Body Fat Calculators

RayneScar
RayneScar Posts: 44 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Can anyone here recommend a good body fat calculator or an accurate method of judging? I've tried 2 online where I gave my measurements and the results varied quite a bit.
I'm 5'6" and 134lbs currently, and slim but flabby. I think losing body fat would be a better option for me than simply trying to lose weight.
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Replies

  • GetThatRunnersHigh
    GetThatRunnersHigh Posts: 112 Member
    I'd recommend getting a caliper from Amazon (got mine for ~6 bucks including shipping) then using the 7-measurement system.

    http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    edited April 2015
    I was just going to ask the same question!
    As one online calculator quoted me as 29% BF (I'm 5.4" and 133lbs) which someone pointed out on here, they don't think is right.
    I couldn't get to grips with the Calipers tbh (no pun intended).
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Caliper will be better but if you have loose skin like I do, pretty much useless.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    dexa scan. Barring that someone with a lot of knowledge can give you a good estimate...otherwise nada.
  • Indigoblu1
    Indigoblu1 Posts: 127 Member
    I wonder if you might be interested in purchasing an Omron Fat Loss Monitor and Weight scale. I had my BF measured with calipers a few times during our health fairs and the scale matched exactly what the calipers said. So, I trust this scale.
  • Steff46
    Steff46 Posts: 516 Member
    I use a Tanita Body Fat Scale. Some people don't believe they are accurate but if it gives me something to gage MY progress by and I am making progress then I'm happy:) I am 5' 5" and 130 lbs and I started out at 32% body fat and am at 24% body fat for now.
  • RayneScar
    RayneScar Posts: 44 Member
    According to healthstatus.com using the Navy Body Fat calculator, my body fat is 10.95% - would that be in any way accurate? I feel like it's much higher!
    Will look into buying a scales, thank you :smile:
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    RayneScar wrote: »
    According to healthstatus.com using the Navy Body Fat calculator, my body fat is 10.95% - would that be in any way accurate? I feel like it's much higher!
    Will look into buying a scales, thank you :smile:
    No way that's accurate.

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Indigoblu1 wrote: »
    I wonder if you might be interested in purchasing an Omron Fat Loss Monitor and Weight scale. I had my BF measured with calipers a few times during our health fairs and the scale matched exactly what the calipers said. So, I trust this scale.

    Calipers is wrong so scale is wrong. How would you measure fat around your organs?
  • Indigoblu1
    Indigoblu1 Posts: 127 Member
    I do not know. It has been accurate with everything else. why are calipers wrong? I thought that was the gold standard?
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Indigoblu1 wrote: »
    I do not know. It has been accurate with everything else. why are calipers wrong? I thought that was the gold standard?

    Calipers only test fat right below the skin. There is fat inside the body around organs called visceral fat. Calipers was the gold standard maybe a long time ago.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,082 Member
    edited April 2015
    Should be noted that there are several diffrent formulas in use today to calculate Body Fat %

    A good way to find a online calculator that works for you is to visually compare yourself to pics of know BF%
    Like the ones on this page
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/02/body-fat-percentage/

    Then try a few online calculators and find the one that suits you.
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html
  • Indigoblu1
    Indigoblu1 Posts: 127 Member
    Aha! Hmmm. I didn't know that. Then how do they measure body fat? Just wondering, because every diet/calorie count website has their own.
  • Indigoblu1
    Indigoblu1 Posts: 127 Member
    Camo_xxx wrote: »
    Should be noted that there are several diffrent formulas in use today to calculate Body Fat %
    Then try a few online calculators and find the one that suits you.
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html

    Hi, Camo, I tried this one and it says the same thing as my scale.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Indigoblu1 wrote: »
    Aha! Hmmm. I didn't know that. Then how do they measure body fat? Just wondering, because every diet/calorie count website has their own.

    Well there is no 100% accurate way. The options I am going to list have there margin of errors.

    DEXA Scan I heard has the most accurate results. Then
    Hydrostatic weighing. then
    Body bod.


  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,082 Member
    Indigoblu1 wrote: »
    Camo_xxx wrote: »
    Should be noted that there are several diffrent formulas in use today to calculate Body Fat %
    Then try a few online calculators and find the one that suits you.
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html

    Hi, Camo, I tried this one and it says the same thing as my scale.

    then us them. if they compare to the picture chart I posted a link to then it's good enough.
    Your absolute accurate BF% is not really important, what is more important to know is the trend. be consistent in how and when you measure your BF% and track it.
  • jchite84
    jchite84 Posts: 467 Member
    edited April 2015
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10073617/body-fat-percentage-calculator-accuracy-warning-a-little-nerdy

    This is a little experiment that I did on body fat calculators and their accuracy. It's a little bit nerdy - as the title suggests, but basically my finding were as follows:

    The margin of error is very high on all body fat calculators, so high that they are almost useless for giving you an absolute measure of body fat compared to water displacement or dex scan. The margin is smaller for people who are in a relatively narrow range (basically in the "normal" range), but goes up significantly when you start to add in people who are extra skinny and people who are extra fat.

    If you are going to use an online calculator or some other algorithmic way of measuring body fat you can use the number to measure progress and see how that number goes down, but don't expect it to necessarily be an accurate measure of what your actual body fat percentage is. So, don't get too hung up on that number.
  • G8rRay
    G8rRay Posts: 89 Member
    edited April 2015
    I've read quite a bit concerning the body fat measurements and yopeeps025 nailed the accuracy methods, in descending order of accuracy.

    In my opinion, although not as accurate as those methods, the electronic type measuring devices have consistency in their favor; i.e., the measurements are calculated consistently, meaning that they measure the same way day-after-day, allowing you to reliably follow the trend (increasing BF, decreasing BF, or static BF)--of course, that assumes the measurements are taken at approximately the same time of day and under very similar conditions (like, first thing after getting out of bed, after bathroom duties, and before taking nourishment and/or liquids).

    So, even if they were to have a huge error in accuracy, they would be relatively consistent in their calculated percent of BF measured. Also, they are more convenient and less expensive than those other methods, allowing you to take frequent measurements; such as, whenever you weigh. Be sure to record your measurements to see the trend.
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    edited April 2015
    Camo_xxx wrote: »
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html
    Yes, i'm 26% BF using this calculator.
    That seems more feasible.
    Thanks for the link!
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Camo_xxx wrote: »
    Then try a few online calculators and find the one that suits you.
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html
    This looks like the Navy body fat calculator. I definitely get the same answer from the same inputs.
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,082 Member
    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    Camo_xxx wrote: »
    Then try a few online calculators and find the one that suits you.
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html
    This looks like the Navy body fat calculator. I definitely get the same answer from the same inputs.

    Good enough for government work ! LoL
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Almost all methods of measuring body fat are notoriously inaccurate:
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/02/body-fat-percentage/

    The best thing to do is to pick a best-of-the-worst method and aim for consistency over time, not necessarily absolute accuracy. You may not know if you're currently 25% or 27% BF, for example, but you should be able to see a trend downwards over time.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    RayneScar wrote: »
    According to healthstatus.com using the Navy Body Fat calculator, my body fat is 10.95% - would that be in any way accurate? I feel like it's much higher!
    Will look into buying a scales, thank you :smile:

    No chance.
  • RayneScar
    RayneScar Posts: 44 Member
    Camo_xxx wrote: »
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html

    According to that I'm 17.374%, which would be closer but I'd go with maybe 3% higher than that.. would yoga help bring my body fat down? I'm apple shape which drives me crazy!

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    RayneScar wrote: »
    Camo_xxx wrote: »
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html

    According to that I'm 17.374%, which would be closer but I'd go with maybe 3% higher than that.. would yoga help bring my body fat down? I'm apple shape which drives me crazy!
    Burning more calories than you consume will bring down your body fat. Yoga, if it were additional exercise and no other calories were added, would help because it would lower your net calories.

  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    RayneScar wrote: »

    According to that I'm 17.374%, which would be closer but I'd go with maybe 3% higher than that.. would yoga help bring my body fat down? I'm apple shape which drives me crazy!

    If you're truly only 17% body fat, as a woman, you're already in the "very low" or "athletic" range. Anything lower than that is starting to be considered dangerously unhealthy, and could have consequences ranging from hormone imbalances, loss of your period, or even fertility issues later on. If the 17% number is accurate, you may want to consider trying to put some body fat back on instead of the reverse.

    Having said that, those online calculators are notoriously inaccurate.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    Camo_xxx wrote: »

    Then try a few online calculators and find the one that suits you.
    This particular one tracks mine with the same accuracy as being dunked in the water tank.
    http://www.davedraper.com/bodyfat-calculation.html

    Not sure if there are directions on this one? Just by holding your stomach three different ways you get a change in results. Flexing my stomach and taking the measurement gives ~17%. Relaxing and breathing all air out gives ~20%. Relaxing comfortably (not worrying about breathing) gives ~21%.

    For comparison, bio impedance gives 19%. Calipers give 18%.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    segacs wrote: »
    RayneScar wrote: »

    According to that I'm 17.374%, which would be closer but I'd go with maybe 3% higher than that.. would yoga help bring my body fat down? I'm apple shape which drives me crazy!

    If you're truly only 17% body fat, as a woman, you're already in the "very low" or "athletic" range. Anything lower than that is starting to be considered dangerously unhealthy, and could have consequences ranging from hormone imbalances, loss of your period, or even fertility issues later on. If the 17% number is accurate, you may want to consider trying to put some body fat back on instead of the reverse.

    Having said that, those online calculators are notoriously inaccurate.
    Given that she says she's flabby, 17% seems pretty unlikely.

  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    edited April 2015
    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    Given that she says she's flabby, 17% seems pretty unlikely.

    What we perceive and what we are don't always correspond. Lots of people think they're flabby when they're actually healthy or even dangerously underweight.

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I have a spreadsheet with columns for all of the various body measurements needed to do every body fat formula in this article. It then calculates all of those formulas and I just keep an eye on the changes.

    http://strengthunbound.com/measure-body-fat-easily-accurately-home/
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