Body Fat Monitors/Scales

Joseph Lombardi

Anyone using/have a Body Fat Monitoring Scale? What Model? Does it have a BMR (Base Metabolic Rate)? Do you find the BMR measurement accurate? Useful? How does it compare to mathematical estimations?  Does it have %Hydration/%H20? Muscle or Bone Mass Measurement? Metabolic Age?  Which of these functions beyond weight and % bodyfat are useful?

 

Thanks,

Matt Samojeden

Joseph, I have a Tanita Ironman segment composition scale. I captures all you have cited and a bit more. The 3 things I look at in the am and post work in priority order are %h20, weight,.....distant 3rd is % body fat. My unit measures have compared very close to a $10K Bodpod unit that i get measured on every quarter. The better Tanita units have a athlete mode where the algorithms are more tuned to people like us. The BMR has been close from the Tanita and the Bodpod.

jetskr

Hey Joseph,

The DC Rainmaker blog does a pretty good write up on the different models on the market as well as a comparison between them and the Bodpod Matt was talking about. Here's a link to the first review:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/08/bod-pod-consumer-scale-comparison-tests.html

jhbinsc

+1 to DCR. And I also have a Tanita like Matt and have been very happy with it as it does all those metrics and more.

[Deleted User]

I use the Tanita Ironman Innerscan bc-554. I use it once a week and find the results are pretty accurate.

Kevin Walter

I have the Withings scale. Just does weight and %BF, but it automatically uploads the data via WiFi to 3 accounts (Withings, LoseIt, and TrainingPeaks). Transfer is instantaneous and means I don't have to go about remembering to do it later.

From what I've read the hydration level and other measurements on the Tanita are pretty sketchy.

Kevin Walter

I did BodPod in December and its measurement was within 1% of the Withings scale in terms of %BF.

Robin Rodriguez

Posted By Kevin Walter on 13 Jan 2012 09:10 AM

I did BodPod in December and its measurement was within 1% of the Withings scale in terms of %BF.

Good to know! I have the Withing scale as well, I like it because the automatic tracking/uploading makes it simple. Figured the %BF could be off but hopefully consistent with itself.

penlynwilson

As others have said, the scales that use bioelectrial impedance to determine body fat can be fussy based on hydration. If you scale has a hydration status number, be sure you are within the "normal" range when you look at the BF number. Compare only those that have similar hydration status numbers.

Joseph Lombardi

BTW...ended up purchasing the Tanita IM BC554 - so far I'm liking the ease of operation; the reviews, and the athlete mode.

William Jenks

I have an older Tanita without the hydration scale, but I probably need to buy a new scale for another reason anyway and could hand-me-down the one I have. Looks like there is a price point at $100-120 that has hydration in the Tanita line.

For those that use the scales with hydration, what information do you get from it? How do you find it useful? Matt S...I"m calling you....

(And yes, those impedance things are sensitive to both hydration and just general moisture...take a measurement before and after a shower to see that one!)

Dino Sarti

+1 on the Withings scale. It automatically loads to training peaks and a really cool Withings iPhone app that will graph everything. I lost 75 pounds using that scale in about 14 months starting in July of 2010. The scale helped, but tracking all calories and completely cutting out alcohol were the real secret to my success..