IF everyone tracked body fat instead

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Dave198lbs
Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
in Motivation and Support
A huge percentage of threads are about people not seeing enough weight loss on the scale and wanting to quit, give up and just cry. The replies are always the same-

check your measurements

you are retaining water, etc., etc., etc.

If you take the time and some expense ( a bod pod test costs about $40) to get your body fat tested, you will have a much more accurate indicator of your fitness and health.

Your actual weight is relatively meaningless in terms of health when compared to your body fat percentage.

When you track and work to reduce your body fat, things like time and patience take on more meaning and allow you to see the bigger picture which will ultimately help you deal with the fact that this process does take time.

For me, tracking body fat is a much better motivator than that arbitrary number on the scale.
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Replies

  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Absolutely. Couldn't agree more.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
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    i agree , measurements are key ... although weight loss is a method of tracking progress , not the best choice
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    No need for a bod pod test, even. Just take pictures.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LorinaLynn/view/no-weight-loss-no-progress-448694

    I have no idea what my actual body fat percentage is. I don't care.
  • rileamoyer
    rileamoyer Posts: 2,411 Member
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    I have had those tests done twice 6 months apart, the results were amazing (body comp scan at my medical clinic) plus the full report with the anatomy printout of your fat deposits was well worth it. Hope to 2 do more next year just to monitor myself. BTW current BF 20.5% Not bad for a grandma.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
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    Bod pod isn't necessarily accurate. A $40 scale or hand held monitor that does body fat analysis is probably a better investment for people to use to track body fat percentage over time. Getting a bod pod analysis once a week or even once a month would get expensive.
  • jenn48847
    jenn48847 Posts: 6
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    I just had a body comp scan done and was amazed at the results. I have one done once a year because I am post bariatric. I love knowing what is fat, water, SKIN, ect. It makes me feel a lot better about myself :)
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    Bod pod isn't necessarily accurate. A $40 scale or hand held monitor that does body fat analysis is probably a better investment for people to use to track body fat percentage over time. Getting a bod pod analysis once a week or even once a month would get expensive.

    true that once a week would be expensive and that would defeat the purpose of learning to deal with the time issue. We didnt get over weight in a week and changes wont happen in a week either.

    whatever method you use to track body fat is not the point.

    I would do it every 6 months or shorter (like 3 months) depending on the circumstances
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    I have had those tests done twice 6 months apart, the results were amazing (body comp scan at my medical clinic) plus the full report with the anatomy printout of your fat deposits was well worth it. Hope to 2 do more next year just to monitor myself. BTW current BF 20.5% Not bad for a grandma.

    awesome
  • LexyDB
    LexyDB Posts: 261
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    Blame the industry as a whole for the state of mind it inflicts on people. Everyone, well besides people who have commented accordingly in this thread is obsessed with weight loss when they should be concentrating on body composition and losing body fat.

    Countless threads on I'm exercising but gaining weight, yes, exercise does that when you finally get round to doing it and eat correctly to gain muscle mass which in turn burns more body fat given the right environment.

    Trash TV such as Biggest Loser has got it wrong and is also to blame for perpetuating this myth; concentrate on your body fat percentage people. So what if you weight more now than when you started? Chances are you have dropped body fat and added muscle which isn't bad no matter how you look at it.

    Stop being weight obsessed, you'll be happier for it.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    Blame the industry as a whole for the state of mind it inflicts on people. Everyone, well besides people who have commented accordingly in this thread is obsessed with weight loss when they should be concentrating on body composition and losing body fat.

    Countless threads on I'm exercising but gaining weight, yes, exercise does that when you finally get round to doing it and eat correctly to gain muscle mass which in turn burns more body fat given the right environment.

    Trash TV such as Biggest Loser has got it wrong and is also to blame for perpetuating this myth; concentrate on your body fat percentage people. So what if you weight more now than when you started? Chances are you have dropped body fat and added muscle which isn't bad no matter how you look at it.

    Stop being weight obsessed, you'll be happier for it.

    pretty much
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    yeh but weight is still a good way to measure progress for someone who is consistant with what they eat and how they exercise.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    yeh but weight is still a good way to measure progress for someone who is consistant with what they eat and how they exercise.

    depends on your goals I guess

    the number on the scale going down only means you are in a caloric deficit and not much else about your over all health
  • professorRAT
    professorRAT Posts: 690 Member
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    I am having a DEXA scan next week for body composition analysis. I am really looking forward to it (what a nerd I am)! It is going to cost me $100.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    I am having a DEXA scan next week for body composition analysis. I am really looking forward to it (what a nerd I am)! It is going to cost me $100.

    I heard that is one of the most accurate tests available...good luck
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    yeh but weight is still a good way to measure progress for someone who is consistant with what they eat and how they exercise.

    Nope, its not! My weight is UP with 4KILOGRAMS since last summer, but I wear a size smaller pants.....And obviously I exercise and am consistant with my eating....I'm also perimenopausal, which wreaks havoc with water retention and "weight gain"...
    If I had to look at weight on the scale only, I would have been down in the dumps since last Christmas and probably had given up completely......
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
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    yeh but weight is still a good way to measure progress for someone who is consistant with what they eat and how they exercise.

    depends on your goals I guess

    the number on the scale going down only means you are in a caloric deficit and not much else about your over all health

    yeh im speaking from an aesthetic perspective... u can be "fat" and healthy too pleanty of pro athletes are like that football players for example.
  • Chadomaniac
    Chadomaniac Posts: 1,785 Member
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    Bod pod isn't necessarily accurate. A $40 scale or hand held monitor that does body fat analysis is probably a better investment for people to use to track body fat percentage over time. Getting a bod pod analysis once a week or even once a month would get expensive.
    um those machine things u put ur arm in too test bodyfat are BS im not 8% BF and thats what it says .. i know for a fact im not
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I am having a DEXA scan next week for body composition analysis. I am really looking forward to it (what a nerd I am)! It is going to cost me $100.

    I've done the DEXA three times. Once was 10 years ago, and then I did one in April and one just a couple of weeks ago. It's neat to see the changes over time... and, yes, it's the most accurate test and can show bone density issues as well.
  • snowbike
    snowbike Posts: 153 Member
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    Try callipers...

    I use the following

    http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/

    Generally I check the area in the instructions, But every once and a while fill out the 6 calculators here using the calliper

    http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

    I dont pay much attention to the numbers as depending on which used it can be from 11 to 18% for me.
    It is the changes I monitor.

    What is really interesting is you start to get a feel of where on your body collects more fat or losses more fat quickly depending on if you are gaining or losing weight.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    calipers are better than the scales you can buy that measure weight and BF% and water, etc.

    as long as you are consistent with the pressure you use with the calipers it is better than not measuring IMO

    as far as the bod pod, it supposedly has a margin of error of about 2%.

    I had a hydrostatic test done 2 years ago and it was $60 but is much more of a hassle and time consumng to have done than the bod pod which takes about 2 minutes

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