Body Composition monitors?

I just bought a body composition monitor w/ a scale (it's an Omron HBF-500).  This device tells your weight, skeletal muscle percentage, body fat percentage, visceral fat, BMI, and resting metabolic rate.  A very cool and interesting device.   Now that I have it, I'm trying to discern what to do with all the information it's given me.  Specifically, my skeletal muscle percentage was around 30% and my body fat percentage was around 33%.  I'm not sure what's considered "normal" for these things, and I've had no luck finding that information online.  I do seem to recall that having around 20% body fat is normal for most women.  But I'm really interested in more information about normal skeletal muscle mass, and tips on how to make sure my exercise plan helps me lose body fat while building or at least maintaining skeletal muscle mass.   So if anyone can offer information about these issues, or direct me to a website or text that could help me educate myself, I'd appreciate it!  Thanks in advance for you time - it's appreciated!!! Kellie

Kellie, I have one too and I'm also interested in what you find out.  One question I have is how the monitor deals with excess skin that we carry? Lori

Hi Kellie, I have a body comp scale from Tanita.  The directions with that are that for women you have to take an average of the readings over a month to allow for differences in your cycle.  Also, they tell you NOT to weigh first thing in the morning, because your body water is low.  The lower your body water, the higher body fat reading, and it may be false.  For a woman age 35 - 50, normal body fat is 25-33%.  Each age group has a different "acceptable" range.  My 18yo daughter is about 18%, and the acceptable range for her bracket - 18 - 25 is 17 - 24%, and from 25 - 35, it is a bit higher. When I weigh at different times during the day, I can see a pattern of body comp, and,  like my manual says, the best time for a body comp is late in the day, at least 3 hours after waking, working out and eating - sometime around 4 - 5pm. If you do a google search for acceptable body fat percentage women age ???? and insert your age, you will get some articles from the National Inst. for Health on the subject of what is good for your age range. You might get more info looking for a manual for a Tanita scale.

Thanks for the information, Jennie.  It sounds like the instructions with your Tanita are similar to the ones that came with my Omron.  It does suggest taking readings at different times of day based on how our fluid ratios change over a day.  I think it also talked about taking readings over a period of time and then averaging it to allow for differences in your cycle.   I did find some information on body fat percentage and body composition at wikipedia.  Here's a link for folks that may be interested -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_fat_percentage.  It also talks about the pros and cons of Bioelectrical impedance analysis, which is the method these types of units use to measure body fat.   Based on the information I found, my 33% body fat percentage is at the high end of the "normal" range or just over what's considered normal.  I still couldn't find anything on skeletal muscle and what's considered "normal" or "athletic".  Will keep poking around until I find something on this, or may talk to one of the folks at my gym to get their take on it.   Thanks again for your reply! Kellie