body fat measuring machine?

[tennguy]

I got my body fat tested today and it said i was 12.3%, which is great for me. Last year i was 170 at 18% and now at 177lbs. So that means i've made some great gains, however it does not look like i have. I still have some body fat around the midsection that is about the same as last year.

my question is, are those machines that acurate? Last time i got mine down it was done with calipers? My body fat was also taken after a workout today. I am think my body is higher. Would that be a fare assumption?

[Chester911cross]

Hey man,
the best way you can check you body fat is use or buy a scale that measures your body fat....any other "accurate" way is going to be really expensive.

About the fat in your mid section...here is an article I wrote....

So, up the protein, and reduce the fats and sugars. You would be on the right track with a endurance workout, not cardio. The hard part with the cardio workouts it, you could do those everyday for a year and not loose a pound. You are only bettering the heart and building little muscle. To burn fat you have to get past the cardio and shoot for endurance. Keep your pace at a high medium (60-70% intensity) and push for a long amount of time or distance. You have to first burn all the food (energy or calorie amount) you are intaking before your workout, and keep going, ...then to the point you are burning fat. Stay away from breads if you can, and shoot for a potato or a sweet potato, no later then lunch, cause you don't want to sleep on the starch/carbs/sugar all night. Don't look to fat burning supplements until your diet is at it's pinicale. Drink plenty of cold water, about 120oz/day. The body has to use energy to keep you warm, so drinking cold water that the body will have to heat up will put those calories (or extra calories) to good use. Also the water is great for synthisising the protein to the muscles, detoxing the body, and lubricating the joints. I hope any of that helps....Good luck!!!

Also I've learned of a new supplement. Phosphatidylserine, which causes a decrease in Cortisol contractions in the blood stream. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced with stress that will cause fat to build up MAINLY in the mid area. So possibly lessen your stress, through a tea, meditation, or yoga, or get Phosphatidylserine to help that along. again Good Luck!!!

[|ceman]

Originally Posted by tennguy

I got my body fat tested today and it said i was 12.3%, which is great for me. Last year i was 170 at 18% and now at 177lbs. So that means i've made some great gains, however it does not look like i have. I still have some body fat around the midsection that is about the same as last year.

my question is, are those machines that acurate? Last time i got mine down it was done with calipers? My body fat was also taken after a workout today. I am think my body is higher. Would that be a fare assumption?

What kind of "machine" did they use to test you? Some are notoriously inaccurate.

[tennguy]

thanks for the replys to my post!
Thanks for the advice Chester911cross! Do you write articles for bosybuilding.com or was that from somewhere else?

the body fat test was done with a hand held machine, which sends an electrical pulse through the body. Overall it is pretty acurate if done properly.
which include not doing it after a workout and being properly hydrated.

it is safe to say the first reading was wrong, because of my workout ealirer in the day as well as not be hydrated.

Since then i have got checked 3 times, and each time has been fairly close t what i think i am.

i have been sure to hydrated, not to have worked out before, and also to get it tested about the same time of day.

my past reults have been

8-31-07 178lbs 17%
9-28-07 175lbs 17.2
11-5-07 173lbs 15.6%
12-5-07 178lbs 15.9%

i had 2 hernia surgeries this summer, first one in july, 2nd in sept. so october was when i finally got back to the gym and so far things have been going great!

anyway, sorry for the book.

[Growing-up]

Originally Posted by tennguy

I got my body fat tested today and it said i was 12.3%, which is great for me. Last year i was 170 at 18% and now at 177lbs. So that means i've made some great gains, however it does not look like i have. I still have some body fat around the midsection that is about the same as last year.

my question is, are those machines that acurate?

Yes and no...
Don't take them as (I wish they were) exact.
What they work as... a reference, the key here is that you lower your BF%.

The problem with this machines is that they work with the resistance of the body, and from that it calculates an average. But this average can and is affected by the amount of water in your body, and other factors, plus dirt on the leads.

The other way around is by using calipers, but then again it is an average of the measure on your arm (Biceps) chest (ribs), waist, and leg. This measure average may vary depending on the evaluator, then again it is not an exact measurement, it is an approximation.

[Chester911cross]

Originally Posted by tennguy

thanks for the replys to my post!
Thanks for the advice Chester911cross! Do you write articles for bosybuilding.com or was that from somewhere else?

No, but I love health and nutrition. Sorry it took me so long to reply.

[Quadroplex]

Was it a DXA scanner? If so those are very accurate.

[reggie77]

I purchased a scale the other day that also measures your body fat percentage. I'm 5'11 @177lbs. It's saying that I'm 24% body fat. I'm a typical slender asian guy. Are these scales somewhat inaccurate?

BTW ...I bought it at walmart (on sale $19.99)