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Body Fat Percentage

M

mwmorph

Diamond Member
I'm 5'7 ~155-160lbs and whenever I measure my BF% with the tape measure method, I usually get between 8-11%(over the course of a couple of years, it fluctuates) but then I just used one of those scales that measure body fat and it pegged me at 72.3kg, 16.8% and 58% body water under the athletic setting, which I find sort of confusing.

I just redid the tape measure test and came out at 10.5% per the YMCA formula and 19.22 :Q for the Navy formula.

Which is more accurate? I'm starting a fitness regimen and I'd like ot keep track of my results.

edit: oh damn, forgot we now have a health&fitness category, please move mods.
 
quit eating, the hunger pains will go away after a few days. once they come back your body is eating your organs, and your fat is almost zero.
 
Why not just pick a formula and go with it? If you're just trying to keep track of results, as long as you keep using the same formula, you'll know that you're improving, and you'll know the rate, as well.
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
I'm 5'7 ~155-160lbs and whenever I measure my BF% with the tape measure method, I usually get between 8-11%(over the course of a couple of years, it fluctuates) but then I just used one of those scales that measure body fat and it pegged me at 72.3kg, 16.8% and 58% body water under the athletic setting, which I find sort of confusing.

I just redid the tape measure test and came out at 10.5% per the YMCA formula and 19.22 :Q for the Navy formula.

Which is more accurate? I'm starting a fitness regimen and I'd like ot keep track of my results.

edit: oh damn, forgot we now have a health&fitness category, please move mods.
Click to expand...

Unless you are very muscular, 155-160 lb for 5'7 will be more than 8-11%.
 
Originally posted by: lyssword
Originally posted by: mwmorph
I'm 5'7 ~155-160lbs and whenever I measure my BF% with the tape measure method, I usually get between 8-11%(over the course of a couple of years, it fluctuates) but then I just used one of those scales that measure body fat and it pegged me at 72.3kg, 16.8% and 58% body water under the athletic setting, which I find sort of confusing.

I just redid the tape measure test and came out at 10.5% per the YMCA formula and 19.22 :Q for the Navy formula.

Which is more accurate? I'm starting a fitness regimen and I'd like ot keep track of my results.

edit: oh damn, forgot we now have a health&fitness category, please move mods.
Click to expand...

Unless you are very muscular, 155-160 lb for 5'7 will be more than 8-11%.
Click to expand...

I'd say I'm fit, not ripped but above average for my height and weight. I used to play football and at my peak benched around 235 and squatted 345 and dead lifted close to 400 so I do have muscles, it's just that I also have a slight layer of fat over my abs from the holiday season so I'm not sure if I'm still around 11 or closer to 16.

Things I've taken into account are that I have thick thighs and wider shoulders so I have to wear husky or loose fit jeans only and as an asian I have lower bone density statistically than other races.
 
Not sure what you mean by the tape measure method but at gyms, the trainers measure you with this pinching rulers that they measure on your arms, hips and legs and then compare it with a chart. I heard the most accurate measurement is where they throw you into a pool and do some sort of measurement in there because fat is lighter than water. My ex-trainer told me that most scales that measure body fat are pretty accurate though. take it for what its worth.
 
the obvious method is to weigh yourself, then proceed to carve out all of the fat from your body and weigh that. it's a little painful, but you get a pretty accurate percentage.
 
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: lyssword
Originally posted by: mwmorph
I'm 5'7 ~155-160lbs and whenever I measure my BF% with the tape measure method, I usually get between 8-11%(over the course of a couple of years, it fluctuates) but then I just used one of those scales that measure body fat and it pegged me at 72.3kg, 16.8% and 58% body water under the athletic setting, which I find sort of confusing.

I just redid the tape measure test and came out at 10.5% per the YMCA formula and 19.22 :Q for the Navy formula.

Which is more accurate? I'm starting a fitness regimen and I'd like ot keep track of my results.

edit: oh damn, forgot we now have a health&fitness category, please move mods.
Click to expand...

Unless you are very muscular, 155-160 lb for 5'7 will be more than 8-11%.
Click to expand...

I'd say I'm fit, not ripped but above average for my height and weight. I used to play football and at my peak benched around 235 and squatted 345 and dead lifted close to 400 so I do have muscles, it's just that I also have a slight layer of fat over my abs from the holiday season so I'm not sure if I'm still around 11 or closer to 16.

Things I've taken into account are that I have thick thighs and wider shoulders so I have to wear husky or loose fit jeans only and as an asian I have lower bone density statistically than other races.
Click to expand...

Ok, then you do have a lot of muscle, you are prolly around 12% my estimate 😛 I think to have six pack visible one must have below 8-10% that's what I heard.
 
Originally posted by: lyssword
Originally posted by: mwmorph
Originally posted by: lyssword
Originally posted by: mwmorph
I'm 5'7 ~155-160lbs and whenever I measure my BF% with the tape measure method, I usually get between 8-11%(over the course of a couple of years, it fluctuates) but then I just used one of those scales that measure body fat and it pegged me at 72.3kg, 16.8% and 58% body water under the athletic setting, which I find sort of confusing.

I just redid the tape measure test and came out at 10.5% per the YMCA formula and 19.22 :Q for the Navy formula.

Which is more accurate? I'm starting a fitness regimen and I'd like ot keep track of my results.

edit: oh damn, forgot we now have a health&fitness category, please move mods.
Click to expand...

Unless you are very muscular, 155-160 lb for 5'7 will be more than 8-11%.
Click to expand...

I'd say I'm fit, not ripped but above average for my height and weight. I used to play football and at my peak benched around 235 and squatted 345 and dead lifted close to 400 so I do have muscles, it's just that I also have a slight layer of fat over my abs from the holiday season so I'm not sure if I'm still around 11 or closer to 16.

Things I've taken into account are that I have thick thighs and wider shoulders so I have to wear husky or loose fit jeans only and as an asian I have lower bone density statistically than other races.
Click to expand...

Ok, then you do have a lot of muscle, you are prolly around 12% my estimate 😛 I think to have six pack visible one must have below 8-10% that's what I heard.
Click to expand...

Six pack depends largely on genetics, although the numbers I've heard tossed around are usually 10 or 15%.

Calipers are probably the most accurate of the cheap methods to measure bf%, assuming you find someone who's had a good deal of experience with them. Scales can tend to be fairly inaccurate, depending on your make-up and the scale itself.
 
Interesting, I'm 5 8 160 and about two months ago when I was at my strongest my body fat was ~15%!

you're not my long lost twin are you?

Now I'm probably 155 but with a higher body fat than before.

But actually if you could deadlift ~400 you probably have a lot of muscle on your back that doesn't go away quick thus accounting for a good %.

 
Oh jeez... I'm 5'9", about 160lbs, but I'm weak as hell. Last time I had my body fat measured the caliper method gave me something like a 17% and some electronic handlebar thing gave me a 14.4%. But... i'm quite sure those numbers aren't right anymore, since I can barely bench 100 and my biceps can't rep 25. Time to hit the gym...
 
Originally posted by: GenHoth
We have a health and fitness section now! You should check it out

and heres another calculator

http://home.fuse.net/clymer/bmi/
Click to expand...

BMI is wholly unreliable and should never be used as a form of measurement. It has been all but thrown out by any serious health professional.

Outside of a hospital your most accurate body fat measure will come from bio-electric impedance (those hand-held analyzers). If you use a high quality product it will be very accurate for measuring change, and fairly accurate for establishing a true level.

Everything else is so inaccurate that there's no reason to even consider using them. If you absolutely must know for sure then schedule a DXA, infrared, or immersion displacement test at a local health facility or hospital. Or, if you have a hundred grand lying around not doing anything, go get yourself an in-vivo neutron activation.
 
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