4 Techniques for Measuring Body Fat

You may have heard about lean muscle mass. Since muscle is denser than fat. Someone with a large percentage of their weight in muscle would look trim compared against a person of the same weight whose weight is generally in fat. So how you measure your body fat can be a crucial aspect to your health and fitness regime.

Commonest methods of deternining body fat.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – An x-ray “excites” water and fat molecules in the body, thru a magnetic field. A computer scans a person’s body, while he lies within the magnetic field. It produces high quality photographs illustrating how much fat there is and its location. The process takes approximately 30 minutes and is considered safe because it does not use ionizing radiation.

Pros: Safe and comparatively correct.

Cons: The equipment, as well as the analysis of the results is costly.

Hydrostatic Weighing – This is the one that I have heard about as being the finest. First of all, you get weighed in the standard way. Then you are immersed completely in a tank of water and weighed again.

Because bone and muscle densities are higher than water and fat is less dense than water, the person with more bone and muscle will weight more in water than the person who has more fat.

The expert can then determine the volume and density of the person’s body, and therefore, the proportion of body fat.

This is one I have always wanted to try, but haven’t taken the time to hunt down where I can find such a tank.

Pros: It gives pretty correct results

Cons: Chances are you do not have a tank in your house and may not wish to get one.

Bioelectrical Impedance Scale – While generally used, this is not the most accurate. A special scale applies feeble electrical current through your body. Since fat and muscles exhibit a different resistance to the current, the scale shows how many pounds of body fast you have compared against muscle. Fat and muscle resist the current at different rates

Pros: You can get one of these for home use from Amazon and other online market places for approximately $40.00

Cons: But a professional scale works best and begins at about $1500

Body Fat Caliper – This is the one I use, but I never feel secure that I am using it correctly in spite of the fact that I follow the directions, You’re told to pinch the skin away from the muscle about one inch above your hip bone, Then you use the calipers to determine the fold, then consult a chart which lists weight according to age, to figure out your body fat.

Although it is simple to use, I am never actually sure I am pinching only the fat. I understand also, that highly fat people have a tougher time of it.

Pros of this system are small and minimal cost.

The cons are, as I listed above, skill of the person using it.

The technique for low body fat is to build muscle.

Gloria Reibin is a Fitness Counselor who practices and teaches the 7 Minute Workout, whereby it's easy to get in the best shape of your life by working out only 7 minutes a day 3 times a week. VIsit her Fitness Success Blog for ongoing support. See what part exercise and fitness plays in diabetes.