Saturday, June 7, 2008

Paleo Diet - Day 217

This morning, there is no change as far as my weight is concerned. I remained at 167 lbs, same as last week, which means my BMI (Body Mass Index) also remains steady at 22.6 ("normal weight").

Incorporating the measures I've just taken using my new skin fold caliper, which should be a lot more accurate than the faulty body fat scale I tried a few weeks ago, I came up with a body fat percentage of 6.62%. Not bad! That's bodybuilder territory. The thing is, though, it wasn't easy to calculate, as there are two skin fold sites I can't possibly measure without assistance (the subspinal and the subscapular, both located on the back, where it's hard to grip and impossible to see), but, I think that's of little consequence, given that my fat layer in those two areas is very thin, for one thing, and, also, the equation I used for converting skin fold measures to body fat percentage leaves out a site I did use (the bicep). The skin fold sites/measures I used were:

Chest = 1/2" (11mm)
Abdomen = 7/8" (21mm)
Thigh = 5/8" (13mm)
Tricep = 3/8" (9mm)
Bicep = 3/8" (9mm)

This is then added together to get the sum (in millimeters), which, in my case, equals 63. According to the skin fold chart at www.topendsports.com, the range of 60 to 80 is "excellent." Now, keeping in mind the absence of the two sites I couldn't measure, plus the addition of the one they've left out (for some unknown reason), the multiplier they give for converting the sum to a body fat percentage does have a margin of error built in. But, I guesstimate that the two sites I couldn't get to without help would probably yield measures very close to what I got from my bicep and tricep (9mm), and you have to consider that I've added in my bicep site (9mm), which they left out, so, if there is any error, it would be about 9mm off, as far as the sum is concerned. Given that, my sum might actually be closer to 72, which still falls within the "excellent" range of 60-80, given in their chart. Since their method doesn't include the bicep site, I decided it was time for a second opinion and checked out the Build Muscle and Gain Weight Fast Guide calculator, instead. It appears to be a more accurate method, and gives you the option of using only three sites or as many as seven. Since I wasn't able to get to two of those sites, I settled for using the 3-site method of calculation (chest, thigh and abdomen). Again, using millimeters (chest = 11mm, abdomen = 21mm, thigh = 13mm), I came up with a body fat percentage of 16.42% body fat, which sounds a lot closer to what I got with the body fat scale I was using, previously. It also sounds more accurate than the amazing 6.62% I got from Topend Sports. Note, also, that the BM&GW Fast Guide's calculator also includes age and sex, which are important for accurately assessing body fat percentage. Now, according to the body fat percentage charts at About.com, for men, age 41 to 60, 16.42% is well within the "healthy" range.

Where my blood sugar is concerned, it's at a fully normal 93 dcl/ml this morning, this despite my usual late Friday night/early Saturday morning meal before bedtime (which wasn't until 3:00am). So, not bad.

I got a rather low reading on my blood pressure this time: 92/71, so I tried it again, following a slight adjustment of the cuff and the repositioning of my arm, and I got 113/69 the second time around. I'm not sure what accounts for the difference, but I'll take either measure! According to the chart here, that's either "low-normal" to "normal." Consider that this is still with medication, so, if this turns out to be a trend, I think it's time to discontinue the Lisinopril and call my high blood pressure "cured." That would mean I've achieved all the goals I've set for myself, and all within seven months, which is how long it's been since I began the paleo diet (November 2nd).