How to Decrease Body Fat Percentage

Co-authored by Laura Flinn and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: September 2, 2024 Fact Checked

The fitness savvy know that it's not about that number on the scale — it's about your body fat percentage. The recommended healthy range for body fat is 25-31% for women and 18-24% for men, though this may vary depending on age or athletic status.^{[1]
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Research source} Whatever level you are at, getting rid of body fat is just plain difficult. But with a combination of diet, exercise, and health conscious habits, your ideal percentage can be attained.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Decreasing Body Fat with Diet

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1
Load up on protein and fiber. You've definitely heard it before: to get rid of that stubborn fat and start building muscle, you need protein. The body can burn protein to survive, but it prefers carbohydrates and fats; so when you feed it mainly protein, it will go for the carbohydrates and fats you already have stored.^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source

Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source} That, and protein builds and repairs muscle!^{[3]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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- Fish and chicken are great sources of protein— you generally want to stick to the lean, white meats. Low-fat dairy, beans, soy, and eggs are efficient sources as well.^{[4]
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  Research source} Aim to make protein between 10% and 35% of your daily caloric intake.^{[5]
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  Cleveland Clinic
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- We are not forgetting fiber! It's slow to digest, helps you feel full, and it acts like a sponge to water and fat. So add beans, whole grains, brown rice, nuts, and berries onto that list of awesome foods to eat for fat loss.^{[6]
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2
Know you still need the good fats. Some people believe that a no-fat or low-fat diet automatically makes for a good diet. Well, a low-fat diet, sure, but only if you do it right. You want to stick to the good fats, such as unsaturated fats and omega-3s.^{[7]
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HelpGuide
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- The fats that you should keep in your diet should be from fatty fish like salmon, olive oils, avocados, and nuts. However, just because they're good doesn't mean you should overdo it. Always consume any food in moderation.
- Try to cut down on trans fats and saturated fats. These types of fats are present in foods like cookies, cakes, potato chips, fast and fried foods, red meat, and whole-fat dairy.
- Fats that are solid at room temperature are full of saturated fat, which you should avoid. This includes butter, lard, and coconut oil.^{[8]
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3
Plan out your carbohydrate intake. This is where things start to get a little confusing. There are very, very different schools of thought when it comes to carbohydrates. There's the Atkins and Keto camps, which say a no-carbohydrate diet is the way to go. Well, sure, that'll get you to burn fat, but it's not super sustainable, and anything that recommends you cut out 60% of your body's preferred energy should be questioned because there can be risks.^{[9]
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Trustworthy Source

Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public

Go to source} Instead, let's consider some other ideas:
- Carbohydrate cycling. The science behind it is that you have a couple low-carbohydrate days (about 1g per pound of body weight) that get your body into a fat burning state. Then you have a day of high-carbohydrate intake, that gets your metabolism running.^{[10]
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- Timed intake. When you eat a larger portion of carbs later in the day, it can spike your blood sugar, and the excess glucose can get stored in your body as fat. To avoid this, try to consume carbohydrates (brown rice, beans, oats, legumes, fruit, bread) earlier in the day. ^{[11]
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  Cleveland Clinic
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4
Consider calorie cycling. We've talked about carbohydrate cycling, but there's calorie cycling, too. When you’re restricting your calories, your body may think it’s in danger of starvation, so your metabolism starts to slow down to preserve your weight. Calorie cycling involves having occasional days of higher caloric intake to keep your metabolism up.^{[12]
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- Below 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,500 per day for men is generally where starvation mode starts. Your calorie intake shouldn’t fall below these numbers.^{[13]
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  Harvard Medical School
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- If you're interested in calorie cycling, know how many calories your body needs before you start playing around with the numbers. Factors like your age and physical activity level can affect this.^{[14]
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  - To determine how many calories you should be eating a day to meet your needs and goals, consult with your physician or a registered dietitian.
- This method is good for those who have plateaued. If you have that last bit of fat you want to lose, give this a shot.^{[15]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Decreasing Body Fat with Exercise

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1
Do both cardio and weight lifting. While cardio does burn calories faster than weightlifting, if you want maximum fat burning, you need to do both.^{[16]
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Research source} If you want to get toned, go for less weight and more repetitions when it comes to strength training. And if you're looking to bulk up, go for more weight and fewer repetitions. But anything is good!^{[17]
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- Cardio has any number of forms — swimming, boxing, running, and cycling might be some of the most common, but don't forget basketball, chasing the kids around, walking the dog, and dancing! If it gets your heart pounding, it counts.^{[18]
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  Cleveland Clinic
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2
Cross train your cardio. There are two things you want to prepare yourself against: plateauing and boredom. They're both terrible in their own ways. And the best way to fight these (if not the only way) is cross training. This basically means doing a bunch of different activities and switching your exercise routine up.^{[19]
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- For example, on Monday, you're hitting the pavement, Tuesday you're going for a swim, Wednesday is your day of rest, Thursday is the elliptical, and Friday is cycling. Easy! You could combine activities in one day, too.
3
Go for HIIT. High-intensity interval training is all the rage nowadays. Studies have shown that it may be more effective at reducing body fat, and everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.^{[20]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} It jumps up your metabolism right away and keeps it up after, too — so much that the term "after burn effect" has been coined.^{[21]
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Research source} So even if you have 15 minutes to work out, no excuses!
- There's no hard-and-fast rule to HIIT. It just involves cycling between low-intensity work and high-intensity work. An example? A 1 minute walk on the treadmill followed by 30 seconds of a dead-sprint. But the ratios are up to you!^{[22]
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4
Make sure you rest. Really. You may feel like a powerhouse that just can't be stopped, but your body needs to rest.^{[23]
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Research source} Especially if you're lifting weights like it's your job; your muscles need time to repair themselves. So take a day to take it easy. You don't have to sit on the couch all day, but do allow your body to heal itself.
- Weights should only be done back-to-back if you're working different muscle groups (i.e., legs one day, arms and shoulders the next). Cardio, however, can (and should) be done most days of the week.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Leading a Leaner Lifestyle

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Get high-quality sleep every night. Your body needs high-quality sleep to function normally. Studies have shown that people that get at least 7 or 8 hours a night lose more fat than those who don't.^{[24]
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Research source} Furthermore, people who sleep less have higher amounts of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin, which causes them to be hungrier and eat more.^{[25]
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2
Drink loads of water. It's practically the easiest dieting tactic there is. Drinking water supports your body's metabolic functions and helps curb cravings.^{[26]
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Research source} That's aside from the benefits it has on your organs, skin, hair, and nails.
- Women should aim for about three liters a day; men about four (that's including the water in food).^{[27]
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  Mayo Clinic
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3
Drink coffee prior to your workout. Studies have shown that caffeine stimulates the nervous system, increases our levels of epinephrine, and enhances your muscles’ power, which may result in better performance during your workouts.^{[28]
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Research source} Caffeine may also increase your metabolism, which can result in burning more calories and reducing body fat.^{[29]
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- It's caffeine itself that has this effect, not coffee specifically, but most other sources of caffeine aren't that good for you (read: soda). However, an ounce of dark chocolate wouldn't be terrible and it has caffeine, too!
Whether you're juicing, fasting, or just cutting out one food group, if it's not sustainable, it's probably not that good for you. You might see some serious results initially with these diets, but in the long-run they mess with your metabolism and ultimately mess you up, so it’s best to avoid them.^{[30]
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5
Use several techniques to measure your body fat. There are over half a dozen ways out there to measure your body fat percentage and not all of them are 100% accurate all the time. Always measure your body fat at the same time (for example, Monday mornings) and under the same conditions (before breakfast, after drinking a glass of water, etc). Try several different methods for the best accuracy.
- Common methods include calipers, body fat scales and monitors, Bod Pods, water displacement, and DEXA scanning.^{[31]
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  Research source} Generally the more expensive it is, the more accurate it is. If you can afford it, try a couple different things to give yourself an accurate idea. A couple of percentage points is a big deal!
- A personal trainer or registered dietitian may be able to help you measure and calculate your body fat using scales, tape measure, or calipers. Some health and gym facilities may offer more expensive forms of testing, such as Bod Pods, water displacement, or DEXA scanning.
- The recommended healthy range for body fat is 25-31% for women and 18-24% for men, but factors like age and physical activity level can affect this.^{[32]
  X
  Research source} Consider what's best for you and what's realistic when coming up with your goal.

Exercises, Workout Routine, and Foods to Eat and Avoid

Exercises for Fat Loss

Beginner Exercise Routine for Fat Loss

Foods to Eat and Avoid for Fat Loss

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Essential body fat is 5% in men and 10% in women.^{[33]
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Create a routine that you can stick to and enjoy.

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Sleep, but try not to lay in bed all morning. You'll just feel lazy all day!

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Warnings

Avoid working out too hard. Take a rest every other day and avoid skipping workout days.

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Diet alone will not burn fat. While it can help you lose weight, you need a good exercise program to convert the fat into muscle.

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