Body Fat %

zorkmundsson

Afternoon.
A lot of people here saying that the only way to a six-pack (and, frankly, this is why I think most of us are on the Fitness page in the first place!) is to get one's body fat down below 10%. That's grand, but I was wondering how one goes about measuring this. I know gyms have those fancy weighing scales that give you your height, weight, bmi and body fat, but I don't trust them to measure the latter accurately; gripping the handles at the sides seems to involve too many variables for my liking. Is it only through those caliper yokes that you can get an accurate reading?
If it's any use, I'm male, 5'10", and in or around 12 stone, 12 2 on a bad day, 11 10 on a good 'un.
Thanks all.

nikki 122

dunno really u cud try the weighingscales in a chemist???

Colm_OReilly

The only accurate way to measure body fat is to die, then have your body stripped apart with chemicals. Hardly seems worth it imo.

A better approach would be to photograph yourself under the same lighting conditions every week. If your abs are beginning to show, you're on the right track.

zorkmundsson

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

The only accurate way to measure body fat is to die, then have your body stripped apart with chemicals. Hardly seems worth it imo.

A better approach would be to photograph yourself under the same lighting conditions every week. If your abs are beginning to show, you're on the right track.

makes sense. i remember i was flicking through a Men's Health this one time, and they had a few "celeb" blokes who'd been given a programme to follow. the before and after pictures were pretty impressive from an aesthetic point of view; beautiful, kubrick-esque lighting in the "after" shots, explosion in a fluorescent-bulb factory run by Zool and Sonic the Hedgehog in the "before".

i threw the magazine away IN DISGUST.

flaka

zorkmundsson wrote: »

Zool and Sonic the Hedgehog in the "before". i threw the magazine away IN DISGUST.

Zool... Man that stired a part of my brain that was dormant for years. I wonder can I get that on my mobile.

flaka

zorkmundsson wrote: »

If it's any use, I'm male, 5'10", and in or around 12 stone, 12 2 on a bad day, 11 10 on a good 'un.
Thanks all.

Weight is not really useful - as you're not 12stone of fat.

The mirror test is the best way - you are looking for a visual result, so use your eyes.

Keep going.

zorkmundsson

flaka wrote: »

Weight is not really useful - as you're not 12stone of fat.

The mirror test is the best way - you are looking for a visual result, so use your eyes.

Keep going.

good advice, thanks.

however, i do like my toys. and i'm kinda curious. are these any good? http://tinyurl.com/32b452

Malteaser!

zorkmundsson wrote: »

good advice, thanks.

however, i do like my toys. and i'm kinda curious. are these any good? http://tinyurl.com/32b452

They're the ones I use, I don't know how reliable the numbers are that they're throwing out but they're consistent and really easy to use!

nikki 122

zorkmundsson wrote: »

good advice, thanks.

however, i do like my toys. and i'm kinda curious. are these any good? http://tinyurl.com/32b452

i would not reccomend it i have 1 and they make me feel a million times worse than i already do !!!!

davyjose

flaka wrote: »

The mirror test is the best way - you are looking for a visual result, so use your eyes.

Actually photographs are probably better as you're not relying on memory.
For example I saw my cousin last night for the first time in months, and she'd lost an amazing amount of weight - she looked 20 times better, but I was the first person to comment on it. Her family hadn't even noticed because they see her every day.

davyjose

zorkmundsson wrote: »

good advice, thanks.

however, i do like my toys. and i'm kinda curious. are these any good? http://tinyurl.com/32b452

Will it tell you "Zorkmundsson, you have a six pack!!"? No, it won't. I'm not sure about this >10% = 6 pack thing anyway. I've seen people with higher than that have one - rugby players, for instance, rarely have sub 10% bf (even the backs), but many have 6 packs.

ErinGoBrath

Malteaser! wrote: »

They're the ones I use, I don't know how reliable the numbers are that they're throwing out but they're consistent and really easy to use!

Me also. They are consistant and thankfully the numbers are moving in the right direction for me!

Gillo

Is that because you don't like the results it gives or because you don't think it's accurate.

nikki 122

don't like the results!!!!

Malteaser!

davyjose wrote: »

Actually photographs are probably better as you're not relying on memory.

True story, I love having photos to look back at to track my changes.

I tend to use photos, calipers and a measuring tape and track any changes on an excel sheet.

BossArky

zorkmundsson wrote: »

http://tinyurl.com/32b452

I got one on ebay a year or so ago. Probably used it 3 times max. I find the electonic ones handier, even though they are notoriously inaccuruate.

I don't loose much sleep about bodyfat at the moment anyway cos it is low enough (due to varying tests, and based upon my reflection). It is nice to have measurements though and see progress. Just be consistent in whatever method you choose to use.

cavanmaniac

I use both the mirror and the calipers and find both remarkably consistent - they both show I can't lose body fat to save my life! Oh well, off the gym!

crotalus667

davyjose wrote: »

Will it tell you "Zorkmundsson, you have a six pack!!"? No, it won't. I'm not sure about this >10% = 6 pack thing anyway. I've seen people with higher than that have one - rugby players, for instance, rarely have sub 10% bf (even the backs), but many have 6 packs.

Im at 20%bf and I can pop my upper abs out (I still have a bit of a gut) at the moment im reading Arnold's big book ,and he makes a very good argument for going by look not bf% , muscles hold bf so a big guy shredded will hold a higher bf% than that of a small guy shredded

Gillo

BossArky wrote: »

I don't loose much sleep about bodyfat at the moment anyway cos it is low enough (due to varying tests, and based upon my reflection). It is nice to have measurements though and see progress. Just be consistent in whatever method you choose to use.

So, if you used the same scales every time, would it be inaccurate to the same degree each time, and useful enough from the point of view of tracking your progress.

I just look in the mirror every few day's.
I used to take photos, but found it too much hassle.

flaka

Can one perform this on one's self?

Based on how I've been measured you need another party to take the measurements. There seems to be quite a skill involved in choosing the points of fat to squeeze and then being consistent on subsequent measurements.

BossArky

Gillo wrote: »

So, if you used the same scales every time, would it be inaccurate to the same degree each time, and useful enough from the point of view of tracking your progress.

Well yeah. My home and gym scales give pretty consistent readings (to each other). However, when I was back in Ireland a few weeks ago, the scales there reckon I'm 3kg lighter. At the end of the day, if I was in Ireland using those scales I would still be able to track weight gain or loss as the scale either goes up or down each time (unless it is totally wonky and was just giving random readings).

rubadub

zorkmundsson wrote: »

Afternoon.
A lot of people here saying that the only way to a six-pack (and, frankly, this is why I think most of us are on the Fitness page in the first place!) is to get one's body fat down below 10%. That's grand, but I was wondering how one goes about measuring this.

Why do you actually want to know your BF%? if you get it accurately done and it says 10% and you cannot see your abs, then what next?

Any reading you get can be off. I have the slimguide calipers which are sprung. I now ignore the formulas, with readings I take one forumla could say 18% and another say 10%. I just would track the numbers, if they go up I am gaining fat, if they go down I am losing fat. If I see my abs, then I see my abs, I might keep a note of the mm reading that happens at.

Money Shot

Malteaser! wrote: »

True story, I love having photos to look back at to track my changes.

I tend to use photos, calipers and a measuring tape and track any changes on an excel sheet.

So what happens when you get that six pack - happiness suddenly dawns ? What happens when you loose it again - life crumbles ?

All I can say is, a lot of people seem to have a hell of a lot more time to spare than I have. I really don't understand this obsession with Body fat% that so many people seem to have today. If your fit and healthy, you will look and feel good - full stop. Men's health magazine has a lot to answer for...

zorkmundsson

Money Shot wrote: »

So what happens when you get that six pack - happiness suddenly dawns ? What happens when you loose it again - life crumbles ?

All I can say is, a lot of people seem to have a hell of a lot more time to spare than I have. I really don't understand this obsession with Body fat% that so many people seem to have today. If your fit and healthy, you will look and feel good - full stop. Men's health magazine has a lot to answer for...

i will never be happy unti i have a six-pack. never ever.

Money Shot

zorkmundsson wrote: »

i will never be happy unti i have a six-pack. never ever.

I think you're probably right - true happiness can only come from sporting a six pack. I've dedicated way too much time on superficial and stupid things, such as children, family, friends and a training regime that only provides me with fitness and good health.

Imagine - I could surreptitiously show them off at parties and accidently get caught without jacket when it rains to create a change of t-shirt situation. I could even get a tat there to use as a cunning ruse to draw attention to the abs.
Decided - I will drop a %body fat each week until I dissapear...

Malteaser!

Money Shot wrote: »

So what happens when you get that six pack - happiness suddenly dawns ? What happens when you loose it again - life crumbles ?

All I can say is, a lot of people seem to have a hell of a lot more time to spare than I have. I really don't understand this obsession with Body fat% that so many people seem to have today. If your fit and healthy, you will look and feel good - full stop. Men's health magazine has a lot to answer for...

Personally, I'm not looking for a six pack or to lose any weight.

I find it interesting to track the changes in my body composition as I lift heavier and heavier weights. I also like to have numbers that I can use as a base or as a comparison if I ever did decide to lose weight or go after that six pack.

As for the time issue, it takes all of ten minutes to snap a few pics and take a few measurements.