Could use some help with my recomp

stevesteir

Hi Folks!

This all started with a desire to lose weight in time for our cruise in April. Started out in January at roughly 165 lbs and 22% BF as measured electronically (lousy scale in the bathroom) and I'm about 5'7". I started P90X3 classic, I've been using my Fitbit Charge HR religiously and I've been really good tracking my calories here. Initially, I was encouraged by a real drop in weight to about 160 lbs but saw no real change in BF %. Realizing that I'm losing some fat I was still concerned that I was losing too much LM. Bought a Fitbit Aria to replace the crap scale and I can now watch BF % along with my fitbit stats.

Here's why I'm posting...

This morning's reading was 157.9 lbs, 21.6% BF. Looking in the mirror, I appear cut and lean but the BF readings just don't support what I see. My waist size has gone from about 33 starting out to only 32.5 as of yesterday and I was hoping for at least an inch lost by now. At this point, I don't want to lose more weight but I DO want to move that darn BF number on the scale.

Any suggestions?

cwolfman13

None of those scales or other devices are going to be able to accurately measure your BF...none of them can tell the difference between water and fat. What you see is far more accurate than any of those other devices.

stevesteir

Interesting... So I looked at my water intake this past week. It was quite low due to business travel (avg 2-3 cups while I was gone) and my BF % was 21.5 when I left and 21.1 once I got home. Back up to 8 cups yesterday and my BF was 21.6 this morning. I'll watch this correlation going forward since one week isn't enough of a trend. But even if the BF measurement on the scale isn't accurate, shouldn't I have seen a steeper downward trend over the last couple of months?

Montepulciano

If you are serious about measuring your body fat try this link...http://dailyburn.com/life/health/how-to-measure-body-fat-percentage/

cwolfman13

stevesteir wrote: »

Interesting... So I looked at my water intake this past week. It was quite low due to business travel (avg 2-3 cups while I was gone) and my BF % was 21.5 when I left and 21.1 once I got home. Back up to 8 cups yesterday and my BF was 21.6 this morning. I'll watch this correlation going forward since one week isn't enough of a trend. But even if the BF measurement on the scale isn't accurate, shouldn't I have seen a steeper downward trend over the last couple of months?

I'm not talking about water you drink...your body is comprised largely of water...this ranges from about 50% to 65%...it's a range and fluctuates which also results in scale fluctuations and fluctuations of "BF" on any of those scales or devices.

I personally go by what I see in the mirror and use the scale as a general indicator of trends...but what you're looking at would obviously trump everything else.

briscogun

Unless you go have a body fat analysis done, those scales are totally useless for anything other than your weight, and even then a lot of those are suspect. Don't even try to use the BF function, it'll just frustrate you.

If you are really, really, really dead set on a BFR measurement, go get it done right with a BodPod or something similar. Then go back in like 6 months or longer for another check-in. Or, you could go the economic way and use the mirror and measurements. Most men will use the waist as a predictor of BF, but also measure your chest, biceps, thighs/quads, etc. This will tell you what you are truly doing to your body.

Remember: recomp takes a looooooong time. You basically eat at maintenance and slowly burn fat while adding muscle. This can take a year or even years to attain. If you are trying to get yourself a full recomp by April, its not a very realistic timeframe to see dramatic changes. But that doesn't mean you can't keep going and get another months worth of progress between now and your set sail date!

Find a good heavy lifting or progressive weight program to really jumpstart your transformation, and watch your calories. Track religiously. Eat at or even a hair under maintenance. Keep your protein macros up, especially on workout days.

Good luck! Enjoy your cruise! (Remember: the average person puts on 10 lbs on a 7 day cruise, so WATCH THAT BUFFET LINE!)

briscogun

Also, check out this thread. It's the best on the boards for info:

community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat#latest

I also like this one. Not a specific recomp thread, but the basic gist is the same: lose fat and get those hard abs!

community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1

There's a lot of back and forth and some folks get into it over cardio (to do or not to do it), but it has a great first post to get you started and/or focused.

Good luck!

stevesteir

I have A LOT to learn!

Sounds like I can stop using the BF measurement on the scale entirely and I'm happy about that. Darn frustrating number if it's not accurate. I'll continue with waist measurements although those seem suspect to me as well. After a bit more reading (and 30 minutes with Tony Horton) I think a BodPod is in my future and the buffet line likely is not. Although, I can pretty much guarantee a gap in my calorie tracking on this site during cruise week.

middlehaitch

Just want to say if you keep active on that cruise you have no need to avoid the buffet.
I too am off on a cruise in April, 14day Caribbean, and am expecting a 2lbs total fat increase, at the most. I come home 7-9 lbs heavier but most of that is water weight and goes within the week. The heat, flight, and extra salt in the food all add water, so don't panic when you get home, weigh in, and see a terrible number on the scale.
I eat and drink, nice fru-fru drinks too, within reason, being aware of portions, but not denying myself good tastes and flavours.
Keep active on your shore days and use stairs instead of elevators and you will be fine.
Sorry to go off topic, I just thought I would share some basic tips for your cruise.

Enjoy your cruise. h

sijomial

Actually some BIA scales can give you a "reasonable" trend over time. I had some that matched BodPod Analysis very consistently over a period of two years. What they can't do is be accurate all the time - so getting on the scales and thinking what you see that day is empirical data is a mistake. They are badly affected by variations in hydration levels. Try then at different times of day or before after drinking and you will get a clue how much the data points swing about.

But if you even out the sometimes wild fluctuations you may see a trend.
On the other hand some are just useless, I've got some that made me 35% BF the other day. (I must have very fat feet!!)

By the way I gave up trying to track / estimate BF% - I just look in the mirror. If you like what you see it really doesn't matter what number some gizmo tells you. Progress photos and tape measure work too.

stevesteir

I'll be careful during vaca but won't track it. What happens on the buffet line, stays on the buffet line! The mirror has been my friend lately and I now know enough not to rely on BF% as a core measurement but I am an engineer and would love to know that my actual BF% and mirror agree to some extent. I live outside of Boston and believe that the closest BodPod is in Weymouth, 40 miles away so it'll be a little while before I get it checked. I will let you all know when I do though.