holy fuck how close are those electronic bmi/ bf readers?!?!

[thewickedtruth]

 

Okay I'm not ripped by any means and most here have seen my pics in the training log. I would put my BF% at about 16-18% I'm a big dude but you can't really pinch that much on me. I did one of those little hand reader hold out in front of you things...adn it said my bmi was 36 and my bf% was 23%  My pics are in the training log section in my thread. Could I really be that fat?!?! Seriously?! If that shit is accurate my life is going to change a little until it comes back the fuck down. 

[G.R.H.]

dude, i just did one too, and mine read 29.1 for my bmi,  body fat at 26.9%, fat weight at 49.7lbs, lean weight is 73.1%, or 135.3 lbs, and about 101.4lbs water. i am 17% above my ideal weight. 

[thewickedtruth]

dude, i just did one too, and mine read 29.1 for my bmi,  body fat at 26.9%, fat weight at 49.7lbs, lean weight is 73.1%, or 135.3 lbs, and about 101.4lbs water. i am 17% above my ideal weight. 

 yeah but it does total weight I don't think it takes into consideration muscle does it? it has a preprogram'd ideal for your height and then decides how much fat is on you percentage wise if you're heavier than the ideal I guess right?! How does it measure water, muscle tissue, etc.?!?! 

[Princess L]

Those hand held testers CAN be accurate (4% margin of error) but are affected by hydration, food intake and skin temperature. If you're dehydrated, you're body fat percentage will read higher than it is.

[Montague]

yeah but it does total weight I don't think it takes into consideration muscle does it? it has a preprogram'd ideal for your height and then decides how much fat is on you percentage wise if you're heavier than the ideal I guess right?! How does it measure water, muscle tissue, etc.?!?! 

Yes,
We have the same/similar device at my gym.
The hand sensors measure pulse and, apparently, as PL mentioned, temperature and hydration levels on the skin surface.
You must manually enter your height, weight, and age.
I believe the device then takes that information and performs a mathematical formula to compute your body’s ideal BMI and compares it to what (it claims) you actually are according to the sensor-read info.

Like you, I’m not sold on the idea that the gizmo can measure and/or distinguish fat from muscle.
And if it truly does, then I fail to see why you have to submit all of the other info.

Or maybe I’m just in denial because that little prick says my BF% is way higher than I want it to be.

[thewickedtruth]

Those hand held testers CAN be accurate (4% margin of error) but are affected by hydration, food intake and skin temperature. If you're dehydrated, you're body fat percentage will read higher than it is.

Really? So I could actually be less? I did it after an hour's worth of hard work in the gym when I was bullshitting with my friend that works there. 

[Bluto]

if you really wanna know, go get measured in a bodpod

[G.R.H.]

where is your pic wicked truth? i'd like to see a pic of you.

[oldtimer1]

I have one and they are inaccurate.  Then again how many fat slobs in the gym think they are 15% body fat?  The more lean you are the more they can be off.  Very lean guys get crazy readings off those things.  I have taken my reading three times in one hour and there has been a 3% difference in each of the readings. 

Under water weighing is the gold standard.  Some call it hydro static weighing to sound like they are smart.  This will give you the most accurate reading. Muscle and bone sink and fat floats.  Most of these electric devices found their measurement by comparing against under water weighing but obviously there are limitations in the amount of samples used. 

Skin folds are great.   I believe that they are very useful in comparing yourself to yourself.  Using just a three point measurement isn't enough in that some people carry fat in different areas due to genetics.  Viseral fat is also just a scientific guess with skin folds. 

If you are very lean you don't need anything but a mirror. To bad so many guys are delusional when it comes to how lean they are.

[Bluto]

ill try measuring with a bod pod next time... i guess i should do one time at my fattest and one time at my leanest... just for fun to have it officially recorded and not just a guessed estimate