How to Guide: Measuring Body Fat

"The devil has put a penalty on all things we enjoy in life. Either we suffer in health or we suffer in soul or we get fat." ~ Albert Einstein

Lately I've been reading a lot of other bloggers weight loss blogs & I've noticed that many of those who list there body fat % on their site have much lower percentages than I do. I started to wonder just how accurate my body fat % actually was.

For those of you that don't know my body fat % listed on this blog is based entirely on the results given by my Tanita scale. For additional information on how often I weight myself & how I tabulate my numbers click here.

After asking around a bit and finding out others peoples methods I figured a little research was necessary on my part to figure out the following:

• How many different methods are there?
• How accurate is each method?
• What method will I use for my blog? (if I decided to change methods).

After a few hours of probing the internet, some in-depth reading, and some number crunching this is what I came up with:

~ How many different methods are there?

In short a lot.... however there are 10 methods that are more commonly used by gyms, at home, and by the scientific community. Out of the 10 methods only 3 are easily accessible by the typical weight loss blogger (bolded). Here are all 10 methods listed in alphabetical order:

1. BIA Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis
   
2. BOD POD (Air Displacement)
3. Calipers (Anthropometry - Skinfold Measurements)
4. Computed Tomography (CT....know as CT Scans)
5. DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry)
6. Hydrodensitometry Weighing (Underwater Weighing)
7. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
8. NIR (Near Infrared Interactance)
9. Online Body Fat Calculators
   
10. Total Body Electrical Conductivity (TOBEC)

1. BIA: sends a weak electrical current through the body, via bodily fluids/water. The current travels faster through areas with a high water content such as lean muscle mass, while it slows down through fat. The current returns to the originating source and the impedance (total electrical resistance) is measured using a scientific formula (Z = R + iX). The impedance measurement combined with the individuals, height, weight, and body type (age, gender, fitness level) allows for the estimation of their body fat percentage. BIA is the method my scale uses.

Pro's: Quick and easy to use. Relatively inexpensive. Widely available.
Con's: Test is affected by food/water intake, so it's necessary to use this method under consistent conditions.....ie: first thing in the morning, after visiting the bathroom and before eating/drinking.

3. Calipers (Anthropometry - Skinfold Measurements):

"Using hand-held calipers that exert a standard pressure, the skinfold thickness is measured at various body locations (3-7 test sites are common). Then a calculation is used to derive a body fat percentage based on the sum of the measurements."
~ New Fitness

Pro's: Easy to do. Inexpensive. Widely available (personal use or by a trained professional)
Con's: Test results are subjective (depends on: quality of calipers, skill of the person taking the measurements). Also the more obese the subject being tested, the harder it is to get an accurate measurement.

9. Online Body Fat Calculators:

Online body fat calculators can be found all over the internet. They calculate your body composition based on measurements taken at various parts of the body. The calculators take this information, feed it through some type of a formula, which gives you your body fat %. The area's measured, and the formula used varies depending on the site visited and the criteria of the the calculator being used by that site.

Pro's: Free & easy to do. Available all over the internet.
Con's: Test results vary significantly depending on the testing criteria & source. Very generalized. Can be inaccurate.

If you are interested in learning more about the other testing methods not discussed read the following article by www.new-fitness.com

~ How accurate is each method?

Of the 3 methods accessible by the typical weight loss blogger, body calipers are considered to be the most accurate, but only if the test is done by a trained individual, using quality equipment.

BIA testing used by scales comes in second, but it's important to keep a steady hydration level and test under consistent conditions for accurate results.

Online body fat calculators finish last. Results can be all over the board, but if you don't have access to the above 2 methods it can at least give you something to gauge your progress by.

~ What method will I use for my blog? (if I decided to change methods).

I've never had the opportunity to try the caliper method, however I would be willing to give it a shot in the future.

Using my scale my current body fat % as of this morning is 35.1%

Here's a list of some online body fat calculators that I found on the internet, and my body fat % calculated by them using today's measurements:

www.healthcentral.com = 26.1% body fat.
www.runnersworld.com = 33.0% body fat.
www.he.net = 34% body fat.
www.healthstatus.com = 34.1% (US Navy Formula) & 31.3% (YMCA Formula)
www.csgnetwork.com = 36.3% body fat.
www.dietandfitnesstoday.com = 33.9% body fat.
www.about.com = 34.1% body fat.

If you use an online body fat calculator that you believe is more accurate and isn't listed above, let me know and I'll add it to the list. Based on the 3 methods accessible by the typical weight loss blogger, I think I will stick to my scale. After all it's already paid for.

I hope this post has been useful. Let me know if I missed anything, made any errors, etc.

Thursday Funnies: Volume 3

"The aim of a joke is not to degrade the human being, but to remind him that he is already degraded." ~ George Orwell

















~ Tim Peckham

Day 768: Beat my record!

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." ~ Jim Rohn

Well I had another good day today.

I decided to have my cheat meal tonight and was it good......no details.....but the key is that it was planned and wasn't pigout.

A few hours after my cheat meal I decided to hit the elliptical machine to burn off some of the cheat meals calories. I was aiming for a typical 20-25 min routine, hoping to burn off around 250-300 calories.

At around the 13min mark I was still feeling pretty peppy so I cranked up the intensity a bit.

Well when all was said and done I exercised for 39mins burning 515 calories and set a new personal record. Take that cheat meal!

Day 767: Quick Update.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart" ~ Helen Keller

I'm feeling much better today.... getting closer to 100%. I managed to get a good workout, without feeling like I over did it. Not only that, but I ate well, drank my water and even did a couple small things on my To-Do List.

I'm looking forward to more of the same tomorrow!

Week #108: In Review

"Life without a purpose is a languid, drifting thing; every day we ought to review our purpose, saying to ourselves, 'This day let me make a sound beginning, for what we have hitherto done is naught!" ~ Thomas a Kempis

Weight Loss = 3.1 lbs
Fat % Loss = + 0.5% (I think this has to do with hydration while I was sick).

Updated "My Progress Charts" can be found HERE.

Well... 3 lbs lost is great, but I was sick for much of the week, so I'm not sure how much that effected the weight loss. I did eat well & drank my water, but I wasn't able to exercise 3 out of the 7 days......not that big of a deal. I think my BF% went up because I was sick. During the days that I was sick my BF% went way up and it's just now starting to fall back down, and I'm not yet over the cold. This is probably due to my hydration levels being out of whack from the cold.

My To-Do List went right out the window as soon as the cold set in.

All in all it was a good week. Hopefully this cold will blow over very soon and I can get back to my normal routine.

Focus for this week: to get back into my normal routine & to start reading my book on meditation.

I hope everyone else had a great week!

Week #108 Guideline Results:

:Met/exceeded guideline
:Met or Almost meet guideline every day
:Failed to meet guideline

Nutrition Guidelines:

1. To increase my daily water intake to 8 8oz glasses or more.
2. To eat 5-6 times daily.
3. To consume 5-10 servings of fruit & vegetable each day.
4. To reduce/eliminate Saturated Fat and Trans Fats.
5. To prepare & eat more meals @ home, while reducing dining out.
6. To eliminate visits to Fast Food Restaurants when dining out.

Fitness Guidelines:

1. Get +15 mins Exercise each day (working up to +30mins).
2. To purposely park father away from my destination.
3. To walk/bike more often as an alternative to driving.
4. To allocate 1 day a week to rest.

Mental Health Guidelines:

1. To get between 7-8 hrs sleep daily.
2. To allocate +15 mins daily to reading.
3. To research & start practicing meditation/relaxation techniques.
4. To take 2-3 mins every hour or so to take few deep breaths/stretch.
5. To organize and complete a weekly To-Do list.
6. To maintain my blog & relationships online.
7. To keep contact with my friends & family
8. To have 1 cheat meal & desert each week.

Day 765: Pity...Emotional Eating's Favourite Friend.

"Self-pity is easily the most destructive of the nonpharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim from reality." ~ John W. Gardner

Over the last few days my cold hasn't improved.....it's actually gotten worse. Shortly after my last post I exercised, had a warm bath and then went to bed. Ever since then things have kinda been downhill. I haven't exercised over the last 2 days..... in fact I haven't done much of anything, besides loaf around.

I'm not looking for sympathy, far from it (Sherri's taking very good care of me)... I just wanted to put you in my frame of mind.

Around 3pm today I had a craving for wings....plump juicy chicken wings. The following 20 seconds scrolled through my mind: I wonder if we have any in the freezer? Probably not, we finished off all that sorta stuff before we started eating better. Maybe I should go pick some up from the grocery store? I'm too tired to go outside. Maybe Sherri could go? Naaaa..... it's snowing like crazy out there. Hmmm.... maybe we could have something else instead. Maybe we could order in? Then again... Maybe this is just a craving?

I ran (well dragged my butt) back downstairs and told Sherri that I had a craving for wings.... but not only did I have a craving, but it was the first one I can remember having since we started eating well. That's almost a month ago.

Eventually, after my craving came and went I decided to have a healthy snack around 4pm. Around 6pm we had a healthy meal that Sherri prepared. I ended up having a second portion of the main dish, which I seldom do recently.

Less than an hour later, I was hungry and craving nachos. I remember thinking "I should have a healthier snack", and so I started scouring my mind for other alternatives that I could eat instead.

And then....

A little voice trying to fight past all the food images said "Are you sure you're hungry? You only ate an hour ago". Hearing the faint voice I started to think a little clearer; "you know I shouldn't be hungry. It is only an hour since I ate. And I had a second helping. Maybe I'm not hungry. Maybe it's just a craving.

Happy with myself for not giving into temptation I almost left it at that.....but I didn't. That little voice said "Maybe it's not just another craving". I had yet another internal conversation with myself; "you know this is my second craving for the day, and it has been a long time since I've had any at all. Maybe I'm just having a bad day. Maybe it's because I'm sick."

STOP THE PRESS!

I'm not just craving food! I'm sick, I'm feeling sorry for myself, and I'm trying to make myself feel better with food. I'm not eating out of hunger or necessity, I'm eating to fulfill an emotional need to feel better!

Today marks the very first time that I was able to come to this conclusion before eating, as opposed to later that day, the next day or the following week. I managed to thwart one of my biggest struggles with food on one of my weakest days, since returning to my healthy lifestyle.

Not a bad day........... now if I can just get over this dang cold.

Thursday Funnies: Volume 2

"The aim of a joke is not to degrade the human being, but to remind him that he is already degraded." ~ George Orwell

















~ Tim Peckham

Got a cold......should I exercise?

"Nothing in life is static; it either gets better, or it gets worse."
~ Lloyd Dobens

Hopefully in my case it gets better. I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, but it's not bad enough to hold me back. My throat is sore & I'm a bit tired, but that's all. The question is: am I well enough to exercise? Is there any steadfast rule to follow? According to fitness expert Chris Freytag (author of "Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss" and "Move to Lose"):

The rule I like to use is called the "neck check." If your symptoms are all above the neck, like a runny nose or a sore throat, then you're okay to exercise. Of course you should always listen to your body and take the intensity of your workout down a bit if your regular pace feels too strenuous.

... If you're suffering from congestion or low energy, exercise often helps you feel better.

However, if you have any symptoms below the neck, such as body aches, chills, stomach problems or diarrhea, then I advise you to take it easy until you're feeling better. And if you're running a fever, no matter where your symptoms are, put off exercising until your temperature returns to normal.

~ Prevention Magazine

I seldom act on any advice given by a single source.....so I found the following source that shares the same thinking as the above quote:

WebMD - Exercising When Sick: A Good Move?

Now that I have the answer to my question, hopefully I can sweat this cold out.

Week #107: In Review

"Life without a purpose is a languid, drifting thing; every day we ought to review our purpose, saying to ourselves, 'This day let me make a sound beginning, for what we have hitherto done is naught!" ~ Thomas a Kempis

Weight Loss = 2.7 lbs
Fat % Loss = 0.8%

Updated "My Progress Charts" can be found HERE.

I had a fantastic week, even while away on vacation.......*pats himself on the back*.

We didn't eat out too much while we were on vacation, and when we did go out we ate reasonably well. Yesterday Sherri and I ate at Moxies and I even left 1/3 of my French fries on my plate.....which is a first. When we ate at Susan's our food choices were as good or better than we would of done at home. We walked a ton while we were in Ottawa, so exercise wasn't a problem.

All in all I would say that I passed my first real test with flying colours.

Focus for this week: remembering to eat snacks between meals and to start reading my book on meditation.

I hope everyone else had a great week!

Week #107 Guideline Results:

:Met/exceeded guideline
:Met or Almost meet guideline every day
:Failed to meet guideline

Nutrition Guidelines:

1. To increase my daily water intake to 8 8oz glasses or more.
2. To eat 5-6 times daily.
3. To consume 5-10 servings of fruit & vegetable each day.
4. To reduce/eliminate Saturated Fat and Trans Fats.
5. To prepare & eat more meals @ home, while reducing dining out.
6. To eliminate visits to Fast Food Restaurants when dining out.

Fitness Guidelines:

1. Get +15 mins Exercise each day (working up to +30mins).
2. To purposely park father away from my destination.
3. To walk/bike more often as an alternative to driving.
4. To allocate 1 day a week to rest.

Mental Health Guidelines:

1. To get between 7-8 hrs sleep daily.
2. To allocate +15 mins daily to reading.
3. To research & start practicing meditation/relaxation techniques.
4. To take 2-3 mins every hour or so to take few deep breaths/stretch.
5. To organize and complete a weekly To-Do list.
6. To maintain my blog & relationships online.
7. To keep contact with my friends & family
8. To have 1 cheat meal & desert each week.

Week #107: Update

"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." ~ Henry Ford

That is if your plane actually takes off. As it is, our plane was canceled due to bad weather. I think yesterday was the windiest/rainy day that I've experienced here in Newfoundland since we moved here over 2 1/2 years ago......which is saying a lot. St. John's, Newfoundland has the highest average wind speed of any city in Canada @ 24.3 km/h (Environment Canada), and it's not unusual in the fall/winter to have gusts over +60 km/h 3-7 days a week.

The earliest we could rebook our flight was for Saturday morning so our entire trip had to be rearranged. We're now staying in Ottawa from Saturday until Tuesday night, and were catching a flight directly home from Ottawa. I was really bummed about not being able to see my family on this trip....but we managed to get a credit from WestJet, which we'll use ASAP to visit our families in the Toronto area.

There are a few upsides to this change in schedule:
1. The flight to Ottawa and back is a direct flight, which makes it shorter.
2. We're only gone for 4 days which makes it easier to maintain my routine.
3. We're gaining an extra day in Ottawa to sight see.
4. Sherri only has to use up 1 vacation day as Monday is a holiday in Ontario.

So I'm looking forward to leaving tomorrow......only not forward to waking up @ 4:30am to make the 6:30am flight.

Thursday Funnies: Volume 1

"And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh." ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

~ http://xkcd.com

Gung Ho!

"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat" ~ Malcom S. Forbes

I shattered my exercising record this morning:

35mins & 458 calories burned!

I can't think of a better way to start my trip. I'm not even bummed that our flight has been delayed by 2.5 hours.

Diet Pop Debunked.....Again.

"Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!"
~ Author Unknown

Diet pop and artificial sweeteners took yet another beating in a study conducted by Psychologists at Purdue University. The researchers feed some rats yogurt sweetened with glucose, while other rats were feed yogurt sweetened with a zero-calorie sweetener called saccharin.

"The saccharin-eating rats ate a greater number of calories, gained more weight, put on more body fat and didn't make caloric allowances for the extra calories they consumed."
~ www.cbc.ca

When humans and animals are about to eat our core body temperature rises as does our metabolic rate. The core temperature of the rats that consumed the saccharin rose less than their glucose consuming companions. Slower metabolism, equals weight gain.

The researchers didn't test any of the more common sweeteners, but theorize that:

"artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame K may have similar effects to saccharin's." ~ www.cbc.ca

The study is published in the February issue of Behavioural Neuroscience.

Bubble, Bubble Toil and Trouble

"'I hate discussions of feminism that end up with who does the dishes', she said. So do I. But at the end, there are always the damned dishes."
- Marilyn French

You know you're eating well when you spend half your day filling/emptying the dishwasher and washing out pots and pans.

Week #107....Update so far.

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."
~ Saint Augustine

Okay, so I'm not traveling somewhere new and exotic, but it is going to be a fun and exciting trip. Ottawa & Toronto are our destinations for our 1 week trip. In regards to my blog these are some of the things that I've been thinking about:

Eating Out: Over the course of the week we have plans to eat out twice for supper, once for lunch and we're also ordering in one night. Our destinations include: The Keg, Jack Astors, Moxies and a Thai food place for the ordering in...oh yeah...I almost forgot the traditional "Beaver Tail" @ Winterlude. Knowing where you're eating and when is half the battle. After visiting their websites I've decided to order the following:

• The Keg - Filet Mignon with twice baked potato & veg's.
  
• Jack Astors - Cajun Chicken Sandwich with fries (my cheat meal).
  
• Moxies - Sesame Thai Chicken Salad or Mini Egg Burger.
  
• Thai Food - not sure.....but it's not as bad as the first 2 on the list.

Susan eats healthy, so meals at her place are bound to fit in with my plan, and both my parents and brother have been informed about our healthy eating habits as well, which will make things easier.

Exercise: On Thursday morning before we leave I plan to hit the elliptical machine hard. On Friday, we should be doing a lot of walking around Ottawa. Saturday, we're helping Susan move. As for the 4 days in Toronto, Sherri and I plan to go out for a long walk each evening.

Weight: My overall goal is to at least break even. I would love to still lose a bit.....but this might be asking for too much. Hopefully all the exercise we will be getting will offset the eating out.

Now that the serious stuff is out of the way I'll give ya some details of the trip.

Sherri and I are flying out on Thursday to Ottawa, Ontario to visit her best friend Susan and her 1 1/2 yr old son Andrew. I haven't seen the little tyke since he was about 4 months old (maybe a bit younger). We're staying in Ottawa for a total of 3 days. The day after we arrive we get to help Susan move into her new house (lucky us....hehehe), which we're all very excited about. At least I don't have to make any exercise plans that day.

The following day we hope to take in the sights and sounds of "Winterlude" Canada's biggest winter celebration.

It's been a long time since I've visited Ottawa (I lived there for 2yrs), and I'm really excited. For those of you that aren't familiar with Canadian geography, Ottawa is Canada's Capital city, and is located in Ontario near the most eastern tip of Ontario, close to Quebec's boarder. An excellent map is located HERE. Ottawa is 1,774 km's (1,102 miles) from St. John's, Newfoundland...just in case you're curious.

On the Sunday we fly out of Ottawa and head South West to Toronto to visit my parents, my brother Kevin and his family, as well as some of Sherri's Aunt's & Uncles. We're only there for 4 days, 1 of which Sherri will be working at the IBM office in Markham, so we have a lot of people to visit in a short period of time. I can hardly wait to see the members of both of our families. The only drawback of this trip is that it's too short to visit any friends that live nearby, but that's okay since I managed to visit with all of them back in November anyways.

We fly back home to Newfoundland on the following Thursday afternoon.