How do I find out body fat %?

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msarro
msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just curious... once I hit my goal weight I know I'm going to still be technically obese according to BMI, however I've got a rather large frame, and a TON of muscle. I'm already starting to look somewhat like how I want to look.

So, how do I find out my body fat percentage without making an expensive appointment at a body pod?

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  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
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    Just curious... once I hit my goal weight I know I'm going to still be technically obese according to BMI, however I've got a rather large frame, and a TON of muscle. I'm already starting to look somewhat like how I want to look.

    So, how do I find out my body fat percentage without making an expensive appointment at a body pod?
  • tuna33
    tuna33 Posts: 12
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    You can most likely get it done at a doctor... if not a fitness centre will usually have the tools to figure it out. You usually have to be hooked up to a machine to tell. It's actually a really quick thing to do, and I don't think too expensive.. (If you have a gym membership then the gym may have the device for it already depending on the gym of course)

    Good luck.
  • yoginimary
    yoginimary Posts: 6,784 Member
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    I just got mine done by the following methods this past Monday:
    DEXA scan (low intensity x-ray)
    caliper
    electronic hand held device
    one of those scale things you step on to

    Let me tell you - they were all different - by as much as 10%. I got it done at a university by the guy in charge, so there was very little user error if any. He said DEXA tends to run high and the other methods tend to run low. He also said the closer to ideal, the less margin of error. It is also interesting to note that I got the electric nodes done at the gym last November (10 lbs ago) and that reading went down only 0.3% (from 30 to 29.7) and I'm working my *kitten* off - lifting weights, the whole deal. Guy gave me a coupon to come back in another 10 lbs, so I'll report back then. I should be fairly close to my goal at that point.

    Basically there isn't a great way of doing it without spending a bunch of money. I would just take my waist measurement - if that is good, you're probably in good shape.
  • KrisKabob
    KrisKabob Posts: 1,250 Member
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    My husband and I got one of those old fashioned high school gym calipers... I think they are accurate enough for me. We got it at GNC for like 15-20 bucks.

    If you wants more accuracy I would check with your Doc. :bigsmile:
  • FatDancer
    FatDancer Posts: 812 Member
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    Greetings!

    Here's a link to the old fashioned tape measure method...I think they say it is fairly accurate:

    http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/home-body-fat-test-2774-143.html

    At least it may give you somewhere to start until you can have it done professionally.
  • frankp
    frankp Posts: 83
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    I agree with you, body fat % is a much better measurement for health than bmi especially for someone with tons of muscle. My real goal is 13% or less body fat which is an athlete level. I also would like to have more muscle, so weight isn't even part of my final goal. However, fat loss ocurrs for me much more rapidly than muscle gain, so I do use a scale to monitor short term progress.

    I use a skinfold caliper and the seven test points calculation. I've read claims that it is accurate to within a couple of %.

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