home Body fat test??

[jay264529]

How does every body take their body fat %. My gym offers a 3 month tracking session for like $30, all set with that. Just wondering how most people did their own tests.

 

[nEwSkIn]

I bough a scale that supposedly measures your body fat with an accuracy of no more than 1%. It sends harmless electrical impulses through your body and determines you bodyfat % by itself.

Does anybody else use this method? I like it pretty much but don´t know if it´s really accurate.

 

[pwr_machine]

Skinfold calipers are very inexpensive. There are cheap, plastic versions that give the same mm measurement as more expensive versions such as Lange. You could always purchase a pair and get someone to learn how to take the measurements for you. It's not very hard. It just takes practice. Also, a local university should have health and p.e. students that are learning and may be willing to use you, free of charge.

 

[pwr_machine]

Does anybody else use this method? I like it pretty much but don´t know if it´s really accurate.

These types of bodyfat measures are typically not very accurate. Varying amounts water in your body from day to day can throw off the results.

 

[nEwSkIn]

These types of bodyfat measures are typically not very accurate. Varying amounts water in your body from day to day can throw off the results.

You mean, the scale can perceive water as fat??

 

[pwr_machine]

No, not exactly what I'm saying. Most likely, the scale he is referring to uses electrical conductivity to estimate fat-free mass. Muscle holds the majority of water in the body. Since this test is dependent upon hydration status, it can skew the results of his bodyfat.

 

[nEwSkIn]

But I imagine then, if you are well hydrated, maybe the scale readings would give you maybe 1%,2% or even 3% more BF??

Or on the other hand, a Somalian, starving dehydrated person would read less than the actual BF%?

 

[bigguns15]

But I imagine then, if you are well hydrated, maybe the scale readings would give you maybe 1%,2% or even 3% more BF??

Or on the other hand, a Somalian, starving dehydrated person would read less than the actual BF%?

Actually, it's the opposite of this. If you are holding a lot of water (in your muscles), the scale will tell you have a lower percentage. If you were dehydrated, it would perceive that as less LBM and a higher percentage. I've heard these devices can vary as much as 10% based on hydration status. You'll probably find the best measure of bf to be skin fold calipers as pwr_machine said.

 

[nEwSkIn]

10% variation?

wow! damn

 

[nEwSkIn]

BTW, I´ve read calipers are also pretty subjective and variable...