Lost Fat but Gained Weight. What does that mean?

PolacaFL
PolacaFL Posts: 213 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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!

Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    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
    oklahomapoet Posts: 5 Member
    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
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    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
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    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
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    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
    LadyPakal Posts: 256 Member
    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
    Brad805 Posts: 289 Member
    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
    PolacaFL Posts: 213 Member
    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. :tongue: Thanks for the replies!

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