Women have a different body composition to men.

Try changing to male athlete if you want your bf to look low.

Those scales are not accurate. Follow the instructions very carefully to get a reading within 2 or 3% of your actual bf%.

I've lost and gained 6-8% bodyfat in 30 seconds based on those electronic impedance scales. We all know weight can be misleading, but I think that bodyfat percentage can sometimes be even more misleading, at least in terms of measuring it. I've been tested by calipers as well, and my bodydat was 3-4% higher when I was hydrated. Most people like the hydrostatic method, but I've never tried that.

Sometimes I wonder if eventually there will be a chart based on how you look and feel about yourself....

Step One - When to take a reading

BIA depends on your body's hydration (water) level, which along with your weight will fluctuate naturally throughout the day. You will probably get different readings from your Tanita Monitor if you take measurements at different times of the day.

Consistency is the key when taking your readings. The best time is in the early evening, before your meal. This is when your hydration level will be more stable.

Avoid taking readings after you've woken up in the morning. Not only will you be dehydrated, but also the majority of fluid in your body will be stored in the central trunk area. As the day progresses, the fluid becomes more evenly distributed through the limbs, increasing the accuracy of the readings.

Other factors which can affect your hydration level and the accuracy of the readings include:

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Temperature
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The amount of exercise you've taken
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Menstruation
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Medical conditions and medications
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Alcohol
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Caffeine
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Bathing patterns


SO REMEMBER

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Take your readings at the same time and under the same conditions every day.
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Look for the long-term trend - body fat levels change slowly over time.

When somebody uses the calipers to measure bodyfat, it also requires taking into account whether you are male or female as well. Since men and women are different, the calculated body fat % is based on the "average" male or female.

Even the hydrostatic and air-displacement (bod-pod) methods of measuring body fat are subject to error. For example, if you do not properly expel the air from your lungs, the hydrostatic measurement will not be accurate. It also is based on the "average" male and female. I believe they read your body fat % off a chart based on body density -- the hydrostatic measurement measures the volume of space your body takes up -- and that is also dependent on sex.

EDIT: Just googled this page that has a very good explanation of the different methods of measuring body fat:
http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/bodyfat.htm[/URL" target="_blank">

http://This message has been edited by milkbaby (edited Mar-24-2006).