The lean body mass based on Boer formula:
Lean Body Mass or LBM is the body composition comprised of total body weight minus the body fat weight. It means that everything comes under the umbrella of lean body mass, including blood, muscles, bones, and skin, except the body fat. While people are more concerned about calculating their body fat mass, they mostly do not give much consideration to lean body mass.
LBM takes its significant application in water-soluble anesthetic drugs, and you will be surprised to know that almost 60 to 90% of total body weight comprises lean body mass. For a healthy lifestyle, knowing the percentage of lead body mass is as important as the body fat percentage, as LBM directly relates to the BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate.
With the help of our Lean Body Mass Calculator, you may determine the % of LBM and how it impacts your well-being. With the help of this calculator, you can easily see if the weight gain is due to fat mass or lean body mass.
What is Lean Body Mass?
We have seen several slim yet muscular people weighing more than the chubbier ones, which is surprising for many. It is important to understand that body muscles, too, have some weight, making muscular people weigh higher on the weight machine. So, where does the muscle weight come from? The lean body mass comprises muscles, organs, skin, and everything inside your body other than the fat.
Keeping it simple, the lean body mass is actually the weight of your entire body, excluding the weight of body fat. If you want to lose weight, knowing your LBM and how to calculate it is important. On the weight loss journey, we prioritize losing body fat without considering lean body mass. A lower LBM can affect your health at so many levels, and most importantly, losing muscle mass means that your entire physical structure and coordination will be affected. Lack of insufficient LBM results in an unpleasant appearance and increases the chances of developing cardiovascular complications. Similarly, having high LBM helps boost metabolism and makes it easier to gain healthy weight, resulting in less body fat. In a nutshell, it is more important to know your lean body mass than your body weight while you are trying to lose weight or for any medical concern.
How to Calculate Lean Body Mass Using the Boer Formula?
Four popular formulas are used to calculate the lean body mass. For physical fitness and health, it is important to keep checking the LBM regularly as several tools help you find out and estimate lean body mass based on different formulas known as Boer Formula, Hume Formula, James Formula, and Peters Formula. Out of all these, the Boer Formula is considered the most effective as it produces accurate results.
The popular equation used in the Boer Formula to estimate lean body mass is:
For Women
LBM = (0.252 x weight in kilograms) + (0.473 x height in centimeters) – 48.3
For Men
LBM = (0.407 x weight in kilograms) + (0.267 x height in centimeters) – 19.2
Our LBM calculator is based on Boer’s Formula and produces accurate and instant results based on gender, height, and weight.
How to Use the LBM Calculator?
The interface of our LBM calculator is very easy and user-friendly; just by entering a few inputs, you will get the results.
To use this lean body mass calculator:
- Select your gender.
- Enter Age.
- Choose the system of units, either imperial or metric.
- Enter your height.
- Enter your weight.
- Press Calculate.
That’s it. You will get the results within a few seconds, and based on these calculations, you can decide if you are physically fit or have high body fat.
What is the Ideal Lean Body Mass Percentage?
The lean body mass percentage is different in both men and women. The ideal LBM % for men is between 76 and 82%, while for women, it is between 69 and 75%. Since women have more fat concentration in their body composition, they have lower lean body mass values than men. People who stay physically active and exercise regularly have high lean body mass values.
Tips to Increase Lean Body Mass
Muscle gaining is important to keep the body in shape and to protect you from injuries and aches. With age, the lean body mass is decreased as we lose muscle and bone strength. However, with a few tips, you may increase lean body mass, ensure muscle strength, and reduce body fat.
- Add some strength training exercises into your routine, such as power yoga, weightlifting, high-intensity interval training, etc.
- When trying to lose weight, most people opt for a crash diet. If such diets continue for longer, it may trigger muscle protein breakdown, rapidly decreasing lean body mass.
- To ensure muscle health and an improved LBM, increase your protein intake. When your tummy has enough protein, you feel less need to consume calories and build an improved skeletal muscle mass. Starting your day with a protein-packed breakfast helps provide amino acids, which are important to start your day healthily and boost muscle strength.
- Cut down on alcohol consumption as alcohol content disturbs the body’s ability to produce protein.
- Limit your sugar intake as it helps increase the body mass and decrease the lean body mass.
Bottom Line
You must maintain a lean body mass to reduce your risk of contracting diseases. It guarantees improved bone health and lowers the chance of fractures. You must maintain a good diet, lifestyle, and weight-training routine to build lean muscle mass. You should not primarily rely on the lean body mass calculating tool but use it to gauge your progress. The lean body mass takes time and consistent effort to develop, so you should always consult your doctor and fitness experts while trying to increase your LBM.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are the lean body mass and fat-free mass the same?
The terms lean body mass and fat-free mass are usually used interchangeably, but there is still some difference between the two. The lean body mass comprises the weight of organs, skin, muscles, blood, and bones, excluding the fat. The body’s internal organs also contain some essential fat, and the weight of this essential fat is added to the total lean body mass. On the other hand, the fat-free mass is the body weight minus the mass of all body fats, including the essential fat. Basically, when you subtract the essential body fat from LBM, you get fat-free mass.
How many formulas are used in the LBM calculations?
Boer, James, Peters, and Hume formulas are generally used to measure the LBM value.
What are the benefits of muscle gain?
Muscle gaining helps make you feel physically more active, correct any imbalance in the body, increase the age of your muscles, and prevent your body from losing its youthfulness.
Is it good to have high, lean body mass?
Yes, it is really good to have a high lean body mass, which means that your body has low-fat mass and good muscle mass.
How long does it take to lean body mass?
You may start seeing results within 6 to 8 weeks with consistent weight-lifting and strength-training sessions. But you will have to follow a muscle-building routine if you want to see changes in the muscle size.
Why do women have less muscular mass than men?
Women have less muscular mass than men due to increased estrogen that stimulates fat production. The body strength of females grows to a certain extent, after which they shift to the reproductive mode and produce more body fat.
A fervent champion for holistic well-being, graces this community with her expertise in health and fitness. With a solid educational foundation in physical fitness and a commitment to empowering others, Sara distills her extensive knowledge and experience into actionable insights. Her writing, firmly grounded in evidence-based practices, aims to demystify health complexities and inspire readers to cultivate sustainable habits for a balanced life. As a certified fitness trainer, Sara offers a well-rounded perspective on wellness. Join Sara on this transformative journey towards a happier, healthier, and more vibrant you.
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