So, now that I'm zeroing in on my final goal, I have a new goal and that is a body fat percentage. I figure I will try to get to a good body fat percentage over a number on the scale as my weight will always be hefty due to my build.

Anyway, I haven't been using the body fat thingee on my scale as it's not accurate first thing in the morning (should be up for at least 3 hours to use it). AND you have to have clean, but not too dry feet. Basically, not a good time to weigh myself usually, so I've skipped it.

However, the last few days I've been taking a body fat reading before going to bed - after taking off my socks and slippers (feet are a bit moist) and I'm finding the readings fascinating.

Monday night: 31% body fat
Tuesday night: 32% body fat
Wednesday night: 25% body fat (was on my feet for 14 hours this day)
Thursday night: 24% body fat (was on my feet 11 hours this day)
Friday night: 32% body fat
Saturday night: 26% body fat (was not on my feet a whole lot - but weird!)

What I'm finding is that if I am on my feet a lot during the day, my readings are much lower for body fat, even if I actually weigh more on the scale.

I would love to have a 24% body fat (or lower), but how will I know when I get there? Especially with these whacko readings? Should I do this scan the same time every day after being away for a couple hours? Anyone know how to figure out what is my body fat with these whacko readings?

Found these tips:

The 10 Top Tips When Buying And Using Body Fat Scales

1. Use them to measure your progress only. Don't compare your body fat percentage to tables or to your friends score. It is probably inaccurate no matter what the manufacturers say.

2. Choose body fat scales that have the right profile for you. If your children are going to use them make sure they can be calibrated for children. If you're an athlete (+10 hrs of strenuous exercise a week) same thing applies. This is important. It makes a big difference.

3. Measure out some water one hour before you test yourself. Make sure you always drink the same amount of water one hour before you test yourself.

4. Measure yourself at the same time of day for each test.

5. Your skin temperature affects the electrical current used by the scales. It's difficult but try to test yourself in a similar room temperature each time.

6. Don't test yourself after exercising. When you exercise you sweat and when you sweat you lose water. This affects your hydration levels and hence... the results.

7. Thoroughly clean the foot pads, preferably with alcohol and then dry them off each time you test.

8. Buy the most expensive body fat scales you can afford. Accuracy will almost certainly increase with price.

9. If ever you get the chance, have your body composition measured by a professional using skin fold calipers. It will give you a frame of refernece as to how accurate your scales are.

10. Read the page on body fat calipers for an alternative you could consider.

and my scale manual says this:

GETTING ACCURATE READINGS
To ensure accuracy, readings should be taken without clothing and under consistent conditions of hydration. If you do not undress, always remove your socks or stockings, and be sure the soles of your feet are clean before stepping on the measuring platform. Be sure that your heels are correctly aligned with the electrodes on the measuring platform. Don't worry if your feet appear too large for the unit accurate readings can still be obtained if your toes overhang the platform. It is best to take readings at the same time of day. Try to wait about three hours after rising, eating, or hard exercise before taking measurements. While readings taken under other conditions may not have the same absolute values, they are accurate for determining the percentage of change as long as the readings are taken in a consistent manner. To monitor progress, compare weight and body fat percentage taken under the same conditions over a period of time.

I'd really love to know my body fat % but, unfortunately, I haven't found anywhere locally where I can get it measured at (even my nutritionist doesn't do it and doesn't know anywhere where I can get it done, ugh!). Instead I'm just going by my measurements but it's hard because even there I'm not sure where I want to stop either.

Do you know anywhere locally where you could get your body fat measured at least by calipers so you'd have some idea how accurate your scale is? Then you could look at progression and have in mind that it's off by X % and when you since you said you'd like to hit 24% body fat then you can get your body fat remeasured once you hit that adjusted version of 24% on your scale (problem is, is that I don't know the scale would continue to be off by a certain set percentage as you lose body fat or if it would be off by a certain ratio to the %... ).

At home scales are HORRIBLE at measuring body fat. Varying hydration during the day can change it +/- 5%...which obviously isn't actually happening within your body at any given day.

I suggest finding a place that will do calipers. Having a water submersion is supposedly the ultimate in accuracy, but I have no idea where you would get that done! I pay $15 every 2-3 months to have the same person at my Y do calipers.

Last time I had it done in September, I was ~134 and was 20% body fat.

My trainer just did mine last week. He uses the fat calipers (those fat pinchers) to measure so it's pretty accurate. When I started at the end of Sept with him my % body fat was 46% this was after losing almost 30lbs on my OWN just doing cardio. Last week I was at 37% body fat in just 8 weeks of working with him! I'm super happy. Not sure where I'm going to but I really want to be toned and lean, so I'm working on being really fit say 20%-24% I believe I can get there. No idea what my weight will be, but I don't care I'm going on body fat % and the way my clothes fit. Aiming for a size 3.

I don't know my body fat percentage. I'd be curious to get it done but since I didn't get it done when I started losing weight I have nothing to compare it to. I hear with the calipers you had to find someone that is really experienced . So if you go have it done, just be sure you find out how long they have. Been doing it. I looked into those scales but I kept hearing they were so unreliable so I never got one. You know, I don't even know what a good % of body fat is. Think I'm going to google that !

I've used online calculators (different ones across the web) and last time I measured my body fat I was around 24.5% since I don't have the resources to measure it any other way.

My goal is to be around 22-23% body fat and I believe I'm almost there. Just into the "Fitness" category and easier to maintain than the "Athlete" category

I put in my starting measurements and found out I was at 45% body fat. Yikes!

I had it done in middle school, not as accurate as calipers but more accurate than most scales. While I know a place where I could get it done (at the local state college), I think it is something I'll work on once I'm at goal, since I already feel overwhelmed by pounds, and measurements. In middle school I was at the high end of normal, and I don't need another depressing number to deal with right now.

There are a few online calculators that do it by using inches measurements. I find these to be pretty consistent with my bf % scale. My scale last read 37% and that was for 196 lbs.

I was measured at 24% BF about ten days ago. I weighed about 205 pounds at the time.

I'd like to get down at least to 15%, hopefully I'll reach that by February

Most gyms will measure you body fat with calipers, although more and more gyms are using the scale that automatically measures your body fat.

My doctor has a machine that I hold onto with two hands (like a steering wheel) and that measures my body fat.

I took my body fat in September last year at the doctors office and it was at 42%, and a few weeks ago at the doctors it was down to 36%. I'm hoping to get it under 25% (20-25%) is healthy for women. Different body fat ranges depending on your age etc..

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/librar...yfatcharts.htm

My Tanita body fat scale is so ancient. I don't trust it for a minute. At 5'5" and 194 pounds it says my body fat is anywhere from 41% to 43%. I know I still have quite a bit of muscle under my fat, so I'm thinking I'm probably more like 35% to 37% body fat. I would be tickled pink to get in to 25% or under at goal weight.

Getting tested at a gym would be a nice reward gift to myself for reaching goal.

I have a goal of single digit body fat. 8-9 %.

Not in a hurry though. Currently I'm around 15%

Well according to our ALDI electric scale which allegedly measures body fat, water and muscle percentages... I'm at 25.7%