Lean Body Mass Loss...help please
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The way electrical resistance devices work is they send a pulse through you and they cross reference a built in chart based on the resistance, your age, and height. My understanding is that the change from one reading to the next should be pretty accurate if you're approaching it in a consistent fashion like you describe above but that your real %fat may be read too low. Like maybe you really went from 40% to 39.3% in which case, what's your real lean figure? The chart itself is based on tons of averaged data collected by the US Army over several decades but they got them using a tank flotation test where they measure your buoyancy. That's supposed to be the definitive test for determining body fat as a percentage. Just keep doing what you're doing. It's likely you lost lean mass because you have less overall mass to support and based on your figures above you lost more fat than lean muscle anyway so it's a win, right?
It actually changes depending on your current level of water retention/hydration, and it doesn't measure internal fat too well because the current will always flow through the path of least resistance.
I have had my numbers go from 26% one day, and the next week 14%. Did i really lose 12% body fat in one week? No. And i used it under the same conditions.
For reference i own one of these, and they are definitely tricky.0 -
Maybe I should check again today and see what happened to my body fat % overnight? It might be eye opening.0
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My scale at home will tell me I am at one thing, I get off of it, I get back on it....BAM! I have gained or lost body fat! Sometimes 5% or more.0
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What about pulses? When determined to live vegetarian, which happens sometimes and which I also had to due when on a budget and refusing to eat cheap meat, I substitute grains for pulses entirely in order to hit my protein goals. They are a great source of protein and cheap. Sometimes I mix cooked lentils with egg, fry it and eat it like a pancake. I also eat lot's of bean salads, Dhal, or just substitute rice/pasta with beans/lentils. It is different, needs some adjustment, but is also quite satisfying.
Good luck
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mirlredmann wrote: »What about pulses? When determined to live vegetarian, which happens sometimes and which I also had to due when on a budget and refusing to eat cheap meat, I substitute grains for pulses entirely in order to hit my protein goals. They are a great source of protein and cheap. Sometimes I mix cooked lentils with egg, fry it and eat it like a pancake. I also eat lot's of bean salads, Dhal, or just substitute rice/pasta with beans/lentils. It is different, needs some adjustment, but is also quite satisfying.
Good luck
How do you find that works out when eating to a deficit? I love lentils but they are quite calorie dense so I can't have them all the time.0 -
I'm curious why you put Bod Pod above hydrostatic.rainbowbow wrote: »tannibal_lecter wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »tannibal_lecter wrote: »Where are you getting your body fat stats from?
Lift more often to preserve lean mass. Don't lose too quickly, lift heavy things, eat adequate protein. You're probably fine
I get my body fat stats checked electronically at the gym I go to.
As for the don't lose too quickly thing, I have my settings in mfp set to 1 pound a week I believe but I'm coming close to two pounds average a week lost.
are you talking about an omron meter?
Because they are wildly innacurate.
Yes, what do I do instead?
in order of most accurate to least:
Dexa Scan
Bod Pod
Hydrostatic weighing
calipers
Anthropometric
Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (like that device and some scales that measure body fat)
It's not even worth it, IMO to focus on your body fat % until you get much closer to your goal. I'd say once you're in the low 20%s you could switch over to focusing on this number.
Why is BIA (like omron) innacurate?
Here's a link in more detail because the reasons are numerous:
http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=218
I'd suggest you just focus on your lifting, eating protein, consistency, etc. until you get lower in the BF% range. Then i'd switch to handheld calipers and maybe a bodypod/dexa every year. These can be performed at most sport science/physiology centers. In my city you can have all of this checked with a dexa scan/VO2 Max/BMR testing for $125.00.
@tannibal_lecter - if you have a college or university near you, you can check there for DEXA scans. One near me offered it for $40, less if for students.
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tannibal_lecter wrote: »I live in Canada. Food is not cheap, at least not healthy food. The kind of chicken and fish you can find here cheap is not the kind you want to consume.
Buy a whole chicken or look in the freezer section for frozen chicken pieces.
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You can fit in the calories of lentils and beans and nuts by dropping carbs. I limit rice, bread, fruit.tannibal_lecter wrote: »mirlredmann wrote: »What about pulses? When determined to live vegetarian, which happens sometimes and which I also had to due when on a budget and refusing to eat cheap meat, I substitute grains for pulses entirely in order to hit my protein goals. They are a great source of protein and cheap. Sometimes I mix cooked lentils with egg, fry it and eat it like a pancake. I also eat lot's of bean salads, Dhal, or just substitute rice/pasta with beans/lentils. It is different, needs some adjustment, but is also quite satisfying.
Good luck
How do you find that works out when eating to a deficit? I love lentils but they are quite calorie dense so I can't have them all the time.
Buy canned fish.
Buy frozen vegetables like broccoli, yellow squash, green beans, peas.
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tannibal_lecter wrote: »I live in Canada. Food is not cheap, at least not healthy food. The kind of chicken and fish you can find here cheap is not the kind you want to consume.
Buy a whole chicken or look in the freezer section for frozen chicken pieces.
If you can find a local butcher, try there. They usually have chicken and pork much cheaper than a standard grocery store/supermarket.
I buy from a local butcher, and it saves me a ton of money. I spend $30-$45 each trip, buying pork chops, chicken thighs and breasts, and have enough meat for 2 people for 7-10 days. On the low end of that, it comes out to about $1.50 per day per person. Once I started buying chicken and pork there, I stopped buying at the supermarket. It's just way cheaper. And we love knowing it's local meat.
As for the body fat measurement: I think as long as you're using the same device each time, same time of day, same food/water, that's what is important. Sure, some of the hand-held devices and scales are inaccurate - with regards to your absolute number. But they're going to make the same error every time. So if you use the same device under the same conditions each time, you should be able to track your progress, which is what is really important.
Oh, and one other thing: You can supplement with protein powder. They are not all expensive; it helps to break them down to the cost per serving. Scooby has a chart.
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Before you start looking for solutions, make sure you have a problem. I don't think your information is accurate. In any case, at your current weight and body fat %, you are still a ways from fine-tuning your approach. Hit your protein macros, lift your weights, and let things take care of themselves.0
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Oh, and one other thing: You can supplement with protein powder. They are not all expensive; it helps to break them down to the cost per serving. Scooby has a chart.
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@colors_fade I do have a vegan protein powder that I use(sunwarrior blend). Whey proteins make me ill and they seem to be the cheaper ones. I was thinking of trying an egg protein powder but I would want one with no fake flavours or sweeteners. I tried Vega One protein powders and I just can't stand the texture or flavours.
Any suggestions?0 -
tannibal_lecter wrote: »
Oh, and one other thing: You can supplement with protein powder. They are not all expensive; it helps to break them down to the cost per serving. Scooby has a chart.
[/quote]
@colors_fade I do have a vegan protein powder that I use(sunwarrior blend). Whey proteins make me ill and they seem to be the cheaper ones. I was thinking of trying an egg protein powder but I would want one with no fake flavours or sweeteners. I tried Vega One protein powders and I just can't stand the texture or flavours.
Any suggestions?[/quote]
I'm a bit sensitive to whey so my primary powder is Garden of Life's Raw Protein. I love it because it literally tastes like nothing. It's so mild I can literally drink it with just water...although I prefer not to. I HATED Vega One...ugh...gross.0 -
But protein aside, incorporate lifting. That's the key to preserving lean body mass.0
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