IF everyone tracked body fat instead
Dave198lbs
Posts: 8,810 Member
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.
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
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Absolutely. Couldn't agree more.0
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i agree , measurements are key ... although weight loss is a method of tracking progress , not the best choice0
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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.0 -
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.0
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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.0
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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
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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 circumstances0 -
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.
awesome0 -
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.0 -
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 much0 -
yeh but weight is still a good way to measure progress for someone who is consistant with what they eat and how they exercise.0
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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 health0 -
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 $100.0
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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 luck0 -
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......0 -
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.0 -
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 notBod 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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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 minutes0 -
I track everything. My weight, my BMI, my fat% and my muscle%.0
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I agreeA 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.
I have been on the same weight since December last year but my clothes that I bought from last year's Christmas are now too big for me.0 -
My gym does a fitness assessment every 3 months, including the bodpod. I think my bodpod measurements are wrong, particularly considering that the last one I had said that my body fat was a little under 9% and I am a 47 yr old menopausal female and I don't look anything like a fitness model. I think perhaps that it was user error by the trainer or that they have it set on athlete instead of normal person since when I set my scale on athlete, it says I have somewhere between 8 and 10% body fat. Gonna keep getting the bodpod measurement done to track progress, but not going to try to convince myself that I have single digit body fat. I'm really just tracking trends at this point.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 circumstances0 -
I agree
I have been on the same weight since December last year but my clothes that I bought from last year's Christmas are now too big for me.
that is the coolest thing when you go to button your jeans and they are looser0 -
My gym does a fitness assessment every 3 months, including the bodpod. I think my bodpod measurements are wrong, particularly considering that the last one I had said that my body fat was a little under 9% and I am a 47 yr old menopausal female and I don't look anything like a fitness model. I think perhaps that it was user error by the trainer or that they have it set on athlete instead of normal person since when I set my scale on athlete, it says I have somewhere between 8 and 10% body fat. Gonna keep getting the bodpod measurement done to track progress, but not going to try to convince myself that I have single digit body fat. I'm really just tracking trends at this point.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
Im surprised the operator didnt run the test again..
to be at 9% for a female (male too actually) it would be pretty obvious because that is ultra lean0 -
cause low body fat doesn't necessarily mean fit0
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and so does lower BMIcause low body fat doesn't necessarily mean fit0 -
Tracking body fat is great especially for smaller people but for someone like myself who is obese, I started this journey at 293 pounds and i am now at 255, if my weight stayed at 293 but i was exercising that is still a problem. Even with body recomposition I need to lose weight on the scale period. Don't get me wrong I think people need to pay attention to both but to say forget the scale as a blanket statement is doing a disservice to some people and can give them the idea that they don't really need to lose weight when they do.0
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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......
This is totally me! Perimenopausal, and have noticed that just recently my old eating habits are having a different effect on my body. I am a scale addict, so I have to hide the scale and only use my measuring tape...I recently had an injury and haven't been able to work out as much...my scale is way up (yes I was weak and used it once), but my tape measure only shows a small increase, which makes me not beat myself up so much about something I had no control over in the first place! My goal is 17% bodyfat :drinker: I need to find a place to have it professionally done, rather than relying on online calculators.0 -
Tracking body fat is great especially for smaller people but for someone like myself who is obese, I started this journey at 293 pounds and i am now at 255, if my weight stayed at 293 but i was exercising that is still a problem. Even with body recomposition I need to lose weight on the scale period. Don't get me wrong I think people need to pay attention to both but to say forget the scale as a blanket statement is doing a disservice to some people and can give them the idea that they don't really need to lose weight when they do.
I agree when there is a large amount of weight to lose then sure, the scale can be helpful to see progress but when then is a large amount to lose, it is also easier to lose. But body fat is still more important than scale weight as a true measure of healthy progress.
you wouldnt want to be losing too much muscle mass as you drop the weight which happens with rapid weight loss.0
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