FITME.PH Fitness + Lifestyle + IIFYM
When it comes to body fat percentage, there are only a few ways of accurately measuring it:
- DEXA Scan
- Hydrostatic Weighing
- Calipers
- Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (Tanita, Omron)
Calipers and Bioelectric Impedance Analysis have questionable accuracy. For one, the results of calipers can vary wildly depending on the person conducting the test. With BIA, body water balance can affect results since muscle has a high water content.
The gold standard for measuring body composition are the DEXA Scan and Hydrostatic Weighing, which is why I jumped at the chance to get a DEXA Scan at Orthosport Manila.
I’ve always wondered what my body fat percentage is, not because I’m obsessed with the number, but because doing research online has been fruitless. You have infographics that say one thing, and others that say something completely different. Also, I have always been curious to see how much muscle I lose when I cut/diet down, compared to fat.
As a bikini competitor, one of my goals when stepping on stage is to cut body fat so that I can reveal the muscle underneath. I aim to keep as much muscle as possible so that I can keep my metabolic rate as high as can be.
I regret not taking a DEXA Scan at the beginning of my cut/caloric deficit, but I figured now would be as good a time as ever to start measuring progress this way. I will be taking another DEXA Scan closer to my competition and will update once I have those results.
As of my first DEXA Scan, my body fat percentage is 22.5%. Not surprisingly, most of my excess fat is concentrated in my hips, legs and tricep area. These are my “stubborn areas” or areas that take me longer to cut body fat from. Check out the video to see my full assessment by endocrinologist, Dr. Delizo.
