Losing Weight and inches but body fat percentage increase

msccarter
msccarter Posts: 24 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all! I have a problem. I weighed in at Curves last Friday, I lost 5 pounds and 2.5 inches but gained body fat percentage. Is that possible, I'm confused. I thought as you lose weight, you lose body fat. Am I wrong, please give me some insight.

Replies

  • bjshooter
    bjshooter Posts: 1,174 Member
    I have lost 26lb now and loads of inches and my fat % is exactly the same :(

    I would like to know the answer to this also.
  • stringcheeze
    stringcheeze Posts: 286
    If you're losing weight without losing fat, you are losing lean body mass (ie, your muscles). This comes from doing more cardio than strength training and not eating enough protein to prevent the body from cannibalizing your muscles.

    But before you get too worried, if they measured you via bioimpedance, those are notoriously wrong. Your level of hydration skews the results.
  • MandiWS
    MandiWS Posts: 9
    Body Fat Percentage is the percent of your total body weight that is comprised solely of fat. Depending on how you are losing weight, you could be losing hydration and muscle as well as fat, which will change your body fat percentage accordingly. You may want to step up your protein intake and strength training to help build up the muscle while burning off the fat.

    How did they measure your Body Fat Percentage? The most accurate way to do so is with the water displacement method - where you are submerged in a tank of water, and the amount of displacement is measured.

    Be proud of the progress you have made so far! It took a lot of hard work to get where you are, and you will meet your goals as you continue to work toward them =)
  • bjshooter
    bjshooter Posts: 1,174 Member
    I do mine on one of those scales where you grip the handles, haha no idea what they are called.
  • msccarter
    msccarter Posts: 24 Member
    Yea I also measure mine with the one where you grip the handles. Thank you all for the insight.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Get some accumeasure calipers off ebay and check it yourself. You will be more consistent with the reading I believe as you don't want to cheat yourself.

    These calipers aren't affected by hydration etc. Not 100% accurate or anything but if the skinfold measurements decrease then you know you are doing something right :)
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