The focus of this lesson is to make you knowledgeable enough about the elements of the human body to understand all the other lessons in this section. By grasping the basics of our body’s composition, you’ll be better equipped to dive deeper into the upcoming lessons.
Understanding the Elements of the Human Body
Most people have in their bodies:
- 206 bones
- 600 muscles
- 78 organs
- Four types of primary tissues
- Two types of fat
Your body’s total weight is an accumulation of the weight of your bones, muscles, organs, tissues, and fat. Add your body’s fat weight to your lean muscle mass to calculate your total body weight.
Your lean body mass is the total weight of your bones, muscles, organs, and tissues. To calculate your lean body mass in pounds, you need to subtract your body weight in fat from your total body weight.
The Two Types of Fat in the Human Body
The human body comprises two types of fat: essential and storage.
- Essential fat: Your body uses essential fat to create warmth, provide energy, and keep the body working correctly. Men need up to 5% essential fat, and women need up to 10% to function correctly.
- Storage fat: Some fat is stored around the organs for protection. The storage fat accumulates underneath the skin, around the abdominal section and organs, and collects as fat deposits in your heart and liver. Storage of fat in each area beyond the necessary amount to function correctly and for protection may result in numerous chronic health challenges and diseases. This fat is called subcutaneous fat.
The amount of essential fat your body needs, and the storage fat your body accumulates will be your total body fat. This number is represented as a percentage or weight. You can calculate your total body fat weight in pounds once you figure out your body fat percentage.
Gearing Up for the Upcoming Lessons
Understanding the different types of elements within your body helps you grasp the context of the lessons. In the following few studies, you will:
- Read about body mass index (BMI) and how it relates to being over- or underweight
- Learn why knowing your lean body mass and body fat percentage matters
- Learn how to determine your body fat percentage, body fat weight, and lean body mass
- Understand which body fat category you currently stand in and the potential health conditions you could be facing
- Calculate a goal weight for your weight loss journey based on the body fat percentage category you want to fall within
Conclusion
Great job on completing Lesson 3! Now that you have a solid understanding of the elements of the human body and the types of fat, you’re well-prepared for the upcoming lessons. In the next lesson, we’ll discuss Body Mass Index (BMI) and its role in assessing your health and fitness. Stay tuned!