Help me. Gaining more fat than muscle.
Replies
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magnusthenerd wrote: »chloepaulino wrote: »I have done other machines and bf has been higher or about the same of about 27%
If they're all BIA (bio-impediance analysis) scales or similar, they aren't that accurate. People with a bit of experience just taking a look and estimating at a person in a bathing suit are actually more accurate than a BIA. Other methods that are accurate are someone experienced using calipers, bodpod, DEXA, and underwater weighing.
I’ve paid for an in body scan once about a month ago. The sucker cost 60$ but the results are always more (increased weight, bf, etc.) by about 3 %.
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Inbody is also BIA. Progress photos and measurements are going to be the most helpful to you most likely. I highly doubt you are 27% BF at your BMI. It's possible, but unlikely. It sounds like you are retaining water/bloating, which will skew BIA. Can you throw up some progress pictures? There are people here who are very good at estimating BF visually.
But I agree with everyone that at your weight, just concentrate of eating in your maintenance calorie goal, lift hard and live your life without stress. Check on your measurements and progress photos every six months or so. There's no need to stress as much as you are.6 -
chloepaulino wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »chloepaulino wrote: »I have done other machines and bf has been higher or about the same of about 27%
If they're all BIA (bio-impediance analysis) scales or similar, they aren't that accurate. People with a bit of experience just taking a look and estimating at a person in a bathing suit are actually more accurate than a BIA. Other methods that are accurate are someone experienced using calipers, bodpod, DEXA, and underwater weighing.
I’ve paid for an in body scan once about a month ago. The sucker cost 60$ but the results are always more (increased weight, bf, etc.) by about 3 %.
Looking up InBody, it looks more sophisticated than most BIA scales, but I think the underlying principle is still limiting it. Personally, I don't think I could see it as worth $60 when I know places that do DEXA for $40, but it will vary by area.
I agree with everyone else that you can probably just focus on recomp: lifting at maintenance. Even when people do bulking cycles, I think the majority of the weight gained in a cycle is expected to be fat.0 -
Most of my lifting is done while in somewhat of a maintenance mode. You can certainly gain strength, recomping needs a really good program. Have you picked a lifting program? I really like stronglifts or something similar with progressive overload. Just focus on maintaining your body weight and increasing the amount lifted.2
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DancingMoosie wrote: »Most of my lifting is done while in somewhat of a maintenance mode. You can certainly gain strength, recomping needs a really good program. Have you picked a lifting program? I really like stronglifts or something similar with progressive overload. Just focus on maintaining your body weight and increasing the amount lifted.
I was doing different parts of my body different parts of the week.
I just started a new workout plan that I’m going to try for 6 weeks. I don’t have the plan with me currently but I will post a pic tommarow here in the forums. Please let me know if you like my plan when I get a chance to post it.
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magnusthenerd wrote: »chloepaulino wrote: »magnusthenerd wrote: »chloepaulino wrote: »I have done other machines and bf has been higher or about the same of about 27%
If they're all BIA (bio-impediance analysis) scales or similar, they aren't that accurate. People with a bit of experience just taking a look and estimating at a person in a bathing suit are actually more accurate than a BIA. Other methods that are accurate are someone experienced using calipers, bodpod, DEXA, and underwater weighing.
I’ve paid for an in body scan once about a month ago. The sucker cost 60$ but the results are always more (increased weight, bf, etc.) by about 3 %.
Looking up InBody, it looks more sophisticated than most BIA scales, but I think the underlying principle is still limiting it. Personally, I don't think I could see it as worth $60 when I know places that do DEXA for $40, but it will vary by area.
I agree with everyone else that you can probably just focus on recomp: lifting at maintenance. Even when people do bulking cycles, I think the majority of the weight gained in a cycle is expected to be fat.
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Full body routines are generally better.3
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All these symptoms with a single lb of weight change? Wow!
Are you measuring at the same point in your monthly cycle? Women tend to retain more or less water at various times of the month.
Are you using a weight trend app?
And... maybe bulking is not a great idea for right now assuming you're already above a BMI of 20 or so.
BMI actually has nothing to do with bulking, it is more about bodyfat % unless that is what you meant.
Typically it is recommended for women to start bulking at 20% bodyfat or less. Keep in mind the scale she used may not even be accurate so OP could be quite lower than it said.
Sometimes people recovering from EDs have issues when they first start regaining weight. I know nothing about the OP except that they appeared to be uncomfortable with single1lb gain during a deliberate bulk.
BMI of 20 is considered to be the low end of normal for most non-asian, not height challenged women and is a frequent minimum milestone to be considered weight restored when recovering. Body fat % is really hard to determine. So I used a BMI of 20 as a quick stand-in for the low end of normal weight.
My point being that unless there exists a health reason for the bulk (in which case it should continue till, at the very least, the person is weight restored), the mind-set seems a bit stressed for a vanity goal bulk.
Everything else you mention is, of course, true and correct. We're just looking at it from different perspectives, I think.
ETA: I also consider very unlikely (though I suppose that out of a large enough sample there will exist AT LEAST ONE person who is EXACTLY there!) that a person with a BMI of 20 will also be over-fat!
In any case, given the stress this is causing, unless there is a reason to be WANTING the increase in weight... lifting at maintenance and re-comping seems to be the most palatable strategy!5 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »chloepaulino wrote: »I have done other machines and bf has been higher or about the same of about 27%
If you truly think you are 27% based on scales, comparing photos online etc. Then I would definitely not bulk.
This, most sources will say a female should not be bulking if over 20-22% BF
The bio-impedance method of determining body fat is bunk at determining body fat and can be influenced, greatly, by factors other than the existence of actual body fat (multi-point bio-impedance is better, but can still be influenced by water retention)
At the end of the day I've yet to be convinced that ANY available method is much more accurate than (a somewhat trained) Mark 1 eyeball! Now to just find a couple of those...
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All these symptoms with a single lb of weight change? Wow!
Are you measuring at the same point in your monthly cycle? Women tend to retain more or less water at various times of the month.
Are you using a weight trend app?
And... maybe bulking is not a great idea for right now assuming you're already above a BMI of 20 or so.
BMI actually has nothing to do with bulking, it is more about bodyfat % unless that is what you meant. Typically it is recommended for women to start bulking at 20% bodyfat or less. Keep in mind the scale she used may not even be accurate so OP could be quite lower than it said.
Sometimes people recovering from EDs have issues when they first start regaining weight. I know nothing about the OP except that they appeared to be uncomfortable with single1lb gain during a deliberate bulk.
BMI of 20 is considered to be the low end of normal for most non-asian, not height challenged women and is a frequent minimum milestone to be considered weight restored when recovering. Body fat % is really hard to determine. So I used a BMI of 20 as a quick stand-in for the low end of normal weight.
My point being that unless there exists a health reason for the bulk (in which case it should continue till, at the very least, the person is weight restored), the mind-set seems a bit stressed for a vanity goal bulk.
Everything else you mention is, of course, true and correct. We're just looking at it from different perspectives, I think.
ETA: I also consider very unlikely (though I suppose that out of a large enough sample there will exist AT LEAST ONE person who is EXACTLY there!) that a person with a BMI of 20 will also be over-fat!
In any case, given the stress this is causing, unless there is a reason to be WANTING the increase in weight... lifting at maintenance and re-comping seems to be the most palatable strategy!
I do agree that bulking is not a good idea for OP and we don't know her history. But I will correct my original statement that BMI has nothing to do with it since you reminded me it does if someone is underweight, especially in more extreme cases, regardless of their bodyfat, it is typically recommended to gain (I say typically since there are exceptions I'm sure). And I have been in a situation where my BMI was 20 but had a very high bodyfat percentage so it is possible!4 -
Thank you for everyone responses. I think my BMI is low due to my disproportionate of bone mass. My story is I was once very overweight, close to 200 pounds. (It’s been a very long journey) but as I got closer to my goal weight, I wanted to lose the last couple of pounds so I went on an extreme calorie deficit eating at about 1150 calories, Monday through Sunday (for about two months.) My weight was going down and I was happy. However, It wasn’t until I paid for the reading and found it was really my muscle reducing, I had actually only lost about a pound of fat. My body basically went into starvation mode and eat away the muscle. So I have about 10 pounds I need to gain back (in muscle)
but like everyone is saying I don’t think Bulking is the correct way to go. I’m just going to add on extra unnecessary fat. I think I have decided I will stick with a 6 week comprehensive strength training routine 6 days a week eating at maintance,( I have a fit bit watch- so I will change my calories on a daily to meet my maintance calories.
Also I have learned through my nutrition class that BMI does not take account for bone mass in the body. So for instance “an athlete” who has lots of muscle mass. Generally If they have their reading done it will put them as having an overweight in BMI. However, they are most likely not if they workout, and it reads as having a having a lower bf %.
The best way to determine physical health is by looking at bf%. Just stating what it says in my nutrition textbook/ and what my professor said.All these symptoms with a single lb of weight change? Wow!
Are you measuring at the same point in your monthly cycle? Women tend to retain more or less water at various times of the month.
Are you using a weight trend app?
And... maybe bulking is not a great idea for right now assuming you're already above a BMI of 20 or so.
BMI actually has nothing to do with bulking, it is more about bodyfat % unless that is what you meant. Typically it is recommended for women to start bulking at 20% bodyfat or less. Keep in mind the scale she used may not even be accurate so OP could be quite lower than it said.
Sometimes people recovering from EDs have issues when they first start regaining weight. I know nothing about the OP except that they appeared to be uncomfortable with single1lb gain during a deliberate bulk.
BMI of 20 is considered to be the low end of normal for most non-asian, not height challenged women and is a frequent minimum milestone to be considered weight restored when recovering. Body fat % is really hard to determine. So I used a BMI of 20 as a quick stand-in for the low end of normal weight.
My point being that unless there exists a health reason for the bulk (in which case it should continue till, at the very least, the person is weight restored), the mind-set seems a bit stressed for a vanity goal bulk.
Everything else you mention is, of course, true and correct. We're just looking at it from different perspectives, I think.
ETA: I also consider very unlikely (though I suppose that out of a large enough sample there will exist AT LEAST ONE person who is EXACTLY there!) that a person with a BMI of 20 will also be over-fat!
In any case, given the stress this is causing, unless there is a reason to be WANTING the increase in weight... lifting at maintenance and re-comping seems to be the most palatable strategy!
I do agree that bulking is not a good idea for OP and we don't know her history. But I will correct my original statement that BMI has nothing to do with it since you reminded me it does if someone is underweight, especially in more extreme cases, regardless of their bodyfat, it is typically recommended to gain (I say typically since there are exceptions I'm sure). And I have been in a situation where my BMI was 20 but had a very high bodyfat percentage so it is possible!
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My gym has the InBody scan for free. It will read differently if you have had anything to eat or drink prior to the test. Perhaps your initial test was done when you were hydrated? You’d get a different reading next time if it was first thing in the morning & you had nothing to eat or drink.
As others said, those tests are not accurate.1 -
My gym has the InBody scan for free. It will read differently if you have had anything to eat or drink prior to the test. Perhaps your initial test was done when you were hydrated? You’d get a different reading next time if it was first thing in the morning & you had nothing to eat or drink.
As others said, those tests are not accurate.
For the latest reading on the Tanita, I did not eat or drink anything when I did my scan. Also doing it as soon as I woke up, (after using the restroom.)0 -
mom23mangos wrote: »Inbody is also BIA. Progress photos and measurements are going to be the most helpful to you most likely. I highly doubt you are 27% BF at your BMI. It's possible, but unlikely. It sounds like you are retaining water/bloating, which will skew BIA. Can you throw up some progress pictures? There are people here who are very good at estimating BF visually.
But I agree with everyone that at your weight, just concentrate of eating in your maintenance calorie goal, lift hard and live your life without stress. Check on your measurements and progress photos every six months or so. There's no need to stress as much as you are.
Okay, so here are some current pics at the supposed 27 % fat. Most of my fat lays within my legs. One pic will contain a pic of leg fat with the callipers ( gross, i know).
This was hard to do since, I’ve never been body confident but for the sake of science. Here yah go.
Do you really think I’m 27 % body fat? And go. Honest answers only.
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Even if you hold a disproportionate amount of fat in your legs, take a look at this and see what you think....2 -
I think you're looking awesome; but, what the heck would I know!
@sardelsa is probably my go-to lady for female bulks!
That said, if I looked as awesome as you do AND wanted to be more muscular, I would like to think that I would exercise and build my strength without worrying too much about my weight changing slightly.
At a young age and at the peak of my muscle building potential and without multiple years of weight and strength training behind me I don't know if I would engage in a deliberate and conscious bulk (over-feeding) as I don't think that it is necessary for you to gain the definition and strength improvements I think you want to achieve.
That said I wouldn't be upset if my weight drifted a few lbs up or down as long as the results kept showing in terms of increased functional strength!
You also need to take into consideration weight trends as opposed to daily weight ins.
Not sure if you are, as of yet, aware that the scale can easily move a several lbs up and down without any changes to your underlying weight trend.2 -
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I am a female at this game for over 35 years and can tell you my best advice - it's not an exact science - variables are hormones and stress and sleep. Lots of variables. You look great but if you are not happy and going for a different look - suggest hitting the weights and adding muscle and yes this can mean adding a bit of weight but you could look leaner and have the results or shape you want. I have a tanita scale that measures body fat and it's not accurate that I can tell. In favor of doing things that keeps hormones balanced-adequate rest, stress reduction, and happiness...watch sodium....your results will come in time....2
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