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2006/09/09, 02:56 PM
I'm playin around with the BF calculater...I put in my info and it pops up 7%...I'm with it enough to know this can't be correct so I checked...I had myself as male...so I changed it and it went 25%...how does that work???Why such a drastic difference???I'm WAY to skinny for a guy...but "hefty"(yeah that was a fun word)for a female...just wondering...
Thanks!
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2006/09/09, 03:34 PM
The online calculators are mostly useless. You can get a pretty accurate reading with calipers but you need someone to do the back measurements. Do an online search for body fat calipers and spend as much as you can afford. Your gym will probably check it for you too. Don't bother with scales either.
The only truly accurate method is an autopsy but you may find that a bit extreme.
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Sometimes life is like herding cats.
Charlie
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2006/09/09, 03:39 PM
uh...yeah...the autopsy might prove a little painful...but my question my darling charlie...was why such a dramatic difference for men and women...why do the same measurements have such different results for men amd women...if I've missed something please feel free to explain what I missed(as if you need an invite to explain what a dip I can be:))
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2006/09/09, 03:45 PM
Are you talking about the online calculators like FT's and mybodycomp.com? If so, they just aren't accurate. You can input a body measurement differently and come out with a 5% difference in BF.
As far as the male/female difference, our bodys are quite different.:big_smile:
Online calculators can give you a good basel;ine to gage future BF changes.
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Sometimes life is like herding cats.
Charlie
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2006/09/09, 03:54 PM
OK....I get it...we're just different...it was the FT calculater...I'm afraid of what an accurate gage will tell me...so I'll stick with this one for now..."hefty" was already a blow to the ego...
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2006/09/09, 04:08 PM
Like I said, the online dealys are ok for a gage. Go to mybodycomp.com. It's much more accurate than FT's but still only good to check your progress. It takesabout 10 or 12 measurements.
I do know a good forensic pathologist if you want to go the other way.
Hell KC, a woman's no good without some meat on her bones. Youir m,an may want you to hold up the car while he changes a tire some day.
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Sometimes life is like herding cats.
Charlie
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2006/09/09, 04:17 PM
THAT'S IT....my new goal!!!Was to be back in My size 6 jeans...but hold up the car while my husband changes the oil....now THAT would turn some heads!!!!:)
Alrighty mi amigo...gonna try the other calculater...if it comes up higher than this one I'll be sure and let my husband know you're the reason I'm in such a foul mood...
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2006/09/09, 04:36 PM
OK...I did it...a little higher...25.62%...but at least that one says I am acceptible...not hefty!!!!
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2006/09/09, 05:17 PM
Now keep your results to compare in a month. Then the online rthing is a bit useful.
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Sometimes life is like herding cats.
Charlie
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2006/09/09, 05:19 PM
I will....thanks charlie!
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2006/09/09, 05:31 PM
You know...I'm thinking bodycomp.com is amazingly accurate. I did this back in April 15 and it had me at 33.98%...close enough to the 34% my trainer got with the calipers on May 1. Now it says I'm down to 27.26%. And I have lost a few pounds since my recent rant about my bf only being down to 31%...so maybe I have dropped more.
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2006/09/09, 06:43 PM
Remember not to get too hung up on BF%. Your clothes are the best gage of progress.
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Sometimes life is like herding cats.
Charlie
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2006/09/10, 07:32 AM
as far as I have seen 18-25% is the 'avg' range for females....and 15-18% for males....
Completely agree with Charlie ....go by clothes, improved fitness level and by your general well-being as a gauge of progress....if you're really curious about your bf you can go and have a PT/doctor/etc measure it....
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2006/09/10, 02:48 PM
Just use a measuring tape KC. That tells the whole truth and nothing less. People are way to hung up on this BF% thing. If you were going into a contest, then yes BF% is important.
MSM, Charlie, and Menace hit it right on.
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Scales are for dead weight: We are not dead yet!
Still trying to find out how to do the Hollywood Free Press.
Ivan
Montreal Canada (City of festivals)
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2006/09/10, 04:36 PM
Personally, I don't rely on only one method. I use the measuring tape, scale and bodyfat. My waist fluctuates quite a bit and can easily be up or down an inch based on how bloated I am and doesn't really tell me much. Elsewhere, the most I ever notice is 1/8" here or there--don't know if that is good progress or slow progess? Changes in the way my clothing fits is also very subtle and you can't always be sure your clothes didn't just stretch a little. So, maybe I'm a little obsessed but I check everything for signs of progress.
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