Quote Originally Posted by Tuckervill
I think the way body fat percentage is measured has a huge affect on the result. When I was in the Army, if you were overweight they meausred your body fat using the pinch method. If you fell within the reasonable standard for body fat, they gave you a pass on the weight. But later I read that the only true way to measure body fat is to dip you in water and measure displacement (I think that's how it works).

I don't think a scale is going to be very accurate. It's just going to use a table based on known factors to determine your "probable" body fat percentage.

Can the body fat percentage really tell you anything useful anyway? You already know you have weight to lose. You already know your level of fitness. What good is that number to you? I wouldn't stress out over a stupid number. If you were using it for motivation, find something more accurate and pleasing, like the way your clothes fit or something. Don't reduce yourself to a number.

Good going on the weight loss! Hope to be joining you soon.

Karen
actually, the scales measure body fat by using an electrical impediment method. a small current - which you do not feel - goes through your body and it moves differently through fat than muscle than through water. based on the measurement of the electrical pulse as it exits your body the scale can measure your percentage of body fat and your percentage of water. body fat is actually a much more important number than weight. If you lose weight just by dieting, with no exercise, you can actually be losing muscle which is worse for you than not losing the weight at all. If you lose fat and gain muscle but your weight stays the same you are healthier. obsessing about the number is bad, as obsessing about anything is bad, but knowing the number and using it to improve your fitness and your health is good.