Body fat percentage is so confusing.. :(

EthanJeremiahsMama

My weight loss scale is starting to stress me out! My actual weight is dropping or well.. maintaining.. and sometimes my body fat percentage goes up.. a few days later goes down. Ugh... anyone with tips as far as cardio on bringing body fat percentage down? I'm at 18% "supposedly" right now.. and i'm trying to get to 16% at least. I'm 5'6, 115 pounds.

liftingbro

My weight loss scale is starting to stress me out! My actual weight is dropping or well.. maintaining.. and sometimes my body fat percentage goes up.. a few days later goes down. Ugh... anyone with tips as far as cardio on bringing body fat percentage down? I'm at 18% "supposedly" right now.. and i'm trying to get to 16% at least. I'm 5'6, 115 pounds.

First off, those scales are not that great if you are using them every day. I would only record bf% once per month from the scale. Water weight and other factors throw those things off.

tigersword

If you're relying on a digital scale to tell you body fat percentage, you need to use a few different methods. Those scales are known for being very inaccurate. Use calipers, or calculators, or check with your doctor.

MrBrown72

Not all scales are bad. The best use electrical resistance as opposed to just doing math for you. I use mine once a week, wearing the same thing, before I eat. You will get different reading depending on what you have eaten, how much water you have drank and caffeine use. So once a week, in the same situation is best.

Also be aware that solid biological waste is generally considered fat when you are scanned.

tigersword

Electrical impedance is inaccurate for measuring body fat, that's what makes the scales off. I know the scale I have reports about 10% higher than the caliper test from my doctor, and when I researched online to try and find a more accurate scale, I found that that's pretty much normal for scales that use electrical resistance to calculate body fat percentage.

I trust my doctor's measurement over the scale because I tried several online calculators (YMCA Formula, Navy Formula, Army formula, etc) and they agreed with my doctor's assessment.

MrBrown72

Electrical impedance is inaccurate for measuring body fat, that's what makes the scales off. I know the scale I have reports about 10% higher than the caliper test from my doctor, and when I researched online to try and find a more accurate scale, I found that that's pretty much normal for scales that use electrical resistance to calculate body fat percentage.

I trust my doctor's measurement over the scale because I tried several online calculators (YMCA Formula, Navy Formula, Army formula, etc) and they agreed with my doctor's assessment.

they are all inaccurate. To get a completely accurate test one would have to either do a water displacement test or a full scan. Both require expensive equipment and a dedicated facility. However for general purposes as the OP stated "tracking the decrease of body fat over time" it should be adequate. I understand that as an engineer or medical professional yourself that absolute accuracy is essential to you. Tracking progress does allow for a margin of error and still posses the ability to be successful and useful.

The caliper test is a generality based on various points and the skin fold measurement. Online calculators are a generality based on measurements. The Navy and Army formulas are not only out dated but based on fewer measurements. None of these take into account loose skin, fat deposits outside of measured points, Muscle in measured areas or many other variables that can be introduced. However as a generality it works, just like electrical impedance and as a measure of progress, any of them will work fine if properly done.

Do you need the math for your preferred method?

ninerbuff

My weight loss scale is starting to stress me out! My actual weight is dropping or well.. maintaining.. and sometimes my body fat percentage goes up.. a few days later goes down. Ugh... anyone with tips as far as cardio on bringing body fat percentage down? I'm at 18% "supposedly" right now.. and i'm trying to get to 16% at least. I'm 5'6, 115 pounds.

You sound like you're at the right weight. Don't rely on the "fat" reading on scales. Water in your body will dictate what the reading ends up being.