how good are biometric scales?

paulwood
paulwood Posts: 231
edited October 2009 in Training, fitness and health
thinking of getting some of these to help plan my training for next year. Hoping to do some triathlons which means a new training setup than just for sportives.

I'm not sure how reliable the information from these is and whether I really could use it. Anyone else use them?

are the ones you get for £50 or so any good or would I be better just using a HRM and scales like before

Comments

  • cal_stewart
    cal_stewart Posts: 1,840
    if you mean the ones which tell you fat and water content they are s:@t. I box and over the years have used them. They don't get it right. 8 years back i as on rehab for my ankle and got a medical exam for fat and water by a machine and the list of things i could not eat or drink 12hrs before was massive. so jumping on the bedroom scales is never going to tell you much.
    eating parmos since 1981

    Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Aero 09
    Cervelo P5 EPS
    www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13038799
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    paulwood wrote:
    thinking of getting some of these to help plan my training for next year. Hoping to do some triathlons which means a new training setup than just for sportives.

    I'm not sure how reliable the information from these is and whether I really could use it. Anyone else use them?

    are the ones you get for £50 or so any good or would I be better just using a HRM and scales like before

    A good look in the mirror will tell you more about your body fat than any scale ever will.
    And the mirror won't lie, is always accurate, and doesn't need a battery. Waste you money on some fancy bling, but don't waste it on fat monitors.
  • paulwood
    paulwood Posts: 231
    thanks for the replies. £50 of fancy bling feelgood stuff instead it is then
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    They are wildly inaccurate and worse, inconsistent...

    Jump up and down naked whilst looking in the mirror.

    Just because it's freakin' hilarious, no other reason!
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    Ive had some Tanita scales since 2005.

    Contrary to above I've found that if you follow the instructions and are not stupid they give consistent readings that can help you manage your weight/training. Just need to follow simple rules, that are pretty much true for all types of measurement.

    - measure at regular intervals with a consistent protocol. So I use every day last thing at night.
    - whats important is the trend not absolute day<>day changes.

    So in my experience, yes they have given weird and wonderful results sometimes, e.g. after a good session (in the pub, not training) fat % might drop (which would be good news if true). However overall they have been very useful.
    Martin S. Newbury RC

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