Want to hear a hard truth? Chasing a specific body fat percentage will not guarantee results in the health or aesthetic department, and it shouldn’t be your primary fitness goal.
One of the main reasons for this is that measuring BF % does not provide a definitive number, but rather a prediction. Unfortunately, there can be a large variance in body composition results depending on the testing method used.
There are certain procedures that are referenced as gold standard (most accurate tests possible under reasonable conditions), consisting of skinfolds, DEXA scans, and hydrostatic weighing. However, a popular method that is not acknowledged as gold standard is bioelectrical impedance, used frequently in bodyweight scales and InBody scans. Therefore, if you are interested in analysing and tracking your body composition, we encourage you to use gold standard methods. However, bear in mind that despite these methods being deemed MORE accurate, they do not guarantee 100% accuracy when determining BF %.
Also, keep in mind that an estimated BF % value will differ depending on the testing method used, for example DEXA vs Skinfolds. This is because DEXA scans measure visceral and subcutaneous fat mass, whereas skinfolds only measure subcutaneous fat. Therefore, DEXA values are likely to be higher than skinfolds. However, remember it’s not the body fat % (estimation) that necessarily matters, but rather how your total body composition is changing over time in terms of fat vs lean mass tissue.
When testing your body composition, it is important to keep certain variables consistent to avoid skewing your results. Most importantly is being in a fasted state as water and food bulk can be misinterpreted as lean tissue. In addition, avoid having your body composition tested after training and use the same piece of equipment or tester (in the case of skinfolds).
We encourage you to not hyper-focus on a BF % number, but rather track your progress through a combination of progress photos, scale weight, girth measurements, training performance, nutrient status, and quality of life! “X” BF % will look different on everyone… so it’s not a worthwhile number to obsess over!