If you say you want to lose weight, youll probably measure progress by stepping on a scale.
This doesnt mean youneedto track your body fat.
If youre just curious where you fall,this photo guide can help.
Which means that these people are all dead.
Scientists have used dissection to calibrate other methods like those described below.
Underwater Weighingis the classic method, and the basis for more complicated methods used in research.
This method works because fat is lighter than muscle and bone.
But those densities vary between people.
Age, sex, and racealso affect tissue density.
Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) Scansare the newer gold standard.
The same caveats apply: you, personally, may have different body tissue densities than the equations assume.
Price varies, but expect to pay around $50.
Are any of these methods worth it?
I have a hard time imagining this person, but lets be honest: Youre out there somewhere.
Here are your best options.
Skinfold Calipers, wielded by someone with experience, are probably your best bet.
Are they using the same amount of pressure?
you might take your pick ofequations to calculate body fat.
Bioelectrical Impedance Devices, including those scales with the silver foot pads, have a lot of drawbacks.
Its not a bad theory, but in practice there is a lot of variation, even day-to-day.
Your hydration status can change your bioelectrical reading.
And even when youre using a rig consistently, theresults can still vary.
Tape-measure methodsuse the size of different body parts to calculate your body fat.
The tape measure also cant tell the difference between muscle and fat.
Calipers dont have this problem because pinching the skin separates fat from muscle.
