The most important measurement to watch in determining whether you’re burning fat, or just losing water or lean body mass weight is that of your relative body fat percentage. Period.
If you don’t get a fairly accurate measurement of this vitalstatistic, all sorts of mental guessing games can occur,leading to more frustration about your progress. In the past, if you wanted to get a good measure of your body fat percentage, you needed to under go underwater(hydrostatic) weighing. (This is still the best method for determining your body fat percentage, but the most difficult to get done).
Or you could get one of those skin fold calipers and pinch your body all over the place to get your relative body fat percentage.There are also some simple mathematical formula`s you can use to get a good idea of where you’re at. But, in recent years, a variety of body fat scales and other bio electrical impedance devices appeared on the scene claiming to give you an accurate measure of your body fat relatively easily.
Just step on a scale and wait a few seconds. How easy is that?
But the better question is…how good is that? How accurate are these things and should we use them to track our fat loss and fitness progress? Well, here’s the truth about bio electrical impedance for measuring your body fat: These devices work by sending a low level electrical currentthrough your body and the “impedance” is measured. This impedance is combined with a few other factors in determining your results.
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But, your impedance can vary depending on several other attributes besides your body fat. These include your recent activity levels, your skin temperature, and water level. So, in order to get the most out of these devices, you’ll want to avoid eating, drinking, or working out for several hours prior to testing yourself. The best way to do this is to use them in the morning right upon waking.
Even with these tips, the variance level of the data that these devices spit out can be u.p to 6 percent higher or lower than your actual body fat percentage. But, as long as you are testing yourself at the same timeevery morning, on an empty stomach, it can still be an accurate measurement of loss or gain, even if it is anoverall inflated or deflated number. Now, here’s another huge issue with these devices that must be addressed.
The body fat scales pass this electrical current through your lower body, and most often it doesn’treach your upper body. And with the hand gripper bio electrical impedance devices,you are receiving the current through your upper body and not your lower body in most instances.
It appears to be a best practice, then, to use both the scale and the hand gripper, right upon waking, and then takean average of the two. This is critical for many people who store their body fat in one half of the body more than the other. Well, I hope this gives you a good idea of how you can use these simple and easy bio electrical impedance devices to track your body fat percentage…and more importantly, how to avoid the flaws inherent in these scales and handgrippers.
Here’s to getting lean, strong, and healthy for life,
Ian Gregory
www.healthcareandbodyfitness.com
