How is this possible??

maruby95

So I'm totally confused. Ive been on a cut 15-20% under TDEE for about a month now. In the last 3 weeks, I have lost 4 pounds but my BF has gone up .9% (not that that is a big deal, just confusing). I lift heavy 3 days a week and do some HIIT, so I think my LBM should be protected. I am calculating my BF using an average of a couple different methods- some tape measure, and some calipers. I have lost .5 inch in both my waist and hips. I just really expected some, if not all of the weight I would lose would be fat.

Can anyone explain this?!?!

taso42

Likely due to error in calculating the body fat percentage. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

Vansy

I can't imagine that with cutting 15-20% calories and lifting heavy, doing HIIT, etc. that you've lost anything else besides body fat. It was probably just an error in calculating -- either the first time, or this time.

tigersword

0.9% huh? Even the "most accurate" methods of calculating body fat are only good to a + or - of about 5%. Stop trying to micromanage it so much.

Also, lean mass will be lost, it's inevitable. It's not biologically possible to lose 100% body fat. Lean mass is not muscle, it's everything that isn't fat. When you lose weight, you lose excess water, excess glycogen, excess connective tissues, excess skin, etc. all in addition to fat. Actual muscle weight tends to be a rather small percentage of LBM.

Stop stressing over the little things.

maruby95

0.9% huh? Even the "most accurate" methods of calculating body fat are only good to a + or - of about 5%. Stop trying to micromanage it so much.

Also, lean mass will be lost, it's inevitable. It's not biologically possible to lose 100% body fat. Lean mass is not muscle, it's everything that isn't fat. When you lose weight, you lose excess water, excess glycogen, excess connective tissues, excess skin, etc. all in addition to fat. Actual muscle weight tends to be a rather small percentage of LBM.

Stop stressing over the little things.

Yes- I hear you about sweating the details. I'm really not so much. I just don't want to continue to lose if I'm somehow losing more LBM than fat. I'm already fairly lean (about 19%), but am trying to get to 15%- so for me, it is all small changes and numbers. And for me a 4 pound loss is almost 4% of my weight (I weight about 105) so it really should translate into a measureable loss of BF. See what I mean?

maruby95

I can't imagine that with cutting 15-20% calories and lifting heavy, doing HIIT, etc. that you've lost anything else besides body fat. It was probably just an error in calculating -- either the first time, or this time.

I agree- nothing else makes sense. But it would be nice to see a measureable difference. It probably is somehow a measurement error. Although I've stayed at the same BF% for months and months using the same methods. So I feel fairly confident about the starting %. But even with measurable losses in inches, the BF stayed same or went up. Baffling and a bit frustrating b/c I care more about the BF than weight.

Sarauk2sf

0.9% huh? Even the "most accurate" methods of calculating body fat are only good to a + or - of about 5%. Stop trying to micromanage it so much.

Also, lean mass will be lost, it's inevitable. It's not biologically possible to lose 100% body fat. Lean mass is not muscle, it's everything that isn't fat. When you lose weight, you lose excess water, excess glycogen, excess connective tissues, excess skin, etc. all in addition to fat. Actual muscle weight tends to be a rather small percentage of LBM.

Stop stressing over the little things.

Yes- I hear you about sweating the details. I'm really not so much. I just don't want to continue to lose if I'm somehow losing more LBM than fat. I'm already fairly lean (about 19%), but am trying to get to 15%- so for me, it is all small changes and numbers. And for me a 4 pound loss is almost 4% of my weight (I weight about 105) so it really should translate into a measureable loss of BF. See what I mean?

Read the rest of what he said.

taso42

If you want to be really anal about it, go get tested in a BodPod once every few weeks.

MoreBean13

Not to state the obvious here, but 3 weeks puts you at a different point in your menstrual cycle than the last time you took measurements. Wait another week and try again.

And there could be any number of things that would throw off those things, other than cycle- sodium, muscle swelling, glycogen storage/depletion hydration, etc. If your waist has gone down, that's a fairly reliable clue that you're moving in the right direction.

Hendrix7

Likely due to error in calculating the body fat percentage. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

^^^^

amanda_gent

Maruby, most people would be overjoyed with the results you've gotten, I would think.

How do you FEEL in your body? Are you enjoying the exercise that you do or just trying to meet some ideal of what you "should" look like? Maybe you're right on track and if you just relax a little, it will all fall into place.

I fall prey to the same kind of thinking - it takes one to know one.

I agree with the general consensus here -- chill out -- and maybe rethink that cut percentage if you're just looking to increase muscle!

maruby95

Maruby, most people would be overjoyed with the results you've gotten, I would think.

How do you FEEL in your body? Are you enjoying the exercise that you do or just trying to meet some ideal of what you "should" look like? Maybe you're right on track and if you just relax a little, it will all fall into place.

I fall prey to the same kind of thinking - it takes one to know one.

I agree with the general consensus here -- chill out -- and maybe rethink that cut percentage if you're just looking to increase muscle!

Thanks, Amanda! I do enjoy my exercise very much, but I'm a very goal oriented person, so I am always working towards something . That being said, while I feel much stronger and very fit, I still feel 'softer' than I would like. Maybe I am chasing an impossible ideal, but I don't think so. Just want to see some more of the muscle I'm working so hard for. Partly, it's just the challenge of it- back to that goal chasing .

I think everyone is right- I do need to chill. That's not news to me- I tend to get bogged down in the details. So thanks for the reminder. I am only planning to cut for another month or so, then go back to maintenance to work on some more muscle.

*stops stressing and starts to chill*

CoderGal

I'm going to guess its water since the bia depends on that.