Body fat

nik2710

I would like to know how to measure body fat as I am nearing my goal weight. I have got about 5 lbs left to lose. I have started weight lifting, but not too sure on where to go (in the UK) or how to measure body fat as it is suppose to be more accurate than the scales! Any suggestions and advice is greatly appreciated.

toddis

Try using the two on this page
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/

FP4HSharon

Only REALLY accurate way to measure is with a dunk tank or air displacement pod at a professional facility, but that's expensive. But a scale that measures body fat is more accurate that any tools, measurements, or pinch tests. Here's one that Weight Watchers recommends for a good price...

http://www.amazon.com/Weight-Watchers-WW78-Conair-Chrome/dp/B002N5N336

ADDED NOTE: The reason most experts believe a scale is more accurate than measurements is because people are very different in how they measure, even from day to day. Someone might pull tapes a little tighter, inhale, exhale, etc. This applies whether someone measures you, or you measure yourself. Even using calipers.

toddis

Scales aren't even remotely accurate. They vary wildly on time of day, hydration, having cankles, etc.

FP4HSharon

It's true there can be different readings on body fat percentage scales due to hydration & other factors. If you want to use a scale & make it as accurate as possible, you should not eat/drink for 4 hours before weighing, but hydrate very well up to that point. This usually works best in the evening. Also, you should try not to exercise for 12 hrs before weighing. Weigh before any showers/baths, so that your skin is completely dry. But as I said, the only truly accurate measurement is in a dunk tank or air pod.

scookiemonster

It's difficult to get an accurate measurement without expensive professional equipment, like a dunk tank. I have a body fat scale at home, and I find that it is relatively consistent throughout the day (I tested it when I first got it, trying it out a few times over the course of the same day), but there's no way of knowing if it's really accurate. However, since it seems to be accurate to itself, it does at least give me a sense of loss or gain. It gives me a few percentage points below the website that toddis shared, so I kind of assume I lie somewhere in the middle of the two. I think what's really important is seeing if the percentage is going up or down, not necessarily knowing exactly what it is (which you'll never know without professional equipment).

Using a tape measure to measure inches and tracking that way is also a good alternative option to going by weight. Just make sure you measure at the same time of day and the same place on your body (find some sort of landmark on your body to go by) and are pulling the tape to a consistent level of tightness around your body.

Vailara

I'd be interested too. I'm in the UK and was trying to find out if anywhere locally has a BodPod. I know they're not terribly accurate either, but I think the better methods would be out of my price range.

I do use my body fat scales, and was told here that they are fairly accurate. I do keep hearing different things. I also use the online calculators, but they seem to be way off. I thought of buying calipers, but it seems like there's quite a lot of room for error with those too, if using them at home.

It's very frustrating, as we're supposed to know what our body fat % is and be aiming for a body fat range, but it's so difficult to find out! I've even read that visual assessment is as good as any. These pictures

http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women

give an idea, but it would be great if they had more pictures with different body types!

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Scales aren't even remotely accurate. They vary wildly on time of day, hydration, having cankles, etc.

Yeah, those bio electrical impedance (scale or handheld) are pretty wonky. I'm around 16% body fat or so and I used one and it said I was only 10.8%. lol that would be lovely, but it's not true. Those online calculators can be pretty off, too. The best cheap method is calipers in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

Yellerie

I own that weight watchers scale. Don't waste your money not acurate at all on the fat % or water.