Body fat percentage

(Heather Surina) #1

I’ve been doing keto for a little while now and my body fat percentage has not gone down at all. I have lost almost 18 pounds and not a single percent of body fat decrease. I have a high body fat percentage so I would think that it would have decreased at least a little. Anyone have this problem or any ideas?

(John) #2

If you are using an at home all in one scale I think most of them need you to have the bottom of your feet damp in order to get a clearer reading. Not sure if this is the case but thought I would through it out there

(Heather Surina) #3

Thanks. I will look into that. I have the Fitbit scale

(Frank) #4

Home body comp scales are notoriously inaccurate. I use mine as more of a relative scale. Read trends vs specific measurements. If you’ve lost 18 lbs it is impossible that your body fat% hasn’t gone down.

#5

Yup

(Ellie) #6

Mine lies to me in the same way! It is pretty baffling but I mostly ignore it.

#7

Your bathroom scale is basically measuring the fat in the lower half of your body. If you’ve lost more in your torso, it just doesn’t see it. I recommend a tape measure and the Navy Body Fat calculator, it’s not perfect, but it’s pretty good. http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy

(Ellie) #8

Interesting. That calculator has me at 7% bf lower than my scale. I choose to believe the calculator!! :rofl:

#9

I have the opposite issue, my scale says I’m down to 9% bf, which I probably am in my legs. Not anywhere else though.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #10

Your scale will be more accurate for body composition later in the day, when you have had some water to improve your hydration. It is less accurate first thing in the morning for composition.

My tanita has me at 27% when I first wake up and 20% after work, and 80 oz of water. I weigh in the morning, but I take BF% at night.

(Heather Surina) #11

Awesome! Thanks

(shane ) #12

A body tape measure will be much more accurate than any at home BF measuring device. Keep measurements and take progress photos along the way at weight milestones. This is the most motivating way to “see” weight loss in addition to the pounds loss on the scale.

(Allie) #13

I can apparently lose 3% BF just from having a bath (based on using scales before bath and after) and I know that’s not accurate :joy:

Trust measurements over scales.

(Ellie) #14

Wow, that must be one hot bath!!! :rofl:

(Chris) #15

I use the Omniron hand held. They recommend to recreate the same situation each time, which for me seems to be first thing in the am after the morning void but before the shower.

Is it accurate, doubt it, but it seems to be relatively consistent and shows progress. That is all that matters.

Unless you are in underwater/Dexa/Bod Pod, I wouldn’t put much faith in anything for absolutes