Scales and BF Monitors...

[ShiftyCapone]

Are there any good bathroom scales on the market with relatively accurate BF% measurement?. And how about some of the other kinds of BF monitors like those goofy video-game-controller-looking handheld ones? I know that these options aren't nearly as accurate as DXA testing, or even a Bod Pod....just curious if there are any out there even remotely worth picking up. Thanks....

 

[bound]

nope. they don't measure the whole body, and hydration levels screw up their readings. A five dollar pair of calipers is more accurate, IMO.

 

[wearedbleedblue]

What's the need for having a day to day bf reading? If you're about to start cutting or bulking, get a before measurement from a bodpod/dexa/hydrostatic and when you're done with said cut/bulk get a second one to see where you're at. If you're not willing to do that, then just take pics on a weekly/biweekly basis and compare.

 

[Rosie Chee]

Are there any good bathroom scales on the market with relatively accurate BF% measurement?. And how about some of the other kinds of BF monitors like those goofy video-game-controller-looking handheld ones? I know that these options aren't nearly as accurate as DXA testing, or even a Bod Pod....just curious if there are any out there even remotely worth picking up. Thanks....

As already said, NONE of the bathroom scales or BIA scales or handheld devices will be anywhere near even relative accuracy. This has been answered in other threads.

BIA scales, handheld monitors, or anything that uses an electrical current to measure body composition are the most INaccurate ways to measure body composition. For a start, they are dependent upon how hydrated you are and a variety of other factors, including temperature, time of day, whether you have trained or eaten prior and how long ago that was, etc; and, unless your bodyfat is distributed evenly over your body (which for most people, it is NOT) then the reading is going to be far from accurate (i.e. scales only measure the body composition of your LOWER body; handheld devices measure your UPPER body or ONE SIDE of your body, etc. The reading you get is usually out by up to 10% bodyfat, and usually gives a higher reading. At best, if all factors are controlled, then it can provide a ballpark figure, or something that you can compare reading against reading to, but not to be taken as serious.

The 'gold standard' of BF% calculations is done by underwater weighing. But this can be very expensive and impractical.

The next best thing is to get either 6 or 8 skinfolds done by someone who KNOWS what they are doing (i.e. ISAK certified), and calculate it from there. Factors still need to be taken into account, but if your anthropometrist knows their stuff, then skinfolds can be accurate within a 3% margin.

As mentioned by wearedbleedblue, you don't need to check daily. Weekly or even monthly is fine enough. You should be able to tell by the fit of your clothes and what you see in the mirror, if you are losing bodyfat or not. And if you know your body well enough, and what you look like at different body compositions, you will be able to know what you are about, just from looking in the mirror.


~Team APPNUT

 

[crazyfool405]

As already said, NONE of the bathroom scales or BIA scales or handheld devices will be anywhere near even relative accuracy. This has been answered in other threads.

BIA scales, handheld monitors, or anything that uses an electrical current to measure body composition are the most INaccurate ways to measure body composition. For a start, they are dependent upon how hydrated you are and a variety of other factors, including temperature, time of day, whether you have trained or eaten prior and how long ago that was, etc; and, unless your bodyfat is distributed evenly over your body (which for most people, it is NOT) then the reading is going to be far from accurate (i.e. scales only measure the body composition of your LOWER body; handheld devices measure your UPPER body or ONE SIDE of your body, etc. The reading you get is usually out by up to 10% bodyfat, and usually gives a higher reading. At best, if all factors are controlled, then it can provide a ballpark figure, or something that you can compare reading against reading to, but not to be taken as serious.

The 'gold standard' of BF% calculations is done by underwater weighing. But this can be very expensive and impractical.

The next best thing is to get either 6 or 8 skinfolds done by someone who KNOWS what they are doing (i.e. ISAK certified), and calculate it from there. Factors still need to be taken into account, but if your anthropometrist knows their stuff, then skinfolds can be accurate within a 3% margin.

As mentioned by wearedbleedblue, you don't need to check daily. Weekly or even monthly is fine enough. You should be able to tell by the fit of your clothes and what you see in the mirror, if you are losing bodyfat or not. And if you know your body well enough, and what you look like at different body compositions, you will be able to know what you are about, just from looking in the mirror.


~Team APPNUT

i was at the arnold and they were doing bodyfat readings and stiuff on scales they had, i thoguht it was pretty accurate, it wasnt that expensive, and it was actually pretty awesome, even told you your BMR

 

[Rosie Chee]

i was at the arnold and they were doing bodyfat readings and stiuff on scales they had, i thoguht it was pretty accurate, it wasnt that expensive, and it was actually pretty awesome, even told you your BMR

They're NOT accurate at all - not unless your bodyfat is EVENLY distributed all over your body, and you have the same amount on upper body as lower body, and left side as right side (which, trust me, is rare). Also, as mentioned, hydration levels, etc. will all contribute to changing readings (i.e. if you had your measurements taken, went away and drank some water and came back, you'd get a different reading altogether).

And BMR is no indicator of anything either - that's only useful for the general population that do no exercise. For an athlete or active trainee, this is irrelevant.


~Team APPNUT

 

[crazyfool405]

They're NOT accurate at all - not unless your bodyfat is EVENLY distributed all over your body, and you have the same amount on upper body as lower body, and left side as right side (which, trust me, is rare). Also, as mentioned, hydration levels, etc. will all contribute to changing readings (i.e. if you had your measurements taken, went away and drank some water and came back, you'd get a different reading altogether).

And BMR is no indicator of anything either - that's only useful for the general population that do no exercise. For an athlete or active trainee, this is irrelevant.


~Team APPNUT

even if the reading is not accurate, the scales are still decent, and it was within 2% of my bodyfat at the time, so thats enough for me to use it,

it reads hydration levels. all that, may not be the most accurate, but you get a reading each week and see progress with it.

 

[Rosie Chee]

even if the reading is not accurate, the scales are still decent, and it was within 2% of my bodyfat at the time, so thats enough for me to use it,

it reads hydration levels. all that, may not be the most accurate, but you get a reading each week and see progress with it.

As I said:

At best, if all factors are controlled, then it can provide a ballpark figure, or something that you can compare reading against reading to...

~Team APPNUT

 

[ax1]

You should be able to tell by the fit of your clothes and what you see in the mirror, if you are losing bodyfat or not. And if you know your body well enough, and what you look like at different body compositions, you will be able to know what you are about, just from looking in the mirror.

sometimes the mind plays tricks on people,

i had the guy in the gym tell me he is starting to see his abs after losing 30 pounds....

but dropping from 330 to 300 pounds (not much muscle mass at all) isnt something i would think you can see abs.

some people look in the mirror so much they may see a crease or wrinkle somewhere and convince themselves that its something its not,

self hypnosis is a powerful thing....

but in my opinion if you keep it real and honest with yourself, save yourself the headache of bodyfat measurements and use a mirror, and maybe tape measurements.

 

[Rosie Chee]

sometimes the mind plays tricks on people,

i had the guy in the gym tell me he is starting to see his abs after losing 30 pounds....

but dropping from 330 to 300 pounds (not much muscle mass at all) isnt something i would think you can see abs.

some people look in the mirror so much they may see a crease or wrinkle somewhere and convince themselves that its something its not,

self hypnosis is a powerful thing....

but in my opinion if you keep it real and honest with yourself, save yourself the headache of bodyfat measurements and use a mirror, and maybe tape measurements.

Yes, sometimes it does - which is why it's always best to have an objective individual comment on any differences in your physique, since generally unless you do know your body, then you are not going to be able to objectively assess yourself.

Your reference comment was more about those individuals who KNOW what they look like at different body compositions - if you know your body well enough, then you can know about what percentage bodyfat you are without having to get skinfolds, etc. (I know I know what I look like at body compositions from 8-15% bodyfat, and can say without doubt at any time from looking in the mirror approximately what I am).

As far as just losing bodyfat, sometimes yes, you can tell from the mirror. Depending on how tall that individual was re 330lb to 300lb and how much muscle mass they had, it's possible, but as you said, highly unlikely that they will start seeing abs at that body mass.

~Rosie~
The Primordial Woman