One of the more challenging areas to navigate in the health & fitness space centres around body composition - nutrition - food plans - diet culture and what the right approach is for each individual member or client in your community or network.
Most experienced coaches will agree, that the common response to questions around health, fitness, performance and nutrition is;
"It depends"
I'm also sure most clients would agree that the most frustrating response to their questions centred around health, fitness performance and nutrition is;
"It depends"
But your needs and the appropriate area of focus will depend greatly on your current lifestyle, health status, performance goals, training experience, stress levels, time constraints, resources available etc
There are so many variables that have significant influence and impact on your overall health & performance - so it makes perfect sense that we must first create the full picture and assess our current habits - before we go about setting or re-evaluating our goals?
On one hand, we absolutely want to develop a mindset and belief system which focuses on what our bodies can do - how strong, how fast, how mobile, how stable it can become - as opposed to solely focusing on how our body looks.
On the other hand, we know the incredibly significant role our body composition not only plays in achieving our athletic/performance potential but the role it plays in our longterm health and longevity!
If we can find balance - enjoying & committing to our training - while keeping one eye on our body composition trends - we can reap the rewards of our work - so that our future self is in the best position possible to maintain an independent, active and healthy life.
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Body Fat Mass: The total mass of fat in the body.
Skeletal Muscle Mass: The mass of muscles attached to the skeleton, which are used for movement.
Lean Body Mass: The total mass of the body minus the fat mass; it includes muscles, bones, water, and other non-fat tissues.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The amount of energy expended while at rest to maintain vital body functions.
Segmental Analysis: The distribution of muscle and fat in different parts of the body, such as the arms, legs, and trunk.
Visceral Fat Level: The amount of fat surrounding internal organs, which is a critical factor for assessing risks of metabolic conditions.