Bummed.......

alaskagrly

So i'm kind of bummed. I have been on this fitness bootcamp contest for 6 weeks. I have been eating right doing bootcamp 4 days and week, walking, etc but today when i weighed in i was bummed. I lost 12 pounds total but 5 of it was muscle and 8 was fat.......I dont want to lose muscle!!! ughhhhhhhh. The place i go says i'm not eating enough but i'm eating 2067 calories. ugh any suggestions???

wildboar1

How do you know that you in fact lost 5lbs of muscle?

wackyfunster

You aren't eating enough protein. Try 1g/lb. body weight (or 3g/kg lean body mass if you prefer). You will lose more weight, lose more fat, and lose less muscle.

fancycupcake

PROTEIN!

alaskagrly

I know because the scale they use shows fat loss, muscle loss, etc..........so more protein. Ok I will go for more protein this week. i have been trying to eat what it says to eat in protein but guess i need even more! thanks!

jsapninz

The best you can do to limit your muscle loss is eat more protein and work out more.

MFP's default protein is really low...I read that you should be eating 1 g protein for every kg of your weight (2.2 kgs = 1 lb). This was about 30gs a day higher for me than what MFP set so check your macros.

Bentley2718

I know because the scale they use shows fat loss, muscle loss, etc..........

The scale *estimates* body fat, muscle, etc.. All estimates are subject to error, that's why they're called estimates rather than truth. Scales and other such devices that estimate body composition are known to be subject to error from a number of sources, including actual body composition, hydration, and a list of other factors. In other words, just because the scale thinks you've lost muscle, doesn't mean you actually have. I'd ask myself, do I feel stronger? Is it easier to get through workouts? Can I perform more repetitions of the same body weight exercises (e.g. push-ups)? If I use weights, am I able to perform the same exercise with a heavier weight? If any of these are true, especially the last item, odds are you have not lost muscle, and you may well have gained it.

rainbowbow

Losing some muscle is going to happen whether you want it to or not. Upping protein intake to 1gram protein per each pound of lean muscle mass(subtract body fat lbs by total weight) should help.

Best of luck!

Edit to say: gaining muscle while eating at a deficit is almost impossible for most people. Retaining as much muscle mass and muscle hypertrophy are different, however, from "gaining muscle". Muscle hypertrophy is an increase in the size of muscle cells. It differs from muscle hyperplasia, which is the formation of new muscle cells.

wackyfunster

I know because the scale they use shows fat loss, muscle loss, etc..........so more protein. Ok I will go for more protein this week. i have been trying to eat what it says to eat in protein but guess i need even more! thanks!

The MFP protein goals are usually like 1/2 of what you actually need.

mmapags

I know because the scale they use shows fat loss, muscle loss, etc..........so more protein. Ok I will go for more protein this week. i have been trying to eat what it says to eat in protein but guess i need even more! thanks!

The MFP protein goals are usually like 1/2 of what you actually need.

What he said!