My stats - take a look

KDar1988

HI everyone. I've had my body fat analyzed 3 times in the past year. Just using the handheld device for which I know isn't 100% accurate. It was part of a program I was doing. Check out my numbers. The August numbers puzzle me because I've been weight lifting like a crazy woman and my lean body number went down as well as my fat mass from April. The difference in pounds lost during that time was only 14lbs and I haven't lost only 5 since the end of May.

Guess I'm doing ok?! What do you think?

June 2015
BMI 44.8
BF% 47.1
Fat Mass 139
Lean Body 136

April 2016
BMI 37.9
BF% 43.2
Fat Mass 108
Lean Body 141

August 2016
BMI 35.7
BF% 41.7
Fat Mass 98
Lean Body 137

Azdak

Several things (in no particular order of importance).

1. The body fat analyzer, as you say, is not very accurate. Plus, most people do not do their measurements under consistent conditions. Since these analyzers are looking primarily at water content, fluid shifts can affect the results. Based on all that, you cannot conclude that you have "lost lean mass" from those numbers.

2. It is normal, even if you are starting from a higher number, to start seeing a slowing of results over time and 6-9 months seems to be a frequent time to see a plateau of sorts. There are a number of reasons for this: your body mass is smaller so your TDEE is lower, you have settled into an eating + exercise pattern that was effective for a higher weight, but is not as effective for a lower weight. You are starting to relax your lifestyle a little from the initial discipline (note: I am using the general "you", not necessarily referring to the actual you).

3. "Lifting weights like crazy" does not automatically mean that one will increase muscle mass. General lifting is more conductive to retaining mass rather than gaining--it takes more specific workout/diet planning to really increase mass. 3A: In addition, as you change from a larger body to a smaller one, your body does not need as much "infrastructure support" as it once did--it is not uncommon to see a decrease in muscle mass, tendon thickness, etc that will all show up as "decreased lean mass".

4. If you shifted from a more cardio-centered program to weights-centered, you quite likely decreased your total workout calories as well. Despite the big claims about "increased metabolism" with weight training, the effect is not that great. So it might feed back into #2.

All those little things can add up. I have seen this happen--both in my clients and myself. I am coming to believe that most people, after they have lost around 20% of their original weight, need to take a break for awhile and then almost pretend they are starting over from scratch

mom23mangos

Did you compare your weight on your home scale to the weight from the analyzer? From those numbers above, your weight went from 275 to 249 to 235. You are saying that does not match what you get when you weigh at home?

KDar1988

mom23mangos wrote: »

Did you compare your weight on your home scale to the weight from the analyzer? From those numbers above, your weight went from 275 to 249 to 235. You are saying that does not match what you get when you weigh at home?

The analyzer was a hand held device. So they knew what I weighed from me telling them.

quiksylver296

Is the middle one supposed to be July, and not April? If so, the trend appears to be moving in the right direction! Well done!

KDar1988

quiksylver296 wrote: »

Is the middle one supposed to be July, and not April? If so, the trend appears to be moving in the right direction! Well done!

No it was April. Seems logical numbers would go down with the weight loss. I think what I liked was seeing the body fat at 98lbs now (as accurate as it can be). I have a ways to go, just a little proud of myself

joans1976

I don't know anything about fat/lean body mass but you've lost weight and are getting healthy, so you should be very proud of yourself!

KDar1988

Thanks! I am pretty proud