Body Fat Scales
 

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/ta...scan_scale.htm

Santa brought a Tanita Body Fat Scale for Christmas. Does anyone have any experience or impressions of the accuracy or usefullness of this device?
My first readings (after proper programming) alarmed me a bit but after a few other family members tested I thought maybe this thing is for real.

I am 50 and have been cycling, working out for about 6 years. At the same time I have drastically changed my eating habits. In the past 6 years I have lost 40 lbs. So my readings show this:

Weight 199 lbs
Body Fat 14.7 % (Surprise)
Metabolic Age - 23 (huge Surprise)
Calories I can eat and maintain my current weight - 4,565 calories / day - WOW
So it is Christmas Day and I pigged out.

This comes up about once a month it seems.

The Tantia scale is not a highly accurate device. It is best used to monitor trends over time.

The scale (at least mine) is very sensitive to hydration level. It is best to use it in the afternoon or evening at a time when you can have a relatively constant hydration level. Using it after exercise is not a good idea! In the morning it will likely read a higher BF% than later in the day because you are dehydrated when you wake up.

Perhaps newer Tanita scales are better about this. Try using it over the course of the day and see. Regardless, don't freak out over day-to-day changes.

Body fat is not as important as inches and nutritients.

My wife just saw this response and agrees. :)

I hadn't seen a thread on this in the past. Should have done a search. I think you are right about trending. Thanks.