Losing but gaining!!!!

[OurAlfie]

I hope someone here will kindly be able to explain the reasoning behind the following. I weighed myself today and had list 2lb, happy days however, I had gained body fat. Last week, whilst 2lb heavier my body fat mass was 30.1% today, 2lb lighter it is 34.4%.

Help please....

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I'm no expert, but maybe you restricted your calories severely and lost some muscle mass?

[OurAlfie in reply to moreless]

Thank you, that's a real possibility.

[TheAwfulToad Visitor]

How did you measure your bodyfat? It's not an exact science even with state-of-the-art equipment (eg., DEXA scanners). If you're using a cheap impedance meter, it could well be just measurement error.

I would try not to pay too much attention to what the computer says. Focus on eating healthy and satisfying meals, made with real food and not food-substitutes, and you will lose bodyfat.

As moreless said, if you restrict calories too severely - especially if you are eating a high percentage of carbs and a low percentage of fat - then your body will burn muscle in the first instance, if it can't make a metabolic adjustment to compensate for the shortfall. Muscle represents a metabolic cost (it demands energy to keep it there) so it will be jettisoned if it's not needed (that is, if you're not doing regular hard exercise). It will only start to burn fat after a long period of starvation, when it has no other choice.

[OurAlfie in reply to TheAwfulToad]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I note your informative information.

Once again, thank you.

[S11m]

Hi, OurAlfie , Welcome.

I would suggest that you buy an AccuMeasure fat calliper - low-tech but relatively accurate estimation of body fat percentage.

[FairyTales in reply to S11m]

Hey S11m, Is there any instrument that talks about fat%, muscle built up and fat turned in muscle and lost weight.

[S11m in reply to FairyTales]

I am sure there are options...the main question is - are they accurate or cost-effective? Even if an instrument is inaccurate... if it is consistent it can still give you a good idea of weekly or monthly changes.

It seems that what you are using is not accurate or consistent.

This may be because you are not being consistent in measuring at the same time of day etc. ...ideally naked, first thing in the morning, before eating or drinking, after using the toilet, on the same day of the week.

With the AccuMeasure, you weigh yourself, and measure one or more "pinches" of fat and then look up the results in a table... or enter your fat-calliper readings and weight into an app on your phone, which gives you bodyfat %age, lean mass etc.

There are systems like the US Navy method, which use simple measurements that you can take yourself with a tape measure.

[sweetsilverlining]

Hi,

it's likely that your hydration level has affected the body fat % result. Body fat % measurements are not the most accurate, even if you are using a 'high tech' machine. If you are using scales then you will always be getting an estimate instead of a true value. If you have lost weight on the scale then well done! If you are measuring body fat every week it is unlikely you will see a huge difference in that time. 1% body fat loss in a month is a healthy amount. Dehydration causes an overestimation of body fat (so the number will be higher)

I see some comments on muscle loss, possible but if you are exercising regularly then that shouldn't be the case. But having both resistance and cardiovascular exercises into your activity regime will ensure you keep expending calories, and keep muscle function up

You could also try measuring waist circumference, (or any other body part you want to monitor) as this will show progress even when scales and body fat do not

Hope this helped

Lauren - Physiologist

[TheAwfulToad Visitor in reply to sweetsilverlining]

I was going to suggest just looking in the mirror, but I agree that measuring yourself is equally good! Your bodyweight is a sum of so many different factors that it's not very useful unless you're plotting out a trend.

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to sweetsilverlining]

Thank you your reply Lauren. 😊

Are you wishing to join us for support in your own weight loss journey? Just let me know and I’ll sort out an official welcome

Thank you

[sweetsilverlining in reply to IndigoBlue61]

no thank you I was just here getting a link for a client, and saw this question and really wanted to provide an answer!

[OurAlfie]

A massive thank you to all who gave taken the time to respond to my post.

This really is a great forum.