Body fat percent

Accumeasure calipers. Cheap, consistent, and you can use it without an assistant. Shooting for 9% (male).

I use the Omron HBF-600 body composition monitor (fancy bathroom scale with hand grips). I know it's not 100% accurate, but it's more accurate than most other tools you can get out there. I'm aiming for 8-10% BF.

I feel body fat percentage is a more accurate way of measuring how healthy your are. BMI has waaaay to many variables.

so, bio-electrical impedance BF scales are ok for delta's but they don't do a very good job at overall %. And forget about online tools, they're very erratic.

If you can I'd start by going to a location that does BF% testing, like a DEXA machine or hydrostatic testing or a Bod Pod (you can find these locations by doing a google search or asking your doctor).

once you know your % with that much accuracy, immediately check your BF with the scale, then you know how far off your scale is, then you can use the delta to determine how you're doing.

Calipers in the hands of anyone but an extremely experienced professional are essentially useless. I've been a trainer going on 4 years and I still have a 7% margin for error compared to a Bod Pod machine, really experienced pro's can get within 3 or 4% but even that's a lot higher than a machine (bio-electrical impedance has a similar margin for error to calipers).

I have heard the most reliabvle BF % testing is hydro dunking...I am looking to get that done pretty soon , I have seen it in my area for about $60...it also gives you your RMR and from that number you know how many cals your body needs and thats the number you shouldnt go under to properly fuel your body....and depending on how much you work out you would multiply your RMR by 1.2...but being a body builder Im sure you know all of this!!!

For years, I've used a scale that estimates fat through bioimpedance. It's not as accurate as scanning or water weighing, but it's much cheaper and more convenient and provides a reference point. Calipers can be accurate, but you have to be skilled at using them, always testing the same place. Half the time, I'm not sure I'm taking my measurements accurately with a tape measure, so forget about calipers.

At times, I've used a hand-held estimator that someone in my family was throwing away, but I assume the scale is more accurate.

My scale may weigh low. When I've done online calculators using the "Military" formula, my body fat percentage has been about four points higher.

On the scale, my body fat percentage has ranged from as low as 16 (very rare) to as high as 23 (also rare). Currently, I'm between 19 to 21%.

If I could get my bf% consistently lower than 19% I'd be happy, but it's not really a goal, as it would be very difficult right now.

I am tracking my body fat % using calipers. I know it is probably not all that accurate but I am looking for movement in the right direction more than targeting an actual %. I say it is inaccurate because the last measurement it took said I was 20% and if you look at my picture (avatar) there is NO WAY that is accurate. I am tracking it though along with measurements for several reasons; one is that I now want to lose body fat and not weight and the other is that I think I will lose my boobs at some body fat % decrease and I want to know where and try to stay just above that. :-). Vain?? I just am trying to preserve what little I have!

I got mine done at the gym where I work out and it was 19%.

Don't get hung up on accuracy of the actual BF%. Concern yourself with consistency of the method, the trend, and (in the case of calipers) actual skinfold thickness.

You don't need to be an experienced trainer to make effective use of calipers. Practice until you can take 3 back-to-back measurements within a millimeter. Use a biological landmark like the hip bone. Some people even use markers.

Bottom line...if your skinfold thickness is going down, even if scale weight is constant, you are doing well.

I use a set of scales (Tanita) that also measure body fat. From digging around the net it seems that it is virtually impossible to get domestic scales that can measure body fat to within 3% accuracy - and lets face it most of us are looking for changes much smaller than that! Also, because they measure BF using impedence they are very sensitive to body water content and that can change a lot on a day by day basis.

I take my BF readings daily but then average out the readings for a fortnight. This gives me a graph with massive peaks and troughs for the daily readings, but a smooth line for the average reading and the line is tracking nicely, if slowly, downwards! Based on on-line calculators I think this average value is correct to within 1% or so, but I can see progress over time and that is what I am looking for.

I'd say the only true measure would be the hydrostatic measurement.

I've gotten my BF tested with the calipers numerous times and I watched them do the calculation, pull out their chart and find what my BF% is and guess what? The number was based on my age. If I were a couple years younger and had the exact same measurements my BF was lower. The hand held device? Well that one is based on your weight. The scales? I had one and found those to be highly inaccurate. I'd step on and it'd say X for weight and BF%. Step off, step back on and it said something much different.

If you're looking for just a guideline as far as whether or not you're losing BF then any of the methods are fine but if you're looking for your true BF% I say skip the gimmicks and find a place that does the hydrostatic testing and get that done.

I agree. But DXA is actually the most accurate.