This formula correlates closely with clinical body fat scanners when measured accurately.

What is a healthy body fat percentage?

Healthy ranges vary by sex: for men, a fitness range is 14–17% and acceptable is 18–24%. For women, fitness range is 21–24% and acceptable is 25–31%. Women require higher essential fat percentages (10–13%) for reproductive and hormonal health compared to men (2–5%).

What is Lean Body Mass (LBM)?

Lean Body Mass represents everything in your body except for fat tissue. This includes your skeletal muscle, bones, organs, water, and connective tissues. LBM is the primary driver of your basal metabolic rate (BMR).

Can you lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time?

Yes. This process is known as body recomposition. It is most achievable for beginners, individuals returning to training after a break, or those with high initial body fat percentages. It requires a high protein intake and progressive overload resistance training.