Bod Pod Inaccurate??

Nicolemihna

Hello all, I have been working out 2-3 times a week with free weights. For the most part I've always dieted. I've gained a bit of weight from the days when I did TV and professional modeling. Today I did a Bod Pod for the first time, and I was totally in shock by the results. The chart said I had 31% body fat! Could this be wrong?! I know I am not super fit right now, but I do not think I look like 31% body fat. Are the ways we view body fat skewed or does it look right?? Any advice would be helpful. I am currently dieting, but only cut 250 calories a day due to my size (I usually try to do a little more if I can)

I am 5'2 and 117.6 pounds
Goal weight: 105

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj573/nicolemihna1/image_zpsvbjpqryk.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj573/nicolemihna1/image_zpskmcne8cd.jpg

GottaBurnEmAll

I'll be honest, that doesn't look too far off. A mistake a lot of people make (I know that before I learned, I would have made this) is mistaking smallness of size for leanness. That could be where your disconnect is coming in. Were your body fat % lower, your arms would show more muscle definition as would your abdomen, particularly on the sides. I'm not talking being bulky here, it's just areas that lean out at lower body fat % on women.

Are you doing any sort of strength training?... sorry, I missed the part where you said you were working out with weights.

usmcmp

There was a study done comparing Bod Pod to Dexa scan (Dexa is most accurate). The bod pod was off by an average of 6% for people on the low end of the BMI Scale, which is about where you fall. That would put you around 25% and I would say that could be close to accurate due to having lower lean mass (very common for people who have modeled).

Sumiblue

Yeah, I think it's a case of low muscle mass hence higher fat %. If you look at my profile, I'm around 21% at 5'2", fair amount of muscle, 119-120lbs.
If you like your weight but want to change your body composition I'd suggest starting a progressive lifting program.

SideSteel

Yes it's quite inaccurate.

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/index.php/free-content/free-content/volume-1-issue-4-the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-parts-3-and-4-bod-pod-and-bioelectrical-impedance-bia/the-pitfalls-of-body-fat-measurement-part-3-bod-pod/

ninerbuff

Did they use the breathing tube for you? If not, breathing in a Bod Pod will throw off the reading. No air movement is critical in this machine for an accurate reading. Even a slight movement can throw it off.
Based on your photos, I'd say you're between 25-30%.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Nicolemihna

Thanks you guys! I appreciate the feedback.

Nicolemihna

Edit: they did not use a breathing tube, although I had the metabolic testing done as well which may (or may not) have been calculated in.

Nicolemihna

Sumiblue wrote: »

Yeah, I think it's a case of low muscle mass hence higher fat %. If you look at my profile, I'm around 21% at 5'2", fair amount of muscle, 119-120lbs.
If you like your weight but want to change your body composition I'd suggest starting a progressive lifting program.

You look amazing, very inspiring! If you are at 21%, then there is no doubt I could easily be 31%.