Trust the scale or caliper for body fat measurement?

thescrumisfun
thescrumisfun Posts: 355
edited January 12 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm getting a body composition test at my university's gym, and they use a scale. I do have my own set of calipers, but I think I'm measuring incorrectly. I know nothing is truly accurate except for the hyrdostatic method (which, unfortunately, my school doesn't other). How much should I trust my gym's scale? Should I just stick with my caliper?

Thanks :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I'd go with the scale. Many scales will mistake water for fat, but if you are not retaining much water, they give a good estimate of fat. And even if you are a little bloated, they will still give a pretty good estimate of your lean body mass (since water doesn't count as LBM). Since water weight looks about the same as fat on the body, I'd imagine calipers are prone to see it as fat as well.
  • Codefox
    Codefox Posts: 309 Member
    Calipers are technically more accurate but the scales are close enough for most people's purposes. Just pick one method or the other and stick with it. The important thing you are looking for is the trend.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    If you are female, it is anatomically impossible to do accurate skinfold measurements on yourself.

    That being said, unless you are extremely overweight, at your age, skinfold measurements are likely the most accurate--you just need to find someone who knows how to do it for you.

    We use a bioimpedance scale, but it's a $6,000 model, not the kind you find at walmart. I'd like to think that makes it more accurate. Personally, I prefer calipers, but non only did I drop ours on the floor and break them, more than half the people we see these days are too big to measure with calipers.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    What about just going by what you see in the mirror? Suppose you know your exact BF%... what exactly will that buy you?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    If you need to have a number, I'd pick one and use that method exclusively.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,545 Member
    let me just say, on a tuesday I hopped on one of those scales and it told me I was 30% body fat. I insisted that could not be correct because one told me much the same thing before i lost the 50 lbs. But they insisted it was, indeed, VERY accurate.

    Four days later, I went in for a hydrostatic test. That said I was 19.2% body fat.

    Calipers said 20%.

    I'd go with the calipers if I were you, if you are looking for something relatively accurate.

    You'd do better to compare yourself to these pics than to trust one of those scales...
    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages


    I honestly don't think the scale would even be a reasonable way to track changes. Like I said, it told me the same thing before and after losing 50 lbs. I highly doubt my body fat percentage was essentially the same. In fact, after 6 months of lifting heavy, I can guarantee it.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    What about just going by what you see in the mirror? Suppose you know your exact BF%... what exactly will that buy you?

    Everyone relates and processes information in different ways. It's sometimes hard to know how far you have gone, if you never marked down where you started.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    let me just say, on a tuesday I hopped on one of those scales and it told me I was 30% body fat. I insisted that could not be correct because one told me much the same thing before i lost the 50 lbs. But they insisted it was, indeed, VERY accurate.

    Four days later, I went in for a hydrostatic test. That said I was 19.2% body fat.

    Calipers said 20%.

    I'd go with the calipers if I were you, if you are looking for something relatively accurate.

    You'd do better to compare yourself to these pics than to trust one of those scales...
    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages


    I honestly don't think the scale would even be a reasonable way to track changes. Like I said, it told me the same thing before and after losing 50 lbs. I highly doubt my body fat percentage was essentially the same. In fact, after 6 months of lifting heavy, I can guarantee it.

    If someone cannot look at you and tell the difference between 30% fat and 19% fat, they should not be giving out any fitness advice at all.

    If you can't tell the difference between dog poop and a Hershey bar, you shouldn't be allowed to buy the Halloween candy.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    let me just say, on a tuesday I hopped on one of those scales and it told me I was 30% body fat. I insisted that could not be correct because one told me much the same thing before i lost the 50 lbs. But they insisted it was, indeed, VERY accurate.

    Four days later, I went in for a hydrostatic test. That said I was 19.2% body fat.

    Calipers said 20%.

    I'd go with the calipers if I were you, if you are looking for something relatively accurate.

    You'd do better to compare yourself to these pics than to trust one of those scales...
    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages


    I honestly don't think the scale would even be a reasonable way to track changes. Like I said, it told me the same thing before and after losing 50 lbs. I highly doubt my body fat percentage was essentially the same. In fact, after 6 months of lifting heavy, I can guarantee it.

    I can't believe, looking at you, that they insisted 30% was right! Common sense, people!
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,545 Member
    let me just say, on a tuesday I hopped on one of those scales and it told me I was 30% body fat. I insisted that could not be correct because one told me much the same thing before i lost the 50 lbs. But they insisted it was, indeed, VERY accurate.

    Four days later, I went in for a hydrostatic test. That said I was 19.2% body fat.

    Calipers said 20%.

    I'd go with the calipers if I were you, if you are looking for something relatively accurate.

    You'd do better to compare yourself to these pics than to trust one of those scales...
    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages


    I honestly don't think the scale would even be a reasonable way to track changes. Like I said, it told me the same thing before and after losing 50 lbs. I highly doubt my body fat percentage was essentially the same. In fact, after 6 months of lifting heavy, I can guarantee it.

    I can't believe, looking at you, that they insisted 30% was right! Common sense, people!

    well, they were trying to get me to buy herbalife products from them.

    *cough*
  • Proyecto_AN
    Proyecto_AN Posts: 387
    DEXA scan or body impedance having optimal hydration level and requiered conditions.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'd personally go with the calipers. The only reason I track my BF% is because I' m currently at an unhealthy BF% and I just want to get it in the healthy range and adjust my goals from there.
  • thescrumisfun
    thescrumisfun Posts: 355
    What about just going by what you see in the mirror? Suppose you know your exact BF%... what exactly will that buy you?

    It'll buy me the fact that I've achieved my lowest body fat in my life since I've been a child...it's a personal accomplishment I'm working on. I'm at an unhealthy body fat right now so I'm also trying to fix that. Also, I play rugby and would be like to be in the athletic range of body fat, since I'm an athlete...is that good enough for you?

    Thanks for the advice guys. I'm really just searching for a relative number/trend that I can work off of to get healthy. I'm trying to get down to 20%. Hopefully continuing with StrongLifts 5x5 and eating correctly will only help :wink: .
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