Losing inches but not body fat

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alicia2601
alicia2601 Posts: 42 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
First off, i'm extremely excited to be losing inches! In a month and a half of MFP and exercise, I've lost a total of 10 inches all over my body! The scale isn't budging much which isn't a huge concern to me right now. But I did check my body fat % yesterday at the gym after checking my measurements...and it's the same as it was a month and a half ago. No change. Any idea why?

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  • kts3639
    kts3639 Posts: 188 Member
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    I could very well be wrong, but it sounds to me like you are losing muscle rather than fat. Therefore, you are losing inches, but your bf% is staying the same. That wouldn't explain why the scale isn't moving though. It would seem that if that is the case, the scale would be moving, but not your bf%. Hmmm, how many calories/day are you eating? What type of exercise?
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
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    How are you checking your body fat? Only one method is really reliable, and thats the dunk test method (Not sure what the official name is). The scales that tell you take the path of least resistance, as do the hand held devices. And calipers will vary from person to person, depending on who is conducting the the body fat measurement. Chances are, you have lost some body fat. Plus you're getting smaller!
  • alicia2601
    alicia2601 Posts: 42 Member
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    I had to google the name but it's called the Bioelectric Impedance Analysis. Those hand held devices.

    ETA: 1600 cals/day....4 workouts/wk for an hour at a time....30 mins cardio, 30 mins strength training.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    imho, it sounds like you're losing fat and replacing it with muscle.

    i am experiencing the same thing right now. through pictures, i am smaller, but the scale is moving slooooowly up (newbie gains whoot!) and i'm losing inches.

    but hey, i'd rather have 5lbs of muscle mass than 5lbs of fat!

    also edited to say bodyfat measurements have a +/-8% rate of error. eyeballing is just as accurate as plugging in your measurements.
  • sami_joyce84
    sami_joyce84 Posts: 23
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    i am experiencing the same i lost 7 inch round waist but yet scales are saying 4lb increase :-/ much rather have muscle than fat so not too fussed at the moment it will show soon enough i hope xx
  • alicia2601
    alicia2601 Posts: 42 Member
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    bump
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Congratulations! Great NSV!

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