![]() Some electronic calipers have the formulas built in, so they automatically display a body fat percentage right on the digital screen. The test really is as simple as "pinch an inch." All you need is a skinfold caliper, a vice-like device that pinches the skinfold and measures the thickness in millimeters.Īfter taking one or more measurements at various sites around the body, you can convert that sum of the skin folds into a body fat percentage using a math equation or an easy conversion chart that has already done the math for you. You store fat internally as well, but since the majority of your fat is below your skin, you can use skinfold measurements to estimate your overall body fat percentage. ![]() You store the majority of your fat, rather inconveniently, right on top of your muscles (obscuring the definition), and right below the skin. This post will be devoted to the skinfold method. There are many different ways to measure your body fat percentage. Tracking body weight is helpful, but doesn't give the full picture - it doesn't tell you what your weight consists of - muscle or fat. If you want to improve your body composition and reduce body fat, then measure and track body composition and body fat. The simple idea here is to measure and track everything you want to improve. If you can't, the good news is, you can coach yourself and test your own body fat, and you're about to learn how. If you can, you've got the accountability times two, and I'd recommend you take advantage of it by asking your trainer to track your body fat at regular intervals. I understand that not everyone has the budget to work with a personal trainer or fitness coach forever. How can a 12-week coaching program or a 7-week body transformation contest produce such spectacular results, and the day it's over, the results come to a screeching halt or even slip back in the exact opposite direction? Here's one simple answer: You stopped doing what got you those results in the first place (no lifestyle change) and you let yourself off the hook (no accountability). Peak Performance Principle #1: If You Want To Improve It, Track It! I believe that when people stop setting goals, and stop self-monitoring their activities and their progress toward those goals, that's a big part of the reason why relapse rates are so high. The problem is, my time with a personal client comes to an end eventually and then they're off on their own, free to continue measuring progress for accountability's sake, or free to stop tracking. They sometimes simply felt a little uncomfortable about someone grabbing their fat.īut after they started doing it, and they saw the results of accountability in action, they were sold! With few exceptions, those chats usually ended the same way - no one ever denies the importance of tracking body composition instead of just body weight. I've had many humorous conversations like I did with Cori over the years when I broke out the calipers to measure body fat percentage. When you know we're going to measure your body fat and weight every Monday, you're going to work harder every week, I guarantee it." Reluctantly, she agreed, "I know. "You should look forward to 'pinch day' because this is your motivation. "But listen - you signed up for this 12-week fat loss program, and you know from reading the Burn the Fat book how valuable body composition stats are for tracking your progress." You don't have to do anything you don't want to do" I assured her. Pinch an inch, you know?" She continued to protest, "That's the problem, I don't have an inch, I have a handful! Yuck! Do we really have to do this?" I chuckled and replied, "Oh come on, they're just harmless skinfold calipers for body fat testing. "Get those vice grips of death away from me!" Cori said.
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