How to Calculate Body Fat

February 15th, 2010 Posted in How To

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When we are working toward a weight loss goal, it is important to keep track of our progress to see if what we are doing is working. The scale is one indicator, but it is not always the best or most accurate one as body weight can fluctuate from day to day and can even differ significantly from morning to evening. I find that one of the best ways to keep track of progress is by calculating my body fat percentage.

The most accurate way to measure your body fat is to have it done for you at a professional facility with a process called hydrostatic body fat testing. You are basically dunked in a tank of water and weighed under water. Those who have a higher percentage of body fat will weigh less under water because fat weighs less than lean muscle tissue. There is a little more to it than just that, but we won’t go into too many details about it here. You are probably thinking, “So I have to go in and pay to get my body fat tested on a regular basis?” Fortunately, no. This method is considered the Gold Standard of body fat testing, but there are methods you can use at home that will give you fairly accurate numbers.

In my opinion, the best way to calculate your body fat percentage at home is to get a set of calipers like the ones sold by Accumeasure. They cost around $10. The simplest way to use them is to measure the thickness of your skinfold in an area called the suprailliac (located approximately an inch above the hip bone). You pinch about an inch of skin (and fat) between your thumb and forefinger, and use the calipers to measure the thickness. You then take this number and use their chart to determine your body fat %.

Another method with the calipers requires you to measure 3 more areas in addition to your suprailliac. Some feel that this may be even more accurate than just the single measurement, but I have always found it very difficult to get a good skinfold pinch from the top front of my leg. This method also requires someone to help you measure the skinfold on your tricep area (just try doing it yourself – impossible). You enter these measurements into a body fat calculator and it will provide you with your percentage. You can find the details on this method here.

One final method is to purchase a scale that also measures your body composition. There are a number of different ones available, some better than others. These are probably not the most accurate method of finding out what your true body fat percentage is because they rely on sending a tiny electrical pulse through your body (don’t worry, you don’t feel a thing). Since electricity travels faster through water, if you are more hydrated, your body fat percentage will appear lower than if you are dehydrated. If you stay consistently hydrated, I feel that these can provide you with a trend over time, even if the actual numbers aren’t perfectly accurate.

I personally use both the skinfold method and the body composition monitor. I watch both and as long as the numbers are trending downward, I am happy. I think that it is a good idea to get your body fat professional tested occasionally just to see where you really are, but it’s not absolutely necessary.

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