[ImNormal]

I recently bought the Lloyds Pharmacy body composition monitor.
http://img.fw1.biz/resize/53313/bidy.jpg/300/300/1/

When you start it up it asks for your height, your weight, your age, your gender and your activity level.
Once you've done that it tells you to hold the metal sensor pads at the sides and it then calculates your BMI, Body Fat and BMR. However, I'm wondering how it works out your Body Fat percentage from just that? When I've done it before I've had to pinch the skin on my body.
I google'd it and it said that it sends low electrical impulses through your body to work it out but I got my little sister to do it with the same info (height, weight etc...) that I had and she got the same body fat as me.
I can't imagine it being fake because the price was £35 but I wasn't sure how it worked out the Body Fat?

[Old School]

Does it really matter?

You're either fat or you're not.

You're either in shape or you're not.

You either look good or you don't.

Things life bf% complicate things needlessly and mean nothing outside of internet forums where 50kg guys boast about their 4.5345425% bodyfat when in reality they look like ****.

To answer your question, the reading will be woefully inaccurate and will likely underestimate your bf% by a significant degree.

The best way to monitor your body comp is to take pictures in the same position without flattering lighting every week. This will show you how you actually look and if you're progressing or not. People don't do this and prefer to hide behind meaningless figures because it's easier to cheat yourself into thinking that you're making progress when you don't actually look any different. This goes for traditional scales and bf% machines.

[Smason5]

o i also got that, i got it from poundland. lol. it works tho. Honest its exactly the same. Yer i noticed my lil sis had similar body fat to me but considering its not for her age i guess it doesn't work for her. Its works for my older sis tho as it gave the same BMI the docor said she had.

[ChaoticMaster]

(Original post by ImNormal)
I recently bought the Lloyds Pharmacy body composition monitor.
http://img.fw1.biz/resize/53313/bidy.jpg/300/300/1/

When you start it up it asks for your height, your weight, your age, your gender and your activity level.
Once you've done that it tells you to hold the metal sensor pads at the sides and it then calculates your BMI, Body Fat and BMR. However, I'm wondering how it works out your Body Fat percentage from just that? When I've done it before I've had to pinch the skin on my body.
I google'd it and it said that it sends low electrical impulses through your body to work it out but I got my little sister to do it with the same info (height, weight etc...) that I had and she got the same body fat as me.
I can't imagine it being fake because the price was £35 but I wasn't sure how it worked out the Body Fat?

It sends and electronic pulse through your arms and then measures how long it takes to go from one arm through to the other. It has a high margin of error because electricity will take the shortest route, ie. through one arm across your shoulders and down the other arm, so it extrapolates from the limited data it can gather. Your better off taking measurements with a tap measure and judging progress that way. Also judge by how you look in a mirror. A tape measure is useful as it takes away bias. You can not notice a change in your body but if you go from a 30 inch waist to a 28 inch waist you can't deny the change.

[ch0c0h01ic]

(Original post by ImNormal)
I recently bought the Lloyds Pharmacy body composition monitor.
http://img.fw1.biz/resize/53313/bidy.jpg/300/300/1/

When you start it up it asks for your height, your weight, your age, your gender and your activity level.
Once you've done that it tells you to hold the metal sensor pads at the sides and it then calculates your BMI, Body Fat and BMR. However, I'm wondering how it works out your Body Fat percentage from just that? When I've done it before I've had to pinch the skin on my body.
I google'd it and it said that it sends low electrical impulses through your body to work it out but I got my little sister to do it with the same info (height, weight etc...) that I had and she got the same body fat as me.
I can't imagine it being fake because the price was £35 but I wasn't sure how it worked out the Body Fat?

Incredibly inaccurate.

Taking skin calliper readings from multiple body sites would be far more accurate (and cheaper).

[silent ninja]

(Original post by ch0c0h01ic)
Incredibly inaccurate.

Taking skin calliper readings from multiple body sites would be far more accurate (and cheaper).

Agree.
The only downside is this requires a level of skill usually only an experienced trainer will have. The best thing to do is stick to one site, such as the suprailliac (side of the stomach), and take 3 measurements and average out. Measure at the same site regularly.
I have a pair of Accu Measure calipers. Paid a few pounds for them many years ago and they do the job.