Perhaps this is a stupid question re Body Fat %

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keenercam
keenercam Posts: 321 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, how does one have their body fat percentage determined? Frankly, I have not lost a net pound in months, but with all the weight lifting I've been doing, my hard-core workouts with a personal trainer, lots of cardio, including deep water aerobics, I know that my body is changing even if the scale is not.

BMI, of course, runs off of gender, height and weight, which just makes me crazy. Tell me there is another way to measure, please. Thanks!
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Replies

  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
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    BMI is pretty useless in my opinion, it doesn't seem to account for muscle mass.

    There are a bunch of different ways to measure body fat %, the easiest ways to do it yourself are usually done by measuring different body parts. It doesn't necessarily matter which one is the most accurate, as long as you consistently do it the same way every time.

    This one works well for me:
    http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-calculator-usmc
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
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    I don't use it. Instead I look at my *kitten* and go "that's a lot of body fat". :laugh:

    Seriously, I just worry about my clothes fitting. If I was going to have a BMI as a benchmark I would probably have a doc or fitness trainer do it so it was accurate.
  • Klamber26
    Klamber26 Posts: 212
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    Jump up and down and track how much you jiggle. :wink:
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
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    When I joined my gym they measured my BF%, and now I have a scale that supposedly measures it...but I don't believe it LOL.

    I just know that I'm like 30% fat and I need to be way less!!!
  • hali1
    hali1 Posts: 54 Member
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    I paid a lot of cash for a scale that figures it for me. It was worth it to me just for the extra information / motivation.

    On the cheaper end of things, there are websites that will calculate an estimated % based on certain measurements, if I remember they ask for things like your waist and neck measurements in addition to height, weight, age, gender. I don't have any bookmarked links to copy easily for you but you can probably google "body fat calculator" or something similar and find one workable for you.
  • mlewon
    mlewon Posts: 343 Member
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    You can get anthropic measurements taken by your doctor to determine your actual BMI.
  • JonesJennings
    JonesJennings Posts: 59 Member
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    I got a toy that looks like a playstation controller. You hold it at arms length and it beeps and you and tells you how fat you are/arn't. It cost me about £30 ($40-50, I think). Seems to be reasonably consistent (+- about 5%).
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    BF% scales are useless, especially for women. The electric current can only measure the lower part of your body. So if you carry weight unevenly in your top and bottom halves (read: you are female), or if the amount of water in your body changes, it will be inaccurate.

    I'm just under 20% body fat. The expensive scale at the gym puts me at 25-27% body fat. Why pay for a scale that tells you you're fatter than you are?
  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
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    Jump up and down and track how much you jiggle. :wink:

    Lol, that is really cute. I know this only works for some people, though. My dad is 5'7" 125 lbs, without an ounce of fat on his body, bit he has a lot of skin that will jiggle, I assure you!
  • jenniet04
    jenniet04 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    I use this

    http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1339625136&sr=8-4&keywords=omron

    It's not as accurate as some, but if you're consistent when you take the measurement, you'll see a trend.
  • Irishmoonwitch
    Irishmoonwitch Posts: 97
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    Me and my boyfriend use http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ They have a few and we prefer using the Covert Bailey Body Fat Calculator.

    Hope this helps. I actually got that website from someone on this site. :)
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainingWithTonya

    Scroll down....way down....where I addressed this last year. Sorry, I'm having a lazy day and its easier to refer you to what I've already typed then to type it all again. :wink:

    16 years Certified Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor
    9 years Certified Sports Nutritionist
    Bachelors in Exercise Physiology with a Minor in Nutritional Science
    ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist
    NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Seems to be reasonably consistent (+- about 5%).

    Consider the difference of 5% body fat between the women in these images, and then tell me that your scale is still reasonably accurate

    body-fat-percentage-pictures-female.jpg
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
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    Jump up and down and track how much you jiggle. :wink:

    I need to try this.
  • rotnkat
    rotnkat Posts: 393 Member
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    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/cbbf/

    This is what I use get my BF%. I know it's not as accurate as getting tested, but it's way cheaper!!!!
  • MissMollieD
    MissMollieD Posts: 130
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    There are several ways to figure it out:

    1. Military Bf Guideline Measurements - Similar to BMI, this form fits your dimensions into a BF curve.
    2. A scale with impedence - I recommend Tanita, after a lot of research, this was the winner
    3. Calipers - accuracy is better by a trained professional, but if you are careful to do it the exact same way every time you will know if you are improving.
    4. Hydrostatic - I just had this done and it's considered "The Gold Standard" in body fat percentage. You get in a tank of water and they compare your weight on the ground to your weight under water. Fat floats, everything else does not. The trick is expelling ALL of the air from your lungs (because air floats as well). Check out this website for services in your area: http://www.bodyfattest.com/
    5. BodPod - Quickly becoming a favorite because of the difficulties with the hydrostatic. Uses air displacement instead of water.

    I have done all but #5 recently and here are my results:

    1. 28%
    2. 27%
    3. 17.9%
    4. 21.5%

    Other background, I'm female, 30, 135lbs, 5'4".
  • KC4800
    KC4800 Posts: 140 Member
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    I saw on TV once (that makes it true!) that the most accurate way to measure Fat% is to be weighed while sitting on a scale in a big pool of water.

    What I would do with this information? Who knows. Play the lottery, perhaps?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    See if any schools or gyms have a Bodpod in your area. Universities need them for their own research studies, so sometimes cheaper for use. Ours was $35.

    One at beginning of journey, especially because with knowing your LBM you can get good handle on what potential BMR would be, and most formulas start there. Then near the end as last lbs can be tough and having same knowledge of LBM would be useful.
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
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    I use body fat calipers.

    They're easy, you do'nt need help, they are consisten as long as you are consistent and they are inexpensive.

    Get them at GNC
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
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    Seems to be reasonably consistent (+- about 5%).

    Consider the difference of 5% body fat between the women in these images, and then tell me that your scale is still reasonably accurate

    body-fat-percentage-pictures-female.jpg

    Is that true? damn. if so that is really helpful! I'm closer to 30% :S
    *measured by one of those pinchy things by my gym*

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