Here's Why Tracking Body Fat Is Important

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robingmurphy
robingmurphy Posts: 349 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Despite adhering to a reduced calorie 1600 calorie diet and increasing weight lifting, I did not lose a single ounce over this past week. Luckily, I have a Tanita body fat scale and it says the true situation is that I lost about 2 lbs of body fat ... but I also gained about 2 lbs of lean (muscle and water to support muscle growth). So glad I'm keeping an eye on body fat more than overall weight!
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Replies

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    Yes tracking bf% is important but body fat scales are highly inaccurate unfortunately
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    That's great that you realize you can lose fat without losing weight. I would be cautious about the scale. The method they use is called Bioelectrical Impedance and it is notoriously inaccurate. When I measure body fat on them it reads the same month after month, despite calipers and tape measure showing body fat percentage loss. I also know that visually my body fat is much lower than the scale reads.
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
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    I hate to burst your bubble, but that didn't happen. Those scales aren't accurate. It's likely more of a hydration issue. That being said, a week isn't nearly long enough to worry about the scale.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    On those scales my bf% is different at different times of the day. That's not how it works
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    Tracking measurements/BF% is helpful as well. However, not to rain on your parade, but two points:

    1) Bioelectrical impedance analysis estimates of BF are not highly accurate, and can swing over 4% due to hydration.
    2) NOBODY is putting on two lbs of muscle in a week. Even a young man in a bulk couldn't do that, and recomp (losing fat/gaining muscle while staying at the same weight) is quite a bit slower.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    edited January 2016
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    I hate to say it but I've got a strong feeling that you didn't gain 2 lbs of muscle in a week (if you did, I want to know your program).
    IF the scale you're using is accurate (and body fat scales are notorious for not even being just a little bit accurate) then chances are that the vast majority of the lean mass you gained is water.

    That said, it's not uncommon for "progress" to not be seen in the first week. Keep at it and as the water lets go and the fat continues to dwindle you'll see your results.

    Another note, a better option than the body fat scales is to take measurements with a tape and track the change in inches.
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
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    Sorry to say this but if you are on a calorie deficit you did not gain 2lbs on lean muscle.
    Firstly and probably most importantly, you can't gain while on a deficit.
    Secondly even with the best gaining diet and training programme going you wouldn't be able to put on 2lbs of muscle in a week. The body just can't build that much muscle in a short space of time.
    Thirdly, all scales which proclaim to measure body fat % are inaccurate at best. I can weigh myself multiple times in a row and depending on where I place my feet on the scales I can gain or lose up to 7% BF.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    Nobody, not even on steroids gains 2 pounds of muscle in a week. As others have said scale accuracy is very poor
  • robingmurphy
    robingmurphy Posts: 349 Member
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    For me, the scale is pretty accurate for tracking changes if I measure at the same time of the day at a similar hydration level. I've had a DEXA scan which confirmed the scale reading. Certainly hydration (to support muscle growth) is part of the lean gain - not all is muscle of course.
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
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    If you are in a deficit, eating less calories than your maintenance, then you are not going to be gaining anything. If your weight hasn't changed and is constantly remaining the same, while you are lifting, then you are in recomp and are eating at maintenance.
    Even then you are not going to be gaining or losing 2lbs a week of anything.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Yep ^^ it's a difference in the water content.
  • rontafoya
    rontafoya Posts: 365 Member
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    Yes, it's correct that tracking bodyfat is important. However, using calipers and additionally taking measurements (for guys, obviously your waist is important). And to some degree you can't read too much into the short term fluctuations. Moreover I agree those scales are useless. For example, the bodyfat % can change pretty significantly just from taking a dump. Try it; weigh yourself before and after. No way should a colon eel result in 1/2 to a full percent body fat change.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
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    What singingflutelady said ...
    The best way I found to compare was clothing. Belts never lie, while a tight pair of pants and shirt, tried on every month at about the same part of the month, will give you a great idea of changes.
    Also try to use one of the body fat calipers (I like the Accu-Measure ones). Don't worry about trying to figure out your body fat using them (So many different formulas, variables like your age/gender, etc), just keep a record of the numbers so you can compare month by month. You can pick up a set for $7-$20.

    And because I like numbers and information:
    1 liter of muscle weighs 1.06kg (2.30lbs) -- 1.1 g/mL
    1 liter of fat weighs 0.90kg (1.98lbs) -- 0.9 g/mL.
    1 liter of water weighs 1.00kg (2.20lbs) -- 1 g/mL -- Just for comparison.
    1lb of fat uses 2-3cals per day just as a normal part of functioning.
    1lb of muscle burns 7-10cals per day just as a normal part of functioning.

    So, a lb of muscle will burn more cals than a lb of fat, but not a lot more.
  • robingmurphy
    robingmurphy Posts: 349 Member
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    Ok guys, I ordered some calipers. Lets see what they say.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    Calipers will be just as inaccurate if not used by someone well trained. And even then they aren't all that accurate. The most accurate methods of measurement are hydrostatic weighing (or air displacement like a bod pod) and DEXA. And even those are not completely accurate.

    https://examine.com/blog/an-accuracy-thing-measuring-body-fat-percentage/
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Nice sentiment OP but it's pretty much impossible to track body fat correctly, lol. Calipers would never work for me with all the loose skin either.
  • robingmurphy
    robingmurphy Posts: 349 Member
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    So you're trying to tell me I just shouldn't let a week with no noticeable loss in body weight despite a definite calorie deficit drive me crazy and look for other answers? I should just wait it out? Ugh.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    robingmurphy wrote: »
    So you're trying to tell me I just shouldn't let a week with no noticeable loss in body weight despite a definite calorie deficit drive me crazy and look for other answers? I should just wait it out? Ugh.

    Correct.

    Weight loss/management is measured in months and years, not days and weeks.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    robingmurphy wrote: »
    So you're trying to tell me I just shouldn't let a week with no noticeable loss in body weight despite a definite calorie deficit drive me crazy and look for other answers? I should just wait it out? Ugh.

    You need a trending app
    Libra / happy scale

    Or site
    Trendweight.com

    Weight loss isn't linear
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    robingmurphy wrote: »
    So you're trying to tell me I just shouldn't let a week with no noticeable loss in body weight despite a definite calorie deficit drive me crazy and look for other answers? I should just wait it out? Ugh.

    Most definitely. Weight loss isn't linear. Some weeks, you may lose nothing or gain a tiny bit. Other weeks, you may end mysteriously dropping 5 lbs. All while eating and doing pretty much the same thing. It's the long term trend over a matter of weeks/months that will tell you if what you are doing is working.

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