Bogus Body Fat Percentage

F

Featherweight

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I've been using scales at my high school gym that measure electrical conductance and according to these I have a body fat percentage of 6%. This seems almost believable when I consider my weight and height but I've been reading around and I reckon I ought to be able to see my abs; I can see them a bit, but not as much as I would expect with 6% BF.

The scales seem to work for my friends who've also used them, giving them BF in the double figures. Any idea what's up?:confused: Am I just unusually conductive, or are BF-measuring scales often unreliable?

Thanks in advance for any explanations or similar experiences.
 
no idea.
if i were you, i'd get a real body fat % test at a local gym.. lol
 
Sorry, what does a "real test" entail?

I just used a calculator at with waist, hip, forearm and wrist measurements and I got a result of 6.5% which roughly seems to corroborate the electrical conductance result.

I'm puzzled and frustrated. When I say I can see my abs a bit, I mean only just, and in the right lighting.
 
Featherweight said:
Sorry, what does a "real test" entail?

I just used a calculator at with waist, hip, forearm and wrist measurements and I got a result of 6.5% which roughly seems to corroborate the electrical conductance result.

I'm puzzled and frustrated. When I say I can see my abs a bit, I mean only just, and in the right lighting.
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well, dats c, just by pinchin/measuring ur skinfold, from ur chest, legs, and stomach, u can figure out the body fat % that you are currently at.

and it seems to be me that the bf% u got is incorrect.

ur probably close to about 10% or so, hearing that you are able to see the lines of ur abdominal area.
 
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Yer, bioimpedence meters are very inacurate, for reference: is about 6% and you cant keep that shape for more than a few days..
 
Markus Leon said:
Yer, bioimpedence meters are very inacurate, for reference: is about 6% and you cant keep that shape for more than a few days..
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haha i doubt featherweight looks like that :p
 
haha, right you are Joey007, right you are. I wouldn't be complaining if I looked like that.

8% error, eh, Cynic? I'm assuming that means my BF could be as high as 14%, because 8% of 6% is negligible. If so that sucks, dunno why I ever bothered with electrical impedance.
 
Featherweight said:
haha, right you are Joey007, right you are. I wouldn't be complaining if I looked like that.

8% error, eh, Cynic? I'm assuming that means my BF could be as high as 14%, because 8% of 6% is negligible. If so that sucks, dunno why I ever bothered with electrical impedance.
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hey try ur hands on this



another type of body fat test, try it! @ home with a cloth measure tape
 
Featherweight said:
You're not gonna like this:

I got 6.5% and I'm pretty sure I measured right.
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wow, maybe you R near the 10% zone den, hahaha

hey how bout some photos of your abs? lolz to critique of course
 
Featherweight said:
haha, right you are Joey007, right you are. I wouldn't be complaining if I looked like that.

8% error, eh, Cynic? I'm assuming that means my BF could be as high as 14%, because 8% of 6% is negligible. If so that sucks, dunno why I ever bothered with electrical impedance.
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Because while they are inaccurate, you can still use them to track a trend. If it's going down the numbers, you're losing body fat and not muscle.
 
Sorry Featherweight, but I think you're still mistaken. For extremely lean fml athletes the lowest recommended bf % iis actually 12-14.
I usually try to keep no more than a few less than that at max lean so i still get a period and jazz, but i can assure you that that is definately highly athletic and leean ! If you werre 14% , even if they weren't neccessarily outty abs from a high carb diet, you would definately still see them.!!
Go get it done at a doctors or a gym. ..some places 'll even do it for free. Sorry guy, i think you're mistaken. Do you have a photo???

Blooming Lotus
 
Found another link saying that to visibly rip, men need t go under 10%... considering the way men have to eat, no big surprise.

check this out
 
Thanks for the links, Blooming lotus. This gives me a better idea of where I am. Based on the pictures of that guy, I'd guess I'm around 11-12%, comparing ab definition. I reckon I have more ab definition than in the last picture, but less definition elsewhere. As you said, my fat is most likely distributed elsewhere.

Sound feasible?

P.S. It might help for you to know that I've lost a sizable amount of weight in the last year and was all but anorexic at one point.
 
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Yah? ..Well good to hear you're cleaning it up.
Just because a person is underweight or aneroxic, it certainly does nOt mean they have low body fat or good muscle. The implication is likely usually quite the opposite...and if it's not being nourished and worked properly, then you end up with limp weak muscles and saggy coverage. .not attractive dispite our beliefs when might get to that stage.

Anyway good luck maintaining your health. Just try not to feel like you need to a be a supermodel! Really! ;) It's not that important.shh.

Blooming Lotus
 
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