I want to discuss this topic and in particular relate it to weight loss. There is often this fixation in the fitness industry that as long as you are losing weight on the scales then everything is going to plan, and if you haven’t lost any weight then you mustn’t be training hard enough or eating right, this isn’t always the case.
First of all how do we know that this weight loss is fat or muscle being lost? Or that the person who hasn’t lost any weight may have in fact lost fat but instead put on some muscle to negate the fat loss?
These are all factors that need to be considered by fitness coaches instead of simply looking at figures on a scale that don’t necessarily tell the full story.
What is Body Composition?
The definition of body composition is 'the percentages of bone, fat, water and muscle in the human body. Below are some (not all) methods of how to measure body composition. I have personally used all these methods at least once.
Methods to measure Body Composition
Skinfold Calipers - Skinfold calipers measure the thickness of your subcutaneous fat (the fat underneath the skin) at certain body locations. Skinfold calipers are very affordable, and measurements can be taken quickly. They can be used at home but are also portable. This method requires practice and some skill.There can be around a 3.5-5% measurement error as a result.
Body Circumference Measurements - Body shape varies from person to person, and the shape of your body provides information about your body fat. Measuring the circumference of certain body parts is a simple method of body fat estimation. This method is easy and affordable. However body circumference equations may not be accurate for all people due to differences in body shape and fat distribution leading to high errors rate in certain cases.
DXA - DXA uses X-rays of two different energies to estimate your body fat percentage. This method provides accurate and detailed information, including a breakdown of different body regions and bone density readings. Some major disadvantages of DXA are that they are often unavailable to the general public and expensive when available.
Hydrostatic weighing - This technique weighs you while submerged under water after exhaling as much air as possible from your lungs.You are also weighed while you are on dry land, and the amount of air left in your lungs after you exhale is estimated or measured.All of this information is entered into equations to determine the density of your body. Your body’s density is then used to predict your body fat percentage. This is generally very accurate, however this isn’t easily accessible and being submerged under water while breathing out is quite difficult.
Bioelectrical Impedance analysis (BIA) - BIA devices detect how your body responds to small electrical currents. This is done by placing electrodes on your skin.Some electrodes send currents into your body, while others receive the signal after it has passed through your body tissues.Electrical currents move through muscle easier than fat due to the higher water content of muscle and as a result can predict body composition. This method is quick and easily accessible in most gyms or can be bought online. Generally I’ve found that these aren’t very accurate or reliable though.
Take home message
Don’t be too disheartened if the scales tell you one thing, they don’t tell you the full story. Ideally one of the above methods can be used in any fitness program to track fat and muscle changes more accurately over time, however not all of them are readily available. Personally I would recommend skinfold calipers as they are cheap and easy to use. Make sure to watch some videos online to get the technique and protocol right before using them or your results will be unreliable. Recording the circumference around different body parts is another easily accessible body composition procedure I would recommend if you don’t have access to any of the other methods, again make sure to watch some videos to get the technique and protocol right.
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