• FreeTrainers.com Forums
• General Fitness & Exercise
• Body Fat Measurements

Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Body Fat Measurements

gwindalyn Posts: 434 Joined: 2003/01/15	2003/06/12, 08:09 AM Had my BF measured at the gym for the first time this morning. The FT calculator has me at 27%. The Gym uses the thingie jiggie with the sensors and electrical current. It showed me at 38%. I expected a difference in the two, but not that large of a difference. Now I'm all cornfuzzled. -------------- ~Jennifer http://www.gwindalyn.com If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything.
jefado Posts: 443 Joined: 2003/04/03	2003/06/12, 08:34 AM :o) WOW that IS quite a leap.... Wonder what the machine was called? Hmmm...Wonder exactly how it works, and if there are circumstances which would throw the results off?? I'm cornfuzzled, puzzled with you Gwin.
gwindalyn Posts: 434 Joined: 2003/01/15	2003/06/12, 10:02 AM LOL! I dunno what it's called. It gives them some resistance measurement that they plug into the computer with my weight, height, age, etc and then the computer spits out my BF and what I should be along with what weight I should be along with lbm and percentage of fat lbs, etc etc. It said I should weigh 167lbs with 26%BF. If that is true, then I've been WAY too hard on myself. Here I was shooting for 135lbs and 10-13%BF. -------------- ~Jennifer http://www.gwindalyn.com If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything.
Deby Posts: 333 Joined: 2002/08/05	2003/06/12, 10:21 AM Mine on FT was something like 29%, but at the gym they use calipers and a tape measure I started off at 48%, that is a huge difference. I am now down to about 38% at the gym but still 29% on FT because I have not lost significant weight and my measurements have not changed that much, what fat I have lost I have replaced with a lot of muscle so my size is not that different, except in my legs, they are smaller. -------------- Gramma
JessicaR Posts: 467 Joined: 2002/08/12	2003/06/12, 11:13 AM You know, maybe I have a suspicious mind but I don't trust the bf% tests at the gym... maybe because at my gym they are ALWAYS trying to sell you something! I just check my bf at the same place every time; then I know if I'm making progress or not. The actual number isn't that important anyway.
Deby Posts: 333 Joined: 2002/08/05	2003/06/12, 11:20 AM Well, thank goodness I don't have the sales pitch problem at my gym and I do trust my trainer who always does the measurements. I really do have to agree with the gym because I was 209 lbs and only 5'5" and 55 years old, not likely my body is really firm (but now it is getting better)! -------------- Gramma
tarab21 Posts: 508 Joined: 2003/03/31	2003/06/12, 11:33 AM maybe have them use calipers next time gwindalyn. I've only been measured with them ...now I'm curious to try the FT one and see how different they are..
plfitness Posts: 198 Joined: 2003/05/25	2003/06/12, 11:39 AM Hi everyone, the devise Gwindalyn is refering to is an electrical impendience tester which basically sends an electric current through the body to determine body composition. It works off the fact that muscle & fat have different densities & therefore provides different resistence to the electrical current. The problem with this device is that the bodys water weight can fluctuate greatly & we all know the effects water has on electrical current, so the test will vary greatly depending on water weight. For this reason the best method is still by using calipers, as far as accuracy goes I hear alot about gyms over estimating BF%. I'm not sure if it is due to the fact their trying to make a sale or if the trainers are just not properly skilled in testing. A friend of mine was tested & told he was 24% when I tested him he was only 16%! Best advice I can give is to be sure to find a good trainer with alot of experience that you can trust. -------------- \\"Knowledge & persistence is all one needs to succeed\"\ ---Patrick L.
gwindalyn Posts: 434 Joined: 2003/01/15	2003/06/12, 11:49 AM The gym I go to is a good one. The owner and most of the trainers compete. They've never once tried to sell me anything, and they are always happy to answer my questions or show me a new exercise or proper form when I ask. The test was done at 5am this morning on an empty stomach because of the deal with water. Looking at myself in the mirror, I'm inclined to believe I'm 38%, but then I tend to be harder on myself than others and only see the worst areas. :) I guess as long as I keep using the same method to measure it's all good. -------------- ~Jennifer http://www.gwindalyn.com If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything.
drio Posts: 288 Joined: 2003/04/22	2003/06/12, 03:44 PM My BF scale tells me I'm at 20%... I wonder if I'm much lower... My new girlfriend, who has been quite a "gym rat" for a long time, said I must be way below that. Hmmm she might be right! =) -------------- Dont wait! Procrastinate NOW! =)
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/06/12, 05:00 PM If you have a full bladder or stomach the electrical way or the tanita will be really effected. The best time to have these done is empty bladder and stomach, and b4 bed. If 10 trainers took calipers on the same person we would probably have 8 different readings. All depends how much is pinched for the measurement. I am convinced unless we compete in bb contests we don't need to know this, and just use the tape measure, otherwise we will go wacky. Just my 2 cents. -------------- You can walk to anywhere you want, it only takes time. Ivan Montreal Canada (aka SpongeBob Square Pants to some!)
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/06/12, 05:00 PM If you have a full bladder or stomach the electrical way or the tanita will be really effected. The best time to have these done is empty bladder and stomach, and b4 bed. If 10 trainers took calipers on the same person we would probably have 8 different readings. All depends how much is pinched for the measurement. I am convinced unless we compete in bb contests we don't need to know this, and just use the tape measure, otherwise we will go wacky. Just my 2 cents. -------------- You can walk to anywhere you want, it only takes time. Ivan Montreal Canada (aka SpongeBob Square Pants to some!)
gwindalyn Posts: 434 Joined: 2003/01/15	2003/06/12, 05:11 PM I'm already wacky Mister Square Pants! LOL! -------------- ~Jennifer http://www.gwindalyn.com If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything.
Carivan Posts: 8,542 Joined: 2002/01/20	2003/06/12, 08:15 PM Hmmmmmmmmyup... LOL! There he goes getting me into the ring again! -------------- You can walk to anywhere you want, it only takes time. Ivan Montreal Canada (aka SpongeBob Square Pants to some!)
gwindalyn Posts: 434 Joined: 2003/01/15	2003/06/12, 10:16 PM Hey hey hey! No picking on the wacko lady! LOL! Goofballs! :p -------------- ~Jennifer http://www.gwindalyn.com If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything.
azredhead57 Posts: 1,651 Joined: 2003/04/11	2003/06/13, 12:46 PM Did the person doing the caliper test do it several times and then average? That is what mine did and it came out to 28% which was exactly what I had calclated the manual/matematical way. On ft it came up with 27%, so I guess I lucked out in that they aren't so far apart. -------------- ~Victoria~ ...Some things have to be believed to be seen!