Body Fat Measurements -- WTF??

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megleo818
megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, I realize that the only way to get a truly accurate measurement of body fat is to do the immersion thing. But my gym doesn't have that, so I asked my trainer to measure my fat with the only tools at her disposal: The little machine that looks like a WII remote for Mario Cart, and calipers. I know that body-fat measurements, just like tire pressure, need to be taken "cold", so I did not work out before being measured. The results? 22% with the thing you hold out in front of you. 31% with the calipers. Seriously???

Anyone else have this experience? -- We decided to go with the 22%, since the caliper measurements rely mostly on the upper body (two measurements on the arm, one on the ribcage and one on the hip), and because I'm pretty strong and don't weigh a lot anymore. My trainer said she never really pays attention to those numbers, but concentrates on performance and how a person feels. I agree with this approach and am happy with my progress, overall, but still. It just bugs the crap out of me to see that 31%! :explode:

Any plausible explanations would be appreciated! Editing to say that I'm 49 -- even though the caliper numbers are supposed to compensate for age, maybe it's that?

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Sorry I can't really help because I'm totally with your trainer. Ignore the number and concentrate on performance. At most, treat the number as a baseline and track your progression in relation to it. But don't consider the number itself as an absolute
  • teamiconic
    teamiconic Posts: 141 Member
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    It is quit simple,

    Calipers: They are widely inaccurate because thy rely on human interpretation, and the fact of the matter calapiers are souppose to hurt if they dont hurt then the person who is doing the body fat ready is doing it wrong.

    Hand held: is your best bet I use this on http://www.omronhealthcare.com/products/hbf-306c/ if you just drank a glass of water or took a show it could throw the reading off. The best bet is to take your body fat at the same time in the same situation all the time.

    Example: I take my weight and bodyfat monday morning right after i use the bathroom.

    Hope this helped any more questions just ask
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
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    Thanks, guys!
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
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    The only sure accurate way to know your body fat is thru autopsy. All the rest are just estimates and they give different numbers so don't take them seriously. What is more important is how your body look in front of the mirror naked & more importantly like your trainer said is your performance.
  • richeydoc
    richeydoc Posts: 9 Member
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    In order of increasing accuracy:
    Hand-held monitor < Calipers < DEXA scan < Total body immersion < Waiting until you die and then setting you on fire to work it out!

    What's important in body fat measuring is the trend in the measurements. So if your monitor says 22% one week, then in a couple of weeks it's 18%, then 17%; it's likely not the "real" value, but it is going down. If in addition to that you both look and feel better then that's the real sign of progress.
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
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    In order of increasing accuracy:
    Hand-held monitor < Calipers < DEXA scan < Total body immersion < Waiting until you die and then setting you on fire to work it out!

    What's important in body fat measuring is the trend in the measurements. So if your monitor says 22% one week, then in a couple of weeks it's 18%, then 17%; it's likely not the "real" value, but it is going down. If in addition to that you both look and feel better then that's the real sign of progress.

    Surely you need to swith the bio-impedence monitor and the calipers?
  • bdtyson77302
    bdtyson77302 Posts: 86 Member
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    I had to smile when I read this....I know your pain!! lol. I'm 5-7, weigh about 135, also in my 40's, and I work out EVERY single day (including weight training). When they measured mine it said 22% as well. I'm not buying it. I am in the best shape I've ever been and I feel AMAZING! I had to ignore the number and just look at my measurements and weight.
    IGNORE IT!! :)
  • blackiris49
    blackiris49 Posts: 128 Member
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    Example: I take my weight and bodyfat monday morning right after i use the bathroom.

    Hope this helped any more questions just ask


    Did you wash your hands? lol
    Seriously though, you said that having a shower could affect the readings. :tongue:
  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
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    I think Tim Ferriss did a good job explaining different methods of measuring BF% in the book of his, The 4-Hour Body.
    I liked his 'not-an-expert-but-know-how-to-obtain-info-i-need' approach.

    Bottom line is, what's important is the dynamics within one selected method of measurement :)
    Like, if your scale is off 5%, it will still show you the changes in you weight more or less accurately, and we are more interested in the change here, right? :)
    What's important in body fat measuring is the trend in the measurements. So if your monitor says 22% one week, then in a couple of weeks it's 18%, then 17%; it's likely not the "real" value, but it is going down. If in addition to that you both look and feel better then that's the real sign of progress.
    exactly.
  • Larisonlj
    Larisonlj Posts: 426 Member
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    What's important in body fat measuring is the trend in the measurements. So if your monitor says 22% one week, then in a couple of weeks it's 18%, then 17%; it's likely not the "real" value, but it is going down. If in addition to that you both look and feel better then that's the real sign of progress.

    I agree with this^^^^. I doubt my readings are accurate but I do know they are going down each time. That's enough for me.
  • dlegros
    dlegros Posts: 162 Member
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    I was using the bio-impedance function on a pair of Salter scales, first thing on waking after emptying bladder on a Monday morning, until 1 week the BF% jumped up by 4% despite my tape measurements and weight decreasing.

    I switched to using the USN tape method until I got a pair of callipers and I get results pretty consistent with the USN tape.
  • kiachu
    kiachu Posts: 409 Member
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    I would go with the calipers. They are more accurate then the handhelds. 22% is what you would see athletic/fitness level women at with some pretty good muscle definition. Teens we are getting into elite athletes and physique competitor territory.

    getting dunked is more acccurate that both.
  • sarah692
    sarah692 Posts: 136 Member
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    I had to smile when I read this....I know your pain!! lol. I'm 5-7, weigh about 135, also in my 40's, and I work out EVERY single day (including weight training). When they measured mine it said 22% as well. I'm not buying it. I am in the best shape I've ever been and I feel AMAZING! I had to ignore the number and just look at my measurements and weight.
    IGNORE IT!! :)

    You seem disappointed with 22% but that's actually pretty good. It's considered fit.

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