Body fat

[Jaffacakebeast]

Not really an Aibu as such, but do you know your body fat%? How do you measure it and do you think it’s reliable?

I have fit bit scales they say I’m 29% fat. I really hope they’re wrong, I only weigh 9stone. I’m trying to build muscle and reduce my waist to be healthier rather than slimmer. My weight goes up and down (up to 4/5lb) but body fat only moves by 0.5.

I have looked at the pinch test but no clue. I also tried the scales at the gym that measure you, but the body fat part didn’t even work.

I use the scales in a big Boots store. Measure it every few months.

Scales at home, 22% body fat apparently. I'm 125lbs. I enjoy running, weights and HIIT.

I look chubby though, as I'm short and have loose skin from weight loss.

Do you think the boots 1s are accurate?

What scales do u use at home? I’m only short too, bmi of 22 but big fat%

Sounds OK. I think up to about 30% is OK for women.

I got my scales from Argos, I'll try and find a link.

My BMI is the same as yours - you say you want to slim up your waist etc, what's your current size? Inches give a really good idea of body fat I think.

Focusing on resistance and weights rather than cardio will help trim you up and build muscle.

My Fitbit scales are WAY out. I went to a fancy gym and had a trainer do it with callipers and special scales and they measured a lot less

My home scales show about 6% higher than the boots ones.

Thanks all, maybe I’ll get my flab out for the gym person :/ or try again with the big scales.

I’m Apple shape, which is why I’m concerned about health, waist size 10 ish 28” but everywhere else smaller. Getting rounder and harder to shift with every year.

I do mostly weight, swimming and classes like kettle bells. Not as much as I should though

The fancy scales at home say I'm something like 25 or 26% Fat. No way that's too low, I could easily be higher.

Why are you so sure it isn’t too high lljkk?

I’m a PT, and I prefer to use callipers to measure body fat. I find scales can be useful to a degree, but they don’t take into account individual fat distribution.

I know around 30% is ok, If my fat wasn’t all around the middle I don’t think I’d of be fussed, or even noticed the numbers

Do most gyms do the callipers?

The only even vaguely reliable measure of body fat is a Dexa scan. You can get them on Groupon occasionally as they aren’t cheap, but are excellent. I’m a PT and recommend them regularly

Thanks I’ll have a look.

Another question, is it the flab on the outside all these machines measure, or can it measure fat around organs?

metro.co.uk/2018/03/12/visceral-fat-measure-7380692/

The first picture on that article looks exactly like my stomach 😔

Why are you so sure it isn’t too high

Coz I am not 'toned', I can see wobble & cellulite.
I had mine assessed when I was 18 using calipers and that was also about 25%; I'm pretty much same size/weight now... actually, I'm probably heavier now.
I cut my arm wide open when I was a teen... there was plenty of fat around the muscle. I know it's there. It's how people are designed.

If you're female, extra fat on tum, bust & bottom.