Body fat percentage measuring device?
How precise are the results? Is a 2% drop in body fat percentage significant, or could it just be a blip?
Public Comments
- dont use those things! they decide how much you should weigh depending on your height and that is not accurate. what matters is your bone structure. if you have big bones and you're short, you may weigh a lot, but it's your right weight. same for people with small bones (like myself). all that matters is your bone structure. how can you determine how much you should weigh by your height? that doesnt make sense.
- Depends on the method you used, my friend. There are, as I am sure you know, three standard methods: Home Body Fat Scales; Skinfold Calipers (Callipers); Hydrostatic Weighing. Hydrostatic weighing is most accurate; the only problem is finding a hydrostatic weighing tank. Body comp testers (which go by bioelectric impedance) and skinfold calipers can vary widely. For home bodyfat scales, the variance can be up to 8%, depending on how hydrated you are. Your 2% bodyfat loss might be true, provided that you tested yourself at the exact same time and under the exact same conditions. If even one variable was different, the number is probably inaccurate and might be a blip. I would try retesting again, at the same time and under the same conditions. If you get the same number again, congratulations -- you probably did lose that 2% of fat.
- If you are truly committed to lose fat and achieve good health and fitness, then you need to distinguish between just overall weight loss and true fat loss. As you continue your weight loss program, each body fat test gives you the chance to make small changes in diet or exercise routines to see if the next assessment produces better results. Here is an excellent article about "Why Body Fat Testing is Important": http://www.weight-loss-choice.com/body_fat_testing.html
- It could be if you used it at different times of the day and also your hydration level will affect the results.
