Body fat scale

[Manteca]

I got a body fat scale from terallion yesterday, man that **** could not be more off. I had calipers done a month ago and came up 11.4%. I've gained 3-4 lbs since then but the scale says I have 25%. I know this is very very wrong, I'm 13% max. What would make the scale come up so off, creatine maybe?

[Original Poster]

Manteca,

I know alot of people who swear by their BF% scale. Some are better than others, and depending on the model you bought, I am sure is wrong. The better ones have a setting for normal or athlete. Even with the better ones, they can be off and/or very from day to day from what I have heard. You say that the readings more than doubled your BF% readings after gaining only 3-4 lbs. I would guess that is definately BS.

Caliper readings are only as good as the person who is taking them, and even then are a poor way to gage true % BF. (They take for granted that everyone has the same proportion of lean mass to fat. Which we know is NOT TRUE. What about intermuscular fat ???)

But, they are a decent way to gage increases or decreases in BF % due to diet and or training.


Good Luck !!!

[bigjay00]

ci-town knows his sh!t i tottally agree with him

[Robert]

Only really good way for bf % is the dunk tank.

peace

[Manteca]

where do I go to get tank tested?

[Rink]

If you are still in uni, go find out if the nutrition/Exercise Science department can possibly do it for you. You might have to participtate in some whacky study if you want it done free.


I tried using the calipers from accufitness, stupid thing cost me $25 ...I'm not sure if it gave me an exact reading or not.

In the next few day's I intend to scoof up $10 at a local pharmacy so that they can send an electric pulse through me to determine body fat.

They also allege, they can calculate your resting metabolic rate, by having u suck at something for some time, but that costs $35, so I'm still thinking if I want to do that.

[Judd]

I posted this once before for someone different. If you like I can give you the test that the U.S. Army uses. I believe it to be accurate, it is also approved by the U.S. Surgeon General. All you need is a measuring tape. It's very easy to administer to yourself. And only 2 body parts have to be measured. (Males only) If anyone is interested I'll PM the instructions to you.

[Adam2433]

that test by the army is extremely inaccurate if its the same one we use in the Marine Corps. it goes by measuring your neck chest and waist adn adding the measurements up and checking a chart to see where you fall. underwater weighing is the best followed by skin calipers and lastly electrolosis.

[Judd]

Originally posted by Adam2433
that test by the army is extremely inaccurate if its the same one we use in the Marine Corps. it goes by measuring your neck chest and waist adn adding the measurements up and checking a chart to see where you fall. underwater weighing is the best followed by skin calipers and lastly electrolosis.

It's not the same.

[Harry Hayfield]

Use this formula:

-98.42 + ( Waist Measurement in inches * 4.15) - (0.082 * Bodyweight in lbs)

That will give your lbs bodyfat, then divide by your bodyweight and times by 100 to get your % bodyfat. Over 95% accurate

[zeppelin]

Do you really care what your actual leanmass percentage is? If it says that you are about 95% lean and you still do not like the way you look, chances are changes are still going to be made. What you need is a consistently reliable means to test differences from pre and post training. Use a reliable caliper, measure from joints to where you are going to measure to ensure consistency. Thats it. Just total the measurements. You can use an equation if you are interested in getting a "number". But this is totally not necessary for seeing if training is going in the right direction.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Manteca
where do I go to get tank tested?

The University by my house does it, try a school around your town.


peace

[Mantaca]

now im pissed i just tested my bf its 19 percent.

[Rink]

I just succumbed today and went to the expesnive gym 20 mins away


He did the stupid electrolytic thing where u stand bearfeet on the machine, and it claimed that I am 22% wohhhaaaa .... even the guy was suprised and he said he could even sorta see my abs, so that was prolly wrong coz I had just eaten. .....

Then he did the calipers, and got 13%, and he showed me how to use my calipers which gave me 14% .... and he has allegedly been doing this for 2 years .. so he supposidly knows how to pinch the fat right ... when I did it my self, I was definately taking too much skin when I got 20%....

Wohhhoohh ... so that means I can contiue bulking up

[Rink]

Yeah, why don't u?

Thanks.

Originally posted by Judd
I posted this once before for someone different. If you like I can give you the test that the U.S. Army uses. I believe it to be accurate, it is also approved by the U.S. Surgeon General. All you need is a measuring tape. It's very easy to administer to yourself. And only 2 body parts have to be measured. (Males only) If anyone is interested I'll PM the instructions to you.

[Thorazine]

Use this formula:

-98.42 + ( Waist Measurement in inches * 4.15) - (0.082 * Bodyweight in lbs)

I don't even know how you can say that is accurate. What regression formulas is it taking into account? None. Hell, it's not even taking bodyfat of specific bodyparts into account.

That formula is way to standardized and generalized to be any use. It may be accurate to 95%, but that's only for 5% of the population.

As for the dunk tank, while it is the "golden standard" even the golden standards have errors and innaccuracies, and are flawed in their own respects.

The electrolytic method is useless for bodybuilders. No eating/drinking for 4-6 hours before testing, and even then, if you're carb depeleting it will throw off the reading. Don't trust them.

As for those self-test bodyfat calipers, don't waste your money. Get the real deal calipers, and get 2 friends to take the measurements. One person to pinch, one person to take the reading.

Did he tell you what formula he used for determining your bodyfat? I'm curious, there are many different equations available. You should ask him, see what teh "norm" is today.

Thorazine

[pony]

Originally posted by Mantaca
now im pissed i just tested my bf its 19 percent.

Ha Ha! I.m 18.7%

BULLSH!T

[Thorazine]

Guys,

If the tests don't involve either a) dumping yourself into a water tank or b) taking skinfold measurements, over 75% of the time the numbers will be wrong.

They're taking into account supposed proportionality values (ie height to weight, girths, etc) without taking into account actual body composition. (ie, muscle, fat, etc)

Take them with a grain of salt.

Thorazine

[Judd]

Originally posted by Rink
Yeah, why don't u?

Thanks.

Damn, had I read this earlier then I would have posted it while I was at work. I'm in Europe, quite a time difference. You'll have to wait until Monday. Then i will start a new thread here with the exact procedures.

They're taking into account supposed proportionality values (ie height to weight, girths, etc) without taking into account actual body composition. (ie, muscle, fat, etc)

Take them with a grain of salt.

Thorazine

That is not true with all methods. The only factor that would make this test inaccurate is the integrity used when measuring. I.e. Pulling the tape too tight around you waist. I will give you an example.

Subject 1 - Male 68" 193lbs. Neck 16.5" Belly 33.5"
Subject 2 - Male 68" 193lbs. Neck 15" Belly 40.5"

It's very easy to see the difference in body composition. Subject A will roughly have 11 to 14% BF. Versus subject 2 who will undoubtedly have anywhere from 23% and up. I will give you all the formula Monday. The most important factor with this method is taking honest measurements. Height is obsolete in this equation.

[Over46andFit]

Lots of good information above but the best way to measure body fat is simply look in the mirror.:-)
I don't want to offend anyone but for most of us it's asthetics that count, anyway.
My 2 cents.

[pony]

Originally posted by Over46andFit
Lots of good information above but the best way to measure body fat is simply look in the mirror.:-)
I don't want to offend anyone but for most of us it's asthetics that count, anyway.
My 2 cents.

I agree.

[bigjay00]

ditto

[Judd]

I stand corrected, height is a factor in this equation. A chart must be refrenced in order to obtain your results. I have this electronically if anyone is interested. I will attach it to an email. You must run this program from a disk for it to work correctly.

[Osan_lifter]

Ther reason I have my accufitness calipers is to give me an idea of my progress. Thats all. ****, they tell me Im like 11% and I know thats not true! If Im bulking, and on thursday mornings, I usually get 11%, and then all of a sudden its 14% or whatever, that tells me something: No more pizza, fatboy.

[jchester47]

hello there hey guys im at 12 1/2 body fat i weigh 148 and i have 130 pounds lean mass i am currently 5'7 aroun how long would it take me to drop to 10% body fat?

i work out 6/7 days a week mon-sat on sun i run 3 milesthen play b ball all day? i burn 500 calories daily? and have good diet how long would u guys say it takes to drop them 2%

[fatburner82]

I just joined, can you guys help me guess my body fat %??? I am thinking like 15 maybe...??