I took off my running skirt and dri-fit top, applied my swim cap, and sat there anxiously in my swimsuit. No, I was not about to jump into a pool, I was using one of the most accurate methods of analyzing body fat percentage, the Bod Pod. You sit in a chamber for a few stints of 50 seconds, and this odd looking machine works its magic to determine your body composition through what is known as "whole body air displacement plethysmography". It is as accurate as underwater testing, and far better than other methods, like calipers and bioelectrical impedance analysis (which in my experience is a complete joke).
Knowing your body fat percentage has several benefits. One, it can be used to determine your RMR, resting metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body burns when doing absolutely nothing. There are lots of great resources online that can help you estimate this value, but it's nice to have the number that is specific to you and your composition. I compared my notes from the Pod Bod and an online calculator and the online calculator overestimated my RMR by about 100 calories. What this means is if I used this number in an effort to maintain my weight, I'd potentially gain an extra pound each month. Not cool. Another benefit is measuring progress. The scale can fluctuate a lot from day to day (and hour to hour even), simply based on hydration, sodium consumption, and activity level. If you reduce sodium, increase water intake, and eat lean foods, you can move the scale 2-3 lbs from one day to the next. Obviously this is not 2-3 lbs of fat loss overnight. And of course if you get in the gym and pack on muscle as you drop fat, you might not see a change on the scale at all, or even see an increase. So it can be misleading to judge your progress based on weight alone. I think the scale can be a good starting point, but as we become more active it becomes a bit less useful. On the other hand, if we see our body fat percentage, or lbs of body fat decrease, we know we are doing something good, even if our weight stays the same or increases.
This is the primary benefit of body fat testing for me, actually. I'm 5' even, but I'm not nor will I ever be "thin." I remember in third grade I got weighed and even though I was more or less the same size as the other kids, I was heavier (80 lbs; why do I remember that?). I have never been "chubby", but I have always been overweight. And it is likely I always will be. If you have been to a doctors office you have probably seen this chart:
I'm getting angry just looking at it. I am 5'0 and according to this bullshit chart, a healthy weight for me is 97-123 lbs. Are you fucking kidding me?? My legs alone are probably 97 lbs! The US Army uses similar standards. So all over the country, doctors and superiors are telling people they are overweight, when in many cases, particularly for black and/or athletic people, their weight is a result of a high muscle mass.
Knowing your body fat percentage has several benefits. One, it can be used to determine your RMR, resting metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body burns when doing absolutely nothing. There are lots of great resources online that can help you estimate this value, but it's nice to have the number that is specific to you and your composition. I compared my notes from the Pod Bod and an online calculator and the online calculator overestimated my RMR by about 100 calories. What this means is if I used this number in an effort to maintain my weight, I'd potentially gain an extra pound each month. Not cool. Another benefit is measuring progress. The scale can fluctuate a lot from day to day (and hour to hour even), simply based on hydration, sodium consumption, and activity level. If you reduce sodium, increase water intake, and eat lean foods, you can move the scale 2-3 lbs from one day to the next. Obviously this is not 2-3 lbs of fat loss overnight. And of course if you get in the gym and pack on muscle as you drop fat, you might not see a change on the scale at all, or even see an increase. So it can be misleading to judge your progress based on weight alone. I think the scale can be a good starting point, but as we become more active it becomes a bit less useful. On the other hand, if we see our body fat percentage, or lbs of body fat decrease, we know we are doing something good, even if our weight stays the same or increases.
This is the primary benefit of body fat testing for me, actually. I'm 5' even, but I'm not nor will I ever be "thin." I remember in third grade I got weighed and even though I was more or less the same size as the other kids, I was heavier (80 lbs; why do I remember that?). I have never been "chubby", but I have always been overweight. And it is likely I always will be. If you have been to a doctors office you have probably seen this chart:
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| If I put a caption here it would have too many curse words. |
My body fat test confirmed this for me yesterday. My lean mass by itself is over 100 lbs. If I had 0% body fat, well, I would be dead, but I still wouldn't be 97 lbs. I'm (still) overweight according to BMI, but when I look at actual fat pounds, I am at a very healthy level. Going forward, I'm striving to decrease not lbs, but lbs of fat, as that will truly reflect consistent training and healthy eating. It is my hope that this shift in focus will spread to our doctors, to our military, and to ourselves. Happy fat loss.
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