Before starting any attempt to influence any aspect of our lives, it makes sense to have a baseline measurement. Body composition is no different.
Whilst simply "eyeballing" it is a good start, sometimes it's good to have more objective numbers. This is especially true when you consider that the unseen visceral fat (that around our organs) is the fat most linked to chronic disease like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiac disease.
Methods you might like to consider are:
- DEXA Scan - This is the current gold standard in measuring body composition & is so much less messy than underwater weighing.
- Skinfold Callipers - A good practitioner will get consistent numbers but, because the tables used to convert are population-based, a multi-site measurement using the sum of skinfolds compared from test to test is a better indication that you're losing fat.
- Bio-Electrical Impedence - Generally not consistent due to reliance on body water being the same. It's a guide & very easy to implement at home.
- Body Mass Index (BMI) - Simple and easy to calculate but does show very muscular people as obese.
- Waist to Height Ratio - Another simple measure, used by the World Health Organisation that gives a good indication of healthy body composition.
Tasks for this lesson:
1. Calculate your BMI & Waist-to-Height Ratio & record them. Consult the tables. How do you compare?
2. If a more accurate measure of body fat interests you, do a little Google research to find a DEXA scanner or personal trainer who knows how to use skinfold callipers (hint: bodybuilding gyms are often the best for this).