Calculating your ideal weight should be an important part when trying to reach your goal weight.
The example below will be using a total body weight of 200 lbs and a 20 percent (0.20) body fat percentage.
The example will use 10 percent at your target body fat percentage.
- Your total body fat weight would be (200 lbs x 0.20) = 40 pounds.
- Your lean body mass (LBM) would be (200 lbs minus 40 lbs) = 160 pounds.
- Your main target body fat percentage is 10 percent (0.10).
- Determine your LBM percentage by subtracting your desired body fat percentage from one (1 minus 0.10 = 0.90).
- Divide your current LBM by your percentage of LBM at your target body fat percentage to yield your ideal weight (160 lbs divided by 0.90 = 177.8 lbs).
- Your ideal weight when you reach 10 percent body fat will be 177.8 pounds, meaning from that 200 pounds, you lost a total of 22.2 pounds of body fat, while still maintaining your 160 pounds of lean body mass.
The accuracy of your LBM number is dependent on the accuracy of your inputs, so don’t bother cheating on your current weight.
Use your LBM as a progress report for your training and dieting.
Source: WebMD.com