[Sportsandrec] Measuring bodyfat?

[Kelly Thornbury]

While water submersion Wayne is considered the gold standard, there are actually very few people who can perform the test accurately. You must be able to exhale absolutely as much as you can, then hold your (lack of) breath until the scale settles… Before your body thinks it's drowning. Then, not everyone has the same residual lung capacity (the amount of air left in your lungs so that they do not collapse), and dead air spaces (the air in your throat and nasal passages for example). If you decide to engage in this test, you really should practice the technique (the breeding technique) several times before you go, and then hyperventilate before you are submerged. This will allow you to hold your breath longer. 

The most accurate test today is the DEX a (dual energy x-ray absorptiomerty) scan. This test is so accurate you could conceivably get a body fat percentage measurement of your left arm versus your right foot. The main reason this test has not become the gold standard over water submersion Wayne is that the computer software actually measures all other body tissues then does a calculation for body fat. The results of this test are way cool however, and a good technician could tell you the difference in body fat between your left and right chest muscles.

Unless you are conducting a clinical research study, both these tests are far too "accurate" for common use. If you are not interested in a BEI scale, any fitness center should be able to do a skinfold caliper test.

Ultimately, unless you have some reason to do so otherwise, don't get stuck on the numbers. Working out and watching your diet will affect your body fat composition in a positive way. Even if you are not seeing weight loss on the scale, if your clothes are beginning to fit more loosely, your body fat percentage is decreasing because muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue. These are easy, inexpensive, and accurate enough for common use.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 5, 2014, at 9:13, "Poppa Bear" <heavens4real at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> The water static body fat measuring was the most acurat at one time. You are in a tank of water and they mesure it acordingly, some colledge sports programs still use this method I think. A local gym may also have a personal trainer that can do it with calapers. It only takes a few minutes. ginal Message ----- From: "Bill Kociaba" <williamkociaba at comcast.net>
> To: "'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'" <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2014 4:29 AM
> Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Measuring bodyfat?
> 
> 
>> Hi Jay,
>> Don't think there is one.Personally I don't think you can accuratly take
>> caliper measurements on yourself anyway so my advice is to ask someone who
>> hopefully knows what they are doing do it for you
>> Bill
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Sportsandrec [mailto:sportsandrec-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of J
>> Louchart
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2014 7:48 AM
>> To: Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List
>> Subject: [Sportsandrec] Measuring bodyfat?
>> 
>> Hi, all,
>> 
>> 
>> Does anyone know of an accessible way to measure body-fat for a
>> totally blind person?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> J
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
>> J Louchart
>> 
>> "Everyone is a genius; but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb
>> a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid." -- Albert
>> Einstein
>> 
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