It seems like a stupid question to me, but I really don't know. I have thought about this before and Matt's post got me to thinking about this again. Should a normal, healthy weight person have some fat? I would ask some of my thin friends but it seems they all talk about being fat. Could this be because they see some fat on their body and think they are "fat"? It does seem like a healthy weight person would have some fat on their body. I am puzzled.
Women NEED fat. Fat is where we carry/store our sex hormones, that is why when women get too thin, they stop getting their period. Also, if lose too much fat and you will lose your sex drive.
Yes, and they're called women. That's how someone at a distance can tell women from men. (Much of the time, anyway. Unless they're looking at Madonna, or Calista Flockheart, or that one Olsen twin.)
Fat is Mother Nature's equivalent of making sure we go off to work/school every day carrying a packed lunch.
Everybody has a certain percentage of fat in their body, it is part of our survival mechanisms. Even someone who appears thin (note that I don't say healthy) could have a higher amount of fat than they should especially if they've no muscle.
Essential body fat is necessary to maintain life and reproductive functions. The percentage for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. Essential fat is 1-3% in men, and 8–12% in women[1].
That's what is bare minimum essential to perform body functions. The American Council on Exercise recommends the following levels:
Even very fit men have body fat. Male body builders in competition will get down to something ridiculous like 2 percent body fat. A marathon runner or Tour de France bicycle rider also will get very low in body fat before the race to carry less body weight.
Do normal healthy weight people have some fat?
