If you’re trying to slim down for health reasons or want to fit back into that pair of jeans that probably just shrunk in the wash, you’ll need a little scientific know-how, patience, and a side of body positivity. But before you can burn those jiggly bits, you need to first understand them. Men are from Mars, women are from Venus… And the differences extend to how our bodies store, process, and burn fat. What’s a healthy body fat percentage? For women it’s thought to be somewhere between 21 to 35 percent. For men, this sweet spot falls somewhere between 8 to 24 percent. Other factors matter too, like age, lifestyle, and body type. Little-to-no fat is little-to-no good Having too little body fat can be just as dangerous as having too much. Your body needs a certain level of “essential fat” in order to function optimally. This means maintaining a minimum body fat percentage between 10 to 13 percent for women and 2 to 5 percent for men. Falling below that can cause a bunch o...