Body Fat Scales - Reliable?

frizbeemom

I am fairly new to strength training consistently. Am doing the Body Revolution program but am having so much fun with it and seeing the results that I want, that I want to continue some sort of strength-training/body building after these 90 days are over. I am finding out that I'm not losing weight very fast, but I'm losing inches. I would like to start tracking my body fat percentage, since it's kind of a downer to be working so hard and seeing the weight hanging around the same number. Since it's not very feasible to do a BodPod or something of that sort on a consistent basis, I was thinking of getting a scales that measures body fat percentage. Especially since the scales I am using is starting to really show a range of about 5 lbs and I'd like to replace it with something very accurate. I know that the body fat percentages can be a bit "off", but I'm just looking to track over time. Does anyone have a certain one they'd recommend for reliability and consistency for weight and body fat percentages or is it not worth it to get one of these? Thanks!

miche_smash

I asked this question on MFP too once... basically bathroom scales that measure body fat % are the least accurate- that's what I'm told. I already have one and I can tell you that's probably true. One week it'll say 30%, next week it'll say 28%, then it'll go back up to 31%. And although I've lost weight, over the past year or so according to the scale I've only lost about 4% body fat, which I don't think is accurate- I'm pretty sure I've lost more!
All that being said, I don't think there's anything that's really accurate at measuring actual body fat % besides the BodPod thing. You can buy one of those hand held things that measure body fat... that might be a little more accurate but I don't know that for sure. http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hpc_1
One time I took what my scale told me, then went to the gym and use one of these handheld things and it read almost 10% less than what the scale said.

sunflowerhippi

Okay the normal ones really are just horrible. Some doctors have ones that cost 3-5k+ and those "supposidly" tested very accurate but use a handheald and lower body currents and blah blah I forget it all but yeah just not something someone can just buy anyday of the week.

I found a local bodpod I might do, I would say buy a caliper for cheap and easy, get an app that tracks and does the forumulas for free and go from there. I am still back and forth on a local bodpod, at 90 for 2 sessions i am debating just how much that #% means to me lol

ellie78

I have the omron one mentioned above, I saw several people who at least claimed to have some amount of medical expertise say that it was reasonably accurate. I've never tested it against anything more accurate like a bodpod scan, but I do get consistent numbers without odd fluctuations that at least allow me to feel comfortable tracking the changes over time.

I saw something once about the difference between the handheld and the scale being caused by the current it sends out taking the path of least resistance. So the scale really only measures the lower body (up one leg and down the other) and the handheld the upper body(one arm to the other), seemed to make sense.