Most people only know how to monitor their weight with a scale. The problem with this method is that the scale doesn’t differentiate between how much of the “weight” is fat and how much is muscle and/or water. Losing “weight” is easy…the difficult part is losing fat and keeping it off, if you don’t know how. So, how can you accurately monitor your fat levels?

I like using an economical and practical method that I can still do in the privacy of my home, the skinfold test (also known as the “pinch an inch” method). This test is based on the fact that most of the fat is stored directly under the skin. The skinfold test has been found to be as accurate and reliable as other elaborate methods for testing body fat without the time, expense and equipment. The skinfold test is performed with a device called a skinfold caliper.

So how do you use a skinfold caliper to measure fat? Most body fat formulas require you to measure fat at 3 different locations then adding up the sum for your total. You can get these measurements from either the suprailliac (the spot about 1 inch above the point of your hip bone), abdominal, chest, bicep or tricep areas.

Follow these steps to measure your fat levels:
(1) Pinch the skin in 3 of the areas defined above between your index finger and thumb and gently pull the skin.
(2) Place the jaws of the caliper over the pinched skinfold about 1/4 inch from your index finger and thumb and clamp down until you have a firm hold of your skin. The caliper jaws measure the thickness of the skin fold and fat in millimeters. Most devices have a slide member that automatically moves across the measurement arm as you clamp down on the device and stops at the appropriate reading/measurement.
(3) Make sure you take a vertical fold and not a horizontal fold.
(4) Look up the sum of the skinfolds (from the 3 areas measured) on the percent fat estimate chart that comes with the calipers. These charts are derived from mathematical regression equations and allow for quick and easy interpretation of the skinfold measurements.

Simply follow the above steps on a regular basis to accurately track your fat loss process. Remember to keep a weight loss journal and document your progress. If the numbers are not what you expect or want, simple adjust your diet as needed and kick up your cardio training to the next level.

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