I had a Body Fat Analysis...

qballjr13

...and I was pleasantly surprised!!! I came in at 17.2%. According to the trainer who did the test for me the ideal range for guys is 12% to 18%. I was really expecting the worst, for no reason, but falling just into that "ideal" category made me very happy! My work out after that was much more fun. I am using this as my baseline and will have it rechecked in about 3 months.

I guess this is a technically a Scale Victory but without the scale! :drinker:

wolfi622

Good Stuff! I had mine done and came in at 18%, which was also a big surprise to me. Now I'm shooting for 15. Apparently that's "lean" for my age. It seems like a smarter goal that just weight.

kneeki

How recent are those pictures on your profile? If I were to guess you'd be in the high 20's to low 30's... What method did he use?

Yanicka1

What was the method used?

qballjr13

The beach picture was about 2 years ago. The tux picture was last July (so 10 months) and Im guess that the picture with my daughter and grey shirt is last fall.

He used the calipers, three pinch points - upper peck (almost arm pit), stomach (just next to my belly button) and then mid thigh. He does all 3 twice in the same spots and the computer calculates them.

BigRich822

Well put up a new pic so we can see the new you

warmachinejt

i think the handheld body fat monitor is more accurate than the calipers, get one! It's only 30 bucks in amazon.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Which one is more accurate, BIA scale or calipers & what are the variances? 6 months ago I had mine tested in a gym during my physical assessment using only the BIA scale & there it read 23%. Just recently I weighed in & it says 22%! Although I know about the hydration or exercise affecting the reading but still I couldn't believe it, only 1% loss despite losing 2.5 inches on my waist, 3 inches on chest, 2.5 inches on hips, 2 inches thighs & at the same time my body becomes tighter??? I eat a little bit above my maintenance & right now I have just upped my weights again & can now do 8 pull-ups without using the assisted pull-up machine so I don't think it is muscle loss. Most gyms & clinics here don't have calipers so which is why I only rely on BIA scale or that handheld device.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Great job! Just make sure to monitor everything.

Azdak

i think the handheld body fat monitor is more accurate than the calipers, get one! It's only 30 bucks in amazon.

Not even close. Skinfold calipers in the hands of an experienced user performed on someone in that BF range can be as accurate as hydrostatic weighing. Hand-held BIA analyzers are way, way down the list.

rileysowner

The best is DEXA, followed by hydrostatic weighing and the Bod Pod, then down at the bottom BIA and calipers. I think the calipers accuracy is very much dependent on how well trained the person doing it is. BIA can be thrown off a huge amount by how much water you have consumed. I would not put much stock in either of the last two personally, although my preference would be for the calipers over the BIA measures.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

The best is DEXA, followed by hydrostatic weighing and the Bod Pod, then down at the bottom BIA and calipers. I think the calipers accuracy is very much dependent on how well trained the person doing it is. BIA can be thrown off a huge amount by how much water you have consumed. I would not put much stock in either of the last two personally, although my preference would be for the calipers over the BIA measures.

Thank you

That explains my question earlier since I couldn't believe that I just lost 1% body fat despite losing more than 10 inches overall plus I can only pinch less than an inch on my triceps, tummy & thigh area.

EDIT: The scale even went up 2 pounds so I don't think its muscle loss

Azdak

Which one is more accurate, BIA scale or calipers & what are the variances? 6 months ago I had mine tested in a gym during my physical assessment using only the BIA scale & there it read 23%. Just recently I weighed in & it says 22%! Although I know about the hydration or exercise affecting the reading but still I couldn't believe it, only 1% loss despite losing 2.5 inches on my waist, 3 inches on chest, 2.5 inches on hips, 2 inches thighs & at the same time my body becomes tighter??? I eat a little bit above my maintenance & right now I have just upped my weights again & can now do 8 pull-ups without using the assisted pull-up machine so I don't think it is muscle loss. Most gyms & clinics here don't have calipers so which is why I only rely on BIA scale or that handheld device.

That's why having the circumference measurements is so helpful. You might not get a body fat percentage number from circumference measurements, but, in certain areas, any change in those measurements is almost entirely from fat loss.

There is also a wide range of quality and accuracy when it comes to BIA scales. If one is trying to measure body fat % on several different BIA scales....well, good luck.

qballjr13

I understand that the calipers may not be the newest and best way of determining body fat but I do believe that they are an "industry standard". The person that did the test is an Exercise Physiologist and a Master Trainer and has been administering the test for many years so I would like to think that he knows what he's doing. Having an experienced tester is certainly a huge part of the test.

I will take some updated pictures. I am going to post a picture I took in April, then take a new one tonight too.

Yanicka1

I understand that the calipers may not be the newest and best way of determining body fat but I do believe that they are an "industry standard". The person that did the test is an Exercise Physiologist and a Master Trainer and has been administering the test for many years so I would like to think that he knows what he's doing. Having an experienced tester is certainly a huge part of the test.

I will take some updated pictures. I am going to post a picture I took in April, then take a new one tonight too.

Yes please post new pics so we can ogle...... hum I mean see your hard work :laugh:

ChitownFoodie

Congrats!!

secretlobster

i think the handheld body fat monitor is more accurate than the calipers, get one! It's only 30 bucks in amazon.

No way. The body fat monitor uses the same general principle as a body fat scale, which is completely inaccurate. Calipers are a lot better. Not as good as full body submersion, but they certainly have a better accuracy than electric body fat monitors that fluctuate wildly when your body loses or gains water.

qballjr13

I understand that the calipers may not be the newest and best way of determining body fat but I do believe that they are an "industry standard". The person that did the test is an Exercise Physiologist and a Master Trainer and has been administering the test for many years so I would like to think that he knows what he's doing. Having an experienced tester is certainly a huge part of the test.

I will take some updated pictures. I am going to post a picture I took in April, then take a new one tonight too.

Yes please post new pics so we can ogle...... hum I mean see your hard work :laugh:

I posted one!

qballjr13

Congrats!!

Thank you!