Body fat calculator?

hannamarie88
hannamarie88 Posts: 231 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I use this (http://www.livestrong.com/tools/body-fat-calculator/) body fat calculator because I don't have calipers or a gym where they would take measurements -- it is also the only calculator that didn't put me at like 28% body fat (which there is no way that can be true). As of today I lost 2% of the last number it gave me -- so yay for that :D

Does anyone else use this one? I'm considering getting a scale -- are those pretty accurate? (The ones that have the body fat indicators built in)

Losing body fat is very important and I just want to see where I stand right now -- the correct version of where I stand. Hard to trust things online.

Replies

  • NathanielUK
    NathanielUK Posts: 61 Member
    that one you indicated, gave me HALF of what my actual reading is. It might be just me, but thats what happened.
  • hannamarie88
    hannamarie88 Posts: 231 Member
    Eep. Do you use a scale to get your number now?
  • KateRunsColorado
    KateRunsColorado Posts: 407 Member
    I'm curious about this too - I have never calculated body fat, and would definitely like to!
  • Tiix
    Tiix Posts: 4 Member
    I'm going to get this: http://www.fitbit.com/aria I use the fitbit flex now - and that automatically will put your weight on Fitbit (Which you can sync with MFP). It also calculates body fat, Per the Fitbit website's community it gets high praises.
  • mom2dzbnwe
    mom2dzbnwe Posts: 129 Member
    The link you listed says my body fat is at 33.5 but says my bmi is in the normal range...I'm not too sure I'd trust it
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    I just had mine measured with calipers a couple of weeks ago and it was 26.7, I used the calculator you posted and got 39.2. Based on what my body looks like and how much I think I still have to lose, I'm guessing it's actually between those two numbers somewhere.

    My doctor said the most accurate method was by immersion in water. Check your local recreation facilities and see if they offer it. I found one near me that does. I'm going next month to have it done.
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
    Next time you're at your doctor's office, have him/her use body calipers to determine body fat. (for women they pinch the tricep, quad and lower belly). The website link you posted had me at 26%! Yikes! No way! Last I was measured in April by caliper at 21%.

    You can be a certain size but that doesn't count lean muscle mass vs. fat. I've seen myself at the same size, same weight with different BF percentages.
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
    Online calculators aren't very accurate (BF scales are even less accurate), but I use Fat 2 Fit Radio (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/). Input your information into the 3 different calculators (Original, Covert Bailey, and Military) and find the average of the three calculations.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I don't think that calculator is accurate at all.

    Check out this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=road+map+&page=10#posts-15694678
  • MrsK20141004
    MrsK20141004 Posts: 489 Member
    Online calculators aren't very accurate (BF scales are even less accurate), but I use Fat 2 Fit Radio (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/). Input your information into the 3 different calculators (Original, Covert Bailey, and Military) and find the average of the three calculations.

    Yep me too.
  • hannamarie88
    hannamarie88 Posts: 231 Member
    Thanks for all the tips everyone! I thought 28% was rather low and 46% was rather high. I will get it professionally done, I just don't know when I will be able to. I just moved recently and I don't even have a doctor yet.

    Edit: For now -- I will average out those calculators :)
  • EricCowperthwaite
    EricCowperthwaite Posts: 450
    The Army's body fat calculation via tape measurements is one of the better ones out there. Here's an online version of it. Note that you have to take each measurement 3 times. It generally gets closer than most other methods. The only accurate test is immersion. Short of immersion, very close to accurate, is the caliper or "pinch" test.

    Side note, I think the female test in the Army's method lost some accuracy when they took out the forearm and wrist measurements. But, still pretty good.

    http://www.free-online-calculator-use.com/military-body-fat-calculator.html#calculator
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
    I've been using the one here: http://www.calculator.net/body-fat-calculator.html

    It gets me the same number as the one EricCowerthwaite posted and the Military one on the Fat2Fit Radio site that ChristinaR posted. The other 2 on that site give me way low numbers that I know for a fact can't be true for me.
  • kittyhasclaws
    kittyhasclaws Posts: 446 Member
    I've pretty much given up getting a BF% from calculators. I have very small wrists and a very small neck despite my weight, so I get REALLY inaccurate readings (anywhere from 28.1% to 52.9%). I unfortunately don't have an immersion center or bodpod anywhere near me (we're talking hours away), so I'll just have to go by a lack of bulges to know that I'm on course.
  • ucabucca
    ucabucca Posts: 606 Member
    Bump
  • 43932452
    43932452 Posts: 7,246 Member
    Online calculators aren't very accurate (BF scales are even less accurate), but I use Fat 2 Fit Radio (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/). Input your information into the 3 different calculators (Original, Covert Bailey, and Military) and find the average of the three calculations.

    Was going to recommend this ^^^.
  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
    OP, no offense but that bf% is a little low just looking at your pictures :) Although it's certainly not HALF as some have indicated it could be. I think the calculator is just faulty for you.

    All these methods are just trying to make a good guess based on a few pieces of information. They use formulas based on "averages" of populations but when it comes to individual body proportions, it is true that there is quite a bit of variance.


    There is no real reason to care about body fat %. I don't. I just follow my plan and continue to slowly and predictably lose weight while maintaining or gaining strength as the weeks go by.
  • Jennical
    Jennical Posts: 219 Member
    Bump
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    Your calculator gave me a slightly higher number than what I get with my calipers.

    Generally the best thing to do is use several different methods and take the average.
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    I hope the Fat2Fit estimate is more accurate as it puts me about 2% lower than my scale this morning. I've noticed that often as I lose weight my bf increases according to my scale but I don't really see that I could have lost enough muscle in one week to warrant a 1.5% fat increase. Really with I could get measured properly.
  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
    I hope the Fat2Fit estimate is more accurate as it puts me about 2% lower than my scale this morning. I've noticed that often as I lose weight my bf increases according to my scale but I don't really see that I could have lost enough muscle in one week to warrant a 1.5% fat increase. Really with I could get measured properly.

    Why does it matter? How will it help you? Do you train women of different ages and lifestyles and know what bodyfats are normal for these people?

    LIft weights intelligently, and eat in a caloric deficit (obviously). This is what brings results and has done for .. ever..
  • Boogage
    Boogage Posts: 739 Member
    I guess its mainly curiosity really and it would be nice to more accurately gauge my progress. In my opinion I am becoming (for want of a better term) skinny-fat and it would be nice to be able to tell if the exercises I am doing and my diet are adequately addressing what I feel is my problem. I take measurements but I'm quite obsessive about these things and measurements aren't quite enough for me lol.
  • elisabeisme
    elisabeisme Posts: 308 Member
    so, I've tried using a variety of formulas. I posted on this in a different thread but will repost here:
    42 yrs old
    5'4"
    I workout regularly, including strength training

    Estimated body fat:
    29.0% according to the YMCA formula
    32.5% according to my bathroom scale
    36.8 according to the army formula
    37.5% according to the navy formula
    37.6% according to the USMC formula (damn bingo wings!)

    I've lost 55 lbs over 2 years. I've also keep track of my bf metric over time:
    When I was 217 lbs, I was too scared to check
    When I was 200 lbs, my bf was somewhere between 37% (scale) and 47% (military formula)
    When I was 185 lbs, my bf was somewhere between 36% (scale) and 45% (military formula)
    When I was 170 lbs, my bf was somewhere between 34% (scale) and 41% (military formula)
    Now at 162 lbs, my bf is somewhere between 33% (scale) and 37% (military formula)

    The scale would suggest my lean body mass has gone down from 126 to 108. The military formula would suggest that my LBM has gone down from 106 to 102. I was pretty sedentary a couple years ago before I started and have been doing strength work. I have also lost the weight rather slowly so, as much as I hate the higher number, I'm inclined to believe the military formula over my scale.

    the calculators are here:
    http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html

    When I look at the images in this thread, I do look closest to the 35% picture so I think that's right. I'd like to be in the upper 20s.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/958076-body-fat-percent-visuals
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member


    My doctor said the most accurate method was by immersion in water.

    The most accurate method is a DXA scan.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    I've had a Tanita scale for several years. I can't say how accurate it is because I've never had a DXA scan or been weighed in water. I suspect, but do not know, that it underestimates my fat percentage a bit. I weigh myself under the same conditions each time and use it to track trends over time. If I go on a low-carb, high-protein diet, the scale usually shows a decline in body fat percentage.

    I read an article once that said bio-impedance scales were pretty accurate. But that is disputed.

    In short, such a scale is fine to use as a general guide.

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