Body Fat and Muscle Compostion Scales -

dcdc13
dcdc13 Posts: 86
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I think 90% of people just have a regular scale in their bathroom, and a lot of us get on it and when we see the numbers stay the same or increase we panic and think to ourselves..."What am I doing wrong" I go to the Dr every week for the HCG protocol and weigh in. I get on those very expensive scales, that actually tell you lbs in fat, lean muscle, water, your basic metabolic rate, and prints out a sheet for you. Some tell you what your left/right arm weighs, what your butt weights.. pretty crazy scales that cost like 5K-12K!
Well, I remember when I had a trainer, they did a thorough fitness test on me and some had the Ironman Body Composition Monitor, I believe it was made by Tanita..there's also Omron that's out there. These scales are a little pricer than your normal Target/Walmart Scale about $80-$130, but I think well worth it.
This way everyone can see what their body composition is, do they have enough water in their body? if not, then they need to drink water..etc. I'm looking at buying the Tanita BC554 Ironman Monitor Elite Series or the Omron Full Body Sensor composition Scale. They are all on Amazon, and it's nice to see the reviews on it. Now I'm no fitness expert by any means, but in my opinion I think it would be great to invest in a scale like this, so you can help maintain a diet and fitness regime.

It would be interesting to know if any of you have something like this, and what your thoughts are on Body Fat Composition Scales.

SW: 208 - 1.25.11
CW: 184.4 - 3.8.11
GW:130-140 lbs

Replies

  • stevemcknight
    stevemcknight Posts: 647 Member
    I'm pretty sure they're all crap! I've used 4 different body fat scales and they often put me anywhere from 8%-32%. I might be wrong - the best way to do bodyfat is calipers - unless you want to pay for the underwater testing.
  • papastu
    papastu Posts: 737 Member
    how can a scale determine how much fat is on your body please ?

    something that you stand on and it tells you your fat content ?


    really ????
  • jtp5184
    jtp5184 Posts: 138 Member
    I like the idea of this but i heard these scales were extremely inaccurate. anyone with more information and experience would be appreciated.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Everything I've read says that these scales are notoriously inaccurate. The problem is that you have a long list of requirements/directions to follow to get accurate readings, and most people don't/can't be that exact. You're better off getting a periodic bodpod/underwater/DEXA body composition test. Or, get someone who is well-trained and experienced in administering skin-fold caliper testing (which can be inaccurate if not done right, but is much less expensive than the previously mentioned tests).

    A great resource: http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/bodycomp.html

    Regarding the scales - here are the recommendations to get accurate readings:
    Abstain from eating and drinking within 4 hours of the test
    Avoid exercising within 12 hours of the test
    Void (urinate) completely prior to testing
    Do not drink alcohol within 48 hours of the test
    Avoid taking diuretics prior to testing unless instructed by your physician

    (also, being dehydrated will skew the results)
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    Scales are inacurate, depending on how much water you drink could alter the scale by a TON! a caliper is much more reliable, and you can buy those on line as well...


    Stay away from the scales, they are a waste of money
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    how can a scale determine how much fat is on your body please ?

    something that you stand on and it tells you your fat content ?


    really ????

    Not that they are accurate but they send electric pulses through your body and measure how fast. The charge gets carried through water and muscle and fat have different water contents. They can be way off due to hydration levels, food in your system to name a few.
  • trud72
    trud72 Posts: 1,912 Member
    i have the all singing all dancing scales too and they are very accurate,,but they cost alot also!!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Scales are inacurate, depending on how much water you drink could alter the scale by a TON! a caliper is much more reliable, and you can buy those on line as well...

    A note about the calipers - I wouldn't recommend people buy them and test themselves. It's hard to do accurately if you're not trained. You're better off getting someone experienced to administer do the caliper measurements.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    I like the idea of this but i heard these scales were extremely inaccurate. anyone with more information and experience would be appreciated.

    Same here. I bought one and I can step on it and get one reading; get off it and step back on it and get another reading. And it can differ by more than 3%. So no I don't think they are accurate at all.
  • elpete
    elpete Posts: 12
    They're horse ****. It's an estimate not a true body fat measurement. Might be good for judging progress but it isn't accurate.
  • tgh1914
    tgh1914 Posts: 1,036 Member
    I've heard the bad rap on the impedence scales all over. And I'm not disagreeing with the fact that if you expect it to be accurate, it won't. But I don't think they're all worthless. Yes, you have to follow the suggestions that accountant_boi listed; (program it to your specs, don't weigh after meal or drink or workout, etc) these are also given in the instructions. Here's what I do that makes mine worth while.

    I measure first think in the morning (no workout first & no food or drink first)
    I measure in the buff (not sure if that matters much)
    I do it frequently enough to get a gist of the trend. Mine will vary from day to day by about 1.5% at most. This way I can see over time if I'm trending upward or downward. And I do know that mine is reading relatively accurate because the result I'm getting (averaged across that 1.5% margin of error) is consistent with caliper tests I've had done by an expert.

    So, all in all, I don't think they're 'crap'. I just think they have to be done according to the instructions (like anything else) and with the understanding that they'll only be accurate within a certain range. It's working for me.
  • newman50
    newman50 Posts: 16
    I find the ones at our gym consistent and accurate (Trainer using calipers to compare)

    I agree the home retial ones may not be useful
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    I've heard the bad rap on the impedence scales all over. And I'm not disagreeing with the fact that if you expect it to be accurate, it won't. But I don't think they're all worthless. Yes, you have to follow the suggestions that accountant_boi listed; (program it to your specs, don't weigh after meal or drink or workout, etc) these are also given in the instructions. Here's what I do that makes mine worth while.

    I measure first think in the morning (no workout first & no food or drink first)
    I measure in the buff (not sure if that matters much)
    I do it frequently enough to get a gist of the trend. Mine will vary from day to day by about 1.5% at most. This way I can see over time if I'm trending upward or downward. And I do know that mine is reading relatively accurate because the result I'm getting (averaged across that 1.5% margin of error) is consistent with caliper tests I've had done by an expert.

    So, all in all, I don't think they're 'crap'. I just think they have to be done according to the instructions (like anything else) and with the understanding that they'll only be accurate within a certain range. It's working for me.

    ^ I think he's spot on. Also apparently the less actual body fat you have the more accurate these things are.

    I've heard that a good strategy is to go by body weight at the beginning of your weight loss journey then switch to body fat scales when you get fairly close to your goal. The reason being that the more body fat you have the more body weight *is* a good gauge for weight loss. The more body fat you lose the more body weight means less as the ratio of lean body tissue to body fat widens.
  • dcdc13
    dcdc13 Posts: 86
    Thanks for everyones suggestions. So the verdict is "NO BUENO" on those scales. I'll just stick to my calipers, regular scale and measurements :)
  • lowpost42
    lowpost42 Posts: 49
    I've heard the bad rap on the impedence scales all over. And I'm not disagreeing with the fact that if you expect it to be accurate, it won't. But I don't think they're all worthless. Yes, you have to follow the suggestions that accountant_boi listed; (program it to your specs, don't weigh after meal or drink or workout, etc) these are also given in the instructions. Here's what I do that makes mine worth while.

    I measure first think in the morning (no workout first & no food or drink first)
    I measure in the buff (not sure if that matters much)
    I do it frequently enough to get a gist of the trend. Mine will vary from day to day by about 1.5% at most. This way I can see over time if I'm trending upward or downward. And I do know that mine is reading relatively accurate because the result I'm getting (averaged across that 1.5% margin of error) is consistent with caliper tests I've had done by an expert.

    So, all in all, I don't think they're 'crap'. I just think they have to be done according to the instructions (like anything else) and with the understanding that they'll only be accurate within a certain range. It's working for me.

    I largely agree. How many of us continue to use the scale in our bathroom, even though it differs from 3 pounds from the one at the gym, and each of those differs 2 pounds from the one at the doctors office?

    I've got a do-nothing Zenith that uses the impulse method for body fat. It told me the other day I was 254 pounds and 28.8% bodyfat. OK. The week before it told me I was 262 and 29.4% bodyfat. OK. Maybe I'm really, truly 249 and 27%. At this point, I really don't care. The bf% number and the scale are both trending downwards. It's the same scale in the same position, I weigh every week at the same time (first thing in the morning after answering nature's call). Measure against the same piece of equipment and you'll be fine.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    My scale that measures body fat is soooo totally wrong. I had my body fat measured by different people...one at work who is an exercise physiologist and a personal trainer at a gym...using calipers and they were within 2% of each other saying that my body fat was 23% or 25%. This was measured literally 2 days apart because at work they are doing a Biggest Loser contest for us and they had to measure the same way by the same guy to be honest and fair, and the other measurement was done simply because I was starting a new round of P90X and I was curious.

    And my lovely scale...which measured my body weight at 3 pounds lighter than the scale at work...said my body fat percentage was 34%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I can understand being a little off...but really, about 10% off??? That stupid scale told me that even though I am 5'5" tall and only weigh 138, that I am borderline obese. Do I look obese to any of you? :flowerforyou:

    But on the other hand, if you are using this body fat calculation from the scale to show you the progress that you are making rather than trusting the number as Gospel truth, I think it's OK. In the past 2 months since the Biggest Loser contest started at work, the guy at work has measured me with calipers and I have lost the same amount of body fat that the scale says I have lost. The difference is, one number is consistently 10% higher than the other.
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