Body fat scales are bull*kitten*
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quiksylver296
Posts: 28,439 Member
My scale "reads" body fat. I've never paid attention to the number, because I didn't believe that I could stand on something and it could tell me how much fat was on my body. I lift heavy 5X week, so I set the scale to "female athlete."
I took a photo of my scale this morning, because I finally hit the 160's (for the first time in a decade)!!! Looking at the photo, I noticed what the scale said my body fat was, 25.6%
I posted the picture in a couple of threads, and had questions about how accurate I thought the BF number was. Answer - wildly INaccurate.
Calipers at the gym put my body fat around 17%. I think photos of myself back up this number. Body fat scales are bull*kitten*. Today's PSA.
I took a photo of my scale this morning, because I finally hit the 160's (for the first time in a decade)!!! Looking at the photo, I noticed what the scale said my body fat was, 25.6%
I posted the picture in a couple of threads, and had questions about how accurate I thought the BF number was. Answer - wildly INaccurate.Calipers at the gym put my body fat around 17%. I think photos of myself back up this number. Body fat scales are bull*kitten*. Today's PSA.
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Replies
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I have always read that the BF scale measurement is not accurate. My scale reads 22.7% and honestly I look like I have much more fat than you do. I think the measurement on the scale is really only useful as a trending tool. I just want to see the number go DOWN.
From the WITHINGS web site:
"If you work out more than 8 hours a week and have a resting heart rate below 60 bpm, you may need to use the Athlete mode."
I do work out more than 8 hours a week, and I do have a resting heart rate below 60, but I don't use that setting.
What do you get if you use the regular setting?2 -
fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »I have always read that the BF scale measurement is not accurate. My scale reads 22.7% and honestly I look like I have much more fat than you do. I think the measurement on the scale is really only useful as a trending tool. I just want to see the number go DOWN.
Exactly. I see so many posts about people wrapped up in the number...
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not sure calipers (depending on user and body hydration levels etc) are much better...4
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fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »I have always read that the BF scale measurement is not accurate. My scale reads 22.7% and honestly I look like I have much more fat than you do. I think the measurement on the scale is really only useful as a trending tool. I just want to see the number go DOWN.
From the WITHINGS web site:
"If you work out more than 8 hours a week and have a resting heart rate below 60 bpm, you may need to use the Athlete mode."
I do work out more than 8 hours a week, and I do have a resting heart rate below 60, but I don't use that setting.
What do you get if you use the regular setting?
I've never tried to reset it. Might have to try, just for fun.1 -
not sure calipers (depending on user and body hydration levels etc) are much better...
Yeah. I get that.
I was going for more of a "don't hang your self-esteem on a number" vibe.
If I really cared about the number, I'd get a DEXA scan. (But I really don't care what the number is.)3 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »not sure calipers (depending on user and body hydration levels etc) are much better...
Yeah. I get that.
I was going for more of a "don't hang your self-esteem on a number" vibe.
If I really cared about the number, I'd get a DEXA scan. (But I really don't care what the number is.)
Totally agree...I am not even sure a dexa is as accurate as we would all like to think...
But I was just hoping others got that any BF% measurement isn't going to be that accurate..so going for the same vibe I think.1 -
I'm so glad I found that out before making the big, useless purchase.2
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I had a good giggle at this.
My wonderful scale does my weight fine, about 102-3lbs (5'1) at the moment, but my readings are a joke.
Too late to weigh myself today, sorry @quicksilver not getting naked even for an experiment, but I usually get between 19-20 for bf, 4.8 bone, 54-55 water and 33-34 muscle.
There isn't a cat in hells chance anything but my weight is anywhere near close.
My bf I would put firmly in the mid 20s from visual cues.
It was interesting watching it go down from the high 20s to 19 though as I lost weight and started lifting, but still totally unreal.
A great post for the reliability, or not, on scale measurements.
(Doing the bf from multi point tape measurements also gives me a low bf. (20-21). Wrong again.)
Cheers, h.
Edit to add- visual cues......5 -
Are you saying 25.6% is too high or too low? Since you are a woman 25.6 based on your pics is fairly reasonable.8
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This site has clinically measured BF %. Check out the girl at 19.4%.
I think most people assume that their number should be lower than it is.
http://paindatabase.com/body-fat/2 -
Totally with you on this one Quik! My body fat scales claimed I was the same bf% (20.1) in both these photos (left 123, right 131)
...Yeah not only am I not 20% in either photo, as I was sub 20 in September and I'm definitely over 20 in the photo from last week, but it's a ridiculous assertion to say I'm the same bf% in both just from the visual cues alone. BF scales for the lose!
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middlehaitch wrote: »
I had a good giggle at this.
My wonderful scale does my weight fine, about 102-3lbs (5'1) at the moment, but my readings are a joke.
Too late to weigh myself today, sorry @quicksilver not getting naked even for an experiment, but I usually get between 19-20 for bf, 4.8 bone, 54-55 water and 33-34 muscle.
There isn't a cat in hells chance anything but my weight is anywhere near close.
My bf I would put firmly in the mid 20s from visual cues.
It was interesting watching it go down from the high 20s to 19 though as I lost weight and started lifting, but still totally unreal.
A great post for the reliability, or not, on scale measurements.
(Doing the bf from multi point tape measurements also gives me a low bf. (20-21). Wrong again.)
Cheers, h.
Edit to add- visual cues......
You're rocking that suit, h!3 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »Totally with you on this one Quik! My body fat scales claimed I was the same bf% (20.1) in both these photos (left 123, right 131)
...Yeah not only am I not 20% in either photo, as I was sub 20 in September and I'm definitely over 20 in the photo from last week, but it's a ridiculous assertion to say I'm the same bf% in both just from the visual cues alone. BF scales for the lose!
Looking great, Jess!1 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »
I had a good giggle at this.
My wonderful scale does my weight fine, about 102-3lbs (5'1) at the moment, but my readings are a joke.
Too late to weigh myself today, sorry @quicksilver not getting naked even for an experiment, but I usually get between 19-20 for bf, 4.8 bone, 54-55 water and 33-34 muscle.
There isn't a cat in hells chance anything but my weight is anywhere near close.
My bf I would put firmly in the mid 20s from visual cues.
It was interesting watching it go down from the high 20s to 19 though as I lost weight and started lifting, but still totally unreal.
A great post for the reliability, or not, on scale measurements.
(Doing the bf from multi point tape measurements also gives me a low bf. (20-21). Wrong again.)
Cheers, h.
Edit to add- visual cues......
You're rocking that suit, h!
Agreed, I want a back like @middlehaitch when I grow up!3 -
It may not be accurate, but it's nice to see it slowly going down over time.1
This discussion has been closed.
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