fat percentage tools???

pood · 07-03-2002, 12:06 AM

i was looking around the internet for tools for measuring my body fat percentage and i came upon the Accu-Measure Fitness 2000 Personal Body Fat Tester @ http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/pr...tness2000.html

for a second it looked like it was metal, then I read that it was made of plastic, wonder if this would break really fast.

has anyone used this before? or use some other tools to figure out body fat percentage without having to goto the doctors all the time?

thanks, i was something like this so i can design my diet.

LAM · 07-03-2002, 01:05 AM

I had gotten negative responses from some people regarding it. I got one last week and for me it's right on as to the readings that I've gotten at the gym.

I think it depends on where the trainer carries their body fat. for those persons who carry mainly subcutaneous fat and very little intramuscular fat it would be more accurate than for those who have high amounts of subcutaneous fat and high amounts of intramuscular fat...

Dr. Pain · 07-03-2002, 07:14 AM

Lange or Harpenden Calipers are by far more accurrate, but your looking at $225-400. Ouch!

Most Gyms and Universities offer BF testing to the public at say $10-50.......hydrostatic weighing being a bit more!

DP

Dr. Pain · 07-03-2002, 07:21 AM

http://www.bodytrends.com/fatcalipers.htm

http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com...tcalipers.html

http://weightrainer.virtualave.net/bodycalc.html

http://maelstrom.seos.uvic.ca/people...f_methods.html

DP

ponyboy · 07-03-2002, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Pain
Lange or Harpenden Calipers are by far more accurrate, but your looking at $225-400. Ouch!

Most Gyms and Universities offer BF testing to the public at say $10-50.......hydrostatic weighing being a bit more!

DP

Problem is with caliper BF testing it depends on the person doing it and the method they use. If you really want an accurate assessment then like DP said your local university might have a hydro tank, but they will probably charge you about $100 (this is Canadian dollars, of course, so that's like about $25 American...)

The margin of error with skinfolds is usually from 3-5% either way and with bioelectrical impedance it can be as high as 10%. However, once you know your measures you can work on improving them...gives you a benchmark.

I prefer Harpinden calipers personally...they are bigger and seem to give more accuracy (easier to measure within .2 mm). Maybe it is just caliper envy though...

w8lifter · 07-03-2002, 08:36 AM

Agreed ponyboy...but hydro isn't really cost effective....even if the BF% is off, you can still use the actual skinfold readings as a measurement of progress.

crackerjack414 · 07-03-2002, 11:01 AM

Body fat calipers arnt the most accurate but they are a good way to measure if you are losing or gaining body fat. I have the accumeasure digital calipers and they are ok. They can vary about 5%

**Prince** · 07-03-2002, 01:18 PM

You may want to read this article!

**Mudge** · 07-03-2002, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by crackerjack414
Body fat calipers arnt the most accurate but they are a good way to measure if you are losing or gaining body fat. I have the accumeasure digital calipers and they are ok. They can vary about 5%

Supposedly its the digital ones that suck, not all calipers. Make sure your using them right as well, is there a certain tension you have to achieve with the digital calipers?

cytrix · 07-03-2002, 07:54 PM

Why is it that those body fat testers that you hold in your hands, providing a lite electric flow through the body, give you a different body fat % depending what age you enter. I noticed last time, that it varried 4 % depending if I put 20 or 50 years! I don't understand that - it's still the same person beeing measured.

LAM · 07-03-2002, 07:58 PM

that's because the calculations are made on statistical averages based on gender and age etc...

cytrix · 07-03-2002, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LAM
that's because the calculations are made on statistical averages based on gender and age etc...

So, if that machine goes by average / statistics, it's really pretty useless, if you are a fit person, working out, eating healthy like w8 and Dp teach us

, supplementing your diet, etc.?

**Mudge** · 07-03-2002, 10:40 PM

The electrical ones are hit or miss, not very accurate on a regular basis, everyones body has different resistance etc

LAM · 07-03-2002, 10:51 PM

the statistics used are from fit people not couch potatoes..

I'm just glad it works for me..

Stickboy · 07-03-2002, 11:57 PM

We have a Tanita scale that measures bodyfat and ours seems to be fairly accurate. Meaning, I was .4% off from my measurement at the gym, while my wife was off by 3% from her gym measurement.

But yes, these things are not all that accurate and the readings will vary depending on your hydration level. I drink about a gallon of water a day, and normally, the only thing I drink is water (though I do enjoy the occasional couple of beers

I use mine more for a base line to see if I'm dropping body fat. The number presented is fairly meaningless to me, as long as it's lower of than the last reading, I'm happy (and when checking, I tend to do it first thing in the morning; over a couple of days and make an avg of the readings.

With calipers, your reading is only as accurate as the person using the calipers. If you want the electric thing, I'd say go for it - just don't take it's readings as the gospel.

pood · 07-04-2002, 12:27 AM

hmmm, have any of you guys used this before?

http://www.healthcentral.com/cooltoo...s/bodyfat1.cfm

its a body fat calulator, you input some data and gives u a rough estimate.

just wondering if anyone wants to try it out who has already been tested at the gym or doctors. I wonder how much it's off by...

**Mudge** · 07-04-2002, 02:49 AM

Yeah, last one I tried told me 9.85% and I'm 16.4%

07-03-2002, 12:06 AM	#1
pood Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 166	fat percentage tools??? i was looking around the internet for tools for measuring my body fat percentage and i came upon the Accu-Measure Fitness 2000 Personal Body Fat Tester @ http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/pr...tness2000.html for a second it looked like it was metal, then I read that it was made of plastic, wonder if this would break really fast. has anyone used this before? or use some other tools to figure out body fat percentage without having to goto the doctors all the time? thanks, i was something like this so i can design my diet.

07-03-2002, 01:05 AM	#2
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	I had gotten negative responses from some people regarding it. I got one last week and for me it's right on as to the readings that I've gotten at the gym. I think it depends on where the trainer carries their body fat. for those persons who carry mainly subcutaneous fat and very little intramuscular fat it would be more accurate than for those who have high amounts of subcutaneous fat and high amounts of intramuscular fat... Last edited by LAM : 07-03-2002 at 01:09 AM.
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-03-2002, 01:18 PM	#8
Prince the one & only Administrator Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Colorado Posts: 34,174 Blog Entries: 25 Photos: 322	You may want to read this article!
	SBMuscle.com - Discount Supplement Superstore AlltheWhey.com - Bulk Protein Powders CEM Products - Research Chemicals & Supplements MusclePharm - Complete Nutritional Arsenal BigBackGrips - If you lift weights you've got to try these grips! HumaneVoLabs - Foaming Transdermal Delivery System. FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS AT IRONMAGLABS!

07-03-2002, 07:58 PM	#11
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	that's because the calculations are made on statistical averages based on gender and age etc...
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-03-2002, 10:40 PM	#13
Mudge Dieting I swear! Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Here Posts: 23,149 Photos: 1	The electrical ones are hit or miss, not very accurate on a regular basis, everyones body has different resistance etc
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

07-03-2002, 07:14 AM	#3
Dr. Pain Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Get the Duct Tape...I'm Ripped Again! Posts: 11,239	Lange or Harpenden Calipers are by far more accurrate, but your looking at $225-400. Ouch! Most Gyms and Universities offer BF testing to the public at say $10-50.......hydrostatic weighing being a bit more! DP

07-03-2002, 07:21 AM	#4
Dr. Pain Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Get the Duct Tape...I'm Ripped Again! Posts: 11,239	http://www.bodytrends.com/fatcalipers.htm http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com...tcalipers.html http://weightrainer.virtualave.net/bodycalc.html http://maelstrom.seos.uvic.ca/people...f_methods.html DP

07-03-2002, 08:36 AM	#6
w8lifter Join Date: May 2001 Location: Around..... Posts: 14,964	Agreed ponyboy...but hydro isn't really cost effective....even if the BF% is off, you can still use the actual skinfold readings as a measurement of progress.

07-03-2002, 11:01 AM	#7
crackerjack414 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: cali Posts: 644	Body fat calipers arnt the most accurate but they are a good way to measure if you are losing or gaining body fat. I have the accumeasure digital calipers and they are ok. They can vary about 5%

07-03-2002, 07:54 PM	#10
cytrix Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: chicago, il , usa Posts: 287	Why is it that those body fat testers that you hold in your hands, providing a lite electric flow through the body, give you a different body fat % depending what age you enter. I noticed last time, that it varried 4 % depending if I put 20 or 50 years! I don't understand that - it's still the same person beeing measured.

07-03-2002, 10:51 PM	#14
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	the statistics used are from fit people not couch potatoes.. I'm just glad it works for me..
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-03-2002, 11:57 PM	#15
Stickboy Rebel without a clue Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: NM Posts: 1,115	We have a Tanita scale that measures bodyfat and ours seems to be fairly accurate. Meaning, I was .4% off from my measurement at the gym, while my wife was off by 3% from her gym measurement. But yes, these things are not all that accurate and the readings will vary depending on your hydration level. I drink about a gallon of water a day, and normally, the only thing I drink is water (though I do enjoy the occasional couple of beers I use mine more for a base line to see if I'm dropping body fat. The number presented is fairly meaningless to me, as long as it's lower of than the last reading, I'm happy (and when checking, I tend to do it first thing in the morning; over a couple of days and make an avg of the readings. With calipers, your reading is only as accurate as the person using the calipers. If you want the electric thing, I'd say go for it - just don't take it's readings as the gospel. Last edited by Stickboy : 07-04-2002 at 10:10 AM.

07-04-2002, 12:27 AM	#16
pood Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 166	hmmm, have any of you guys used this before? http://www.healthcentral.com/cooltoo...s/bodyfat1.cfm its a body fat calulator, you input some data and gives u a rough estimate. just wondering if anyone wants to try it out who has already been tested at the gym or doctors. I wonder how much it's off by...

07-04-2002, 02:49 AM	#17
Mudge Dieting I swear! Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Here Posts: 23,149 Photos: 1	Yeah, last one I tried told me 9.85% and I'm 16.4%
	Kinesiology Vote @ Top 25 Deads Comp Bench Motivation Bench form MaxCalc Charles Poliquin When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. Lao-Tzu I don't know any sources so don't ask - thanks

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