Maddenation
Scale for masochists
Today, I went out and bought a bathroom scale at Walmart. It also measures body fat and water, and can remind you what gender you are if you forget. While waiting in the checkout line, the woman ahead of me looked at the scale and, reading the box upside down asked, “Wow, what things does that do?” I told her it measured body fat and total body water as well as weight. She took a deep breath and said, “How depressing.” I laughed and told her it was a bathroom scale for masochists. The guy in front of her (who might have been her son) then got into the act and wondered if it told you your cholesterol level. I said no, you’d have to at least prick your finger for that one.
We all had a good laugh, with me threatening to change my mind (what am I thinking?). Then they left (“Good luck on your cholesterol.”) and I brought the scale home. I shouldn’t tell you this, but based on preliminary measurements (because I’m not sure how the thing really works) I weigh 259 pounds, of which 34.5% is fat and 53.5% is water. That leaves about 31 pounds of muscle and bone, baby. I’m not sure about which category my brain fits into, but that’s in there too. By the way, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 19% body fat for a man my age, so technically, I only have about 15% excess body fat, a mere 39 pounds.
Dad • Funnies/News/Stories • 02/26/05 • 3 comments
Comments
AJ • 03/18/05 • 1:51 PM:It’s funny to me that people still believe that eating cholesterol is bad for them. People also assume that older people naturally must be degenerating and thus less flexible, fatter, and more prone to diseases. None of that is true, but I suppose that’s not the point of your post so I’ll try to prevent myself from rambling.
Anyway, I just wanted to point out that you may have not taken into account that your muscles are mostly made up of that water weight too, so you can probably add to the 31 pounds you calculated.
Also, sounds like the American College of Sports Medicine expects people your age to be out of shape and thus recommends 19% bodyfat. That’s very high in my opinion.
That bodyfat scale is a good way to measure your relative health, but I’m not sure yours is working properly. According to a chart (I googled ‘bodyfat’to see if I was right about the 19%) 25% bodyfat or more is obese. You sure that thing is working right?
I’d give some dietary advice and links, but I think I’ll save it for an essay I plan on writing and possibly having Dan post on your site. Besides people hate it when you give advice that isn’t asked for.
Dad • 03/19/05 • 8:57 PM:I think you’re right, AJ, that older people don’t necessarily have to degenerate as much as they are expected to; but let’s face it, bodies do degenerate and eventually die. Part of the problem is that we get sedentary, fatter, and more susceptible to stress (much of which comes with the increased responsibility of our families), but cell division itself introduces mutations and aging.
In terms of “acceptable” body fat, probably they factor in the lifestyle changes of older folks by correlating general health with body fat by age bracket. I don’t really care what my body fat is. I know my belly is too big and I weigh too much and have less energy than I’d like. The body fat measurement (or electrical resistance up one leg, across my body, and down the other) may be worthwhile as a relative measure of how I’m doing in my fight against fat. Regardless of how you slice it, I could stand to lose 39 pounds.
David • 03/20/05 • 10:00 AM:I think a major bonus/expectation of this site is giving advice that isn’t directly asked for. Or maybe it’s all asked for, right? That’s why Dad posted this entry - to get comments/advice.
So hand over the advice, AJ. For instance - I got a great email from AJ with some good advice on nutrition. Did I ask for that? No. But I was more than happy to get it and think about it.
Lastly, I agree with both AJ and Dad. But people do degenerate as they get older. It’s a scientific fact (much like women’s brains being 1/3 the size of men’s - a reference to Anchor Man). I imagine AJ meant that people have way more control over that than they realize. And that ageing doesn’t have to take the path it does in most people. Make no mistake though, the body does fall apart - muscle mass decreases, bone density decreases, cell division changes some, telomeres shorten, you know.
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