andtckrtoo
Cathlete
I'm going to break down and buy these. I'm prepared to be terrified. But, I am interested in knowing what brand and model people have and what they like and don't like about them. I'm totally clueless about this.
Body Fat Calipers
- Thread starter andtckrtoo
- Start date
Inexpensive. Requires just one measurement and is suprisingly accurate:
http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/products/fitness3000.html
http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/products/fitness3000.html
oneskineejosie
Cathlete
Are these calipers more accurate than the scales that supposedly measure your body fat? I haven't had my body fat measured in years and I'm curious to see what it is!
Josie
Josie
>Are these calipers more accurate than the scales that
>supposedly measure your body fat? I haven't had my body fat
>measured in years and I'm curious to see what it is!
>Josie
Yes, they are more accurate. The scale is subject to your hydration level -- the more hydrated you are, the lower your body fat % will be. I use mine to determine my hydration level more than my body fat %.
>supposedly measure your body fat? I haven't had my body fat
>measured in years and I'm curious to see what it is!
>Josie
Yes, they are more accurate. The scale is subject to your hydration level -- the more hydrated you are, the lower your body fat % will be. I use mine to determine my hydration level more than my body fat %.
Sunshine 1528
Cathlete
To Flyweight or any other "caliper" users:
If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a bit.
How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my case?
If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a bit.
How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my case?
teddy16410
Cathlete
>>>>>>>>>>>>>If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a bit.
How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my case?
Jacque <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jacque... What I have been told is that you can take a caliper reading in 3-4 places ie: hip bone area, thigh, upper arm, back fat area and get an average. Total the 3 or 4 measurements and divide by # of measurements taken - general average. In some health clubs they actually do it this way. Be sure and always stay consistent with where you do this or you will never see semi-accurate trends.
HTH
How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my case?
Jacque <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jacque... What I have been told is that you can take a caliper reading in 3-4 places ie: hip bone area, thigh, upper arm, back fat area and get an average. Total the 3 or 4 measurements and divide by # of measurements taken - general average. In some health clubs they actually do it this way. Be sure and always stay consistent with where you do this or you will never see semi-accurate trends.
HTH
teddy16410
Cathlete
>>>>>>>>>>>>>If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a bit.
How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my case?
Jacque <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jacque... What I have been told is that you can take a caliper reading in 3-4 places ie: hip bone area, thigh, upper arm, back fat area and get an average. Total the 3 or 4 measurements and divide by # of measurements taken - general average. In some health clubs they actually do it this way. Be sure and always stay consistent with where you do this or you will never see semi-accurate trends.
HTH
How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my case?
Jacque <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jacque... What I have been told is that you can take a caliper reading in 3-4 places ie: hip bone area, thigh, upper arm, back fat area and get an average. Total the 3 or 4 measurements and divide by # of measurements taken - general average. In some health clubs they actually do it this way. Be sure and always stay consistent with where you do this or you will never see semi-accurate trends.
HTH
I just received my calipers from beach body and my fat is more in my thighs and butt too. Or at least most of my body wt. when I had it tested at the ymca 3 yrs ago, I asked where my highest reading was and she said in my tri's not my thighs. My thighs are thick but muscular, I cant seem to get rid of that dreaded under arm flap no matter how heavy I lift. It isnt the back of my arm but if you put your hand right where your armpit is and go along the arm ,that is what still jigglies if you wave bye to someone.
>To Flyweight or any other "caliper" users:
>
>If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip
>bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine
>in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a
>bit.
>
>How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my
>case?
Have you ever had a course in statistics/regression analysis? I've had a few. The reading is based on a regression equation (hard to explain if you don't have a stats background). Basically, they develop a formula (model), so that when the reading (your measurement) is used, it correlates to a model to give you a result (the bf%).
>
>If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip
>bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine
>in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a
>bit.
>
>How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my
>case?
Have you ever had a course in statistics/regression analysis? I've had a few. The reading is based on a regression equation (hard to explain if you don't have a stats background). Basically, they develop a formula (model), so that when the reading (your measurement) is used, it correlates to a model to give you a result (the bf%).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>If it is only one measurement and it is the one
>near the hip bone I would have very little body fat. I carry
>all of mine in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is
>quite a bit.
>
>How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my
>case?
>
>Jacque <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
>
>Jacque... What I have been told is that you can take a caliper
>reading in 3-4 places ie: hip bone area, thigh, upper arm,
>back fat area and get an average. Total the 3 or 4
>measurements and divide by # of measurements taken - general
>average. In some health clubs they actually do it this way. Be
>sure and always stay consistent with where you do this or you
>will never see semi-accurate trends.
>HTH
>
>
An "averaging" method wouldn't work. It's got to be plugged into an equation based on a regression model. If they are doing it this way, it won't work. Some people say the more measurements you take, the more prone to error your result wiil be. If one measurement is off, it can throw the whole equation off.
The point is, the measurement isn't trying to give you a DIRECT measurement of your body fat, it has to be used in a formula. If you don't have a stats background, it's hard to explain.
>near the hip bone I would have very little body fat. I carry
>all of mine in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is
>quite a bit.
>
>How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my
>case?
>
>Jacque <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
>
>Jacque... What I have been told is that you can take a caliper
>reading in 3-4 places ie: hip bone area, thigh, upper arm,
>back fat area and get an average. Total the 3 or 4
>measurements and divide by # of measurements taken - general
>average. In some health clubs they actually do it this way. Be
>sure and always stay consistent with where you do this or you
>will never see semi-accurate trends.
>HTH
>
>
An "averaging" method wouldn't work. It's got to be plugged into an equation based on a regression model. If they are doing it this way, it won't work. Some people say the more measurements you take, the more prone to error your result wiil be. If one measurement is off, it can throw the whole equation off.
The point is, the measurement isn't trying to give you a DIRECT measurement of your body fat, it has to be used in a formula. If you don't have a stats background, it's hard to explain.
macska
Cathlete
Read the information at http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/faq.html for an explanation.
You can also download a study at http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/studyinfo.html which compares the one-site method to another method using three sites.
You can also download a study at http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/studyinfo.html which compares the one-site method to another method using three sites.
>To Flyweight or any other "caliper" users:
>
>If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip
>bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine
>in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a
>bit.
>
>How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my
>case?
I tend to carry my weight in the same place as you, which I think is true for most women. The model takes that into account. My bf% is about 17% which seems right when I compare it to my scale (with bf%), they way I look, etc.
No method is going to be completely accurate (except for underwater). What you want to look for are trends and changes in your bf%. And believe me, you can tell. Once you get good at taking the measurement, you can definitely tell the difference between, 4mm and 5mm!!
>
>If it is only one measurement and it is the one near the hip
>bone I would have very little body fat. I carry all of mine
>in my thighs and behind, and believe me, there is quite a
>bit.
>
>How accurate could this type of measurement really be in my
>case?
I tend to carry my weight in the same place as you, which I think is true for most women. The model takes that into account. My bf% is about 17% which seems right when I compare it to my scale (with bf%), they way I look, etc.
No method is going to be completely accurate (except for underwater). What you want to look for are trends and changes in your bf%. And believe me, you can tell. Once you get good at taking the measurement, you can definitely tell the difference between, 4mm and 5mm!!
andtckrtoo
Cathlete
Lucinda - thank you. I was reading the same thing. You're right that it's more of a trend analysis than an actually verifiable fact. And I will use them that way.
I have the expensive Lange calipers, and I've had my measurements taken over the years with the multi-site method, which have been consistant 'cause my weight stays the same. I just tried the one-site method, and it's right on. This is good when you don't have help to measure your triceps!