so i thought i was doing great on this fitness thing?

...but then i got "measured" at the gym the other day and even though i have lost 5 lbs, my body fat % stayed THE SAME. but my clothes are fitting better, and i feel like i look more toned...what the heck? what's the most accurate way to test body fat %? i swear those pinching calipers are a JOKE. how accurate are those scales you can buy for at-home use? i'm 22, female, 5'10", 158 lbs. i've been working out for a couple months, not religiously, but definitely more than i was before. According to those calipers, i'm 27% body fat. >:-( and according to this website calculation, THIS is my body fat: "Using your measurements of a 27 inch waist and weight of 158 pounds your body fat percentage is estimated to be 23.73 % using the U.S. Navy body fat formula, or 19.39 % using the formula developed by the YMCA." i just don't get it

Public Comments

1. How long have you been going to the gym? If you're just starting out, then a fair bit of what you've lost could well be water. You'll need to stick at it for quite some time to make a judgement on whether or not what you're doing is working. Considering you say you're clothes are fitting better and you look more toned, what does it matter how much body fat you have anyway? As long as you're happy with yourself then who cares! Personally, I would say a caliper is more reliable than the electronic scales. But that's just personal preference :)
2. How long have you been working out? If it's only been like your first or second week you'll loose weight because you're loosing mostly water. Depending on how old you are, your gender and what your build is, your body fat percentage should fall around 6-12 percent depending on how toned you want to look. Just keep at it, you'll get there soon :) Oh yeah, calipers are the WORST method of measuring weight/bodyfat. Ask your doctor if he has access to a dunk tank. It's essentially a huge water tank with a swing looking thing you sit on. When he gives you the cue, he'll dunk your entire body underwater while you let out all the air in your lungs, thus giving the most accurate weight possible. Mostly atheletes use this method as information to start a new exercise routine. As for the best method to measure body fat percentage, they have a small electrical device that looks like a PSP with handles on either side. When you grip the sides of the hadles you recieve VERY small jolt of static eletricity. It only takes about 15 seconds or so to give a the most accurate reading. Plus, you can find them for pretty cheap. Hope this helps.
3. YOUR A FAT PIG AND MOST LIKLEY BLACK PEOPLE ARE RAPPERS DUH DONT FOUL MY QUESTION UP LIKE THAT AGAIN TRATIOR