does anyone track body muscle percentage?

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39flavours
39flavours Posts: 1,494 Member
edited February 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
So I recently got a new set of bathroom scales that include a body analyser function. I know to take the readings with a pinch of salt as these things are notoriously unreliable I also have a handheld analyser which I've never trusted but still refer to occasionally. I like looking at numbers and progress however so it's more out of curiosity that i check these. My handheld jobby gives me a body muscle percent of 65% and my step on scales gives me 27% .As these figures are so far apart, my question is which one is going to be closest to the reality? They are so different so maybe they're just both a load of rubbish...
I should probably add that I'm 135 lbs, 5'4 female who does 240 mins cardio a week and eats 1200 + half my exercise cals and wants to start lifting to limit muscle loss
Thanks in advance x

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  • 39flavours
    39flavours Posts: 1,494 Member
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    Bumpity bump?
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    edited February 2015
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    It's not possible that you have 65% muscle

    65% none fat yes (known as lbm, lean body mass) - so that would include water, bones, skin etc etc etc.
    -
    I'm not sure any scales can accurately give you your muscle mass. I focus on fat % on my scale but as a trend not as an accurate %
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    Oh and you should defo start lifting today.
  • FrankieTrailBlazer
    FrankieTrailBlazer Posts: 124 Member
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    just take the average.... lol
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
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    I track skeletal muscle because my scales have that option too (as well as visceral fat). Like you, I'm not sure how accurate it is! 65% does seem high to me, just bearing in mind that it only leaves 35% for bones, organs, fat, etc. I would guess that 27% is closer to reality.
  • 39flavours
    39flavours Posts: 1,494 Member
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    Ah ok, that's kinda obvious really! I should have realised that! So I will use the 27% which from what I've read is a bit below average- oh dear!
    My body fat percent is 28% on this machine (scale) but I feel that I'm actually higher than this judging by comparison pictures (I don't entirely trust my ability to be objective about this though)

    I'd better try lifting then. I used to use resistance machines but stopped when I started trying to lose weight as I found I was unable to recover fast enough and was constantly achey and bloated. I'm worried this will happen again

    Thanks for the responses peeps x
  • Kstone1027
    Kstone1027 Posts: 3 Member
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    Are you sure the 27% isn't your body fat percentage. That sounds more accurate.
  • 39flavours
    39flavours Posts: 1,494 Member
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    That would be nice! But no...It gives me 27 body muscle, 28 body fat x
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
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    Someone told me to figure out my lean muscle mass here: http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/nutrition-tools/body-fat

    I don't know how accurate it is, but you enter your stats and it tells you your percentage.
  • 39flavours
    39flavours Posts: 1,494 Member
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    Thanks! I'll check it out x

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