percentage body fat calculations

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mrFerris
mrFerris Posts: 122 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Can anyone advise how best to measure body fat. I have just had a physical checkup at the doctors and after measuring my height and weight decided that I am a 27.8% BMI and said I am bordering on obese ... OMG!! I am slimmer now than I have been for a while but I have been building a bit of muscle. Don't get me wrong, I have a long way to go yet but I ain't got a BMI of 28!!

So, I ask the doc about measuring accurately body fat and he went onto their database with a 'computer says no!' response. Suggested I try calipers and followed it up with but that is not a very accurate method either!

So, is there a method that is more accurate than any other? Unfortunately I am motivated by seeing the numbers change and soon they wont be changing on the scale - or even going up!!

Replies

  • CassieLOL
    CassieLOL Posts: 34 Member
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    Unfortunately, there's no 100% accurate BMI calculator. The most accurate though, is one where it includes not only your height, weight, and gender, but one that includes body measurements as well (hips, chest, neck, etc.) Don't be discouraged by your BMI, the muscle will throw the scale off since muscle weighs more than fat. It's best to just ignore BMI and concentrate on how your body looks to you. (:
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    do a calipers calculation. Do you go to a gym? They can check for you. that's gonna be the "best easy" way. They make scales but they are not very accurate.
  • jonniemarie1
    jonniemarie1 Posts: 77 Member
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    I have used both the body fat caliper that pinches various parts of your body and the handheld one. although most trainers and stuff say the caliper is most accurate, my handheld one never read much different than the caliper...they were usually the same. I would recommend to just get the handheld calculator, and use it right when you wake up after using the bathroom. That's when I find that it is most consistent
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    Can anyone advise how best to measure body fat. I have just had a physical checkup at the doctors and after measuring my height and weight decided that I am a 27.8% BMI and said I am bordering on obese ... OMG!! I am slimmer now than I have been for a while but I have been building a bit of muscle. Don't get me wrong, I have a long way to go yet but I ain't got a BMI of 28!!

    First off, don't confuse BMI, which is merely a height to weight ratio, with body fat percentage. Many athletes are "overweight" or "obese" by BMI standards since it doesn't take muscle mass into account.

    The most accurate would be a DEXA scan or body pod test. There's also online calculators that go by measurements, but they aren't always accurate for all body types. Scales and handheld devices can be pretty wonky, too, and skin fold tests with calipers are only as good as the person using them.

    You can also compare yourself to photos online: http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages
  • LilacDaffodil
    LilacDaffodil Posts: 148 Member
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    some good calculators on this site: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/
  • delaney056
    delaney056 Posts: 475
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    Don't pay too much attention to your BMI, since it only accounts for height and weight. It doesn't take other factors into account. You can have two people of the same height who each weigh 170 pounds, for example, yet they can look totally different, even though they have the same BMI. The most accurate "easy" thing is the caliper test, although nothing is 100% accurate.
  • miriamwithcats
    miriamwithcats Posts: 1,120 Member
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    BMI is just a lazy way to figure out who needs to lose weight. The ONLY really accurate way to measure it is to do this weigh on land then weigh from a hanging scale while in water, just like in high school lab where you measured density. You are never going to find anyone with the set up to do that. Go by inches. The tape measure is the most accurate way to measure in spite of what anyone else tells you.
  • zachatta
    zachatta Posts: 1,340 Member
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    BMI != BF%

    BMI = Body Mass Index

    There are some accurate tests that can be done to determine your true BF% but generally people go by the mirror.

    If you google BF% you will find a couple pics that are close enough so you can get a good idea, charts rather.
  • mrFerris
    mrFerris Posts: 122 Member
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    Thanks for all of your comments and points guys and gals. I know that BMI and BF% are different and I didn't suggest that I thought they were. It was just that Dr said I had BMI 28 which I know is not accurate so I asked about measuring BF% accurately!

    I will look online and see what is going on ... unfortunately I need to have numbers to go by. A bit of OCD going on there I am afraid! I can't just look in the mirror I need numbers to relate to!

    Thanks again :)

    Oh, it might be worth pointing out that I have lost a lot of weight since the profile pic!

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