best method for checking BF%.....

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About a month back I had trainer at gym use calipers to check my body fat and was told 16%. Then I was messing with some phone apps that calculated BF and came up with 19%. Well today at gym I used electronic hand held BF instrument and got reading of 24%!!! WTF.

I'm guessing the phone app isn't the best method, but what is the best way to get accurate BF%???
 
The Bod Pod is the best by far, but also pricey and not always easy to find. After that a 7-pt caliper test done by someone who knows that they're doing (This is the important part) is pretty accurate as well. After that comes all the electronic impedance things like the scales which often only have an accuracy of +/-5%, which is a decent bit off. you were probably best off when the trainer did the calipers assuming he did them right.
 
exactly what locallifter said. bio-electrical impedance analysis (bia) is the worst way to take body fat percent as it measures intracellular water based upon height. For example i have a friend whom is at 6% bf and the bia puts him at 13%. this guy is 5'7'' at 198 ripped you couldnt pinch his skin barely enough to get a caliper reading. me on the other hand i am 228lbs at 11% bf at 5'11'' the bia puts me at 12.1- 12.6 depending on what time of day and with a 9 point caliper test right at about 11%. Dont even use the bia (probably made by omron-the worst bia) as it can be very skewed
 
It was omron!

I wish there was an easy way to get fairly accurate reading.
 
"fairly accurate results?" your in luck lol. get the meta cal body fat calipers ($5) and do a 3 point site on yourself. if your honest with yourself you can get within 1-2%bf. they work just as well as the lange calipers that i use with my clients and they cost about $220 never would have spent that if i knew aboout the meta calipers lol. If you can try and have someone do a 9 site (more accurate then a 3 site) but 3 sites still are "fairly accurate."
 
Yes, macros would really be helpful, because I can tell right now you are not eating enough, especially not enough protein.

Those electronic BF calculators are horrible, post a pic if you can.
 
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