body fat

oilphins
oilphins Posts: 240 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone,
Can anyone tell me how I can calculate my body fat the proper way. I've checked out some websites and find it unrealistic just putting in your height and weight that they can tell you what your body fat is. Wouldn't there be a few more steps to it then just height and weight? Any advice would be great.

Replies

  • korsicash
    korsicash Posts: 770 Member
    fit2fat they take a bunch of measurements from different points in your body


    sorry edit fat 2 fit radio
  • duetwithjosh
    duetwithjosh Posts: 121
    You'll need some external tools. The easiest way to get a rough estimate of it is to buy a scale that sends a small electrical pulse through one leg and out the other. By measuring your impedance they can get a pretty good idea of your body composition. This is the method I use. There's some fluctuation based on how hydrated you are, etc, but largely it's good enough.

    Calipers are used frequently, as well, but you'll need someone else to do it.

    There's also some kind of submersible test that some medical professionals and gyms can perform, but I don't know much about that.
  • TanyaCurtis
    TanyaCurtis Posts: 630
    U'll never know. U'll have to go to a gym that has those big scanner machines or whatever, it'll tell u exactly what u want to know, and much much more!!
  • ZugTheMegasaurus
    ZugTheMegasaurus Posts: 801 Member
    There are ways to accurately measure body fat, but a mathematical formula isn't one of them. It can give you a general idea, but will not give specifics, and if you're particularly heavily-muscled (for example) the result will be even further off. You can get more accurate results with skinfold caliper measurements (you can buy calipers relatively cheap from sites such as Amazon) or find someplace that offers hydrostatic underwater weighing (which I've heard is generally the most accurate method available).
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Online body fat calculators are very bad. Get a body scan done. If you're serious about your fitness goals, it's a nice thing to do and worth the cost.

    FWIW, my DEXA scan has me at 29% body fat. Online calculators have me at 38%, which is a huge difference.
  • janf15
    janf15 Posts: 242 Member
    Look at your local colleges, or some times there are gyms and personal trainers who will do it for a fee.

    You should be able to get it by a Google search.
  • seraphinaglitter
    seraphinaglitter Posts: 22 Member
    You can buy these on amazon:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Accu-Measure-Fitness-Personal-Tester/dp/B000G7YW74/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335731385&sr=8-1

    I've got one, and it seems very accurate :smile: It doesn't show visceral (sp?) fat, of course, but it's absolutely consistent and comes with clear instructions. Plus it's cheap! Waay cheaper than the digital ones and much more accurate in my opinion. The digital ones give inconsistent results all the time.
  • oilphins
    oilphins Posts: 240 Member
    Thanks for all your replys everyone. It's not something that I absolutely need to know right down to exact percentage, but I would like to have at least an idea within 1 or 2 percent. I find the bmi caculator is way off too. If your 5 foot 10 and 210 pounds and shredded, they tell you your overweight. So doesn't muscle weigh more than fat? I'm 5 10 and 173 and it's saying I'm borderline on the obese side and regular weight. Give me a break. Anyway I'd like to be around 9 to 12 percent for body fat and that would be fine. Thanks again for your replys.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    Fat comes out as urine in the body, if you urine 1 gallon a day, you have 8-10% bodyfat, for every 25mL you take away 2% bodyfat.

    All jokes aside; this is the most ridiculous thing I've read/heard. Please tell where you found such information.
  • sniperzzzz
    sniperzzzz Posts: 282 Member
    Fat comes out as urine in the body, if you urine 1 gallon a day, you have 8-10% bodyfat, for every 25mL you take away 2% bodyfat.

    All jokes aside; this is the most ridiculous thing I've read/heard. Please tell where you found such information.

    This is ridiculous, made me :laugh: though
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    I use an " omron bf analyzer" that I got from amazon for 30$...not sure if it's super accurate but it put me at 18.5...and seems to reflect changes I see in myself...

    I like this website too...lots of great bf % pics and explanations...
    http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages

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