Body fat percent

gratitudeforall

Anyone out there using body fat percentage as a metric? How are you measuring it and what are you shooting for?

Using my Escali I'm around 26%, but using the online calculators I'm closer to 36% , then using the hand held thing at the gym it's something completely different. As a weight lifting woman in my 50s I'm looking to get below 20% or so, but it's kind of hard to hit a moving target.

What is your experience with body fat measurement?

rkr22401

Accumeasure calipers. Cheap, consistent, and you can use it without an assistant. Shooting for 9% (male).

Erisad

I use it as an additional form of tracking progress. Website calculators would vary from 24% to 41% soo I had to get a way of measuring it myself. I got an Omron electric body fat % measuring tool and it's fairly accurate. I'm at 36% body fat and I would like to get down to 20%. I'll see how close to that I am once I hit my goal weight and if I'm not there yet, I would just spend the time toning up.

chivalryder

I use the Omron HBF-600 body composition monitor (fancy bathroom scale with hand grips). I know it's not 100% accurate, but it's more accurate than most other tools you can get out there. I'm aiming for 8-10% BF.

I feel body fat percentage is a more accurate way of measuring how healthy your are. BMI has waaaay to many variables.

mineboy

hello,
i am trying to get to 12% BF. am at 15% now. hope you get there. xox

SHBoss1673

so, bio-electrical impedance BF scales are ok for delta's but they don't do a very good job at overall %. And forget about online tools, they're very erratic.

If you can I'd start by going to a location that does BF% testing, like a DEXA machine or hydrostatic testing or a Bod Pod (you can find these locations by doing a google search or asking your doctor).

once you know your % with that much accuracy, immediately check your BF with the scale, then you know how far off your scale is, then you can use the delta to determine how you're doing.

Calipers in the hands of anyone but an extremely experienced professional are essentially useless. I've been a trainer going on 4 years and I still have a 7% margin for error compared to a Bod Pod machine, really experienced pro's can get within 3 or 4% but even that's a lot higher than a machine (bio-electrical impedance has a similar margin for error to calipers).

Spartan_Maker

I use body fat percentage and weight to measure my progress.

If I get to a low body fat percentage by losing an extreme amount of weight, that's not a great accomplishment in my view. Any man who is 6'0" can get to single digit body fat if he weighs 170 lbs or less. By comparison, getting to single digit body fat while still weighing more than 190 lbs. is much more difficult and more desirable, both athletically and aesthetically.

I'm using a combination of body fat calipers and Omron's latest hand-held bioelectrical impedance device. Between the two, I can get a cost-effective and accurate enough assessment, especially as I accumulate data over time.

EHuntRN

I have heard the most reliabvle BF % testing is hydro dunking...I am looking to get that done pretty soon , I have seen it in my area for about $60...it also gives you your RMR and from that number you know how many cals your body needs and thats the number you shouldnt go under to properly fuel your body....and depending on how much you work out you would multiply your RMR by 1.2...but being a body builder Im sure you know all of this!!!

SHBoss1673

I have heard the most reliabvle BF % testing is hydro dunking...I am looking to get that done pretty soon , I have seen it in my area for about $60...it also gives you your RMR and from that number you know how many cals your body needs and thats the number you shouldnt go under to properly fuel your body....and depending on how much you work out you would multiply your RMR by 1.2...but being a body builder Im sure you know all of this!!!

actually, MRI is the most accurate. but DEXA is also more accurate than hydrostatic dunk testing. Hydrostatic and Bod Pod are both about the same, but Bod Pod doesn't make you get into a tank of water so I prefer it.

mfpcopine

For years, I've used a scale that estimates fat through bioimpedance. It's not as accurate as scanning or water weighing, but it's much cheaper and more convenient and provides a reference point. Calipers can be accurate, but you have to be skilled at using them, always testing the same place. Half the time, I'm not sure I'm taking my measurements accurately with a tape measure, so forget about calipers.

At times, I've used a hand-held estimator that someone in my family was throwing away, but I assume the scale is more accurate.

My scale may weigh low. When I've done online calculators using the "Military" formula, my body fat percentage has been about four points higher.

On the scale, my body fat percentage has ranged from as low as 16 (very rare) to as high as 23 (also rare). Currently, I'm between 19 to 21%.

If I could get my bf% consistently lower than 19% I'd be happy, but it's not really a goal, as it would be very difficult right now.

californiagirl2012

I'm leery of all methods except hydrostatic and DXA. Last year other methods told me I was at 17% when I was at 10% and I so it was not good because I did not know until I got the hydrostatic test that I needed to be eating more (because you don't have to worry about starvation mode until you are under 12% BF). The level is 6% for a guy.

I'd say it's good to do it for a baseline, and then it's good to do with when you get leaner so you know it is time to go up in calories.

I paid about $25 for a hydrostatic test last year.

This year I got a DXA because it also checks bone density and I'm over 50 so this is important. The DXA is a medical procedure and can be paid for with health care funds and it ran $84. I'm happy I did it because I learned that my 51.5 year old bones have the density of a super athletic 30 year old. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting weights wards off osteoporosis and keeps you young I don't know what is!

slrrese

I am tracking my body fat % using calipers. I know it is probably not all that accurate but I am looking for movement in the right direction more than targeting an actual %. I say it is inaccurate because the last measurement it took said I was 20% and if you look at my picture (avatar) there is NO WAY that is accurate. I am tracking it though along with measurements for several reasons; one is that I now want to lose body fat and not weight and the other is that I think I will lose my boobs at some body fat % decrease and I want to know where and try to stay just above that. :-). Vain?? I just am trying to preserve what little I have!

jparks341

My weight watcher scale has two metal strips that I stand on, not sure how accurate it is. But I'm down to a 12.5%. So I'll go with that and use as another method of tracking progress.

butterflycutie

I got mine done at the gym where I work out and it was 19%.

JustJennie1

I'd say the only true measure would be the hydrostatic measurement.

I've gotten my BF tested with the calipers numerous times and I watched them do the calculation, pull out their chart and find what my BF% is and guess what? The number was based on my age. If I were a couple years younger and had the exact same measurements my BF was lower. The hand held device? Well that one is based on your weight. The scales? I had one and found those to be highly inaccurate. I'd step on and it'd say X for weight and BF%. Step off, step back on and it said something much different.

If you're looking for just a guideline as far as whether or not you're losing BF then any of the methods are fine but if you're looking for your true BF% I say skip the gimmicks and find a place that does the hydrostatic testing and get that done.

rkr22401

Don't get hung up on accuracy of the actual BF%. Concern yourself with consistency of the method, the trend, and (in the case of calipers) actual skinfold thickness.

You don't need to be an experienced trainer to make effective use of calipers. Practice until you can take 3 back-to-back measurements within a millimeter. Use a biological landmark like the hip bone. Some people even use markers.

Bottom line...if your skinfold thickness is going down, even if scale weight is constant, you are doing well.

melly7171

When i use the online military calculator it says around 27%, when i use my aria scale it says 55% how do i know what is right? I def know its not at 27% not at 5'6 and 279lbs

glowingcactus

I use a set of scales (Tanita) that also measure body fat. From digging around the net it seems that it is virtually impossible to get domestic scales that can measure body fat to within 3% accuracy - and lets face it most of us are looking for changes much smaller than that! Also, because they measure BF using impedence they are very sensitive to body water content and that can change a lot on a day by day basis.

I take my BF readings daily but then average out the readings for a fortnight. This gives me a graph with massive peaks and troughs for the daily readings, but a smooth line for the average reading and the line is tracking nicely, if slowly, downwards! Based on on-line calculators I think this average value is correct to within 1% or so, but I can see progress over time and that is what I am looking for.

cmccombs78

The only true way to find out is to have it done professionally. I have a scale that measures BF% and it has me at 22%. Both the Army and Navy tape tests have me at 17%.

http://www.armyprt.com/apft/online-apft-and-body-fat-calculator.shtml

http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/home-body-fat-test-2774-143.html#accurate <---this one measures more than just your neck and stomach. Is it any better? Not sure but it doesnt hurt to have a second opinion.

californiagirl2012

I'd say the only true measure would be the hydrostatic measurement.

I've gotten my BF tested with the calipers numerous times and I watched them do the calculation, pull out their chart and find what my BF% is and guess what? The number was based on my age. If I were a couple years younger and had the exact same measurements my BF was lower. The hand held device? Well that one is based on your weight. The scales? I had one and found those to be highly inaccurate. I'd step on and it'd say X for weight and BF%. Step off, step back on and it said something much different.

If you're looking for just a guideline as far as whether or not you're losing BF then any of the methods are fine but if you're looking for your true BF% I say skip the gimmicks and find a place that does the hydrostatic testing and get that done.

I agree. But DXA is actually the most accurate.

NicoleisQuantized

I recently went and had my body fat % calculated professionally (via ultrasound, error 1%). The BF% value I obtained from online calculators was about 10-12% LESS than the actual value.

If you can afford it, I suggest having your BF% calculated professionally.

dbevisjr

Using a body fat caliper purchased at GNC for $20. Started around 32%, about 27% now, targeting under 20% to start and probably pick a more defined target once I get there. Most every online calculator uses weigh as a measurement to calculate and weight can fluctuate 5 pounds on any given day. Caliper measurement doesn't do that, it's much more consistent.

skylark94

My ultimate goal is 20% BF, which I believe based on current measurements will happen around 125 pounds.

I use the number from my scale for my official number and use other measurements to verify what my scale tells me. I am scheduled for a body composition test next week and may make adjustments based on what those results are, but I feel my numbers are pretty accurate at this point.

CentralCaliCycling

I have a scale that measures body fat along with water content. It seems to be fairly consistent with what I have been doing and the way I look. I noticed that when I went to a gym on a fitness challenge that they had me at about 17% with calipers when the scale said 10%. Over the next six weeks I did pretty much what I had been before but in a gym environment. My scale did not change much but at the end they claimed I had dropped from 17% to 12%. My belief is that the calipers can and do change depending on who is holding them and if there is a benefit the the holder of your having more or less. Personally, I am happy with the scale which runs electricity through to find an amount.

Elen_Sia

I use a measuring tape and Fat 2 Fit Radio's military body fat calculator: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/

rkr22401

My belief is that the calipers can and do change depending on who is holding them and if there is a benefit the the holder of your having more or less.

This is why you want the same person taking the measurements each time and why I prefer to do it myself. I know I am measuring the same spots each time, which gives consistent readings.

CentralCaliCycling

My belief is that the calipers can and do change depending on who is holding them and if there is a benefit the the holder of your having more or less.

This is why you want the same person taking the measurements each time and why I prefer to do it myself. I know I am measuring the same spots each time, which gives consistent readings.

And you don't have a bias to measure it light to claim a higher body fat at the beginning of a program and then tight later to claim a great loss after it is over... I might be wrong but that is what I suspect happened.

mfpcopine

I take my BF readings daily but then average out the readings for a fortnight.

I plug in my scale's bf readings into a couple of online sites. Every now and then I'll run a report to get a graph that shows the direction in which my percentage is moving.