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Body fat scales?

  • 10-11-2008 9:07pm
    #1
    aster99
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,216 ✭✭✭


    How good are those electronic body fat scales that you can buy?

    Such as the stuff they have in Argos, are they any way accurate? Or a waste of time and money.

    Any opinions appreciated......


Comments

  • #2
    rubadub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,386 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Crap, & a waste of money. This has been discussed many, many times before. People can get huge variations in a single day, depending on hydration levels and other factors. They estimate your fat by checking the electrical resistance of your body. A mirror is a far better judge, or get calipers.

    Better using the same money and get a good normal scale. Salter are a decent brand.


  • #3
    unreggd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,835 ✭✭✭unreggd


    A Calipers can be just as bad if ye cant use it properly


    But yeah, stick to a good exercise and diet programme and take photos once a week

    You wont notice a change by just lookin in the mirror all the time


  • #4
    Malteaser!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,234 ✭✭✭Malteaser!


    They're not great at all. Wildly inaccurate. There's one on my home scales and my result changes almost every time I get on the thing!!


  • #5
    WolfForager
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,532 ✭✭✭WolfForager


    Pfft don't buy them, waste of cash. My mam got one and it says i'm 13.7% bf whislt in the gym they measured me with callipers etc and i was 12.6%.

    Mirrors are also uselss imo, at one stage i thought i had put on a bit of fat when i really lost .5% :S


  • #6
    rubadub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,386 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    unreggd wrote: »
    A Calipers can be just as bad if ye cant use it properly
    Even with different forumlas the exact same measurements can vary wildly. Just like at educogym, they use calipers AFAIK, and their forumlas are obviously dodgy, since lads are losing 2 stone of fat and gaining stones of muscle in the space of a few days.

    The thing is if you do not even used them properly, but consistently bad then they still might be useful for tracking gains. I just ignore the forumlas, waste of time IMO, just tot up and keep note of the mm readings.

    A pair of well washed/preshrunken jeans are in effect a whole series of tapemeasures all along your waist and down your legs, very good gauge. & photos as mentioned.


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  • #7
    Zamboni
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,306 ✭✭✭Zamboni


    The majority are crap.
    I have only seen one that was consistent and accurate when compared to actual body measurements, calipers & weight loss. It was the Salter Mibody but it costs a bit.


  • #8
    thegoth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 964 ✭✭✭thegoth


    I just bought one in Lidl. I know they are inaccurate, but if you use them on the same time of the week, they should give a consistant reading. For example, I use mine after I am out of bed for 15 minutes on a Saturday morning. I will have gone to the toilet at that statge and not have eaten or drank anything in 8-10 hours. I find it an OK, handy reference tool, but no more


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