Looking to buy a scale

tjl · Jan. 21/08, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGOOCH

I don't recommend Tanita Body fat scales. As I've brought up many times on this forum, mine is terribly inaccurate. My upper abs are visible and I still have a tiny amount of fat over my lower abs. By the caliper method and the US Navy method I'm between 10 to 12% body fat. My Tanita scale says I'm 21 %...and it hasn't change much in the course of losing about 30 lbs (although with my calipers I've dropped by about 7 percentage points.

Any of the body fat measures is only ok as a progress measure, not an absolute measure, due to various assumptions in the calculations. The higher end Tanita scales have an "athlete" mode which changes the assumptions to be more accurate for athletes (basically higher bone density assumption), but it is quite possible that neither the "athlete" or "non-athlete" settings have the correct assumptions for you.

tjl · Jan. 21/08, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lettuce

tjl, I've got a problem with the whole waist size thing. I measure in at 38 (IIRC) at my waist and at my hips. I manage to get up every morning and get into a size 34 pant.

Now, maybe it's just me, but if I wear a 34 pant, shouldn't my waist size measure at 34 inches?

The trouser waistline level is different from the waistline level used for measuring waistline for health and fitness reasons. A man with a "beer belly" hanging over his belt may have a much smaller trouser waistline than the waistline measured around the "beer belly", for example.

illiniphase4 · Jan. 21/08, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGOOCH

I don't recommend Tanita Body fat scales. As I've brought up many times on this forum, mine is terribly inaccurate. My upper abs are visible and I still have a tiny amount of fat over my lower abs. By the caliper method and the US Navy method I'm between 10 to 12% body fat. My Tanita scale says I'm 21 %...and it hasn't change much in the course of losing about 30 lbs (although with my calipers I've dropped by about 7 percentage points.

...as far as pants size, I've found clothing manufacturers are quite generous, but even so 38" waist and 34" pants seems like a big difference...maybe your pants have stretched and "grown" with you

Also, I'll say that I don't really agree with BMI, but it's closer than I used to think. For instance in your case, 165 with average body fat (a little flab around the torso and spindly arms/legs) may look scrawny, but 165 with 9-10% BF probably looks a whole lot different.

I'm 6'1, just under 190 which is just slightly "overweight" by BMI. When I weighed this much years ago I looked skinny, but now that I'm lean and maintained good muscle mass I look a lot bigger than then

Cause the US Navy method is SO accurate

I've personally never seen a more pathetic program for determining fitness, healthy weight, and body fat. I've seen more fit, muscular people placed on mandatory PT and more grossly overweight and out of shape individuals "squeak" by under the Navy's (terrible) standards than I care to recall.

theGOOCH · Jan. 22/08, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illiniphase4

Cause the US Navy method is SO accurate

I've personally never seen a more pathetic program for determining fitness, healthy weight, and body fat. I've seen more fit, muscular people placed on mandatory PT and more grossly overweight and out of shape individuals "squeak" by under the Navy's (terrible) standards than I care to recall.

It can certainly be off if you for instance are just thick waisted etc. but the point is I've tried several methods and all are close to each other except the scale...and looking at my physique I think it's obvious I'm not 21%

illiniphase4 · Jan. 22/08, 03:16 PM

True that you are probably not 21%, but I have a Tanita scale that registers me at 13%, .5% off my actual BF from underwater weighing.

It depends partially on the quality of the scale you buy.

[Focus] · Jan. 22/08, 04:04 PM

GOOCH, I'm not really arguing with you, but don't BI scales measure only the % of the lower half of your body? My Tanita is quite consistent, and fairly accurate, I feel.

Not that this negates your experience in any way. Unfortunately, BI is subject to all kinds of variables that can throw it way off. Same with calipers and pretty much everything else, though. Hydrostatic (underwater) weighing a fair bit less so than the others.

I found something interesting the other day. I'm wondering if anyone has tried it.

Looking to buy a scale

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Looking to buy a scale