I found a site for testing body fat levels and decided to compare it to my Tanita scale which also measures bodyfat (I tend to hop off it before I can see that...a very scary number indeed). The weight/tape measure bodyfat measurement came out to 29.9% and my scale's measure was 30% on the dot.

So if you've been curious about your bodyfat and didn't know how to measure it, try it out.

And if this link's been on before, oops

Thread moved. Subject matter does not address Atkin's.

Hmmm... the body fat measurement does seem accurate, but it stated that my goal weight should be 115 lbs! I just about killed myself last time I was that weight.

...but at least they recommend a low carb diet!

I really hate sites like that. Go here for a real height/weight chart. For someone 5'7" you are suppose to weigh between 123 and 163. I bit more realistic. Unless they are talking LEAN body mass. In which that does not include any fat which we all know is terribly unhealthy for women.


I think you are perfect just like you are Kristine

Went to that site that AgonyCat gave Site - it told me I have small frame - who would have know?!! Guess I can't use the "I'm just big boned" excuse anymore. But it did tell me that my target weight should be 114-127. I am still leaving my number at 140 for now - but I will keep an eye on it.

I have to copy this to my journal so I can find it again!

I didn't post about height/weight, only about bodyfat, and I think it's wrong to say it's not a good site because it doesn't fit everyone's body.

For me, thought, it was so right on target it was scary. It put my 23% healthy bodyfat weight at 138. That was my goal weight (out of my head) when I did weight watchers. At the same time, I know it's not the weight I'd love to be, and that I can go lower.

I can go much lower, just have NEVER gotten the maintenance part of any plan and always just rise back into the 150s. I don't think it's the low weight that makes it hard for me to maintain, just the actual "learning/doing" maintenance part. I vow to DO IT this time.

One other interesting tidbit I learned about bodyfat (though I read this years ago and don't have the info to back it up), is that two people with the exact same height and bone structure, but with a very big weight difference, will have a very different lean.

Take me for instance at 5'5" and 106lbs lean (eek, the rest fat). I've never been more than my 160s and I yoyo alot (implies low lean). Then take another woman just like me, but who's been in the 200+ range for years (the time range is also important). She might have a lean of 125 or more. So when she calculates her bodyfat and the so-called 23% healthy bodyfat, the calculator will tell her that 164 is a good weight for her. (my numbers may be screwy here).

Overweight people are strong because they have bigger muscles (whereas I'm a wimp), and their body needs bigger muscles to move their larger mass. At the same time, I suppose it's not unrealistic to realize at a lower weight, losing some muscle weight isn't the end all.

I do think it could be an interesting discussion though. If you know your bodyfat, how long you've been overweight, and how you fit into different charts. What made you choose your goal weight. Stuff like that....any takers?

Hi AC!

>>"Unless they are talking LEAN body mass..."

Nope, my lean body mass came out to about 91 lbs. Anyway, I think the 'issue' with that calculator is that it doesn't take height into account. I believe it calculates BF based on a ratio. That's great, until it comes to the part about recommending a target weight. A 40" abdomen on a six-foot-tall woman is a lot different than a 40" abdomen on a five-foot woman. I don't think it's too accurate to extrapolate that BF measurement without height.

...but I digress. I don't know enough to write my own calculator, so...

>>"I think you are perfect just like you are Kristine "

Hee hee. Thanks! As long as there are butt-slimming panty hose and padded bras, I'm 'perfect' enough!

Hi Annette!

>>"I do think it could be an interesting discussion though..."

Absolutely - it's discussed here a lot! I think people can really set up unrealistic expectations for themselves. Body weight is not a great way to measure your health and fitness. Once you're within a healthy weight range, the muscle-is-denser-than-fat concept comes into play. Working out could cause weight *gain*, and still cause you to get smaller. So that goal weight can be tricky.

I think ultimately, we have to be willing to disregard the scale, and cut ourselves some slack.

I could go on and on about the media and our expectations, and the tendancy for thinness to become a silent 'competition' among women, but I think I'll just go make some coffee. I'll save that rant for another thread.

Hi, I use www.linear-software.com for my measurement based body fat. It 'feels' right, I haven't got anything to compare it with, like a body fat scale.
It takes into account height and also build to some extend, since it includes neck measurements.
I'm currently 23.5% bf, which is in the 'normal' range and certainly now, I look 'normal' not fat. I'm aiming at 20% which is the bottom end of the normal range - I can still 'pinch an inch or more' and I'd like some of that subcutaneous fat to go still, so my bra etc. doesn't bite in. So what I'm saying I suppose, is that the measures it gives for me seem to fit with what else I know about body fat levels.
Be interesting to see what you thought of it compared to that site you have been using. I'll go and look at that one!

JayKay,

That site measured me FATTER!!! I won't use it again...LOL. Actually the numbers were much scarier.

Bodyfat at 34%
lbs body fat at 53 lbs
lbs lean at 99 lbs

But, if that is accurate, it is no wonder I can weight down to 120 lbs and not feel too skinny. Heck...I better hit the gym and put on some muscle. Muscle is definitely what's needed.

The original site mentioned came out pretty close for me as the calculations in Protein Power did and is a lot quicker to do!

I never understand these things. It tells me my target weight is 166.2. I'm 5'6. Nice, huh? I figure that's about right but I won't actually LOOK much different than I do now. What I REALLY want is to get rid of my "baby belly" and thighs.

Well I tried that other site and it had me at 22% fat, when the linear-software one had me at 23.5% - but the other site doesn't take account of height, which can't be right.

Now I've got a problem with the linear-software site, which I always thought was about right.
My neck measurements have gone down, cos I've lost fat from there too. I've just altered this dimension and this has put my body fat UP!!!
So now it reckons I'm 24.7% fat. Yet I look quite a lot thinner (have less fat on me), than someone whose bodyfat is 22.5% as far as you can judge by photos. Hmmmm.

So now I don't know what to think. I want to measure body fat, cos when (if ever ) I finally get back to the gym, the extra muscle will make me heavier, but I should be losing fat still, so weight on its own won't work.
Help!!