how to measure how much fat I have

sarcastje
sarcastje Posts: 34 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
where can I get checked how much body fat percentage is? How much does it cost and can I do it at home? If i can do it at home, how do i do it?

Replies

  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
    I know where I live our hospitals have these health fairs and I could get it done there, usually for cheap. Call around and see what you can find.
  • JanerZzz
    JanerZzz Posts: 276
    i get it measured at the gym, they have a sensor machine thingy. I know there is a pinch test (not sure how that works, there is a special forcep type of thing that you use to pinch yourself)...may be your physician can do it...or look into special scales that also measure your body fat (they may run you about 50-60 bucks)
  • new_me_9_67
    new_me_9_67 Posts: 369 Member
    the most accurate way by far is to use a bod pod:

    http://www.bodpod.com/

    If you don't have a location near you then body fat calipers are the next best thing.
    check online as prices vary and they all come with instructions. scales that measure body fat are not accurate at all.

    Hope this helps
  • pyro13g
    pyro13g Posts: 1,127 Member
    Fat Calipers. Most accurate at home way to do it. Here is a how to: http://www.linear-software.com/online.html
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    ^^^If by bodpod you mean hydrostatic testing then yes. If not then no.

    Hydrostatic testing is the 100% most correct body fat analysis out there. Pro athletes use it on a daily basis. It's a test of body fat in water. They can give you fat%, hydration%, and mass%.

    If you have a good university near you with a decent physical research department then you should be able to get the test done.

    First time I had it done it was not at a college and it cost me like 300 bucks, last test I had done was at UIC and it cost me 45 bucks.

    Calipers have huge variances dependent on how you pinch, do you have loose skin in that area, how much water retention you have at the moment, etc.
  • Laurieannfanelli
    Laurieannfanelli Posts: 36 Member
    I bought a scale that measures your weight, body fat %, water weght and bone density. Got it at Acedamy for 89.99. I had every thing measured at the gym by a trainer with the calibers and was just about the same. :bigsmile:
  • OliveLucas
    OliveLucas Posts: 84
    If you don't have a body fat tester or a scale that can measure your body fat at home, here is formular to help you calculate your body fat:

    weight (pounds) x 1.082 = nude factor

    nude factor + 94.42 = weight factor

    waist measurement (inches) x 4.150 = waist factor

    weight factor - waist factor = lean body mass

    weight - lean body mass = body fat

    body fat / weight x 100 = body fat %
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
    I had a bio-impedance test done at the dieticians. sends a small electric current through your body and measures all below. All it cost was the visit fee.

    fat % and fat weight
    Lean % and lean weight
    water % and water weight
    total body weight
    Metabolic rate
    Est Average energy required
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
    I got a scale that was supposed to measure, but somehow, my body fat percentage seems to rise as I lose weight and workout. I'm assuming that can't be right...

    If you do get a scale, I would invest in one that is recommended to be accurate
  • krissy_pooo
    krissy_pooo Posts: 111 Member
    If you don't have a body fat tester or a scale that can measure your body fat at home, here is formular to help you calculate your body fat:

    weight (pounds) x 1.082 = nude factor

    nude factor + 94.42 = weight factor

    waist measurement (inches) x 4.150 = waist factor

    weight factor - waist factor = lean body mass

    weight - lean body mass = body fat

    body fat / weight x 100 = body fat %

    I would LOVE to think this is accurate for me, but 5 weeks ago my body fat % was 33.5, and according to this it's 19% now!
  • dragonflydi
    dragonflydi Posts: 665 Member
    I got a scale that was supposed to measure, but somehow, my body fat percentage seems to rise as I lose weight and workout. I'm assuming that can't be right...

    If you do get a scale, I would invest in one that is recommended to be accurate

    Depending on the type of working out you are doing, you could be losing muscle rather than fat, which would make your scale accurate. I learned this the hard way, as this is what I had been doing before a trainer at my gym and I were talking. He was training for a body building competition and we were discussing our food intake after we finished working out. I'd run 5.5 miles and he had walked 3 miles at a .10 incline. He burned more fat than I did ... Turns out I was not eating nearly enough calories for the type of workouts I was doing (running, high intensity elliptical, etc) ... as a result, I was burning muscle rather than fat so my BMI was way off. Something to consider??
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    I got a scale that was supposed to measure, but somehow, my body fat percentage seems to rise as I lose weight and workout. I'm assuming that can't be right...

    If you do get a scale, I would invest in one that is recommended to be accurate

    Not true. Not if you dont take in enough protein then it is surely possible for this to happen.
  • pyro13g
    pyro13g Posts: 1,127 Member
    Bioelectrical Impedance scales are not your friend.
  • OliveLucas
    OliveLucas Posts: 84
    If you don't have a body fat tester or a scale that can measure your body fat at home, here is formular to help you calculate your body fat:

    weight (pounds) x 1.082 = nude factor

    nude factor + 94.42 = weight factor

    waist measurement (inches) x 4.150 = waist factor

    weight factor - waist factor = lean body mass

    weight - lean body mass = body fat

    body fat / weight x 100 = body fat %

    I would LOVE to think this is accurate for me, but 5 weeks ago my body fat % was 33.5, and according to this it's 19% now!

    I don't know how accurate it is, but it's pretty close to the number on the scale I have at home.
  • mcanavan05
    mcanavan05 Posts: 210 Member
    My tanita scale shows me at 33-34%.. this calculation has me at 26%

    Current weight 211.5 waist 40.5in
  • Gee45
    Gee45 Posts: 171
    Online calculations has me at about 26% fat. I"m 5'4 and 148 lbs. My scale has me at 35%. I would hope that my scale is wrong.
  • mcanavan05
    mcanavan05 Posts: 210 Member
    I tihnk the scale could be impacted by battery life/power as well as current body make up..water weight, etc..
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