fat paranoia

[smunky]

Hi, I had a question concerning my wacky fat% measurements.

On the advice of posts I've read here, I went and bought myself a pair of slimguides calipers. I had originally been using accumeasure digital calipers, but those measurements were even wackier.

I've become more exact about my calories and such in an attempt to be consistent, but my current fat % measurements seem very out of whack.

I'm currently doing a close to cyclic ketogenic diet, with little to no carbs during the week (except for a scoop of dextrose powder in my post workout protein shake), with MWF minicycles on HST.

Now, maybe my calipers are faulty or something, but the last measurement I took 2 weeks ago (on my last workout day of the week) said I was 13% body fat, which seemed good progress for me, as I felt and looked skinnier than when I started working out again 6 months ago. But today I took my measurements and it said I increased about 3-4% in body fat.

I have been eating 2000 cal or less daily, depending on whether it's my workout day or not, using fitday to measure my intake.

The bizarre thing is my workout partner is eating the same as me, but when I measured him today, his body fat came out to being less than mine, which I find to be impossible since he has always been a bigger guy than me (in the fat sense). I have a skinny, tall and lanky frame, where as he is shorter and more pudgy. Also, his fat around the arms is much less than mine, which I also find weird, since my arms look bigger than his, though I have yet to measure that physically.

So I'm left with a few questions/dilemmas that I was hoping to ask here:

1)Should I measure before I do anything? (i.e breakfast, drinking water, anything at all)

2)Is this the best way to go about judging fat? Or should I find another way, such as before/after pictures and go off of those only (and I do take them, but have yet to see much change)?

3)Are my calipers faulty and am I just paranoid/impatient and just should wait until next week when I'm in SD to measure again, and wait another month as I am into my next cycle to see what my fat measurement is?

I'm sorry if these seem a bit goofy for questions/hypochondriac-like, but I was reading some of singleton's posts on his fat loss, and how in them it stated that 3% fat loss occurred in 2 months. It's taken me 6 months to get to this point, (but again, I didn't have my slimguides then, but now I'm wary I didn't calculate correctly or that mine are faulty), and I'm worried that I'm doing something majorly wrong.

Anyways, thanks in advance to anyone who can shed some light and can help answer, I really appreciate it.

 

[micmic]

If the mirror says you are leaner, you probably are. I can't say whether your calipers are faulty but it seems improbable. Try measuring something with fixed width (like a book or CD cover) over several days to find out for yourself.

What I find more possible is that you have not yet perfected your technique so as to take reliable measurements. Shy away from formulas for a little while, and just focus on the progress of your abdominal skinfold. Try taking measurements everyday; since it is impossible to notice a big difference from day to day, for any fluctuations you will have to blame your technique.

Read this and this and this for technique details and other useful info.

 

[Aaron_F]

Quote[/b] (smunky @ Aug. 09 2003,8:52)]1)Should I measure before I do anything? (i.e breakfast, drinking water, anything at all)

yes

Quote[/b] ]2)Is this the best way to go about judging fat? Or should I find another way, such as before/after pictures and go off of those only (and I do take them, but have yet to see much change)?

skinfolds can be great, but if you are not totally consistent in their use, the results can be worthless. before after photos are good, digital cameras are good.

Quote[/b] ]3)Are my calipers faulty and am I just paranoid/impatient and just should wait until next week when I'm in SD to measure again, and wait another month as I am into my next cycle to see what my fat measurement is?

unlikely to be faulty, calibration should check that (as micmic said, measure against something known for a few days to see any variability. Expensive calipers come with a calibration block.
While skinfolds are easy, correct practice isnt, because in theory you have to mark the site exactly (From a set of different requirements) prior to the actual skinfold measure.
If you want better results, try a local university that does hydrostatic weighin.

 

[smunky]

thnx for the replies
Doubtful that I could find a school that would let me get a hydrostatic weigh in for free. That's the water displacement thingy right? hehe...noob alert! &#33

thnx for the info micmic, but, how do I choose the right site to use? Or is it really just trial and error at that point?

In terms of measuring with calipers, I suppose practice makes better. I will try to mark and measure the exact amount to be pinched and measured. Are the 4 points provided in the slim guides manual enough to measure with? Or should I try and use the sites provided above and work through the formulas given? (hehe, I had enough trouble trying to decipher them, let alone use them)

Again, thanks for all the help

 

[smunky]

whoa...whooops...overload on smilies...sorry bout that

 

[Aaron_F]

Quote[/b] (smunky @ Aug. 10 2003,8:37)]but, how do I choose the right site to use? Or is it really just trial and error at that point?

Choose hte points to suit the equation, and the exact placement of the pinches, for research we measure the site to an exact point (to maintain standardization)
Just make sure you get the same points each time and compare measuremetnsdont worry about absolute Bf measures.

 

[micmic]

Quote[/b] ]Are the 4 points provided in the slim guides manual enough to measure with?

The SlimGuide manual uses tables derived from the Durnin-Womersley formula. The 4 sites used on this formula (biceps, triceps, subscapular, supraspinale) make it impossible to take measurements by yourself (unless you are a circus-level contortionist). You have to rely on someone else and unless this is an experienced person, consistency goes out of the window.

So, for measuring yourself, you should stick with the Jackson-Pollock 3-site formula, which is probably more accurate anyway. The sites used in the latter (abdominal, front thigh, chest) can be measured without any help. But for the time being, forget about formulas. Just try to obtain some consistent results and track your progress by monitoring just the sum of the above 3 skinfolds.