Tomorrow is April Fools Day. A perfect day to test your body fat. No really, I mean because it is the first day of month. If you are on any kind of weight loss, exercise, lose fat, gain muscle actually just any kind of fitness program it would do you well to check your measurements and to check your bodyfat. (Besides, these measurements may take a little longer to achieve but they are more conclusive than that #$%& scale!)
So, whip out your tape measure. Get naked. Now measure the important areas of your body. Measure your chest at the widest point, measure your waist at the umbilical, measure your hips at approximately 6 inches below the umbilical (or at your widest point-but make sure to have a reference so you can measure at the same place next month). Now measure your biceps, thighs and calves. Record all measurements then put it away and DO NOT LOOK or even THINK ABOUT IT until May 1, 2006.
Now, go to your local health food store and buy a Skin-fold Caliper. They are actually pretty inexpensive. A skin-fold caliper will measure your skin-folds to calculate the amount of subcutaneous (under the skin) fat that you have. It comes with some pretty clear instructions on how to do it. Basically you take a skin-fold measurement at your tricep area, just above your hip area and the front of your thighs. There may be more measurements that you will want to take also. Just be sure and have a reference so that on May 1, you measure at the same place. Then input the information into the equations from your instructions and you will have an estimate of your body fat. Record the information and do not look at it or even think about it until May 1. Then measure again and see the changes!
A caliper is a simple way to “do it yourself”. You can also enlist the services of a fitness professional to help you. Most gyms these days have ways to measure body fat. You could also get hydrostatically weighed or use a “bod-pod” and those methods will probably give you a much more accurate assessment but they will cost you quite a bit more also. It just depends upon your goals.
But if you start tomorrow on April 1, by May 1 when you measure again you will see changes, then June 1, July 1 and on and on.
