For me, results need to be seen, or else I lose
interest in whatever I do. Getting in shape was no different.
I am a fairly scientific person, so I need raw data to analyze, in
order to see results. Because I was
losing fat pounds, and also gaining muscle pounds, I
needed a better gauge of progress than my actual weight. That
is where body fat percentage comes into play. Because fat
cells weigh about 0.9 grams per cubic cm, and muscle weighs
about 1.1 grams per cubic cm, and body weight depends so much
on hydration levels, there will be times when you don't actually
lose weight. You may even gain weight from day to day. This
is completely normal. It is much easier to lose fat than to
gain muscle though, so your weight should gradually go down
overall.
To test your body fat, there are a few different
methods. The most common is the caliper method. This method
uses a body fat caliper, which takes skin fold measurements
at certain points on your body. These results are thrown into
an equation, and your body fat percentage is then estimated.
This method is fairly accurate for most people, but if you
are overly obese, or have a unique body shape, it may not
be correct.
Another method is the electrical impedance test.
This test is shown off at a lot of large gyms, but it is mainly
used as a quick estimate. The problem with this method is
that your electrical impedance is directly correlated with
your hydration level. If you have consumed too much or too
little water that day, your results will be very skewed.
The most accurate way to test your body fat,
is the body composition test. This can be done in water, or
using air. It basically gives you the exact volume that your
body takes up. When you throw this result and your weight,
into an equation using racial and gender specific statistics,
you get a very accurate body fat percentage.
When I decided to get my body fat checked, before
I started working out, I wanted the most accurate method.
To my surprise, I found that there was a local place that
could do the body composition tests.
Baseline Fitness is owned by Scott and Eve Ann
Buxton. Baseline uses the body composition system called the
BodPod. The BodPod is an egg shaped air tank that you sit
in. It is air tight, and it measures the air displacement
that your body produces.
Click on their logo to head over to their site
and see all the services they provide.
