oakleydo

I just got back from on cruise. While on the boat, I signed up for a "body composition analysis." After telling the person my weight, height, etc., they put some wires on my foot and hand, and connected me to a small machine. The machine spit out a piece of paper that purportedly had my weight (the same exact weight I told him), my height, my body fat percentage and basal metabolic weight, as well as body water weight and percentage. He then tried to sell me a "de-tox program."

I really did it for the body fat percentage, but I'm wondering if I can trust the numbers. Was I scammed?

Guest

If you're wondering, maybe you should go to your local fitness club and ask them to run a body comp analysis on you also. Then you can compare the two results and see if the test from the cruise ship was accurate.

Don't buy into those quick fix gimmick weight loss programs. Just put together a sensible eating and fitness plan, join a gym (if you don't belong to one), and keep track of your activities so you don't slip.

Koffee

supcom

The body composition was likely not a gimmick. The machine was programmed with your weight and then measures the electrical impedance through your body at several different frequencies. The measurements are used with some formulas calibrated for the measurement locations to determine the amount of water, fat, etc. This is the same basic technique used by a Tanita scale to give you the same information.

I don't know what you paid, but you might check discounts stores for a Tanita scale that will let you measure your body fat whenever you want. They are pretty reasonably priced these days.

The detox sales pitch is a bunch of bull. I hope you didn't buy it.