Am I retaining enough muscle?

Options
GreekByMarriage
GreekByMarriage Posts: 320 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok... so these are my measurement from February 2012 versus today. I am losing weight slowly, which I am ok with (although I am hoping to speed up the process a little bit :-). I think my numbers look pretty good and my body fat% is going down. I am curious as to how my lean body mass is looking though... I want to be fit, not "skinny fat" so is there anyone out there that can take a look and let me know if you think I am on the right track? I do cardio and weights right now. I am using Fat 2 Fit Radio to calculate my body fat %.

Biceps: 14.5 vs 13 = -1.5 inches
Bust: 42.5 vs 38.5 = -4 inches
Ribs: 35 vs 33.5 = -1.5 inches
Top Waist (above belly button): 36 vs 33 = -3 inches
Waist (at Belly Button): 39 vs 34 = -5 inches
Bottom Waist (Infamous "Pouch" or Csection Belly) = 42.5 vs 36 = -6.5 inches
Hips: 44.5 vs 40 = -4.5 inches
Thighs: 26 vs 23 = -3 inches
Neck: 13 vs 12.5 = -.5 inches

Weight on 2/2/12 = 178.6
Weight on 10/25/12 = 162.4
Weight Lost = 16.2 pounds

Body Fat% on 2/2/12 = 48.2%
Body Fat% on 10/25/12 = 38.5%
Body Fat lost = 9.7%

Pounds of Body Fat on 2/2/12 = 86
Pounds of Body Fat on 10/25/12 = 62.5
Pounds of Body Fat Lost = 23.5 pounds

Pounds of Lean Body Mass on 2/2/12 = 92.6
Pounds of Lean Body Mass on 10/25/12 = 99.9
Pounds of Lean body Mass "gained" = 7.3 pounds

Replies

  • GreekByMarriage
    GreekByMarriage Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    Oh... I'm 33 years old - 5'2" - 162.4 pounds (highest weight was 206 pounds in March 2011)
  • Tricep_A_Tops
    Tricep_A_Tops Posts: 319
    Options
    The most important things you can do to retain LM. is lift ( like you are) and lose your weight very slow. I limited my weight loss to 1 lb. per week.
  • GreekByMarriage
    GreekByMarriage Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    So far it seems like my lean body mass has gone up, so I am assuming that means I have gained more lean muscle... which I think is a good thing... right?
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
    Options
    Don't know what to tell you, other than that looks pretty awesome to me. You showed a god gain in LBM and a good loss in body fat% and it made me go take a look at mine. I hadn't thought of doing so before this. I have lost @ 6% bodyfat and gained about 3 pounds of LBM since I started tracking. That's something that didn't show by using just the scale.
    Thanks!
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
    Options
    So far it seems like my lean body mass has gone up, so I am assuming that means I have gained more lean muscle... which I think is a good thing... right?
    Hell yes!!!
  • guardian419
    guardian419 Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    You will have a chance to build muscle after you lose weight. I'm not saying to give up the lifting, I am saying to take precautions against it (lift, eat more protein, etc) but don't freak out over it. You've lost a lot of body fat, and that's what counts right now :D

    Good Job :drinker:
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
    Options
    You will have a chance to build muscle after you lose weight. I'm not saying to give up the lifting, I am saying to take precautions against it (lift, eat more protein, etc) but don't freak out over it. You've lost a lot of body fat, and that's what counts right now :D

    Good Job :drinker:
    I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I disagree with this one. NEVER put off until tomorrow what you can accomplish today. Yes your weight loss is slower when you build muscle at the same time, BUT your metabolism has to work harder because of that muscle and THAT is a great thing!
    I don't think you are freaking out over lifting but you are obviously having success doing what you are doing.
    And again, thanks for showing me a different way to calculate my body changes without using the scale so much. It's obvious now that I have seen you do it. smh
  • GreekByMarriage
    GreekByMarriage Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    [/quote]
    I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I disagree with this one. NEVER put off until tomorrow what you can accomplish today. Yes your weight loss is slower when you build muscle at the same time, BUT your metabolism has to work harder because of that muscle and THAT is a great thing!
    I don't think you are freaking out over lifting but you are obviously having success doing what you are doing.
    And again, thanks for showing me a different way to calculate my body changes without using the scale so much. It's obvious now that I have seen you do it. smh
    [/quote]

    Thanks you! I am glad I was able to help you see your loss differently! I cannot simply rely on the scale to stay motivated... I would fail 100%. I NEED to look at the measurements, as well as before/during pictures! I also bought a BodyMedia Fit as well and that has helped me tremendously!!

    I don't freak over lifting... I lift a couple times a week and alternate between back/bi's - chest/tri's - abs/legs
  • guardian419
    guardian419 Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I disagree with this one. NEVER put off until tomorrow what you can accomplish today. Yes your weight loss is slower when you build muscle at the same time, BUT your metabolism has to work harder because of that muscle and THAT is a great thing!
    I don't think you are freaking out over lifting but you are obviously having success doing what you are doing.

    I'm not saying put off lifting in the slightest, I think you misunderstood.

    I'm all about lifting, What I mean is: don't give up lifting, but keep your primary focus on the weight loss. BY NO MEANS should you comprimise building/maintaining LBM because that is what will help you exercise more (burn more calories) and burns more calories even at rest.

    As far as your lifting goes, if you haven't been doing it for a while (6 mo's +) could I recommend doing compound lifts? As a (non-derogatory) 'newbie', which I am as well, compound lifts will give the biggest gains.
  • GreekByMarriage
    GreekByMarriage Posts: 320 Member
    Options
    I tried doing compound lifts and am just not comfortable with them. I go to the gym by myself at 5am. I have noone to spot me and right now that worries me. I did ask one guy there who looked like he knew what he was doing to show me how to do deadlifts right and now he will not leave me alone and honestly creeps me out a bit! I am in no way comfortable with doing squats unless I use the Smith which everyone boo-boo's. I do Bench press but am working at that very slowly, again, because I have no spotter.
  • guardian419
    guardian419 Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    I tried doing compound lifts and am just not comfortable with them. I go to the gym by myself at 5am. I have noone to spot me and right now that worries me. I did ask one guy there who looked like he knew what he was doing to show me how to do deadlifts right and now he will not leave me alone and honestly creeps me out a bit! I am in no way comfortable with doing squats unless I use the Smith which everyone boo-boo's. I do Bench press but am working at that very slowly, again, because I have no spotter.

    I'm also one of those people who dislikes machines... Unless they allow you a range of motion for what you're doing (lat pulldown) I typically won't do them. I've done deadlifts on a Smith only to stop the weights from slamming... I also don't count my PR from that because the machines do make it easier.

    I can understand not being comfortable with them, I was into bodybuilding in highschool (sideffect of football) so when I started again I had a good working knowledge and was comfortable with most exercises, but even with that, there were still some things I've never seen before and wasn't comfortable at all with (Hack Squat).

    I'm sorry you found a creeper :(

Categories