My Scale Confuses and Depresses Me

rockabillymama

I have a Health O Meter Professional Body Fat Scale. It took my height, and age, and it measures my weight, hydration percentage, and Body Fat percentage. I started in March at 192 pounds, at which time it said my body fat percentage was 35% and then at 156 it said 32% and now at 154 it says 33% should I just ignore the percentage it's giving me? How can I find out what percentage it is a different way?

sarah44254

hmm, scales are not the best way to measure body fat. expensive water submersion tanks are likely the best way, but having a trained person (or simply a husband/friend that is available to you often) take your measurements with fat calipers (like 5 bucks) that can help you determine body fat %, too.

Just with the fat calipers you need to stand straight up, so you can't do it yourself. And the other person has to always grab the same area, even moving a few inches off can throw off your results.

But the scales that you hold in your hands or that you stand on send electrical impulses through you and measure how long it takes to get back. They determine how much fat is in your body by the speed of return, and send you a number. This can vary if you have drank a lot or too little of water that day, can vary if you are having your period, can vary if you are wearing different clothes, can vary if you just ate - lots of stuff that calipers would not show.

rockabillymama

I have noticed that when I'm on my monthly it does add 5 sometimes 10 pounds, but thank you that makes me feel a little better. It's very upsetting when you keep seeing one number drop but the other rise