Accurate Body Fat Scale?
Has anyone found a body fat scale that produces accurate results, and what has to be done to get accurate results out of it? I'm 5'9" 151lbs and my Taylor body fat scale says I'm at 21% body fat, and has been giving me similar readings for nearly a year now. I'm pretty sure I've swapped a few pounds of fat for muscle during that time.
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Kevin, these things work off by passing a small current through your body and measuring the conductivity (or whatever). The reading is greatly affected by your hydration state so, as an athlete who is always exercising and losing/gaining pounds and pounds of water weight, the % BF on these scales will bounce all over the place. The net is that I don't think they are very useful. That said, your's sounds like it's totally whack and you may need a new scale.
I agree with what Rich said. These scales can be fussy. However, if you have one that also tells you hydration status, then you can compare the results better. I have an Ironman one (with the handles so it does four compartments) that shows hydration status. If they are close, I'll compare. If not, I'll try again later.
You can also use measurements using a good ol' tape measure. Not true body comp, but it can tell you about some changes.