Can you pinch an inch

And second, although excess abdominal fat is associated with elevated health risks, having too much subcutaneous body fat can be dangerous too. Even if your midsection is the body part that jumps out at you most in the mirror, your entire body matters.

Happily, as the Obesity Action Coalition explains, losing even 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can create a dramatic improvement in your overall health.

The following methods can help you determine whether you need to lose weight, then track progress along your weight loss journey. Unless you're a remarkably industrious bodybuilder, as your percentage of body fat goes down those measurements will go down too. Keep a log of your measurements to track your progress over time.

But online BMI calculators are a rough, ready and completely free way of seeing if your body weight correlates as healthy when compared to your height. You'll find bioelectrical impedance analysis or BIA mechanisms on some bathroom scales, or in purpose-built handheld devices. For accurate results, the person doing the measuring should have specific training in this technique, so it's best done with the aid of a personal trainer or other fitness professional.

For the best accuracy, have the same trainer take your skinfold measurements every time. Fitness General Fitness Other Sports. Aubrey Bailey is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with an additional degree in psychology and board certification in hand therapy.

Bailey is also an Anatomy and Physiology professor. Either way it is there bouncing around on deaf ears because the premise is preposterous! Shoo I can pinch half a ruler! Such rubbish. Like Like. I remember this quite well I was older than 4 when this was a thing… by how much shall remain a mystery… And it is crap!

I actually remember at the time, my sisters and my mom and I all tried it. Guess what? Meg Campbell. Meg Campbell is a wellness expert with nearly two decades of experience as a fitness coach, group exercise instructor, and nutrition specialist.

She began her full-time freelance writing career in , and writes extensively about nutrition, health, and medicine. Campbell divides her time between the United States and Argentina. The skinfold test requires special calipers. Image Credit: Nancy R. Video of the Day. Locate the Sites for the Pinch Test.

Take the Measurements. Repeat the Measurements. Fitz Gerald and a photo of John J. Fitz Gerald. This site is edited by Barry Popik.

The test is to take a deep pinch of flesh covering the lower ribs at the side of the torso. Pick up the roll of fat betwixt thumb and forefinger. The pinch test can also be applied to the waistline. Take a deep pinch at both sides of the natural waistline, picking up the fat between thumbs and forefingers.