Understanding Body Fat Measurement - How to do it and Why

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Running and weight loss, they seem to go together like rama lama ding dong. But the truth is most of us hit a point where the running stops resulting in a scale drop and our first reaction is to run more or throw out the scale.

Then we read really smart blogs (eh hem) about how we need to cross train and what it takes to be a lean mean speedy runner.

And we realize that damn scale is a liar, we’re making all kinds of progress. BUT we still want some way to measure it and prove to ourselves our body is changing. Now I’m not saying everyone runs to change their body, but I’ve talked to enough of you to know it’s A LOT.

So let me introduce you to…

Body Fat.WHAT BODY FAT MEANS
It’s easy to forget that one number on the scale can look VERY DIFFERENT depending on height, muscle tone and other genetic factors.

In my case going by body fat helped me to see that while I had dropped pounds, I was also losing some muscle and become what we used to dub “skinny fat”. Meaning I look lean, but my body fat says I need to make some changes!

Body composition assessment can: identify health risks,evaluate how well current exercise and nutrition program is working, provide a better understand of weight by breaking out fat and muscle.

Most standard charts categorize body fat percentage this way:I’m ECSTATIC to say that since I started lifting consistently I’ve seen a couple major changes:

I’m definitely burning more calories (it’s out I didn’t gain weight on that cruise!)
My massage therapist said my muscles have filled out
I can see better definition in my shoulders
My abdominal body fat is finally dropping

What kind of lifting I’m doing I will share in the coming months because honestly…it’s changed…and it shocked me!

All of these women are right around 130 lbs, but look very different.

All of them are beautiful with their different body shapes and physiques. They also prove that the scale needs to be just one measurement health. And yes that’s Beyoncé and Katy Perry in the mix because they are real women and role models I wanted to include them.A scale isn’t a bad tool and I definitely still step on mine occasionally as I go through training cycles or dietary changes, but after many years I finally understand it’s just one measurement and certainly doesn’t provide the whole picture.

DOES IT MATTER?
Yes and No.

It all depends on your goals!

If you feel amazing and your health is on track, then who cares?!
If you’re working out and not seeing the scale budge, maybe this is a better metric.
Do you need motivation to keep weight training (ME!!), this might help.
Do you love how you look and how you perform? Doesn’t matter then!
Have a friend who keeps wanting to drop pounds they shouldn’t? Muscle fitness progress might be a better gauge for them, so they can get strong and healthy vs being scale obsessed.

What does 130 lbs look like? Find out how body fat can change you more than the scale! #health Click To Tweet

HOW TO MEASURE AT HOME
The most accurate methods tend to involve paying someone else {Bod Pod, Hydrostatic weighing}, but we don’t all have the time to do that consistently, which makes gauging progress a little more difficult and thus for many by bye motivation.

Here are how the at home body fat measurement methods stack up.

Handheld monitor: After inputting all your data, you hold this little analyzer for a few seconds while a system called bio electrical impedance analysis measures BF.

“Muscle tissue in your body contains a high percentage of water, while body fat contains virtually no water. Because water conducts electricity, the ease at which the current passes through your body determines your body fat percentage.”

No you don’t feel anything. Yes it’s more accurate than an online tool. No it’s still not perfect, but like the scale provides a consistent method of measurement.

Bathroom scale: While the actual measurement of body fat from one of these scales is usually wrong, if this is the method that you will use consistently then it still works because you can at least see if you are making progress downward with the body fat presented.

Skulpt Aim: I am SUPER thrilled about this little device because it not only gives you readings per muscle, but allows you to see your progress consistently either per muscle or for total body fat. If you’re like me and have calves of steel, but keep wondering why your abs don’t look the same you can just focus on one area for measurement.

In fact, there is some real science behind this nifty tool!

When applied to the skin, a very weak current passes between the outer two electrodes. This current is high-frequency and alternating in nature. As the current moves through the skin, the subcutaneous fat, and the muscle, it loses a little bit of energy due to the resistance of the tissue and this change is then measured by the two inner electrodes.

The Skulpt Aim® is more complex in that it measures electrical current flow in different directions and it can measure the flow at different depths (the further apart the electrodes, the deeper the electrical current will penetrate)

I’ll be sharing my own journey using the Skulpt, along with a lot more details, in the coming months and if you’d like to be measuring right along side me to make some PROGRESS before the new year I have good news.

A MASSIVE giveaway with 3 winners of a Apple Watch and a Skulpt!And yes all of this is FAR more important and accurate than the old BMI charts, which are unfortunately still used by some doctors! BMI doesn’t take in to account bone density or muscle mass, which often means very fit people can show up as outside a healthy range due to muscle density.