Do you KNOW your Body Fat %? If so, I need a favor.

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mommamandyloo
mommamandyloo Posts: 19 Member
edited August 2017 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I am suspecting that I've had a scam run on me. I recently went to a place to have a bod-pod done. The results came back 50% body fat- which was devastating. If you look at my profile pic, I think you'll agree, that there's just no way.

I've found this estimator that goes on inches alone, and it puts me squarely in the range I expected- 30%. I had twins in late January, so for now, I'm OK with 30%. Not my end game, but good for where I'm at post partum.

I'm wondering- if you know your body fat percentage- can you check it against this calculator and let me know if it's accurate, please? http://www.nowloss.com/online-body-fat-percentage-calculator.htm

The place I had the original scan done also operates a side coaching-fat loss biz. See where I'm going with this?

I have a DXA scan scheduled for next week at a different organization to compare against their bodpod results. I have contacted the bodpod people to ask when they last calibrated their machine, as I just don't see 50% body fat on me... and have been invited back for a free re-scan on the "very low" chance of machine error.
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Replies

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    hard to know without more information..

    do you have some pictures that you can post of your front unflexed and flexed, as well as side picture?
  • mommamandyloo
    mommamandyloo Posts: 19 Member
    edited August 2017
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    Edit- Honestly- I don't want this photo of me on the open web.

    This is me- unflexed and natural. Like I said, I know I'm still fat. but I just don't see 50% body fat.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    i would say 35-40% ..maybe a hair over 40%..

    it has a lot to do with your existing muscle mass as well..

    do you lift weights or follow any kind of structured lifting regimen?
  • mommamandyloo
    mommamandyloo Posts: 19 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i would say 35-40% ..maybe a hair over 40%..

    it has a lot to do with your existing muscle mass as well..

    do you lift weights or follow any kind of structured lifting regimen?

    Structured- no. But I do lift about 5x per week. I spend about 30 minutes in free weights (25lb bells, for 50lb total) targeting all upper body, and then I do some machine work targeting lower body for about 30 minutes. this consists of a lot of leg press (300 pound combo, 175 isolation) and thigh lift stuff. I'm sure I don't know the proper name for these things and have no idea if those weights are impressive or laughable.

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    mommamandyloo wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i would say 35-40% ..maybe a hair over 40%..

    it has a lot to do with your existing muscle mass as well..

    do you lift weights or follow any kind of structured lifting regimen?

    Structured- no. But I do lift about 5x per week. I spend about 30 minutes in free weights (25lb bells, for 50lb total) targeting all upper body, and then I do some machine work targeting lower body for about 30 minutes. this consists of a lot of leg press (300 pound combo, 175 isolation) and thigh lift stuff. I'm sure I don't know the proper name for these things and have no idea if those weights are impressive or laughable.

    OK ...

    I would suggest looking into a structured program like strong lifts, strong curves, or all pro beginner routine...
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    edited August 2017
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    So, using the calculator you posted, it estimated me at 18.34%. Using the pictures, I'd guess that is close. I've tried to estimate my body fat over the years using tape measurements, caliper measurements, and as of a year ago an Omron bio-electrical impedance scale. Using this wide variety of methods I can safely say I am somewhere between 12% and 26%, lol.

    Most people will tell you the scales are the most inaccurate because they vary with the amount of water in your body; however, when I finally went in for a DEXA scan in June, the scale was the closest to the "true" measurement of the DEXA scan, putting me at 24.3% BF the morning of the test when the DEXA came back at 24.4% Of course that's only one data point, but whatever. idbq0ptbm6lh.png
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    Since a bodpod works on an air displacement method to determine volume, I wonder if it can be thrown off by deep breathing and having a lot of air in lungs.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    edited August 2017
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    richardgavel wrote: »
    Since a bodpod works on an air displacement method to determine volume, I wonder if it can be thrown off by deep breathing and having a lot of air in lungs.

    http://weightology.net/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-3-bod-pod/

    Doesn't talk about breathing, but details various other error sources.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I don't know mine exactly (does anyone?) but calipers have me at about 21 or 22%. A recent BodPod had me at 33%. Looking at the pictures of men at various body fat %, no way that's right. I look like the 20% body fat pictures visually.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Looking at the photos I would say I am under 20% but above 15%. The calculator gave me 22%. I mean, I guess it is close, most likely I am around 18%. In the end, it doesn't really matter since my goal is to lean down, so as long as that is happening, I don't really care what it says.

    That is why I would probably never go for bodyfat testing, I know some people need that reassurance, I don't think I would personally gain any benefit from it, if anything I would probably get discouraged for no reason.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    My home scale puts me at 21% (bioelectric impedance) - your calculator puts me at 24% if I go with female, 20% if I go with male (I am a girl) - visually my arms and legs look more like 15%, but in my torso I look like the 20% photos, I definitely carry all my extra weight around my belly.

    My home scale is very consistent, so right or wrong, I feel like it's a good metric for tracking up or down trends.
  • VeronicaA76
    VeronicaA76 Posts: 1,116 Member
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    Okay, I tested mine (I know where mine was as of Aug 1). There is a 1.8 difference in what mine is and the calculations based on measurements. So something is probably really off with you're 50% result. Judging from your picture, you look no where near 50% BF for a woman.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    OK ...

    I would suggest looking into a structured program like strong lifts, strong curves, or all pro beginner routine...

    ^ This.

    You are practically wasting your time with the "5x per week" stuff with "25lb bells" and leg presses which you are doing now.
    You are definitely wasting energy that could be used on a good program.
    "Thinner Leaner Stronger" is a decent choice also.
  • RandJ6280
    RandJ6280 Posts: 1,162 Member
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    Hard to say... but I'd like to get my bf tested. Someone was telling me there is an 8 point caliper way to test that is the best out there.
  • VeronicaA76
    VeronicaA76 Posts: 1,116 Member
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    RandJ6280 wrote: »
    Hard to say... but I'd like to get my bf tested. Someone was telling me there is an 8 point caliper way to test that is the best out there.

    DEXA is the most accurate, most caliper tests are pretty darn close. Multiple measurements vs age/weight/height/gender are decent.

    I personally go by the jiggle test. Does something jiggle that I don't want to? Eat healthy, get plenty of rest, and back to the gym I go.
  • jamesakrobinson
    jamesakrobinson Posts: 2,149 Member
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    Not even close.
    This app gives me 16.x%
    Dexa scan (the current "gold standard") says I am 8.x%, and my Skulpt device comes in around 9.x% (which is within their targeted accuracy of +- 2 from Dexa)

    Granted, I'm a man in my 50s so not a postpartum woman but nonetheless it was double what I know to be my actual bodyfat.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I answered on your other thread. h

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10589405/body-fat-percentage#latest
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    richardgavel wrote: »
    Since a bodpod works on an air displacement method to determine volume, I wonder if it can be thrown off by deep breathing and having a lot of air in lungs.

    http://weightology.net/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-3-bod-pod/

    Doesn't talk about breathing, but details various other error sources.

    Really good points. I had a Bod Pod done and was given very strict instructions not to eat or drink anything for at least 4 hours before hand. No idea if the instructions for DEXA are the same, but it's a question worth asking ... Could there have been something that inadvertently affected the results?
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    VeronicaA76 wrote: »
    RandJ6280 wrote: »
    Hard to say... but I'd like to get my bf tested. Someone was telling me there is an 8 point caliper way to test that is the best out there.

    DEXA is the most accurate, most caliper tests are pretty darn close. Multiple measurements vs age/weight/height/gender are decent.

    I personally go by the jiggle test. Does something jiggle that I don't want to? Eat healthy, get plenty of rest, and back to the gym I go.

    From @Anvil_Head 's link, here's the link about the inaccuracy of calipers.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    My home scale puts me at 21% (bioelectric impedance) - your calculator puts me at 24% if I go with female, 20% if I go with male (I am a girl) - visually my arms and legs look more like 15%, but in my torso I look like the 20% photos, I definitely carry all my extra weight around my belly.

    My home scale is very consistent, so right or wrong, I feel like it's a good metric for tracking up or down trends.

    Trends, maybe, but overall accuracy, not likely. I read through all of @Anvil_Head 's link.

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