Lost Fat but Gained Weight. What does that mean?

PolacaFL

This past week I didn't follow my diet as I normally do but I kept drinking plenty of water. On the scale I gained 3lbs and lost 2 points in fat. What does that mean? I didn't do any strength training but I did walk more than usual.

Thanks!

mmapags

It means your scale is not accurate. Or it's recalculating your lean mass and you've gained water weight but body fat stayed the same. Scales are notoriously inaccurate. I wouldn't depend on those numbers other than for an overall trend over time and not on isolated measurement.

oklahomapoet

Muscle weighs more than fat. The scale is not really an accurate representation of progress. Instead take measurements and get your BMI checked. In this case, I would say it means you have lost fat and gained muscle. You are on the right track!

jacksonpt

It means your scale is not accurate. Or it's recalculating your lean mass and you've gained water weight but body fat stayed the same. Scales are notoriously inaccurate. I wouldn't depend on those numbers other than for an overall trend over time and not on isolated measurement.

Agreed.

jacksonpt

Muscle weighs more than fat. The scale is not really an accurate representation of progress. Instead take measurements and get your BMI checked. In this case, I would say it means you have lost fat and gained muscle. You are on the right track!

No, OP has not gained muscle in 1 week.

mmapags

Muscle weighs more than fat. The scale is not really an accurate representation of progress. Instead take measurements and get your BMI checked. In this case, I would say it means you have lost fat and gained muscle. You are on the right track!

No, OP has not gained muscle in 1 week.

Let's see....a woman in a calorie deficit over 1 weeks time?? Nahhhhh! :noway:

LadyPakal

If your scale is one of those you stand on and it measures via electric current, then if your water content increase (i.e. body water %) then body fat % has to decrease. It's a seesaw - you need to be sure to be equally hydrated each time you use it.

They're not accurate enough for anything other than long term trends really.

Brad805

Another vote for an inaccurate scale. Scales are horribly inaccurate at measuring BF. The water in your body at the time you weigh has a significant impact on the reading.

PolacaFL

I read that the time of day you weigh yourself and if you just showered makes a diff too on the body fat reading. I was hoping that there was more to it than just innacurate reading. Thanks for the replies!