Body using muscle not fat

smit7633
smit7633 Posts: 182 Member
edited April 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm worried my body is using more muscle than fat to replace the food I've not been eating. I'm seeing a loss on the scale, but minimal drop in body fat % and BMI.

Does anyone know how to encourage the body to use the fat and not the muscle?

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    How are you determining this? Are you using a scale with a bio impedance reader? If so, then trash the reading. Bio impedance can be very very inaccurate at reading body fat %.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • smit7633
    smit7633 Posts: 182 Member
    Yeah I have a smart scale, the numbers might not be very reliable, however even using a less than perfect method, if uses often trends can be spotted which one can find helpful. Also I can tell when I stopped exercise for almost a month my stomach got larger again even though I was eating at a deficit, but my weight stayed the same. So my body was using something for fuel which I believe was muscle because my abdomen loosened up again...
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    It's highly unlikely that your body is using a discernible amount of lean muscle mass in lieu of fat if your % of body fat is not very low unless you're at a very high caloric deficit for an extended period of time and your diet is very low in protein.

  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
    Ur body never wants bto burn muscle for energy. Very inefficient. U have to be very lean or starving
  • smit7633
    smit7633 Posts: 182 Member
    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    It's highly unlikely that your body is using a discernible amount of lean muscle mass in lieu of fat if your % of body fat is not very low unless you're at a very high caloric deficit for an extended period of time and your diet is very low in protein.

    Thanks that's actually helpful. I have been struggling with protein.
  • drwilseyjr
    drwilseyjr Posts: 225 Member
    smit7633 wrote: »
    I'm worried my body is using more muscle than fat to replace the food I've not been eating. I'm seeing a loss on the scale, but minimal drop in body fat % and BMI.

    Does anyone know how to encourage the body to use the fat and not the muscle?

    Your body will consume the easiest forms of energy first. Breaking down muscle is not the easiest way to create energy.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited April 2016
    smit7633 wrote: »
    Does anyone know how to encourage the body to use the fat and not the muscle?

    Moderate calorie deficit, adequate protein, muscle stimulus (exercise).
    Muscle really isn't a preferred energy source.

    Don't put too much faith in BIA scales, a small change in hydration levels makes the data highly suspect.

Categories