QUESTION - Body Fat Percentage - Skin Vs Fat
#256143 - 04/04/06 09:11 AM
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Shell Marr
Reged: 08/04/03
Posts: 14959
Loc: Seattle, WA USA
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PT Heather & I talked about how I want to lose as much fat as I can on my own before having any kind of skin removal.... and while they are in there...I want my boobs lifted!! LOL She said, "Well, you don't have that much FAT left to lose!!"
My questions is..... how can you get an accurate body fat percentage if when you pinch the skin to measure it.... you don't know how much is fat and how much is just extra stretched out hanging skin? Any ideas?
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The only way to get a true reading of body fat percentage is to have it done somewhere. I'm not sure where exactly you can go, probably a sports clinic or medical clinic that deals with fitness and nutrition. They put you in a tank of water and somehow measure things like that. Pinching doesn't give an accurate number, and neither does just using calculations based on weight, height or measurements. I've never had it done, but if you do find out anything, let us know!
Hope that helps,
Kat
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Kat
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Well, that sure sounds like a lot of work!! LOL 
I just bought "ACCU MEASURE Body Fat Caliper Tester Caliper" on Ebay for $4.95 + $3.95 shipping!!
Site that shows WHERE to pinch.... web page
This is the same thing that my Personal Trainer used to check mine.... I will check it at home also... I HATE having to wait two months to have her do it... she does not like to do them too often...instead she is focused on kicking my butt! LOL JUST KIDDING.... she does in like every 5-6 weeks....but I have NOT WANTED her to do it since like August...cuz I did not want to see the numbers....so we have waited....I think I'm doing a lot better NOW!!
I emailed her also today to see if she could expain the skin vs fat thing better....
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My PT had a machine that I held at chest level and gripped. It told me my fat %. They are also scales that do this, you could go soemwhere that has one and step on it (so you don't have to buy it, they're expensive).
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Shane bought one of those about a year ago... we only use it for "weight" because the numbers were SO far off from the numbers we got at the gym with our trainers...... Maybe I should look at it for that again? I just don't understand how standing on those sensors that the machine can tell?
Quote:
My PT had a machine that I held at chest level and gripped. It told me my fat %. They are also scales that do this, you could go soemwhere that has one and step on it (so you don't have to buy it, they're expensive).
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Here is another great site that I just found... check it out!! Comparitive Methodology
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the scales, and i think this is the same for the thing you just hold, send a really mild electrical current through your body, and calculate your body fat %age by the resistance. it's less accurate than calipers, which are less accurate than the (really expensive) submersion measurements.
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jaime
ibs-a (mostly d) // vegetarian
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Thanks!! I got on the scale last night and it said I had 12% MORE body fat then the last caliper test that PT Heather did on me....  I DON'T THINK SO!!
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the scales, and i think this is the same for the thing you just hold, send a really mild electrical current through your body, and calculate your body fat %age by the resistance. it's less accurate than calipers, which are less accurate than the (really expensive) submersion measurements.
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I tried one when I was in good shape (not anymore!) and it gave me a WAY high result. I say stick with the calipers.
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ok...thanks Ginger!!
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Hey guys,
Yeah, I don't understand how those scales work.. I mean, how they can work ACCURATELY. We almost got one when we needed a scale, but I thought it was pointless.
They have a similar thing at my gym that always says I have the same fat percentage as like a bag of chips, hee hee. Just kidding.. Sorta. 
I think the calipers do sound better but.. MAN, do I hate those things!  They used one on me at the training place I went to and it was pretty embarassing. I'd rather do it at home, but I'd probably fudge the numbers.. hee hee.
Cheers!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Your so funny Steph.... I'm missed ya around these parts!! hehehe
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Oh really? ha ha, don't go by those machine then!  
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Hi Shell! How are you?? Haven't been around in a while but I just wanted to say hi
Anyway, re: body fat testing, scales (and measuring tapes) are notoriously inaccurate. They're good if you want to measure a change in your body fat % (i.e. it said you are x and 2 months later you're x-3) but if you need an accurate % number, nope.
Calipers are definitely better but if you NEED an accurate % for the surgery, find our where you can get it measured in a water tank - usually at a sports medicine factility or a university or hospital or something. (Like Kat described, they put you in a tank of water.) That's really the only 100% (or almost 100% anyway) accurate way to do it.
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