Is this possible or am I messed up?

sjohnny
sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
This year I started weighing and measuring myself once a month. Last month I was 210 lbs and (taking the average of 3 different calculators) about 19.5% BF. In the past month I have moved my calorie target up to maintenance (which I have usually met, been under a few days and over a few days (and WAYY over a couple of days). I have put more focus on weightlifting - doing 5/3/1 and in the past couple of weeks have eased off from running. Yesterday I was 215 and 18% BF. I couldn't believe that was true so I rechecked everything this morning (twice) and got the same results. I've lost an inch from my waist, an inch from my hips, 3/4 inch from my thighs. Everything else has stayed about the same. This appears to be an increase of about 6 pounds of LBM in a month (I'm 40 years old and 6'4" if that matters).

If this is actually what's happening then I'm not changing *kitten*. If it's not then what's really happening here because it's confusing as fck.

Thanks!

Replies

  • dstromley1
    dstromley1 Posts: 165
    newbie gains, enjoy it while it lasts. everyone makes massive progress when they first start then things start to stall and thats when it gets hard, 6 lbs in a month is fantastic. it takes me allonng time to gain 6 lbs lean.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    This year I started weighing and measuring myself once a month. Last month I was 210 lbs and (taking the average of 3 different calculators) about 19.5% BF. In the past month I have moved my calorie target up to maintenance (which I have usually met, been under a few days and over a few days (and WAYY over a couple of days). I have put more focus on weightlifting - doing 5/3/1 and in the past couple of weeks have eased off from running. Yesterday I was 215 and 18% BF. I couldn't believe that was true so I rechecked everything this morning (twice) and got the same results. I've lost an inch from my waist, an inch from my hips, 3/4 inch from my thighs. Everything else has stayed about the same. This appears to be an increase of about 6 pounds of LBM in a month (I'm 40 years old and 6'4" if that matters).

    If this is actually what's happening then I'm not changing *kitten*. If it's not then what's really happening here because it's confusing as fck.

    Thanks!

    I'm going to assume this is partially due to changes in fluid. Certainly doesn't mean you aren't also progressing, so don't take that comment wrong.

    Curious: What was your caloric increase and did you do it in one jump or did you reverse?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    This year I started weighing and measuring myself once a month. Last month I was 210 lbs and (taking the average of 3 different calculators) about 19.5% BF. In the past month I have moved my calorie target up to maintenance (which I have usually met, been under a few days and over a few days (and WAYY over a couple of days). I have put more focus on weightlifting - doing 5/3/1 and in the past couple of weeks have eased off from running. Yesterday I was 215 and 18% BF. I couldn't believe that was true so I rechecked everything this morning (twice) and got the same results. I've lost an inch from my waist, an inch from my hips, 3/4 inch from my thighs. Everything else has stayed about the same. This appears to be an increase of about 6 pounds of LBM in a month (I'm 40 years old and 6'4" if that matters).

    If this is actually what's happening then I'm not changing *kitten*. If it's not then what's really happening here because it's confusing as fck.

    Thanks!

    Well we both know you are messed up but that's got nothing to do with the answer. :wink:
    Could be a couple of things. Your electrolyte balance could be a little off and you are retaining water weight.
    Because of the lifting, you are retaining water weight.
    You have added some lean mass and are retaining some water weight.
    You have added a buttload of lean mass.(requires chemical help)

    If I had to guess, I'd say option 3. In a month you could have added 1 to 2 lbs of muscle mass and the rest water weight. The measurements going down would say fat is being reduced. So that is good!
    Bottom line, if you are getting leaner and stronger fck the scale and it going up 5 lbs!! :drinker:
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    newbie gains, enjoy it while it lasts. everyone makes massive progress when they first start then things start to stall and thats when it gets hard, 6 lbs in a month is fantastic. it takes me allonng time to gain 6 lbs lean.

    Good guess but he's not a noobie. Just focusing more on lifting and less on running. Has lifted for some time and is not new to it.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I'm going to assume this is partially due to changes in fluid. Certainly doesn't mean you aren't also progressing, so don't take that comment wrong.
    I was thinking there was some fluid involved which is why I rechecked this morning. That actually makes more sense and I didn't take it wrong at all.
    Curious: What was your caloric increase and did you do it in one jump or did you reverse?
    It wasn't a huge jump but I went from an average of around 2100 to 2200 to an average of 2500-2600. Those are net and I do the adding exercise calories thing because I've done it both ways and like that method better for psychological reasons.

    I had moved up my calories a couple weeks prior to a half marathon two weeks ago and have just left them there. I was planning to drop a couple hundred starting tomorrow but now I'm not sure if I should.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    newbie gains, enjoy it while it lasts. everyone makes massive progress when they first start then things start to stall and thats when it gets hard, 6 lbs in a month is fantastic. it takes me allonng time to gain 6 lbs lean.

    Good guess but he's not a noobie. Just focusing more on lifting and less on running. Has lifted for some time and is not new to it.

    Oh right. I started lifting in March of last year. Forgot that piece of information.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I'm going to assume this is partially due to changes in fluid. Certainly doesn't mean you aren't also progressing, so don't take that comment wrong.
    I was thinking there was some fluid involved which is why I rechecked this morning. That actually makes more sense and I didn't take it wrong at all.
    Curious: What was your caloric increase and did you do it in one jump or did you reverse?
    It wasn't a huge jump but I went from an average of around 2100 to 2200 to an average of 2500-2600. Those are net and I do the adding exercise calories thing because I've done it both ways and like that method better for psychological reasons.

    I had moved up my calories a couple weeks prior to a half marathon two weeks ago and have just left them there. I was planning to drop a couple hundred starting tomorrow but now I'm not sure if I should.

    Do you LOOK leaner or in your opinion, better, right now at this new weight and new set of stats vs how you looked at 210 and with your previously calculated bodyfat%?
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Well we both know you are messed up but that's got nothing to do with the answer
    Can't argue with that.
    You have added some lean mass and are retaining some water weight

    This one makes the most sense. I was pissed when I saw the 215 on the scale but after I measured I was just confused.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Do you LOOK leaner or in your opinion, better, right now at this new weight and new set of stats vs how you looked at 210 and with your previously calculated bodyfat%?

    It's hard for me to tell because I think I tend to focus on the fat around my waist regardless of what else is going on. My legs are definitely leaner and I think there is a little more definition at the top of my abs/ribcage area. My wife said she doesn't think I need to lose any more weight but I don't think that's an accurate gauge. My pants are a little bit looser.

    At this point I think I'm going to leave everything as is for another couple of weeks. I'm off of running until a couple of injuries heal so I'm planning to hit the weights a little harder and see what happens.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Sorry..was having a nap when this was posted..yes, you are messed up.

    Ok? Good!
  • dstromley1
    dstromley1 Posts: 165
    newbie gains, enjoy it while it lasts. everyone makes massive progress when they first start then things start to stall and thats when it gets hard, 6 lbs in a month is fantastic. it takes me allonng time to gain 6 lbs lean.

    Good guess but he's not a noobie. Just focusing more on lifting and less on running. Has lifted for some time and is not new to it.

    oh my mistake, mistook how he said it
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Sorry..was having a nap when this was posted..yes, you are messed up.

    Ok? Good!

    So we are in agreement on this point? lolz
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    newbie gains, enjoy it while it lasts. everyone makes massive progress when they first start then things start to stall and thats when it gets hard, 6 lbs in a month is fantastic. it takes me allonng time to gain 6 lbs lean.

    Good guess but he's not a noobie. Just focusing more on lifting and less on running. Has lifted for some time and is not new to it.

    oh my mistake, mistook how he said it

    Completey understandable. He and I have been friends for awile so I knew the backstory and what he meant. I can see based on his first post you would not infer that. No worries!
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Sorry..was having a nap when this was posted..yes, you are messed up.

    Ok? Good!

    So we are in agreement on this point? lolz

    Hey... I.... no, screw it, I'm not even going to argue with that one.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    So. One of the kids comes in and steps on our bathroom scale and discloses his weight. My wife asks if that scale is accurate. I said that it was pretty close but I just see it for direction rather than absolute accuracy. She said that a couple weeks ago she noticed it was at about -5 pounds so she rezeroed it. ........................................... So last weekend when I was freaking out trying to figure out what the fck was goin on you didn't think to say anything? She had forgotten about it until this morning.................

    Good news. It would appear what I thought was maintenance is pretty close and my weight has stayed the same over the pas month while I've lost an inch in my waist and hips.

    Baddish news. I no longer have any clue what I "really" weigh. I'm goin to see if I can go into a doctor's office and just stand on their scale and then go straight he and set mine to the same number.

    I don't care about the number itself I just want to be able to tell what direction it's going.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Now it has finally confirmed that sjohnny is well and truly messed up, I am locking the thread as part of our procedure to try to keep up with the active threads: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/914180-thread-locking-and-intake-follow-ups


    If you want to add anything, just PM either myself or SideSteel and we can unlock it.
This discussion has been closed.