Body fat % calcs

linski24

I never know which one to choose ... I have done several online and I range from 26 to 29.9% BF ...
I have bought some fat callipers which are on their way .. So hopefully they can measure a bit more accurately ..!!
Which dies everyone choose ..?? On the fat2fit website there are 3 calculations .. I have always gone with the highest ... Am
I right do you think ..??
Xxx

heybales

You should avg them, and expect you aren't going to get great accuracy unless you do hydrostatic, Bodpod, or DEXA scan.
But with 5% doesn't change your ending calories that much at all.

Bad assumption you are the highest, that means you may be eating too little, and risking muscle loss. That will indeed push your fat % higher then - you just caused it.

That's why the spreadsheet uses 2 calculations that have been found most accurate of the measuring methods, and they use mainly different body parts, so the effect of one odd measurement being out of proportion doesn't totally throw the whole thing off so bad.

Unlike the simple waist measurement method as extreme example of potentially being way off.

Within 5% between measurement methods is good, means avg is most likely accurate too, and won't change except for real loss.
If you can get experienced 7-site skin fold method too, avg it in, that's also 5% accuracy.
Bunch of 5% methods put together only help.

linski24

Hi ... On your spreadsheet I'm at 29% i think so ill take what yours says then

Thanks fir the reply although you have totally lost me lol x

linski24

Hey bales .....
Omg my body fat % .. Taken as average in yours is 27..,!!! Wow that's 3% lower .. Was being thick and didn't calculate correctly .. As already stated I took higher number instead if making average :-)

amandacepstein

Heybales, mine comes up 42.5 military and 36% Covert Bailey. I carry weight in my arms and thighs and tummy, so should I just average these 2 together (add and divide by 2) or some other method?

fresh_start59

Heybales, mine comes up 42.5 military and 36% Covert Bailey. I carry weight in my arms and thighs and tummy, so should I just average these 2 together (add and divide by 2) or some other method?

Add and divide by two is correct. Or you could use heybales' spreadsheet and let it do the calculations for you:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Amt7QBR9-c6MdGVTbGswLUUzUHNVVUlNSW9wZWloeUE

Here's a link to the post that explains how to use it:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm

heybales

Spreadsheet avg's them already, but indeed add and divide and conquer and all that.

Here's the difference in spots for women between those two methods.

If there is big variance between them, you usually know which body part is bigger or smaller in proportion to others, and until it shapes up, will likely keep the variance there. Can't spot reduce, so it may not lose first, and some body shapes just won't measure well either.

So Military uses for measurements the following sites for women:
Height, neck, waist, hips.

But Covert uses for women:
Hips, thigh, calf, wrist.