How do you measure body fat?
- Thread starter btb
- Start date
Hey Ducky,
How do you use your calipers?? I just got one and I'm having a hard time with it. They are supposed to be the kind where it should be easy to do it yourself - then they tell me I have to take a measurement of my tricep! How can you do that? I find it hard to pinch without having my other hand to help.
And how do you know you're always getting the same spot? Depending on how I do it, my measurements can vary a lot!
Do you find it's consistent for you?
How do you use your calipers?? I just got one and I'm having a hard time with it. They are supposed to be the kind where it should be easy to do it yourself - then they tell me I have to take a measurement of my tricep! How can you do that? I find it hard to pinch without having my other hand to help.
And how do you know you're always getting the same spot? Depending on how I do it, my measurements can vary a lot!
Do you find it's consistent for you?
"Hey Ducky,
How do you use your calipers?? I just got one and I'm having a hard time with it. They are supposed to be the kind where it should be easy to do it yourself - then they tell me I have to take a measurement of my tricep! How can you do that? I find it hard to pinch without having my other hand to help.
And how do you know you're always getting the same spot? Depending on how I do it, my measurements can vary a lot!
Do you find it's consistent for you?"
I've been taking mine for a long time. I pretty much have the measure spots down. I do tricep, just above the hip bone, and thigh. My thigh is the hardest to get the same every time. I used to measure from the joint, but now I'm just familiar. You might want to try measuring.
The tricep is the hardest to get. You are supposed to have someone else do it, and grab the skinfold with the arm at your side. The way I do it is to hold my arm up... or out in front so that the arm fat well... lol, hangs there (think bat wings x( ).Then I can get the calipers on it to measure. My thigh is hard because the skinfold fat does not want to separate from the muscle, and getting a caliper on it is not easy and kinda painful. The one at the waist is easy to get.
I have an older spring tension caliper, and a newer FatTrac digital caliper. I find the oder one to be much more consistant. The digital one is supposed to apply the same squeeze presure when it records a measurement but I find I need to manipulate the fat a bit to be sure I only have a pinch of fat and no muscle. So the digital one is more sensitive and goes off before I'm ready and gives me a wide range of readings. The spring one just comes to rest at a tension and stays there. I also keep taking readings in each spot until they are the same, or close enough to pick one in the middle. Like say I get 7, 8, and 9 mm for several readings, I just go with 9 mm.
I also have a tanita scale and have a serious hate relationship with that thing! It tells me I'm obese every morning ;( and it varies a lot on how hydrated I am.
Calipers are the way to go for me. Good luck.
How do you use your calipers?? I just got one and I'm having a hard time with it. They are supposed to be the kind where it should be easy to do it yourself - then they tell me I have to take a measurement of my tricep! How can you do that? I find it hard to pinch without having my other hand to help.
And how do you know you're always getting the same spot? Depending on how I do it, my measurements can vary a lot!
Do you find it's consistent for you?"
I've been taking mine for a long time. I pretty much have the measure spots down. I do tricep, just above the hip bone, and thigh. My thigh is the hardest to get the same every time. I used to measure from the joint, but now I'm just familiar. You might want to try measuring.
The tricep is the hardest to get. You are supposed to have someone else do it, and grab the skinfold with the arm at your side. The way I do it is to hold my arm up... or out in front so that the arm fat well... lol, hangs there (think bat wings x( ).Then I can get the calipers on it to measure. My thigh is hard because the skinfold fat does not want to separate from the muscle, and getting a caliper on it is not easy and kinda painful. The one at the waist is easy to get.
I have an older spring tension caliper, and a newer FatTrac digital caliper. I find the oder one to be much more consistant. The digital one is supposed to apply the same squeeze presure when it records a measurement but I find I need to manipulate the fat a bit to be sure I only have a pinch of fat and no muscle. So the digital one is more sensitive and goes off before I'm ready and gives me a wide range of readings. The spring one just comes to rest at a tension and stays there. I also keep taking readings in each spot until they are the same, or close enough to pick one in the middle. Like say I get 7, 8, and 9 mm for several readings, I just go with 9 mm.
I also have a tanita scale and have a serious hate relationship with that thing! It tells me I'm obese every morning ;( and it varies a lot on how hydrated I am.
Calipers are the way to go for me. Good luck.
0 Push ups
Cathlete
I pulled this off the net:
To Measure with Calipers
With the Calipers you can determine your percentage body fat by taking skin density measurements of the supraillic area (approximately one inch above the right hipbone about five inches or so to the right of and just below your belly button- see diagram). As per the diagram, while standing, firmly pinch the suprailliac skinfold between your left thumb and forefinger. Place the jaws of the caliper over the skinfold while continuing to hold the skinfold with the left hand. Than take your measurement as per the instructions and the diagram. Once you have the measurement, refer to the body fat interpretation chart below to determine your body fat percentage.
http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat1.jpg http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat2.jpg
http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat3.jpg http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat4.jpg
Bill
To Measure with Calipers
With the Calipers you can determine your percentage body fat by taking skin density measurements of the supraillic area (approximately one inch above the right hipbone about five inches or so to the right of and just below your belly button- see diagram). As per the diagram, while standing, firmly pinch the suprailliac skinfold between your left thumb and forefinger. Place the jaws of the caliper over the skinfold while continuing to hold the skinfold with the left hand. Than take your measurement as per the instructions and the diagram. Once you have the measurement, refer to the body fat interpretation chart below to determine your body fat percentage.
http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat1.jpg http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat2.jpg
http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat3.jpg http://www.metabolicdiet.com/images/fat4.jpg
Bill
CathydsRNA
Cathlete
Hi, the most accurate method so far is underwater weighing. I did read where spinnin-- posted about a low wavelength xray method that is supposed to be pretty accurate but I don't know much about it. Calipers are the next accurate but tend to underrepresent fat %. The problem here is that only several body measurements are taken and these are presumed to be representative of your entire body. They are not. Also, the consistency of the method of measurement is a problem with calipers. Thre was a study done comparing underwater weighing to calipers and caliper measurement had a lot or errors in the sampling (on the same individual) and always underestimated fat compared to the underwater method. I'll dig this up later in the day and post the link. I think calipers are a good method to keep track of your own progress however, if you take measurements using a consistent method and take at the same time of day at the same time of month.The least accurate are the electrical reisitance measurements such as Tanita scale measurements. These tend to overestimate bodyfat % even when you are at the optimal level of hydration for the measurement. I had my measurements done over a year ago and I have a Tanita scale. They rang in at 16 % fat (caliper by body professional #1) 18% fat (measurements performed by body professional #2) 21 % fat by underwater method and a whopping 26-27% fat by my Tanita scale.
Edited to add
In the study I was referring too, the caliper technicians had attended a workshop on how to properly measure sites and they had to go to a practice session after the workshop. The calipers that are recommended to be used are Lange or Hapenden...these are the most reliable. In this study error occured on the same person, even when the same technician measured them in a retest within a few minutes of the first measurement. The average error with respect to the gold standard measurement (underwater weighing) was 4%. In some individuals it was 10% off. It typically over estimates lean body mass and underestimates fat.A
Also DEXA measurement is the xray measurement.
Edited to add
In the study I was referring too, the caliper technicians had attended a workshop on how to properly measure sites and they had to go to a practice session after the workshop. The calipers that are recommended to be used are Lange or Hapenden...these are the most reliable. In this study error occured on the same person, even when the same technician measured them in a retest within a few minutes of the first measurement. The average error with respect to the gold standard measurement (underwater weighing) was 4%. In some individuals it was 10% off. It typically over estimates lean body mass and underestimates fat.A
Also DEXA measurement is the xray measurement.
0 Push ups
Cathlete
Check this link:
http://www.biovantsystems.com/singleproduct.asp?search=Equipment&partnum=quadscan_4000&keyword=
But it's very expensive.
http://www.biovantsystems.com/singleproduct.asp?search=Equipment&partnum=quadscan_4000&keyword=
But it's very expensive.
0 Push ups
Cathlete
The cheapest one that company had cost a bit over $1,000, here is the link to that.
http://www.biovantsystems.com/singleproduct.asp?search=Equipment&partnum=bs1500_sport&keyword=
LOL JK, you may have a hard time finding a good quality one for $250, or less.
http://www.biovantsystems.com/singleproduct.asp?search=Equipment&partnum=bs1500_sport&keyword=
LOL JK, you may have a hard time finding a good quality one for $250, or less.