Body Image

[Cassia]

Very true! Things like that are also why BMI is a terrible indicator of someone's health. It doesn't take bone density, or muscle into account. I normally look like I weigh 15-25 pounds less than I actually do, and that usually has to do with my being muscular, like you, and being very large boned.

 

I don't know if it helps, but if normal scales upset you, but you want to keep track, maybe you should try a body fat scale. It reads your body, seperating the fat from the muscle and bone, so you can get a more accurate reading. I'm not saying you should, since I know scales of any kind can be really upsetting for people, and kind of triggering, but if I had to use a scale, I would use one of those- at least it's not some arbitrary number that says virtually nothing about the actual state of your body.

Whoa, that's pretty cool...do you know where I can get one of those? How do they work anyways?

[Rebecca~]

Whoa, that's pretty cool...do you know where I can get one of those? How do they work anyways?

The grocery store I used to work at sold them. They tend to be a bit more expensive- they were generally around $70-80, rather than the $30 or so that normal scales were.

I found this here

How do they work? Body fat scales use Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). A very small, harmless electrical current passes through your body tissues, slower through fat and quicker through muscle. Resistance is what is being measured. So, actually it is not analyzing your body fat percentage so much as your body density. The scale then takes this reading and uses a formula to give you a body fat percentage reading.

 

Are they accurate? No. They give an estimate and studies have concluded that body fat scales do not give precise readings. Consumer Reports tested body fat scales and found them all to be inaccurate. Factors such as body type, body temperature, hydration, and recent exercise can have a noteworthy impact on the number you see on the scale. Even wet or sweaty feet can skew the results. Whether or not you get a true analysis, what you can do is use that number to gauge your progress. But you must be consistent when you weigh yourself, so do it at the same time of day, drink/eat approximately the same amount, don't do it directly after exercising, and use it in a room that is generally a stable temperature. Utilize the body fat scale as a means of tracking trends rather than focusing on what that number is or comparing that number to what you think your body fat should be.

 

So they aren't perfect. Most gyms and stuff have more accurate machines, but for an at-home reading of how your body behaves when you're trying to become fitter, it's better than a traditional scale! :)

[Cassia]

Whoa, that's so cool, Thanks!

I'll go and try to find one now...

[internalxorgans]

I think it's the other way around sweetheart. You aren't the only one suffering, really skinny girls and really fat girls are neither healthy. Fat girls complain just as much about skinny girls and get all butthurt when they see someone a lot skinnier than who they are. So chill.