No body fat percent drop

alimarie53 · February 2013

In one month I’ve lost five pounds and a total of six inches around my body. I’m excited about that progress but what has me worried is that I’ve only lost .6% in my body fat. I strength train twice a week, cardio at least three times a week, yoga twice a week AND do Jillian’s 30 Day Shred six days a week. I eat okay…not perfect but not awful.

So what I’m wondering is that percent normal for a month? Should it be more? And if so what can I do to ensure that I drop body fat and not muscle?

now_or_never13 · February 2013

How are you measuring your body fat %? If you are using an at home scale, they do not tend to be accurate.

To lose body fat faster you need to build muscle... more muscle burns more fat.

alimarie53 · February 2013

I have a gym membership and I get taped and weighed there. After that they plug the information into a little machine that I hold out in front of me then I get the percent that way.

now_or_never13 · February 2013

I believe the most accruate way to measure body fat is through calipers. The scale way and those little machines are not super accurate.

Don't get caught up in that. You lost some body fat so be happy with that.

beanerific518 · February 2013

Keep at it. There would be months where it would drop slightly and others where it would drop much more. I found that fat loss is not linear.

alimarie53 · February 2013

I guess I'm just worried that I'm losing more muscle than fat. I don't want the five pounds that I lost in a month to be from my muscles.

now_or_never13 · February 2013

I guess I'm just worried that I'm losing more muscle than fat. I don't want the five pounds that I lost in a month to be from my muscles.

How much are you netting in a day? What are your calories set at? Do you eat back your exercise calories? How many grams of protein do you eat in a day? How much HEAVY lifting do you do?

When you are on a calorie deficit you will lose some muscle. You can reduce the amount of muscle you lose by heavy lifting, having a smaller deficit and getting more than enough protein.

According to your ticker you only have another 13lbs to lose... so your weekly weight loss goal should be set at 0.5lbs per week. Having too much of a deficit will cause you to lose muscle.

alimarie53 · February 2013

My calories are set at 1200. I work out almost every day and I eat a majority of the calories back. I haven't messed with the settings on protein, carbs and all that but I usually try and eat close to my weight in protein. Somedays I'm over some I'm under. When it comes to lifting, I lift pretty light. The max I lift is 12 pounds.

mdizzle99 · February 2013

As others have said, don't get discouraged by these numbers. You're certainly on the right track. Most practical ways of measuring body fat percentage are semi-accurate at best. Calipers are pretty good, but there is still a lot of margin for error. Anthropometric (measuring body circumference) is believed to be somewhat less accurate/reliable than calipers although it is still used a fair amount because it is a simple way to get an estimate; e.g. the Navy generally uses this method. If you really want an *accurate* measure of body fat percentage you must use a DEXA scan or hydrostatic weighting, but both of these are expensive and impractical.

My point is that you shouldn't get discouraged by this number. You're doing what it takes to get results and will get them over time. As long as you're doing strength training you should maintain muscle and that weight loss will be mostly fat. Best of luck!

mmapags · February 2013

The measurement method you are describing is a Electronic Bioimpedance device. They are not at all accurate and have a margin of error of 5 to 8%. Also, one month and 5 lbs is really a short window to be looking for too much change.

alimarie53 · February 2013

Also, one month and 5 lbs is really a short window to be looking for too much change.

Thank you! I was also wondering if I was expecting too much. I was reading how some people lost like 2% body fat in one month and was wondering if that was normal.

now_or_never13 · February 2013

My calories are set at 1200. I work out almost every day and I eat a majority of the calories back. I haven't messed with the settings on protein, carbs and all that but I usually try and eat close to my weight in protein. Somedays I'm over some I'm under. When it comes to lifting, I lift pretty light. The max I lift is 12 pounds.

MFP sets protein really low... so you need to be going over that daily.

1200 is too low and will be too high of a deficit. Set your weekly goal to 0.5lbs per week and eat your exercise cals back. You should be eating much more than 1200 cals. Start lifting heavy. 12lbs is not nearly enough resistance to really preserve lean muscle.

weird_me2 · February 2013

Also, one month and 5 lbs is really a short window to be looking for too much change.

Thank you! I was also wondering if I was expecting too much. I was reading how some people lost like 2% body fat in one month and was wondering if that was normal.

I think that fat % loss is a lot like weight loss - the more you have to lose, the faster you can lose it. Your hydration level at the time of testing could also effect the measurements if you were using a bio-electrical impedence monitor. Maybe you were fully hydrated for one measurement and a little dehydrated at the other. If you collect the data over a large period of time, if you are seeing a downward trend, you are doing something right.

psuLemon · February 2013

In one month I’ve lost five pounds and a total of six inches around my body. I’m excited about that progress but what has me worried is that I’ve only lost .6% in my body fat. I strength train twice a week, cardio at least three times a week, yoga twice a week AND do Jillian’s 30 Day Shred six days a week. I eat okay…not perfect but not awful.

So what I’m wondering is that percent normal for a month? Should it be more? And if so what can I do to ensure that I drop body fat and not muscle?

One suggestion, drop the additional cardio and increase weight training to 3 days. Use JM for your cardio. You want to be careful with blasting the same muscles over and over as it will lead to over training and will adversely affect results. Worst case, I would weight train 2 days a week, yoga 2 days a week and do an hour of HM dvd's the other two days and take one rest day.

JossFit · February 2013

My calories are set at 1200. I work out almost every day and I eat a majority of the calories back. I haven't messed with the settings on protein, carbs and all that but I usually try and eat close to my weight in protein. Somedays I'm over some I'm under. When it comes to lifting, I lift pretty light. The max I lift is 12 pounds.

MFP sets protein really low... so you need to be going over that daily.

1200 is too low and will be too high of a deficit. Set your weekly goal to 0.5lbs per week and eat your exercise cals back. You should be eating much more than 1200 cals. Start lifting heavy. 12lbs is not nearly enough resistance to really preserve lean muscle.

Definitely not. Focus more on weight training with intensity and HEAVY weights... I promise you that you can lift more than you think. 12 pounds? ****, your purse is heavier than that! Challenge yourself and you'll see better results.

With a 1200 calorie diet and hardly any weight training I wouldn't be suprised at all if you did in fact lose mostly muscle. I think some others are blowing a bit of sunshine up your butt trying to be nice and encouraging but that's not going to help you.

Aim for .5 pounds lost per week, bump your protein consumption up to like 40% of your total calories, and go pick up heavy things over and over.

mmapags · February 2013

My calories are set at 1200. I work out almost every day and I eat a majority of the calories back. I haven't messed with the settings on protein, carbs and all that but I usually try and eat close to my weight in protein. Somedays I'm over some I'm under. When it comes to lifting, I lift pretty light. The max I lift is 12 pounds.

MFP sets protein really low... so you need to be going over that daily.

1200 is too low and will be too high of a deficit. Set your weekly goal to 0.5lbs per week and eat your exercise cals back. You should be eating much more than 1200 cals. Start lifting heavy. 12lbs is not nearly enough resistance to really preserve lean muscle.

Definitely not. Focus more on weight training with intensity and HEAVY weights... I promise you that you can lift more than you think. 12 pounds? ****, your purse is heavier than that! Challenge yourself and you'll see better results.

With a 1200 calorie diet and hardly any weight training I wouldn't be suprised at all if you did in fact lose mostly muscle. I think some others are blowing a bit of sunshine up your butt trying to be nice and encouraging but that's not going to help you.

Aim for .5 pounds lost per week, bump your protein consumption up to like 40% of your total calories, and go pick up heavy things over and over.

Clap, clap, clap, clap..... (the sound of applause)

DavPul · February 2013

1. You're probably within the margin of error

2. Don't fret about it. You're moving in the right direction by doing the right things.

3. Keep going

BusyRaeNOTBusty · February 2013

My calories are set at 1200. I work out almost every day and I eat a majority of the calories back. I haven't messed with the settings on protein, carbs and all that but I usually try and eat close to my weight in protein. Somedays I'm over some I'm under. When it comes to lifting, I lift pretty light. The max I lift is 12 pounds.

MFP sets protein really low... so you need to be going over that daily.

1200 is too low and will be too high of a deficit. Set your weekly goal to 0.5lbs per week and eat your exercise cals back. You should be eating much more than 1200 cals. Start lifting heavy. 12lbs is not nearly enough resistance to really preserve lean muscle.

Definitely not. Focus more on weight training with intensity and HEAVY weights... I promise you that you can lift more than you think. 12 pounds? ****, your purse is heavier than that! Challenge yourself and you'll see better results.

With a 1200 calorie diet and hardly any weight training I wouldn't be suprised at all if you did in fact lose mostly muscle. I think some others are blowing a bit of sunshine up your butt trying to be nice and encouraging but that's not going to help you.

Aim for .5 pounds lost per week, bump your protein consumption up to like 40% of your total calories, and go pick up heavy things over and over.

Agreed.

Cr01502 · February 2013

My calories are set at 1200. I work out almost every day and I eat a majority of the calories back. I haven't messed with the settings on protein, carbs and all that but I usually try and eat close to my weight in protein. Somedays I'm over some I'm under. When it comes to lifting, I lift pretty light. The max I lift is 12 pounds.

MFP sets protein really low... so you need to be going over that daily.

1200 is too low and will be too high of a deficit. Set your weekly goal to 0.5lbs per week and eat your exercise cals back. You should be eating much more than 1200 cals. Start lifting heavy. 12lbs is not nearly enough resistance to really preserve lean muscle.

Definitely not. Focus more on weight training with intensity and HEAVY weights... I promise you that you can lift more than you think. 12 pounds? ****, your purse is heavier than that! Challenge yourself and you'll see better results.

With a 1200 calorie diet and hardly any weight training I wouldn't be suprised at all if you did in fact lose mostly muscle. I think some others are blowing a bit of sunshine up your butt trying to be nice and encouraging but that's not going to help you.

Aim for .5 pounds lost per week, bump your protein consumption up to like 40% of your total calories, and go pick up heavy things over and over.

Agreed.

You're very active for 1200 calories a day.

Also invest in some callipers and take proper measurements.

sarahstrezo · February 2013

My calories are set at 1200. I work out almost every day and I eat a majority of the calories back. I haven't messed with the settings on protein, carbs and all that but I usually try and eat close to my weight in protein. Somedays I'm over some I'm under. When it comes to lifting, I lift pretty light. The max I lift is 12 pounds.

MFP sets protein really low... so you need to be going over that daily.

1200 is too low and will be too high of a deficit. Set your weekly goal to 0.5lbs per week and eat your exercise cals back. You should be eating much more than 1200 cals. Start lifting heavy. 12lbs is not nearly enough resistance to really preserve lean muscle.

Definitely not. Focus more on weight training with intensity and HEAVY weights... I promise you that you can lift more than you think. 12 pounds? ****, your purse is heavier than that! Challenge yourself and you'll see better results.

With a 1200 calorie diet and hardly any weight training I wouldn't be suprised at all if you did in fact lose mostly muscle. I think some others are blowing a bit of sunshine up your butt trying to be nice and encouraging but that's not going to help you.

Aim for .5 pounds lost per week, bump your protein consumption up to like 40% of your total calories, and go pick up heavy things over and over.

Agree 100%!!!

alimarie53 · February 2013

I changed the settings, but one thing I was curious about is the whole active deal. I work a desk job 8 hours a day so about 16 hours is dedicated to not being too active. Depending on the day anywhere between half an hour to two hours can be dedicated to the gym. The rest of the time I'm doing light active work around the house or with my kids.

sarahstrezo · February 2013

How much weight do you want to lose?
I would put your settings at lightly active, set it to lose .5lb/week and log and eat back all your exercise cals.

alimarie53 · February 2013

I guess I would say I'm looking to lose 15 pounds. However, it's more about how I feel. If I get down to 130 and I'm still not happy with how I look then I might try for 5 more or work more on toning my muscles. My goal isn't a number. It's more to be happy when I look at myself in the mirror naked lol.

psuLemon · February 2013

I changed the settings, but one thing I was curious about is the whole active deal. I work a desk job 8 hours a day so about 16 hours is dedicated to not being too active. Depending on the day anywhere between half an hour to two hours can be dedicated to the gym. The rest of the time I'm doing light active work around the house or with my kids.

There are two approaches you can take, and I prefer the first one. Include your exercise in your activity level (so moderately active) and NOT worry about exercise calories and probably set your account to 1/2 lb per week or set your account to 1/2 lb per week, set your account to sedentary or lightly active and then eat back 50% of your exercise calories

Also, toning just means cutting fat and you will do that with a deficit and some weight training.

mjbell642 · February 2013

This is my battle too. I have lost 38 pounds total... but BFP is still too high. Gym program director continues to tell me I need to build muscle, but now that I didn't leave any meat on my bones to work with.

So I'm working on strength / weight training. And trying to up my protein intake.

I use that thing you hold out in front of you to measure, but the clinc has a scale that is more accurate.

harlanJEN · February 2013

I guess I would say I'm looking to lose 15 pounds. However, it's more about how I feel. If I get down to 130 and I'm still not happy with how I look then I might try for 5 more or work more on toning my muscles. My goal isn't a number. It's more to be happy when I look at myself in the mirror naked lol.

15 lbs? in the big scheme of things, that isn't a lot. I get the sense that what u truly want ( and most of us do) is to LOOK better vs. achieving a pretty meaningless # on the scale.

I am working on fine tuning my body which extrapolates to about 15 pounds , but is more about body recomp. Fat to burn, but NOT sacrificing my muscle. I have a good amount of LBM vs. fat right now.

What would I do if in your shoes? What I've been doing :

Eat at a small deficit 10% of TDEE, ditch the cardio, get serious about strength training. Heavy lifting. That term is relative / diff for every person, but I pretty much guarantee you can lift heavier than 12 lbs.

Look into New Rules Of Lifting For Women. highly recommend reading Staci's story at www.nerdfitness.com

Good luck!

Jen

No body fat percent drop

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