I have been doing a lot of swimming this summer.  I am blessed to be able to spend time with my children playing, laughing, splashing, and simply enjoying one another.   After a grueling workout, meeting a client, or after one of my many meals, I like to hop in.  Pretty much, any time of day is a great time to swim.

   I have noticed something though...I don't float!  As a child, I remember laying out on my back, concentrating, relaxing, and floating.  Now, no matter how hard I try relaxing, laying out, holding my breath, breathing (I've tried it all) it just ain't happening.  But, this is not a bad thing.

   I always like to get plenty of exercise and swimming is a great way to incorporate cross-training.  When it comes to fitness, change is a good thing.  By changing up your workout and/or exercise routine you will reap many physiological and psychological benefits.  Your body will respond by adapting to increase your cardiovascular health, increasing muscle strength and functionality, and the change in your routine will be refreshing and exciting.  

   As an added bonus, these health benefits may also result in a decrease in one's body fat percentage.  That's to say, one's lean mass to fat mass ratio.  Lean mass is dense and metabolically active, consisting of muscle, bones, organs, and connective tissue.  Body fat, is considered inactive, is less dense, and therefore is buoyant.

   Muscle weighs three times more than fat, per unit.  This is exactly why we should all throw out the scale and only monitor our health and fitness through body composition testing, the mirror, or our clothing and how it fits.  It is quite common to see a decrease in fat and inches, yet no change in total weight of an individual.  

   Body composition testing can be done several ways such as body fat calipers (a type of pinch test), bioelectrical impedence, or hydrostatic testing.  

   Hydrostatic (underwater immersion) is the gold standard of body composition testing.  It is the method by which all other means of measurement compare their degree of error.  This test takes your land weight and water weight (based on buoyancy) and scientifically calculates your body fat percentage of your total weight.  Unfortunately, hydrostatic testing is time consuming, cumbersome, complicated, expensive, and testing sites are few and far between.   

   What should your body fat percentage be?  It is varies amongst men, women, and different age groups.  Generally, the minimum is 5% for males and 12% for females.  The average adult body fat is closer to 15% - 18% for men and 22% - 25% for women.  

   Please remember to stay within a healthy body fat range and have your doctor monitor your blood lipids, blood glucose, blood pressure, liver function, and blood hormones.  For your overall health is your most important goal.

   I would safely assume that I have more muscle mass now and a lower percentage of body fat than I did as a child.  May I teach you how you can, too?