Body Fat Percent HELP

jchapa83
jchapa83 Posts: 71 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My body fat stayed the same but it says I lost Body Fat Mass. I also lost 4lbs :)

What does this mean?

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Replies

  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    If you lost weight but your body fat stayed the same your loss came from either muscle or water... or both.

    How are you measuring your body fat? An at home scale? If so, they are not 100% accurate and should only be used as guide. But if your body fat % stays the same when you lose weight that weight came from either muscle, water or a mixture of both. While trying to lose weight by cutting calories we all will lose some muscle in the process. More so with a higher deficit, not enough protein and not enough heavy lifting.
  • sofielein
    sofielein Posts: 539 Member
    You lost 1.3 lb of body fat, but your body percent did not go down to 28% because that 1.3 lb is less than 1% of your total weight.

    If you are over 130 lb that is normal. The 29% will go down as soon as you lose more than 1% of your body fat.
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    How were these measured? It most likely means that you are using an inaccurate technique to measure (pretty much all methods besides dunk tanks and scans are). However, if these numbers were completely accurate, it would mean you lost muscle instead of fat. This would probably be due to poor nutrition (undereating, inadequate protein) or poor exercise choices (overtraining, no resistance training).
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
    Take measurements! If you used a scale for your BF%, that would explain it. Take measurements and input your data into fat2fitradio.com/tools . If you didn't use this method the first time then you probably will have a different reading. Try this method and then do it again in a month. I recommend measurements and weigh-ins on the first and last day of each month. Makes it easy to remember.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
    You lost 1.3 lb of body fat, but your body percent did not go down to 28% because that 1.3 lb is less than 1% of your total weight.

    If you are over 130 lb that is normal. The 29% will go down as soon as you lose more than 1% of your body fat.
    This too! Great explaination for the math gurus!
  • jchapa83
    jchapa83 Posts: 71 Member
    If you lost weight but your body fat stayed the same your loss came from either muscle or water... or both.

    How are you measuring your body fat? An at home scale? If so, they are not 100% accurate and should only be used as guide. But if your body fat % stays the same when you lose weight that weight came from either muscle, water or a mixture of both. While trying to lose weight by cutting calories we all will lose some muscle in the process. More so with a higher deficit, not enough protein and not enough heavy lifting.

    I go to the GNC and weigh myself there.

    I do try watch my calories mostly during the week and I am currently on Month 2 of Insanity. Hopefully it's just water and not muscle I'm losing!
  • jchapa83
    jchapa83 Posts: 71 Member
    You lost 1.3 lb of body fat, but your body percent did not go down to 28% because that 1.3 lb is less than 1% of your total weight.

    If you are over 130 lb that is normal. The 29% will go down as soon as you lose more than 1% of your body fat.

    Ok I get, thanks for the explanation! I am over 130 lb so good to know it's normal.
  • jchapa83
    jchapa83 Posts: 71 Member
    How were these measured? It most likely means that you are using an inaccurate technique to measure (pretty much all methods besides dunk tanks and scans are). However, if these numbers were completely accurate, it would mean you lost muscle instead of fat. This would probably be due to poor nutrition (undereating, inadequate protein) or poor exercise choices (overtraining, no resistance training).

    At my local GNC they have a BioMeasure machine. I first measured myself 3 weeks ago and that was the difference since then. But I am really hoping I didn't lose muscle, I'm actually toning up and seeing more muscle definition that was once there lol. Just had a baby 4 months ago so I'm trying to get back at it.

    I try eating 1200+calories burned while doing Insanity so it's about 1600 calories a day. I also drink whey protein shakes and have my occasional cheat days.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member

    I try eating 1200+calories burned while doing Insanity so it's about 1600 calories a day. I also drink whey protein shakes and have my occasional cheat days.

    i thought insanity recommended at least 1800 cals?
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
    it means your body composition staid the same.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    How were these measured? It most likely means that you are using an inaccurate technique to measure (pretty much all methods besides dunk tanks and scans are). However, if these numbers were completely accurate, it would mean you lost muscle instead of fat. This would probably be due to poor nutrition (undereating, inadequate protein) or poor exercise choices (overtraining, no resistance training).

    At my local GNC they have a BioMeasure machine. I first measured myself 3 weeks ago and that was the difference since then. But I am really hoping I didn't lose muscle, I'm actually toning up and seeing more muscle definition that was once there lol. Just had a baby 4 months ago so I'm trying to get back at it.

    I try eating 1200+calories burned while doing Insanity so it's about 1600 calories a day. I also drink whey protein shakes and have my occasional cheat days.

    While in a deficit everyone will lose some muscle. The definition you are seeing is from losing the fat ontop of the muscle and therefore seeing the muscle better.

    As another poster pointed out, I believe you should be consuming more calories while doing insanity provided you are putting in your full effort. 1200 cals would definately be far too low even if you are truly sedentary.
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
    But if your body fat % stays the same when you lose weight that weight came from either muscle, water or a mixture of both.

    water weight is considered "lean mass" so if you lose water your bf % would actually increase.

    So her BF% staying the same after she lost some weight means she lost evenly lean mass and body fat.
  • jchapa83
    jchapa83 Posts: 71 Member
    How were these measured? It most likely means that you are using an inaccurate technique to measure (pretty much all methods besides dunk tanks and scans are). However, if these numbers were completely accurate, it would mean you lost muscle instead of fat. This would probably be due to poor nutrition (undereating, inadequate protein) or poor exercise choices (overtraining, no resistance training).

    At my local GNC they have a BioMeasure machine. I first measured myself 3 weeks ago and that was the difference since then. But I am really hoping I didn't lose muscle, I'm actually toning up and seeing more muscle definition that was once there lol. Just had a baby 4 months ago so I'm trying to get back at it.

    I try eating 1200+calories burned while doing Insanity so it's about 1600 calories a day. I also drink whey protein shakes and have my occasional cheat days.

    While in a deficit everyone will lose some muscle. The definition you are seeing is from losing the fat ontop of the muscle and therefore seeing the muscle better.

    As another poster pointed out, I believe you should be consuming more calories while doing insanity provided you are putting in your full effort. 1200 cals would definately be far too low even if you are truly sedentary.

    Yea I think I'm going to have to up my calories. Maybe that also has something to do with it.

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