Body Fat Calculator..does this sound right?

I went on fat measuring scales at the gym and it said I am 32% fat!! Can this be right? I am 5ft 3, weigh 9 stone (I have lost 8lbs yippee!) My measurements are 35 26 35.5; neck measurement 12; arm 9.5 and thigh 21.5. Can I be 32% fat ! I was thinking I would be 25% at the most. I have worked so hard :(

Replies

  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    if you are small framed and don't have a lot of muscle mass, then it sounds like it might be in the neighborhood. Maybe not 100% accurate, but probably close. You can estimate your frame size with your wrist diameter, height, and elbow width.
  • At 32% I would be obese and to be honest, I don't have very much fat on me :(
  • MNA76
    MNA76 Posts: 1,541
    According to the information you listed above, I used the Military Fat Calculator on Fat2Fit.com. It says that your body fat percentage is 22.4% (assuming that 9 stone is 126 lbs).
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I'm a bit larger than you and am 25.3%, but I do carry quite a bit of muscle.

    Try taking measurements and checking them at http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/
  • Thank you! I did that and it came out at 26% which I am a bit happier with! So are scales often wrong? Am i kidding myself??
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    my corporate firewall blocks all the pics on this site, so I can't see your avatar pic, but here is a frame calculator:
    http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/fsz

    the military fat percentage calculation is VERY crude because it doesn't take into account body type or composition. I grabbed this of wikipedia (so we know it MUST be right!), but it gives a decent explanation:
    There also exist formulas for estimating body fat percentage from an individual's weight and girth measurements. For example, the U.S. Navy circumference method compares abdomen or waist and hips measurements to neck measurement and height and other sites claim to estimate one's body fat percentage by a conversion from the body mass index. In the U.S. Navy the method is known as the "rope and choke." There is limited information, however, on the validity of the "rope and choke" method because of its universal acceptance as inaccurate and easily falsified.
    The U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army also rely on the height and circumference method. For males, they measure the neck and waist just above the navel. Females are measured around the hips, waist, and neck. These measurements are then looked up in published tables, with the individual's height as an additional parameter. This method is used because it is a cheap and convenient way to implement a body fat test throughout an entire service.
    Methods using circumference have little acceptance outside the Department of Defense due to their negative reputation in comparison to other methods. The method's accuracy becomes an issue when comparing people with different body compositions, those with larger necks artificially generate lower body fat percentage calculations than those with smaller necks.
  • I like that one! Can I pick the one I am happiest with! I used my friend's one from Lloyd's pharmacy and it said 19%!
  • So how does everyone else calculate their measurment? Mine ranges from 19% to 32%!!