Finding out your body fat percentage...

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SoDamnHungry
SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How did you folks do it? I've heard of the submersion technique, the caliper measurements, and also the hand held devices such as this: http://www.amazon.com/Omron-Logic-Monitor-HBF-306C-Silver/dp/B00006WNPU. I was thinking of buying a hand held one at someone's recommendation, but wanted to see how people felt about it.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    Leigh Peele's blog has a lot of information about the pros and cons of various methods, there's a free download on there. It also has pictures for visual estimates.

    Personally, I'm trying to focus less on absolute numbers (all methods are just estimates) and more on what i actually look like.

    I use callipers and a tape measure (i.e. different circumference methods) they call come out within 5% of each other, and visual estimates concur with them.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I'll check that out, too (Leigh Peele's blog).
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
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    I have callipers. It's taken some practice to use them on myself, but I like having a general measure of that progress.
  • dougii
    dougii Posts: 679 Member
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    I have a scale that measures body fat percentage and water percentage. It is not 100% accurate but it is fine for getting a rough estimate and a number that you can track over time. I know that it works as I started using it when I was still a ways from goal and as the weight came off the body fat percentage fell.
  • ThriftyChica12
    ThriftyChica12 Posts: 373 Member
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    just ordered the handheld omron one from amazon after hearing lots of good things :)
  • ravenasaurus
    ravenasaurus Posts: 10
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    I've pretty much been convinced that none of these are accurate. As much as I'd like a number to aim for I've settled for just the visual.
    I bought a scale that says it measures body fat.. I tried it and it told me that my BF was 35%. At 5'6, and ~140lbs that just isn't accurate.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    The BIA handheld/scale device has a high error rate. You could be very slender, but have very dry skin and it would show a higher bf%. You could be overweight, but be very sweaty and it would show as low. The amount of salt you eat would influence it, as would potassium (they lower your resistance and make you a better conductor).
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I think I need to understand the calculation methods of the caliper. I got results that were very different and some as low as 8% on the female setting (which I know is definitely not correct). So, just at this moment, I don't trust any of them because I don't see how that is possible.

    My husband is going to try the hydrostatic weighing method for me. I guess I could give that a try.

    I've used the scale at the gym, and the results seemed right, but I'm very skeptical of that.
  • OMGeeeHorses
    OMGeeeHorses Posts: 732 Member
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    I use http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ and do the body fat percentage thing and it goes off your measurements :)

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