BF % and height

RockGutCharlie
RockGutCharlie Posts: 17 Member
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
This may be a stupid question (a couple). The thing is, I've came across several studies indicating that being overweight can affect your height. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I'd swear a was an inch taller. I got 220 lb heavier in just a couple of years, so I guess stress on the spine or something like that could cause this. The other thing is, my scale has two modes, athlete and non athlete (I know I'm no athlete :D ), but I used to work out so..I don't know. One mode reads 34% the other one 43%, it's a huge difference. Now I'm working out every other day, I don't know if that's relevant.. Any wise words or experiences? Sorry for the long post and bad english (?) :)

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    That's a bioelectrical impedance scale. They are highly inaccurate and can be off as much at 10%. If you weighed then drank a bunch of water the reading for body fat would change dramatically.

    They say as we age we shrink. I imagine that the compression of the spine and joins would cause us to lose inches over our lives.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    I've noticed that particularly rotund people have a tendency not to stand up straight. Perhaps this is because it is hard to lift their bellies.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Pilates and yoga ...stretch up tall :smile:
  • tsikkz
    tsikkz Posts: 404 Member
    Unless youre morbidly obese youre not 43%
  • nerdymathgrrl
    nerdymathgrrl Posts: 270 Member
    I've lost an inch from my original adult height--I have degenerative disc disease, so I've lost some of the fluid from the discs, and my vertebrae are now closer together. It's actually really common in adults--even in your 20s or 30s (I was diagnosed at 30). Posture could also be an issue.

    Agreed--those scales are inaccurate. Even if they were more accurate, the hand-held ones would only measure your upper body, and the scales you stand on would measure your lower body.
  • indianwin2001
    indianwin2001 Posts: 296 Member
    Even though the scales are inaccurate,over time you can still see which way you are trending.If you lose 2% of body fat in 2 months according to the scale,you still lost 2% even if the overall # is inaccurate
  • RockGutCharlie
    RockGutCharlie Posts: 17 Member
    That's a bioelectrical impedance scale. They are highly inaccurate and can be off as much at 10%. If you weighed then drank a bunch of water the reading for body fat would change dramatically.
    Agreed--those scales are inaccurate. Even if they were more accurate, the hand-held ones would only measure your upper body, and the scales you stand on would measure your lower body.

    Indeed. I weight myself second thing in the morning. 10% margin of error should be unacceptable..
    Even though the scales are inaccurate,over time you can still see which way you are trending.If you lose 2% of body fat in 2 months according to the scale,you still lost 2% even if the overall # is inaccurate

    You're right, I can see the difference. The thing is, when I was 165-170 my BF % bounced around 12-16. I'm worried I'll reach my ideal weight being 30% fat. Besides, isn't the same having ahead of me 100 pounds of fat to go or having "only" 75.
    Unless youre morbidly obese youre not 43%

    Technically, if you take into consideration BMI, I'm in that club :'( ..but I'm on my way out now :)
    I've lost an inch from my original adult height--I have degenerative disc disease, so I've lost some of the fluid from the discs, and my vertebrae are now closer together. It's actually really common in adults--even in your 20s or 30s (I was diagnosed at 30).

    I'm sorry to hear that.
    They say as we age we shrink. I imagine that the compression of the spine and joins would cause us to lose inches over our lives.

    I was just hoping wouldn't be so soon..
    I've noticed that particularly rotund people have a tendency not to stand up straight. Perhaps this is because it is hard to lift their bellies.
    Posture could also be an issue

    When I decided to get back on track I noticed my posture was awful and working to fix that, but can bad posture make you shorter even when you stand straight?
    Pilates and yoga ...stretch up tall :smile:

    Before and after workout.. :D I suck at it though, but It's a matter of time...





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