Body Fat Reading too high

Remove your shoes and socks and wet your feet slightly with a damp cloth if you receive the "ERR3" error. ERR3 is a contact error and your feet should ideally be bare and wet to achieve an accurate body-fat reading.

Step off the scale and wait for it reset. Remove your shoes and socks and wet your feet slightly if you receive either the "ERR4" or "ERR5" errors, which means your body-fat or body measurements are out of range.

Reset the scale if it doesn't work or you continue to receive error messages. Remove the battery and set the scale on a flat surface. Stand still on the scale for five seconds and step off. Re-install the battery and place the scale back on the flat surface. Place one foot on the scale until it displays zeros or dashes. Remove your foot and wait for the scale to turn off. Step back on the scale to weigh yourself

Probably there's a build-up of skin oil from your feet that is preventing it from reading properly. Clean off the top of the scale with a cloth dampened in soapy water, then rinse wipe it with a cloth dampened in plain water, and dry it. Be careful not to dribble liquid into the scale.

Note: fat measurement by this method is difficult to do accurately and consistently, For best results, make sure you're properly hydrated at least ten minutes before measuring, and wash and dry the soles of your feet first.

Tanita UM Series Body Fat / Hydration Monitor InstructionsTanita UM Series Body Fat Monitor/Scale Instruction Manual

How to Determine Body Fat Percentage
Setting & Storing Data in the Memory
1. Turn the power on using the set button.
2. Select a Personal data number using the Up/Down arrow buttons, then press set.
3. Select your Age using the Up/Down arrow buttons to scroll through numbers, then press set.
4. Select Male or Female using the Up/Down arrow buttons, then press set.
5. Specify the Height using the Up/Down arrow buttons, then press set.
The unit will beep twice and the display will flash all data (Male/Female, Age, Height) to confirm the programming. The power will shut automatically, or you can tap the weight only button (in front of monitor) for quick shut off.
How to select Personal Data Number
1. Press the Up memory button to turn on.
2. Use the Up/Down arrow buttons to select your personal data number, then press set.
3. The unit will beep and the display will show the programmed data.
4. The unit will beep again and the display will show '0.0' and then step on the platform.
5. Your weight will show first, then "00000" will appear and then your Body Fat Percentage will appear on the display.
Programming the Guest Mode
1. Press the Down Guest button to turn on
2. Follow the same steps for programming as outlined above.
3. The unit will beep twice and show '0.0', then Step onto the platform.
Taking Weight Measurement only
1. Select weight only mode, by toe-tapping the weight only button located at the base of the scale.
2. Wait for the scale to display ‘0.0', then step on.
Replacing the batteries
1. When the "Lo" error message appears on the screen, the batteries need to be replaced.
Understanding Your Readings
Healthy Range Indicator
(Please note this function is only applicable on adult mode, as no standard healthy ranges have been established for children and athletes.)
Your body fat monitor/scale instantly compares your body fat reading to the healthy range chart. Following your body fat reading, a black bar will flash across the bottom of the display, identifying where you fall within the body fat ranges for your age and gender.
(-): Underfat; below the healthy range. Increased risk for health problems
(O): Healthy; within the healthy body fat percentage range for your age/gender
(+): Overfat; above the healthy range. Increased risk for health problems
(++): Obese; high above the healthy body fat range. Greatly increased risk of obesity related problems.

The BIA is bioelectric impedance analysis or your body fat. BIA is the method used to determine your body fat, it sends a small electric pulse through your body and using formulas that account for the time it takes for the pulse to travel through water, muscle and fat. Remeber that this measurement can be affected by different variables such as water if you have taken a shower or drank a glass of water before being measured so it is not always acurate. To obtain a more accurate measurement I reccomend using it first thing in the morning before showering or eating/drinking when there is less chance of variables. Please let me know if you need further help :) Have a great day!

The "Err" problem is a very common one but no one so far could predict the reason causing this.It means that there has been an
error in the scale measurement.The only solution mentioned everywhere is to Step off the scale until its LCD screen blanks and Step back on the scale.

Unfortunately, it's the scale, but it's not broken. It simply is telling you inaccurate information.
Some scales utilize Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) technology. BIA uses very low levels of electrical impulses running from one metal contact point/lead to another. Your body acts as the connector between the two contact points, thus completing the circuit. Not all scales use this means for calculating body fat percentage due to poor reliability and high fabrication costs.This method of measurement requires very large contact points, as well as clean and moist skin exposure. If you have dry/calluced feet, which is normal for most Americans, the sensors can not accurately measure due to skin resistance. Dry skin acts as a resistor to electrical impulse. Electricity passes through muscle and fat at different rates. However, its measurements may be thrown off by how hydrated you are and how much you've eaten; it may be too inaccurate for anything other than comparative use. Users are encouraged to establish a baseline measurement and repeat measurements under consistent conditions over time to detect changes.
Many less expensive models simply use a body-fat calculator to average your imputed height in inches, waist measurement in inches and the current weight measurement recorded in lbs. The scale compares your measurement with the ideal norms inputed during the manufactoring process, thus giving you a comparison vs.imputed norms. People who are very, very fit can get numbers 3 to 5 percent higher than their true percent body fat. Because they don't have a lot of fat inside their muscles(visceral fat), the simple tape measure calculation test cannot adjust as it should indicate.
Conversely, if a person is skinny but not fit, this body fat test may yield a number 3 to 5 percent lower than his or her true percent body fat. Though they look thin, unfit skinny people really have more than the usual amount of fat inside their muscles, which you can't see from the outside.
In either case, the scale is not necessary a measurement tool, due to high variables of test inaccuracy and interuser reliabilty; but, it is a good tool for comparing whether or not you are gaining/losing body fat.
If you would like a more accurate tool for simply measuring your body fat, you can pick up some pinch-calipers online for about the price of a scale. They come with an instructional pamphlet, very easy to use.

The formula that the tool uses factors in age so you would notice a change in the numbers, but not a huge change. These devices are ok but really not accurate, there are too many things that can alter results. If you want a true reading you would need caliper test most gyms you can get a trainer to do this free or water immersion which can be costly. For your contest i would recomend tape measurements as an alternative hips waist, legs arms, Hope this helps and good luck with the contest.

The fact of matter is those devices are inacurate for some reason more so on smaller females. But if you recently took a bath or drank water it will alter the results, they suggest taking it first thing before bath or eating in the morning at same time everyday to get a more acurate reading.

This may be getting personal but implants will also affect the reading making it totally useless for you to use. I have them and the electrical impedence devices read me much higher then what i am, a few minutes later will read me lower.

I would head down to your gym most of them will do a free body fat test with the calipers which is more acurate (as long as they know what they are doing).

Digital scales purport to measure your body fat through a process called BIA, or bioelectrical impedance analysis. Essentially, it clocks the speed that electricity travels through you. The scale runs a low-level electric current through your body, using your feet as positive and negative electrodes. The current encounters different levels of impedance, or resistance, from fat versus muscle. The scale measures this impedance, and throws it together with other factors (age, sex, height) to come up with your BMI, or body mass index.