Here we go again, when will the western world's obsession with weight cease? If a person lives a balanced life in all things in which they do then there should be no need to measure anything. Life is not about measuring standards or living up to ideals set by somebody else, whose only concern is making money. Give yourself a break and throw the tape measure out of the window and over the wall.

Apparently there are three main ways to measure body fat involving a fat scale, skinfold callipers and hydrostatic weighting. All of these sound like really good fun to me. Why should we go out socialising or attend a night class on a subject that interests us, when we can be at home enjoying a go with the skinfold calliper? Really, life is too short to think about these things, don't waste your money on totally unnecessary products such as these.

The fun increases when you learn that in order to use the fat scales you are not allowed to eat or drink for four hours before the test, well that sounds great. You are not allowed to exercise for about twelve hours before the test either, don't worry we won't but neither will we bother with the test too. And doesn't the word "test" signify a pass or a fail? Really this is you we are talking about here, pass and fail doesn't come into it.

The callipers usually involve a trip to see a specialist, if you want an accurate reading that is, which is in my opinion a total waste of both their time and yours. This is nothing more than an insult to both you and the medical profession. Stay at home or go out for lunch with friends and stuff the callipers.

As for the hydrostatic weighting principle all you need is a hydrostatic weighing tank found in some Universities or specialist gyms, oh and an Archimedean calculation based on the water displacement principle. Yes of course it is that easy, I can't think why I haven't been along recently, maybe because it is just total madness! Really when I read about things like this it is when I know what it is the world that has gone mad and it is me that is the sane one.

Everybody knows that possessing too much body fat is unhealthy and can be dangerous. I am not trying to belittle weight issues, far from it. But I at least credit people with intelligence, which is more than can be said of the companies that profit from selling products such as these.

People know what they have to do in order to lose weight. Eat less (or the right foods at least) and exercise simple. We do not need a lecture in the displacement theory of Archimedes. Neither do we need to spend billions of pounds a year on diet ideas and fads, which is what companies are making out of all of us. Forget the fads, ditch the rubbish, eat well and enjoy life.

Learn more about this author, John Neely.
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