Working out body fat percentage

missyme10
missyme10 Posts: 38 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
Please could someone tell me how you determine your body fat percentage.

Also, how do you then monitor it and know it's going down?

I have seen scales that claim if you hold onto metal handles the machine measures your body fat - I am struggling to see how this could work? Does it?

Thank you :)
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Replies

  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Calipers.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    There are several online calculators which will give you a good idea, it takes a lot of different measurements to calculate but I feel they're not that far off.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    missyme10 wrote: »
    Please could someone tell me how you determine your body fat percentage.

    Also, how do you then monitor it and know it's going down?

    I have seen scales that claim if you hold onto metal handles the machine measures your body fat - I am struggling to see how this could work? Does it?

    Thank you :)

    You call a lab that does DEXA scanning, and get an appointment. They're cheap, worth doing.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    If you want to have an accurate idea, you have to have the test done...go get dunked. :)
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    edited December 2014
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    The weight loss graph I use says my bmi is 21, but it says my body fat, in big fat red letters is 31%. I have no clue how it estimates this??
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    dbmata wrote: »

    You call a lab that does DEXA scanning, and get an appointment. They're cheap, worth doing.

    +1
  • Tim_Simons
    Tim_Simons Posts: 64 Member
    There's a lot of tools in the web that can help you determine your Body Fat Percentage. Some tools include a Body Fat Calculator, in which you can calculate the body fat percentage for women or the body fat percentage for men.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
    Prepare for a private message detailing her college experience and calling you names.

    All the cool kids are getting them!
    Lol, people who have done that in the past have found out how mean I really am. ;)

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
    Prepare for a private message detailing her college experience and calling you names.

    All the cool kids are getting them!

    Enough is enough. Quit the childish acts.
    Miss, MFP is precisely 93.72% childish acts, and the probability of a post being silly, or a flight of fantasy is 0.9738.

    Oh bodpods have an acceptable error band and level of precision as well. In fact, EWU and WSU both use them in their sports medicine departments for studies. They chose those for the best product they could get outside of a hydro or dexa.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
    Scalpel is the most accurate way to measure visceral fat, but then one would have to be dead.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    edited December 2014
    Tim_Simons wrote: »
    There's a lot of tools in the web that can help you determine your Body Fat Percentage. Some tools include a Body Fat Calculator, in which you can calculate the body fat percentage for women or the body fat percentage for men.

    I really dislike those sites because the numbers end up being so far off.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Scalpel is the most accurate way to measure visceral fat, but then one would have to be dead.

    Well, I didn't want to suggest my pound of flesh opinion on it. lol.

    I have a feeling a human is as easy to process as a pig carcass.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
    Prepare for a private message detailing her college experience and calling you names.

    All the cool kids are getting them!

    Enough is enough. Quit the childish acts.
    Miss, MFP is precisely 93.72% childish acts, and the probability of a post being silly, or a flight of fantasy is 0.9738.

    Oh bodpods have an acceptable error band and level of precision as well. In fact, EWU and WSU both use them in their sports medicine departments for studies. They chose those for the best product they could get outside of a hydro or dexa.

    That's great. I know its margin of error is low. However, each doctor I've talked to have all said hydrostatic testing is the most accurate and that's what I'm going off of.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
    Prepare for a private message detailing her college experience and calling you names.

    All the cool kids are getting them!
    Lol, people who have done that in the past have found out how mean I really am. ;)
    I will have to compose a scathing message to send you.

    That will be your Christmas gift (sorry, the ****ed up specialty peanut butter store was sold out.)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
    Prepare for a private message detailing her college experience and calling you names.

    All the cool kids are getting them!
    Lol, people who have done that in the past have found out how mean I really am. ;)
    I will have to compose a scathing message to send you.

    That will be your Christmas gift (sorry, the ****ed up specialty peanut butter store was sold out.)

    Naw, I couldn't be mean to you. some people earn it though.

    Then I have fun.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
    Prepare for a private message detailing her college experience and calling you names.

    All the cool kids are getting them!

    Enough is enough. Quit the childish acts.
    Miss, MFP is precisely 93.72% childish acts, and the probability of a post being silly, or a flight of fantasy is 0.9738.

    Oh bodpods have an acceptable error band and level of precision as well. In fact, EWU and WSU both use them in their sports medicine departments for studies. They chose those for the best product they could get outside of a hydro or dexa.

    That's great. I know its margin of error is low. However, each doctor I've talked to have all said hydrostatic testing is the most accurate and that's what I'm going off of.

    Like I said, hydrostatic is good, but DEXA is more precise and more accurate. It's also easier to access, and provides bone density data paired with actual fat distribution. Hydrostatic is a cute toy, but if you want accurate, precise, and actionable data. DEXA is the way to go.

    Hydrostatic is old tech. DEXA is "new" tech.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No... it is one of few that are both precise enough and accurate enough to be of value though.
    Prepare for a private message detailing her college experience and calling you names.

    All the cool kids are getting them!

    Enough is enough. Quit the childish acts.
    Miss, MFP is precisely 93.72% childish acts, and the probability of a post being silly, or a flight of fantasy is 0.9738.

    Oh bodpods have an acceptable error band and level of precision as well. In fact, EWU and WSU both use them in their sports medicine departments for studies. They chose those for the best product they could get outside of a hydro or dexa.

    That's great. I know its margin of error is low. However, each doctor I've talked to have all said hydrostatic testing is the most accurate and that's what I'm going off of.

    Like I said, hydrostatic is good, but DEXA is more precise and more accurate. It's also easier to access, and provides bone density data paired with actual fat distribution. Hydrostatic is a cute toy, but if you want accurate, precise, and actionable data. DEXA is the way to go.

    Hydrostatic is old tech. DEXA is "new" tech.

    I'll have to go get a DEXA scan and compare the results to my hydro results!
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    They're eye opening. The level of precision is really refreshing.
  • stuart160
    stuart160 Posts: 1,628 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    The only way to accurately determine body fat percentage is through hydrostatic testing.

    Handheld BIA devices are not accurate.

    Only way?

    It's the only test that's remotely close to being accurate.

    No it's not. You can get a Bod Pod or Dexa Scan done. The Bod Pod will let you know how much of your body weight is fat versus lean tissue.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Thats what a hydro test does too.
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
    DEXA is what all the cool kids are doing nowadays. IMO, if you like what you are seeing in the mirror at whatever bf % who cares what tool you use, as long as you employ it consistently.
  • stuart160
    stuart160 Posts: 1,628 Member
    https://www.icts.uiowa.edu/content/bod-pod good comparison between the three. No one is wrong, just 3 diffrent tests doing pretty much same thing.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    DEXA is what all the cool kids are doing nowadays. IMO, if you like what you are seeing in the mirror at whatever bf % who cares what tool you use, as long as you employ it consistently.

    Would it be wrong to hire you to stand in my mirror?
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    Iv'e had both DEXA and hydrostatic testing done. I felt that based on visible definition, the hydrostatic underestimated by at least 3 points. It could have just been technician error though (or the fact that I freaked out every time I was underwater more than 5 or 10 seconds)
This discussion has been closed.