BF% Scales

[dub]

I wasn't sure which forum to post this in but....

Has anyone used those bathroom scales that measure your bodyfat percentage. My girlfriend has a set. You punch in your height, sex, whether you are athletic or not, and maybe your age (don't remember for sure). Then when you step on the scales it gives you your weight, bodyfat percentage, and water weight. The platform has metal strips that send some type of current through your body (nothing you can feel), but they recommend you have your feet wet when you step on them to get a better reading. I laughed at them when I first saw them, but a couple of weeks ago the YMCA where I work out installed a larger version of it (which they charge you to use). So I wondered if anyone has used them or knows if they give a reasonably accurate measurement.

[Martano666]

You get what you pay for. Bottom line. You are not going to get a good one for $40.00 but I have one that cost like $150 if I remember correctly. It seems pretty accurate to me.

[Martano666]

The BEST way to measure your bodyfat is........your eyeballs.

[dub]

I have no idea how much this one costs. I have always heard that you can get different results with calipers depending on whether or not the person measuring knows what they are doing. Mostly kids that work at the Y. I doubt any of them would know what they are doing if I asked them to measure. I was advised on this board to get down to around 12% body fat before starting my first cycle. I don't really know how to eyeball that.

[dagar]

Agreed Martano. Mirrors don't lie.

[Martano666]

Sorry dub. I didn't actually mean you can narrow down the percentage with precision using only your eyes, but you should be able to tell within 3 % or 4 % I would think. I know that my abs begin to show when flexing when I am at about 15% bf. My abs will only be visible relaxed if I am below 10% fat. This is just for me though.

[bodger1976]

they used to have one at the gym i trained at, it would give you a printed read out of your bodyweight, lbm, wbm, fbm and your bmi, if i remember correctly it also give you your ideal calorie intake, it was pretty good for using every couple of weeks to know if your heading in the right direction

[dub]

Originally Posted by Martano666

Sorry dub. I didn't actually mean you can narrow down the percentage with precision using only your eyes, but you should be able to tell within 3 % or 4 % I would think. I know that my abs begin to show when flexing when I am at about 15% bf. My abs will only be visible relaxed if I am below 10% fat. This is just for me though.

LOL!! Yeah, I realize you can't eyeball it down to the percentage. But what you said here gives me an idea of what to look for. I know everyone will be different, but that sounds like a pretty good gauge to start with. Thanks.

[dub]

Originally Posted by bodger1976

they used to have one at the gym i trained at, it would give you a printed read out of your bodyweight, lbm, wbm, fbm and your bmi, if i remember correctly it also give you your ideal calorie intake, it was pretty good for using every couple of weeks to know if your heading in the right direction

Hmm. Maybe I'll give the one at the Y a try and compare it to what the bathroom set says just to see how they stack up to each other.

[Martano666]

Well see, they are usually a pretty good guide like bodger said. If the scale you are using will tell you that you have 14% bodyfat, while your hydration levels are at say...58.5% then that means the next time you use it, you hydration levels have to be around the same 58.5% to get the same accuracy. If your hydration level is a little bit higher, then it will register your bodyfat as being slightly lower than before (even if nothing has changed other than hydration levels)
So you just need to keep a close eye on hydration levels while weighing yourself.