Same weight but Body fat percentage keeps going down?

joelguerra93
joelguerra93 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know the less body fat, the better, but my weight is still staying the same? My workouts are p90x and insanity. In advance, thanks a lot for the help! :)

Replies

  • Mistyvs
    Mistyvs Posts: 56 Member
    You could be building muscle mass. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space, so while you are losing fat, the heavier muscle is keeping the scale from changing.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    I know the less body fat, the better, but my weight is still staying the same? My workouts are p90x and insanity. In advance, thanks a lot for the help! :)

    How are you measuring the change in body fat?
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Looks like you are in a deficit - ya, you aren't gaining muscle mass, not the amount needed to offset that loss of inches of fat.
    One study showed men starting a true lifting program, eating at maintenance, lost 3.5 lbs of fat in 16 weeks and weight stayed the same. Ya, it's slow, and that wasn't even measured as muscle that they gained.

    But, those programs are big carb burners, high end aerobic and anaerobic workouts.

    What's a body to do?

    Increase glucose stores, which stores with water. To the tune of 500 cal worth weighs 1 pound.

    Don't worry though, just like muscle, that is LBM, and that means increased metabolism, even with no muscle being added.

    So besides the fact your method of getting bodyfat stat could be very off, if you are losing inches and scale stays the same, you are increasing LBM, perhaps very little muscle, but still increasing metabolism.

    Don't worry, as soon as body is done making the improvements it can under a diet (and you can only store so much glucose), then inches and weight will drop together.
  • joelguerra93
    joelguerra93 Posts: 15 Member
    My scale tells me my body fat percentage.
  • joelguerra93
    joelguerra93 Posts: 15 Member
    Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I've completed my insanity and p90x phase one, after my phase one was over, I went out and bought protein powder, started making protein shakes, and bought a lot of food that contains a bunch of protein. After my first week on phase 2, my body fat percentage kept going down, and my weight stayed the same or went up.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    My scale tells me my body fat percentage.

    Using the scale correctly?

    morning, no workout the day before causing false water levels, and not sore from last workout, which would be water retention too.
  • joelguerra93
    joelguerra93 Posts: 15 Member
    My scale tells me my body fat percentage.

    Using the scale correctly?

    morning, no workout the day before causing false water levels, and not sore from last workout, which would be water retention too.


    Yes. I weigh myself every morning 2-3 days apart from each day.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    Scales are a notoriously inaccurate way to measure body fat. Suggest you find a Bod Pod test site to confirm your scale readings.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    You could be building muscle mass. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space, so while you are losing fat, the heavier muscle is keeping the scale from changing.

    Not on a caloric deficit. There will be some noob gains, but that shouldn't stall the scale.

    Water retention is most likely the culprit.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    Scales are a notoriously inaccurate way to measure body fat. Suggest you find a Bod Pod test site to confirm your scale readings.

    I read everywhere that the scale is very inaccurate for BodyFat . I don't want to,pay for a body bod test and am not THAT curious. I use the caliper method, which I guess is an in-between accuracy. Not sure exactly how much I have decreased or currently am, but according to measurements taken monthly since May my percentage has gone from 27% to 23%. May not have really moved 4%, but it has gone down, which is good. And I see a difference. And my weight on the scale is the same. I, too, doubt I am gaining muscle, as I eat at a deficit. Probably water or maybe I am growing extra bones somewhere..LOL. Turning into an alien maybe.

    PS- I hardly do any cardio, mainly just lifting weights.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    My scale tells me my body fat percentage.

    Your scale is about as accurate as you showing us a picture and us guessing your bf%. These kinda of scales are just sales gimmicks and wildly off. If you want to know a round about number then go by a high quality BF caliber. Even those can be a couple percentage points off but still faaaaaar more accurate than those bf scales. If you want a true bf% then you are going to have to head to the doctor or maybe local university that has the real deal equipment.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    I have heard that some colleges charge as little as $15. For a bod pod test
  • joelguerra93
    joelguerra93 Posts: 15 Member
    My scale tells me my body fat percentage.

    Your scale is about as accurate as you showing us a picture and us guessing your bf%. These kinda of scales are just sales gimmicks and wildly off. If you want to know a round about number then go by a high quality BF caliber. Even those can be a couple percentage points off but still faaaaaar more accurate than those bf scales. If you want a true bf% then you are going to have to head to the doctor or maybe local university that has the real deal equipment.

    I've actually done that before and my body fat percenage was 49%. I've been doing insanity since feb and started p90x and insanity in june, my body fat is now 36.6%. I think it's accurate. That's a logical number and percentage.
  • joelguerra93
    joelguerra93 Posts: 15 Member
    You could be building muscle mass. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space, so while you are losing fat, the heavier muscle is keeping the scale from changing.

    Not on a caloric deficit. There will be some noob gains, but that shouldn't stall the scale.

    Water retention is most likely the culprit.

    I'm not on a calorie deficit. I meet or come close to my calorie intake everyday.
  • bubblygoldfish
    bubblygoldfish Posts: 213 Member
    Calipers can increase in accuracy when you follow the directions and use the same exact spots repeatedly. I really don't understand how a scale could possibly read how much fat:muscle ration I possess.... anyway welcome!

    Good job doing both insanity and p90x! You are making good changes in your body even if you can't see it on the scale. Do your clothes fit differently? That's my favorite test! :wink:
  • joelguerra93
    joelguerra93 Posts: 15 Member
    Calipers can increase in accuracy when you follow the directions and use the same exact spots repeatedly. I really don't understand how a scale could possibly read how much fat:muscle ration I possess.... anyway welcome!

    Good job doing both insanity and the asylum! You are making good changes in your body even if you can't see it on the scale. Do your clothes fit differently? That's my favorite test! :wink:

    haha, yes. I've been doing insanity and p90x. Not asylum, but I do plan on trying it out soon. My clothes which are 4-5x now look so much bigger on me. Almost goes down to my knees. Now I can fit into a 2x size, lol.
  • shannon128
    shannon128 Posts: 61
    That is great! You are burning fat and gaining muscle!

    It might be frustrating that you aren't losing pounds on the scale, but the best measure is how your clothes are fitting.

    Congrats on your progress :)
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    . My clothes which are 4-5x now look so much bigger on me. Almost goes down to my knees. Now I can fit into a 2x size, lol.

    CONGRATS on your accomplishments! That's what it's all about!
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    You could be building muscle mass. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space, so while you are losing fat, the heavier muscle is keeping the scale from changing.

    Not on a caloric deficit. There will be some noob gains, but that shouldn't stall the scale.

    Water retention is most likely the culprit.

    I'm not on a calorie deficit. I meet or come close to my calorie intake everyday.

    If you aren't at a deficit why would you assume you'd be losing weight?
  • R4eBro
    R4eBro Posts: 44 Member
    If you are eating the calories recommended by MFP you are at a deficit as it takes that into account when determining calorie levels.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    You could be building muscle mass. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less space, so while you are losing fat, the heavier muscle is keeping the scale from changing.

    Not on a caloric deficit. There will be some noob gains, but that shouldn't stall the scale.

    Water retention is most likely the culprit.

    I'm not on a calorie deficit. I meet or come close to my calorie intake everyday.

    If you aren't at a deficit why would you assume you'd be losing weight?

    ^This. Did you set up MFP for maintenance?
  • rsensenig
    rsensenig Posts: 19 Member
    Although scales and other body fat measuring tools are not accurate, they still can be useful in trending. My plan is to wait until I hit my reduction weight goal and then go and get a professional body fat test. Then as I continue to lift weights and gain muscle, then go back to the the calorie defict to lose a little more fat I will go and do another professional test. I am guessing these "bulking" and "losing" cycles will be 3 to 4 months long. Keep eating correctly, doing resistance and cardio training and it will all come together at some point. Don't stress the numbers.

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