Losing weight but also losing muscle

Options
bbgughj
bbgughj Posts: 219 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Over the last month , I've been working out 6 days a week doing Insanity . I weigh myself weekly and noticed that even though I am losing weight my body fat percentage has went up from 30% to 32% , Which tells me I am losing muscle . My starting weight when I started insanity was 233 , Now a month later I'm at 221.1 .
My goal was to lose fat first and then add strength training after I complete the insanity program .

Should I worry about losing muscle at this time and just go ahead and add the strength training now ?

Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Options
    What I would do is the following-

    Eat adequate protein (.8-1.2 grams per pound LBM
    Do strength training now

    Losing SOME muscle mass while on a caloric deficit is inevitable. The above should help combat it as much as possible. :)

    Edit to say- how accurate is the method of measuring bf% you used?
  • cyberiarob
    cyberiarob Posts: 229 Member
    Options
    How are you measuring your bf%? I have a scale that shows it, but when I was around that weight it was jumping all over the place - like what you're seeing.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    Any form of measuring BF% is inaccurate - the ones from scales can be highly inaccurate.

    That being said, it is 99% of the time a good thing to add in strength training as early as possible if you can to preserve as much LBM as possible.
  • bbgughj
    bbgughj Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    How are you measuring your bf%? I have a scale that shows it, but when I was around that weight it was jumping all over the place - like what you're seeing.

    I've been using the Weight scale at my local GNC center , Its called Biomeasure.
    It Gives your Height , Weight , BMI and Body Fat %
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    How are you measuring your bf%? I have a scale that shows it, but when I was around that weight it was jumping all over the place - like what you're seeing.

    I've been using the Weight scale at my local GNC center , Its called Biomeasure.
    It Gives your Height , Weight , BMI and Body Fat %

    Good read:

    http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=218
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Options
    ^^Yep. Check out that article Sara provided. Lower-body BIA scales can have a significant range of error (although less than the upper-body ones) and should only be used every three months since the error in calculation is greater than rate of fat loss.

    You're going to lose LBM, period. However, by eating enough calories and protein while including strength training, you can preserve as much muscle as possible.
  • freerange
    freerange Posts: 1,722 Member
    Options
    Forget about the BF% scales I don't care where they are located, in your bathroom or at GNC, they can be very misleading. Just make sure you are getting enough protein and you will be fine
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    Options
    Diet and lots of cardio can be catabolic. I'd go with increasing protein ad add weight lifting of some sort. It will help preserve that muscle.

    I cycle loss with slow gain and a lot of weights to make sure I do not lose my muscle mass. Sure it goes up and down as my diet changes but over time my LBM has gone up and fat has gone down.
  • bbgughj
    bbgughj Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    Today I did my weekly weigh in , I was a little surprised to see that I put on 2 pounds this week and once again my body fat % went up again from 32 % to 33 % , I know it may not be an accurate reading but I am a bit concerned .
    Last weeks Body fat mass was at 69.4 lbs and this week I'm at 74.5 lbs .

    I'm not to quite sure what is going on, I've been consuming about + 200-300 more Calories to follow as closely to what I'm suppose to for month 2 of my work out , I am on day 46 of month 2 . I'm confused ! This week I feel that I gave my best on my cardio work outs I've been averaging about 700 Cal burned per session I've burned about 4200 Cals this week alone ..

    My Macronutients are set at 40/40/'20 My daily Calories are 1,610 , I try to stay any where from 2000 -2200 daily .

    This week was the first time that I seen any weight gain . My measurements are going down, I've lost a total of 15 inches in these 46 days

    I need help , or a little encouragement ..

    Any help, suggestions , Critique will all be appreciated .
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Options
    Any help, suggestions

    Here are the suggestions that have already been offered up:
    Eat adequate protein (.8-1.2 grams per pound LBM
    Do strength training now
    add in strength training as early as possible
    eating enough calories and protein while including strength training
    increasing protein and add weight lifting of some sort
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    Options
    I gained some muscle while doing Insanity but didn't lose any weight or change my body shape like I expected. I wasn't too satisfied with my progress because it was so incredibly difficult with so little results.
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
    Options
    How are you measuring your BF? According to this, you've lost ~13 pounds of muscle in the course of doing the program. But with ~12 total pounds lost, that means you've lost only muscle, which doesn't seem realistic.
  • hiker359
    hiker359 Posts: 577 Member
    Options
    Today I did my weekly weigh in , I was a little surprised to see that I put on 2 pounds this week and once again my body fat % went up again from 32 % to 33 % , I know it may not be an accurate reading but I am a bit concerned .
    Last weeks Body fat mass was at 69.4 lbs and this week I'm at 74.5 lbs .

    I'm not to quite sure what is going on, I've been consuming about + 200-300 more Calories to follow as closely to what I'm suppose to for month 2 of my work out , I am on day 46 of month 2 . I'm confused ! This week I feel that I gave my best on my cardio work outs I've been averaging about 700 Cal burned per session I've burned about 4200 Cals this week alone ..

    My Macronutients are set at 40/40/'20 My daily Calories are 1,610 , I try to stay any where from 2000 -2200 daily .

    This week was the first time that I seen any weight gain . My measurements are going down, I've lost a total of 15 inches in these 46 days

    I need help , or a little encouragement ..

    Any help, suggestions , Critique will all be appreciated .

    If your measurements are going down, I don't see how it's realistic to think that your BF is going up. I'd question your body fat readings above anything else.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Options
    Those scales work on passing current through you. Many things can adjust the figures it gives because of water levels and various levels of salts. Ignore them.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Options
    For women particularly hydration status affects the results on a body fat machine that uses bioimpedance - I did a test once and 'gained' several percent in the course of a single day!
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Options
    I was stage ready and because I was water loading it said 22% body fat.

    I looked very similar to this:

    15809555_5482.jpg
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    no, i think it;s all right, just have the proper list of diet foods on your meal like this http://www.top-5-diets.info/ and also, you should perform proper workout training for effective toning and weight loss.


    Please stop spamming that site - it recommends a 'lemonade detox and colon cleanse' which is a ridiculous thing to do.

Categories