Question:
How can you get % of body fat after you have lost 100 pounds?

I started with a local gym last week and they measured my body fat with a computer of sorts by putting in my weight and etc. I still have 30 pounds to lose, but I am in a size 12 and 10. I have some hanging skin, but the computer came up with 47% of body fat, this cannot be right. My hip and rib bones show. What can I tell them , to get them to understand the loose skin from the weight loss. Or do you know if this can be possible. Thanks, Annie    — Annie H. (posted on January 25, 2004)

January 25, 2004
Well that method of determining body fat (by taking measurements, etc) is least reliable. To get the most accurate picture of your body fat %, you need to be weighed under water. Or if that is not available, taking measurements with skin calipers would be the next most reliable.
   — Ali M

January 25, 2004
What was your weight before surgery? What is your weight now? What is your height? I looked on your profile and couldn't find any of this information. It would make things a little easier to figure out with this information. Peace
   — Jencastle

January 25, 2004
There are lots of commercial scales that also measure body percent fat. They send a very mild electic shock through your body (so mild that you don't feel anything at all--honestly). Because electricity goes through fat at a faster rate than it does muscle, tissue and bone, it gives a reasonably good measurement of your body fat percentage (perhaps not as exact as the weighing under water method, but darn close). These scales are a bit more expensive than just plain weight ones, but still reasonable. This scale doesn't know or care about your body measurements, hanging skin, etc. Just height, weight and speed of electrical charge.
   — Vespa R.

January 25, 2004
I get a monthly assessment done at my gym. It includes measuring 4 locations on the body with calipers. A problem I had with this was I got readings that were off from two of the sites due to excess skin (beside navel and upper arm). Once we realized that, my trainer made sure she got to the fat underneath. When you say they put your info into the computer, I assume you are talking about your waist/height ratio. If you weigh more than 230 lbs they use that as you can't get accurate caliper readings (or so they said). I very much doubt you weigh that much in a 10/12, so ask them to do a skin-fold bodyfat analysis and make sure they address the loose skin.
   — Rachael B.

January 25, 2004
I was at the gym this morning and had the caliper body fat test done. I told the trainer about my extra skin, so he made sure to get down all the way to the fat, but I still measured 2% higher than what I do on my Tanita scale. I figure that I must fall somewhere in between the two. I am 5'3 135 lbs (only 5 to goal) and the calipers indicated 31% body fat while my Tanita scale indicates anywhere from 29-30%. It's kind of frustrating to still have so much body fat when I am only 5 lbs to goal and work out a lot, but the trainer says I need to up the weight training with heavier weights and less reps. I'm going to give that a try! Barb 4/07/03 235/135/130
   — Barbara C.