What is my body fat % 12 February 2018 at 5:09PM in Sports & fitness MoneySaving 16 replies 5.9K views

Robinio

I have had body scan. Tape measure says I am about 14%, calipers 13%, DEXA body scan says 24%.

Abs totally visible, looking "lean" according to most, but in fact, I am 24%. I've put on lots of muscle over the past year, lifting weights at home. Got myself some adjustable dumbbells which don't take up much space.

https://www.fitness-savvy.co.uk/product-category/fitness-equipment/strength-and-bodybuilding-equipment/weights/dumbbells/

dunroving

Robinio wrote: »

I have had body scan. Tape measure says I am about 14%, calipers 13%, DEXA body scan says 24%.

Abs totally visible, looking "lean" according to most, but in fact, I am 24%. I've put on lots of muscle over the past year, lifting weights at home. Got myself some adjustable dumbbells which don't take up much space.

https://www.fitness-savvy.co.uk/product-category/fitness-equipment/strength-and-bodybuilding-equipment/weights/dumbbells/

Not sure how you can measure body fatness with a tape measure, but I am not surprised that %fat from skinfold calipers was lower than DEXA. You very possibly have higher levels of intra-abdominal fat than the levels that are assumed in the skinfold calculations.

For most people who need an accurate measure but don't have a lot of money to spend, the best solution is to use multiple less expensive methods and average them. That way, the over- and under-estimation from the various methods will cancel each other out.

It's also really, really important to use equations that are developed for the most similar population to you - so, considering at least the following: age, race, sex. Also, athletes are a special case and should use formulas developed specially for them.

theoretica

dunroving wrote: »

For most people who need an accurate measure but don't have a lot of money to spend, the best solution is to use multiple less expensive methods and average them.

I am curious about this. Why would anyone need an accurate measure outside research? What do people do with the results that they couldn't get from being looked at by someone with trusted experience and floppy bits prodded?

parking_question_chap

Robinio wrote: »

I have had body scan. Tape measure says I am about 14%, calipers 13%, DEXA body scan says 24%.

Abs totally visible, looking "lean" according to most, but in fact, I am 24%. I've put on lots of muscle over the past year, lifting weights at home. Got myself some adjustable dumbbells which don't take up much space.

https://www.fitness-savvy.co.uk/product-category/fitness-equipment/strength-and-bodybuilding-equipment/weights/dumbbells/

If you can see your abs you are not 24%

dunroving

theoretica wrote: »

I am curious about this. Why would anyone need an accurate measure outside research? What do people do with the results that they couldn't get from being looked at by someone with trusted experience and floppy bits prodded?

There's nothing you can do with research-grade data that you can't do with an estimate from "Coach Bill", but Garbage In, Garbage Out.

In other words, more informed and accurate decisions can be made if you are confident your measurement is correct.

Imagine I am your "trusted, experienced" personal trainer and I prod your floppy bits (in your words) and tell you that you are 42% fat, even though you can tell from the mirror that you are nowhere near that. *That* is a very possible scenario from going to see your person with "trusted experience," because of the inherent margin for error in these methods .

I know, because I've been training them for the past 28 years. ;-)

jonybrown

There are enough online websites that you can find where you can easily calculate the body fat percentage. The results can't be accurate but you can get a minimum exact idea.