Weight, Water, Fat and Inches

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No doubt that most everyone has stepped on the bathroom scale to check their weight. And no doubt that many people don't know what they're measuring. Why, when most individuals are concerned with their body fat, do they weigh themselves?

You've seen those ads that read "loose 20 pounds!" You might ask "twenty pounds of what?"

The best question to ask is what are you weighing when you step on the scale? The answer is not fat, but mostly water. The body is three-quarters water. In many people, especially women, there can be a normal monthly fluctuation of up to five pounds due to hormonal changes. And water is heavy.

Relatively to water, fat weighs very little. However, fat takes up a lot of space. This being the case, the best way to measure success in a fat loss regime is not the scale, but a tape measure. When you lose fat, you'll lose inches. And it's not only possible but common when this fat loss is the result of good eating habits plus exercise to see a loss of inches with little or no weight loss. In some cases there is even a weight gain which accompanies the fat loss. This is because some muscle, which is mostly water but takes up little room, is gained as a result of the exercise.

Although measuring yourself with a tape is not the most scientific method of analysis, it is the most practical and cheapest way for most people to measure fat loss. It's also relatively accurate. But be sure to measure the same places and keep a record. However, don't get caught up in it like the obsession of weighing yourself every morning (and if you're a pound over or haven't lost the expected amount you're depressed for the day). Measure yourself once a month. As you loose fat, you will get thinner.

Measuring yourself won't give you the amount, or percentage of body fat you've lost. In order to do that, you must use other methods, listed below. The ideal percentage for fat is about 12-20 percent for men and 15-24 percent for women, although this can vary.

The most accurate way to measure your "percent body fat" is with underwater weighing. This method requires you to get into a tank of water, exhale all your air so you sink to the bottom, and be weighed. When done properly, your lung capacity should also be measured, since it is part of the formula used to determine fat percent. This test, not easily found or administered properly, is best performed at a university or hospital. It can cost $30 to $40.

The use of calipers is a very common, but inaccurate, method. Perform the test three or four times in a row. If the numbers are very similar, chances are you're getting an accurate account of body fat. However, if the numbers are quite different, there's no accuracy. In many clubs there is no charge or a minimal one, but you get what you pay for. Also, this method does not account for fat that's deeper in the body.

Another test uses electrical impedance to measure total body fat. There are many factors which may make this test much less accurate. Newer electrical devices promise more accuracy in the future. The cost may be $20 to $60.

Any test performed must be done at least a second time to determine if your program is working properly. Certainly after a month or two, if you're on the right program, there should be a loss of fat. But by then, people will start asking if you're loosing weight (they'll see it in your face) and your clothes will be fitting more loose.

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