Truth in Numbers

On Wednesday, when I had to hem several pairs of pants, I realized that I hadn't stepped on my home scale in several months. Then I realized that I had to change the Age setting since my birthday had passed. I'm not sure how, but the algorithms the scale uses to calculate body fat, muscle, water, and bone density are affected by whether you select Male or Female, what height you are, your age, and whether you classify yourself as an athlete. None of this really matters as long as you're consistent.

Because I hadn't changed the settings in over a year, it took me several rounds to get all the parameters correct. Which meant I inadvertently stepped on the scale and got bizarre readings because the scale at first thought I was male. While my weight remained the same at 110 lbs (thus proving accurate over several readings), the body fat was dependent on other parameters.

As a 59-year-old man, my BF registered at 5.5%, a ridiculous number. As a normal woman, it jumped to 20%. As a female athlete, it dropped to 15.4%. I've read several online reviews of the different consumer body fat scales. Consumer Reports tells you not to use the Athlete setting because they assume you work out maybe an hour three times a week, like a normal human. I'm a gym rat. I click on the Athlete setting and don't feel bad about it. All my past readings have been taken under the Athlete setting. What I'm looking for is consistency so I can view trends.

Tanita and Omron are the two biggest players for this type of health-related equipment and the former is the one that Consumer Reports rates highest. (But I don't trust CR to give me accurate information. Too often they've rated a product a Best Buy from their laboratory experiences, and those products are subsequently reviewed as being abysmal by actual consumers on purchase sites such as Amazon.) CR doesn't even have a rating for the EatSmart scale I use.

However, I'm not sure I trust the BF readings this time since I don't think I'm any leaner than the last time I took measurements a few months ago (15 Jan 2019, weight 110.6 lbs, BF 16.1%). Some reviews note that the leading digital body fat scales tend to overestimate BF percentages for leaner people and underestimate it for fatter ones. Because the scale measures electrical resistance (BIA aka bioelectrical impedance analysis) from one foot to the other, it also doesn't measure body fat carried above the hips and inside the abdomen. That's apparently really dangerous fat -- the type that surrounds your organs.

The more accurate tools measure the signal from your hands to your feet, using 4 contact points instead of 2. Other variables, like having damp or dirty feet will alter the resistance flow. So will a high humidity environment, like being in a damp bathroom. My scale's in the dry and dusty bedroom.

When I first joined the gym, the trainer had me use the gym's hand-held BF device and it registered a whopping 33%. Even at my heaviest (128 lbs), I don't think I was quite that fat. So I have no faith whatsoever in that type of machine. The step-on-BF scales are also affected by surface area. Complaints have been made that people with small feet get distorted readings. With very small feet and extremely small hands, I'm never going to get normal range readings.

Online, I find more reviews of digital weight and body fat scales. One website rates the latest EatSmart highly. My scale is several years old but seems to contain all the same functions. A lot of the information is irrelevant or just silly. I don't think it's possible for my bone density to shift from 4.4 to 4.6 from month to month. But I could be wrong.

Fridays are my Cardio Plus workout days. I admit I'm pretty burnt by the time I get home. But I enjoy all the effort, and unlike a lot of people at the gym, I have a great time. Some people plod on the StepMill as if they're suffering a penance. I'm actually singing along with my tunes (but very quietly). I can see the entire gym from this high vantage point on the cardio platform. B is wearing a black tank with sparkling rhinestones dotting the neckline and spends an inordinate amount of time talking. Because if she's not the center of attention, she's not happy. I see other regulars like Big Tank, SnowBird, WeightBelt Girl, Hollywood, and PO Goatee, but not the Heron or Shiny Shoes.

from BigThink.com regarding the 40 Pushup test

My right elbow is definitely sore from the series of pull-ups today (total 66). I stop after 3 sets but add the extra pushups. (A total of 110 pushups. Does that mean I've passed the cardio fitness test? I've never timed myself, but next time I will for the first set of 50 just to see how long it will take. I know the test says 40 in a minute, but I'm not stopping at 40.)

I've also increased the 2:1 Lying Leg Curl by 5 lbs. That's probably as high as I'll go since I'm concerned about pressure on my knee joints. I try to keep my head up while I'm doing these because laying on your face is bad for the IOPs (internal eye pressure) and can cause them to rise. And no one with glaucoma wants that.

Rainy Cardio Friday

Norwegian 4x4
5 min w/u (4 min on / 3 min off) x 4
5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30, 33
Calories 277
Miles 2.60
HR 136-194 (97)

Cage Stretch
HGPU 23

Pushups 50
Crunches 30/40
Leg horizontal scissors 50
Bicycles 50
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

20 Step Mill
Level 3
Calories 113
Total steps 712
Floors 44
HR 133

HGPU 20

15 Cross Trainer+3cd
Manual 1
Calories 144
Miles 2.19
HR 136-156

HGPU 23

Walking Lunges
29+30= 59

2:1 Lying Leg Curls
30lbs x 10, 8, 8

Pushups 60
Mat Stretch