Body fat percentage: how to interpret it, and lower it if necessary

Which lifestyle habits help lower body fat?

We did a study of more than 3,500 Withings scale users and here’s what we found:

Diets don’t work, but they’re really popular. Unfortunately, no matter what diet they chose, people gained back 65% of the weight they lost—and the regained weight was mostly fat.

Healthy eating habits are really powerful. We found that those who ate four or more fruits and vegetables a day, consumed fewer than 2 dairy products a day, and ate meals that were cooked using fresh products were less likely to be overweight. Those who skipped meals, ordered takeout, ate red meat 3 or more times a week, and ate while doing other activities (such as working or watching TV) were more likely to be overweight.

Tracking your weight regularly. We found that when overweight or obese users track their weight and food intake regularly, they lose over 7 times more weight than users who are not regular trackers. We also found that people who weighed themselves more tended to be more active. Why? One theory: A daily weight reminder can help to remind you of your weight goals and healthy behaviors.

Get some sleep. Our data shows that better sleep may impact your weight. In a study, we found that an astounding 66.5% of users who slept an average of less than 7 hours a night were overweight. We also found that people who slept 7–8 hours a night were the least likely to be sedentary.

So if you want to lose weight, how should you set a goal? The guidelines for percentage of body fat loss from the American Council on Exercise state that "a 1% loss per month is generally a safe and doable" target when it comes to lower body fat.

So, if you’re looking to lose weight and keep it off, you might want to hold off on the fad diet—and consider making some simple lifestyle changes instead.