Subject: RE: Ideal Body Fat PercentagesCV, there are several ways, here are the most common:
1. You can purchase a scale that measures your body fat. I have one made by Tanita, cost was around $60, has settings for 2 people which is handy because you have to enter your gender and height for it to give out the appropriate reading. It works by having small metal contacts under each foot which measures the electrical resistance as it passes through your body. Not to worry, the current is so slight that it's perfectly safe and undetectable when you stand on the scale. That said, the reviews of certain brands have been less than glowing when it comes to the accuracy of the scale. On the other hand, even if the percentage is not super accurate, it is at least repeatable so you can see if you are gaining or losing body fat. You need to track it over time and not be concerned with minor daily fluctuations.
2. Subject yourself to a complete body immersion in a dunk tank. They weigh your body before dunking, and then weigh you on a special scale after you exhale under water. Very accurate, and also very specialized (read "expensive" ).
3. Skin Caliper measurements. Many doctors offices have them, and you probably can find an inexpensive pair on line, complete with instructions. Like a mini pair of plastic pliers, you gently pinch your fat in several designated places, add up the readings, and get a final percentage.
Max Edited by max 2004-03-07 11:14 PM
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