Body builders and fitness experts--which body fat percentage is most accurate?

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First -- the mirror is going to best the most accurate method of determining a healthy body fat percentage vs. non if you can't use any objective measurement tools ie: calipers (cheap) -- and the only absolute accurate method is measuring body density via a pool (though not easy to find..).

Calipers are cheap,.. not sure why you can't afford calipers -- but perhaps you have no income.

Here are some calipers that are $8 --

http://www.amazon.com/Accu-Measure-Fitness-3000-Personal-Tester/dp/B000G7YW74

Any of the online BMI statistics will NOT apply to someone who seriously body builds.. ie: Has high levels of muscle mass/density.

IE: For example I am 200lbs, and 5'11" -- my own physician says I am a bit overweight due to the standard BMI references merely on my height and weight. When in fact I have quite a larger percentage of muscle than someone who A) Doesn't have the genetics and general muscle mass naturally that I have and B) Doesn't do resistance (body building).

It is unfortunate most M.D.'s that aren't involved in sports medicine are quite incompetent in judging healthy weight and fat for anyone that works out regularly. It isn't taught.. it isn't thoroughly explained in the PDR etc. On the flip side 99.9% of patients seen do NOT work out.. and fall into this category of being able to be roughly analyzed by a BMI chart.. so it does apply to some degree with the vast majority of people/patients. Further in America particularly (and most similar western modern civilizations ie: GB, AUS, CAN, etc) we have an obesity epidemic. It is normal to be overweight.. (though not healthy).

So take what your doctor says seriously, but also realize and try to educate your doctor on the difference in 'athletes' (Yes having serious muscle mass/density and lower Body fat is in the realm of athletes.) verse the common person. Bring reference material and what you've researched with factual basis to the conversation. Some doctors will listen and apply it to their practice.. others will have a bit of an Ego because they have a medical degree and think it is nigh impossible for someone without such a degree to teach them anything related to health, or medicine. The best doctors are those that realize they don't know it all and further are willing and want to learn on a constant basis and learn quite a bit from their patients directly or indirectly.

You may be a case of being too subjective in the nature of your own body fat and health. You CAN be unhealthy and be in excellent physical shape. Especially if female. If bodyfat is below a threshold it very well does effect your endocrine system which is more predominant in females.

That said -- This online calculator would be the 'most' accurate given your situation -- though no online calculator is anything you should rely on.

http://www.amazon.com/Accu-Measure-Fitness-3000-Personal-Tester/dp/B000G7YW74

Given the variance of subjectivity and how we vary based on genetics towards where and how our bodies store fat makes the use of an accurate objective measurement (ie: Proper use of calipers) to determine if we are , indeed, in a healthy range of body fat.

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I could do a skin fold test on you with calipers and calculate using sum of 4 sites, then do the same using a different method of calculating (there's a few), then use the Navy method, then use some Body Composition Monitors... and I'd still get conflicting results.

Dextra scans or Hydrostatic weighing are the most accurate forms but they are so costly that the question has to be asked "Why bother?"

I know this doesn't give you a conclusive answer but I encourage you to think less on overall BF% and more on the visceral fat area - the abdominal region.

Measure that with a skin fold caliper (you can pick them up cheaply) or rely on girth measurement.

How you feel is of most importance though....Show more

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you should try to find a top-end training facility located around you, somebody there should be able to do a skin-caliper test for a pretty cheap price...as a female, about 12% is as low as youll want to get to be able to still fully carry-out your lady processes...Show more