Does weight have anything do do with bf percentage

patrickrea2002
patrickrea2002 Posts: 83 Member
edited December 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, recently ive been using a machine at the gym to track how lean I am and what body fat percentage I am ( I am to get as lean as possible so I can measure the effectiveness of a bulk) but I’m pretty heavy, I’ve been way lighter but I didn’t feel as lean as I am now it’s weird but what I’m trying to ask is are bf percentage and weight directly related or is the machine broken

Replies

  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    What kind of machine is it?
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    Those machines are to be taken with a large grain of salt. They use electrical resistance to spit out those numbers, which is highly unlikely to be very accurate.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    patrickrea2002 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, recently ive been using a machine at the gym to track how lean I am and what body fat percentage I am ( I am to get as lean as possible so I can measure the effectiveness of a bulk) but I’m pretty heavy, I’ve been way lighter but I didn’t feel as lean as I am now it’s weird but what I’m trying to ask is are bf percentage and weight directly related or is the machine broken

    Not broken necessarily but not reliably accurate either. Most likely it uses bioelectrical impedance to measure and it can be thrown off by even your hydration levels.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Those machines tend to be not very accurate. So there cna be a big variance day to day in the reading. At best, thet give you a general idea of where you stand.

    But there is a strong correlations between overall weight and body fat. There is a certain degree of variation between fit and non-fit people, but in general, people who weigh more than others of the same height and gender will most of the time have a higher body fat than the person who weighs less. So it is possible that now you have less body fat than when you were skinnier, if you are much more muscular and athletic. But the more likely scenario is that your body fat percentage is higher, even if you are overall fitter and feel better about yourself.
  • patrickrea2002
    patrickrea2002 Posts: 83 Member
    But my abs are more defined than they where when I was lighter
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    patrickrea2002 wrote: »
    But my abs are more defined than they where when I was lighter

    Those machines aren't accurate or useful for much other than looking at long term trending data...they aren't accurate for actually giving you a true BF%.

    Obviously BF and many other things will affect your weight. There are a lot of things that go into weight. I'm a lot heavier now (180) than I was in my mid 20s (155)...I'm about the same level of leanness, but I carry a lot more muscle mass.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    patrickrea2002 wrote: »
    But my abs are more defined than they where when I was lighter

    That's possibly a better guide that your machine (whatever machine it is - there's a whole range from useful if used properly through to totally comical and worthless).
    But that visual guide could also be influenced by having built some muscle.

    Not sure what you are getting at regarding percentages and weight. A percentage is a percentage is a percentage.... People weighing 200lbs or 300lbs could all have the same body fat percentage.

    Just like half of something is half of something whether that's a big something or a small something - perhaps you could rephrase your question?
  • patrickrea2002
    patrickrea2002 Posts: 83 Member
    Ok want your saying makes sense kinda so person A can be 150lbs say and be 11% bf but another person who also weights 150 lbs could be 13% bf correct ?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    patrickrea2002 wrote: »
    Ok want your saying makes sense kinda so person A can be 150lbs say and be 11% bf but another person who also weights 150 lbs could be 13% bf correct ?

    Of course.
  • patrickrea2002
    patrickrea2002 Posts: 83 Member
    So if the machines are accurate what’s the best way for me to measure how lean I am so when I’m what 11% bf I’ll know and for me to know I’m on the right track
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    patrickrea2002 wrote: »
    So if the machines are accurate what’s the best way for me to measure how lean I am so when I’m what 11% bf I’ll know and for me to know I’m on the right track

    Apart from post mortem autopsy which has a serious downside.....

    DEXA and hydrostatic dunking are often regarded as gold standard (but still have a range of accuracy).
    BodPod perhaps silver standard (I wasn't impressed as an aside).
    Calipers in the hands of a trained and experience operators can be good.
    Commercial grade multi point BIA machines can be OK too if used under controlled and consistent conditions.

    TBH flexed selfies every month in same pose/lighting etc. are free and although don't spit out a number (which may or may not be accurate) really tell you if your body comp is changing.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    patrickrea2002 wrote: »
    So if the machines are accurate what’s the best way for me to measure how lean I am so when I’m what 11% bf I’ll know and for me to know I’m on the right track

    Apart from post mortem autopsy which has a serious downside.....

    DEXA and hydrostatic dunking are often regarded as gold standard (but still have a range of accuracy).
    BodPod perhaps silver standard (I wasn't impressed as an aside).
    Calipers in the hands of a trained and experience operators can be good.
    Commercial grade multi point BIA machines can be OK too if used under controlled and consistent conditions.

    TBH flexed selfies every month in same pose/lighting etc. are free and although don't spit out a number (which may or may not be accurate) really tell you if your body comp is changing.

    This^^^

    Myself, I use the mirror.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    patrickrea2002 wrote: »
    So if the machines are accurate what’s the best way for me to measure how lean I am so when I’m what 11% bf I’ll know and for me to know I’m on the right track

    Apart from post mortem autopsy which has a serious downside.....

    DEXA and hydrostatic dunking are often regarded as gold standard (but still have a range of accuracy).
    BodPod perhaps silver standard (I wasn't impressed as an aside).
    Calipers in the hands of a trained and experience operators can be good.
    Commercial grade multi point BIA machines can be OK too if used under controlled and consistent conditions.

    TBH flexed selfies every month in same pose/lighting etc. are free and although don't spit out a number (which may or may not be accurate) really tell you if your body comp is changing.

    I use the navy formula with a self-tensioning tape measure. I really suck at measuring myself.... I don't know how anyone ever does it with consistent tension, so the gadget removes (or at least reduces) that variable for me.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Two people of the same weight can have very different BF%. The same person can gain weight and have lower BF. It all depends on your programming.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories