Monitoring weight loss is one of the best approaches to gauging your success. Monitoring how much body fat you are losing and how much muscle mass you are gaining is better. Having a method of tracking your progress at home will support your efforts. There are good digital scales available that monitor body fat and weight.
How a Digital Scale Measures Body Fat
Body fat scales use a method called bioelectrical impedence analysis. According to Sport Fitness Advisor, this is a small, completely harmless electrical current that is passed through your body. The impulse quickly passes through fat-free tissue such as muscle. It takes longer to pass through fat and bone. This impulse will measure your body density and from that number calculate an estimated percent body fat.
How Accurate Are Digital Scales
The accuracy of the scales depends upon a wide variety of factors. Things that can influence your results include your age, gender, body size and fitness. Additionally, the amount of water in your body, food you have eaten, skin temperature and recent exercise can have negative influences on accuracy. Results will not be as specific as underwater weighing or body fat caliper techniques, but there are benefits to scale measurements. The numbers you obtain from your scale can provide a gauge as to how much progress you are making towards your weight loss goals.
How to Ensure Better Accuracy
To help ensure the accuracy of your scale, follow these recommended steps. Use the scale to measure your progress only and don't compare your results with a body fat percentage score. Drink the same amount of water every time one hour before you weigh yourself. Use the scale at the same time of day and keep it in a room with daily temperatures that don't significantly fluctuate. Do not weigh yourself immediately after exercising. Keep your scale clean by using alcohol to wipe the feet pads.
What to Look for in a Scale
Sport Fitness Advisor recommends purchasing the most expensive scale you can afford. Accuracy will definitely increase with price. Purchase a scale that will work for an adult and a child if adults and children will be using it. For comparison, have your percent body fat calculated by a professional.
Top Rated Body Fat and Weight Scale
Tanita sells the top-rated scales according to both Good Housekeeping and Consumer Search. The Tanita BC-1000 is the newest, most sophisticated scale available today for the consumer. Tanita claims that in addition to weight, body fat percentage and hydration levels, this scale will provide measurements on muscle mass, overall physique rating, daily caloric intake, metabolic rating, bone mass and visceral fat. It communicates wirelessly with your computer to transmit these readings for tracking progress. It sells for about $280, as of 2010.
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