By When it comes to measuring body fat loss and accumulation, there is always a margin for error – no matter how well acclaimed the piece of machinery or the operator is. You must leave some room for error. Most of the machines that measure fat loss are quite accurate, simply because of the technology that’s in place today. Below I’ll highlight some ways in which you can measure body fat.
5 ways to measure body fat with the best possible accuracy – dependant on your budget
1. Hydrostatic weight. With this measurement, you sit undressed on a chair that’s submerged in water. Your body density and weight under water is recorded as your body places a buoyant counterforce on the water and displaces it. The weight that’s recorded can then be used to accurately calculate your body fat. This kind of testing is considered the most accurate of its kind, and much more accurate than skin fold and any scales. It’s best to google search this within your area, and check if it’s covered by medical insurance. Most of the time these are not.
2. Dexa scan. This is a very accurate and affordable way to measure your body composition. This test usually takes around 10 minutes breaking down bone, fat, tissue and muscle mass. It’s regularly used in medical research because of its accuracy. A lot of athletes and professionals use Dexa scans because of their low cost, accuracy and level of detail. Search for a local outlet near you.
3. Air displacement plethysmography. This is a process where upon undressing, you are placed in a computerised, egg-shaped chamber where it totally encloses your body. One the density of your body is determined through your weight volume; the machine uses the data produced to calculate body fat percentage. The research indicates that this form of measurement comes very accurate when compared to underwater measurement. Anyone can book in for a test such as this, but it can be expensive, and not covered by health or medical funds.
4. Callipers. In order to get some form of accuracy with the calliper, you will have to know what pinch spots to measure on the body. Usually, getting a practitioner will be a lot more accurate than if you do this one at home on your own. Both men and women need to measure different parts of their body, and some of the spots can be hard to get to as a self-diagnosis. Make an inquiry at your gym to see if the personal trainers offer this as a service – although I would not bet on the accuracy very much.
5. MRI or CT scans. This is said to be the most accurate form of body fat measurement. The machine takes a cross sectional images of your body and can also measure intra-abdominal fat. Because these tests are very expensive, they are not widely used just for body fat measurements.
6. Your clothes. This is not really as accurate as a scan, but when you are trying to lose weight, the first places in which the evidence appears is when your clothes become a lot looser. Although you won’t know just how much, it’s safe to say that this is a pretty accurate – yet affordable way to judge weight-loss and gain.
I would search online for a form of body fat measurement which is available closest to you. My personal favourite is an in-body scan, which is not available in many countries (I’m from Australia) and this device is specifically used in hospitals around me. It’s extremely accurate, and measures everything that Dexa covers – plus it’s affordable and quite fast. I do hope this has helped you somewhat. Good luck on your journey, Feel free to keep in touch via my website or join me on fb and insta social. Please upvote this answer if it has been useful in some way to you
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