Fat percentage going UP while losing weight? Optimal time to measure?

justacceptthisemail
justacceptthisemail Posts: 13 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Not sure what is going on here, but I'm about to throw out my fitbit Aria scale. The thing is so unreliable. Sometimes I'm 23.85% body fat. A few minutes later I'm 19%! What on earth is going on? I don't drink water in the interim or do anything. Just wait a few minutes and it varies by over 4%. Doesn't make sense.

Also, I have lost weight over the past month but the body fat seems to be about the same. Thinking this might be a scale or timing issue. Just measured myself this morning after waking up. Hadn't eaten anything.

Is there an optimal time to measure? How hydrated should one be?

Think I'm just going to chuck the scale and go by how I look and feel around the waistline. The scale seems to be a terribly inaccurate waste (waist) of time.

By the way, been cataloging my weight loss at http://www.matterofwill.com. Daily pictures of progress there.

Replies

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited February 2015
    I've heard that scales aren't very accurate at measuring bf%, I know mine were way off. Go by your measurements instead as a good guide :smile:
    ref measuring, first thing, before you have drank or eaten anything - same goes for weighing in.
  • kshadows
    kshadows Posts: 1,315 Member
    Scales don't accurately measure body fat. If you're really concerned, you can try the military BF% calculator on fat2fitradio.com/tools, you'll just need your measurements. Even that can be off though, so if you really want a picture of it, talk to your doctor.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    They aren't accurate. Good idea to toss it!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Yeah, I stopped paying attention to mine. I could go on a run, shed two pounds of water through sweat and the scale would show a body fat % loss rather than a water loss. It was also about 6% low according to the measurements I had done at the gym.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Can't use the scale that calculates BMI. It could be off 30% or more. Remember that this scale calculates water.

    Calipers is the best..
  • justacceptthisemail
    justacceptthisemail Posts: 13 Member
    Thanks for the answers. Going to stick with calipers and visual cues. Perhaps I'll get one of those full body immersion body fat measurement thingies.
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