Fat down, but lbs up?

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Angel_Cake25
Angel_Cake25 Posts: 48 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone.

So Today I jumped on the scale and felt a bit discouraged. My scale says I have gained about 1-2lbs since I began cleaning up my diet. I haven't been able to workout the past few days because of travel and family emergencies... but I have tried to keep my calories/eating clean. Anyway...
The scale said I have gone down in fat content, but up in pounds. My stomach is looking a bit leaner that it was and I can feel muscle in my stomach. So just looking for some advice. Will the scale be shifting some more (I need to drink more water today, yesterday was stressful beyond all measure and didn't have enough).

I am going to loose 20lbs, but weight loss has been sluggish for me in the past two years.
Also, with BMR, some sites say I it is 1,555 calories a day... but I am worried that eating 1,555 will make me starve. Advice?
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Replies

  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
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    The scale said I have gone down in fat content

    My stomach is looking a bit leaner that it was and I can feel muscle in my stomach

    Great work. Just ignore the scale, you are gaining muscle. Have you tried measurements?
  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
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    Why would you eat at BMR? You are also bring active, so you need more.
    Weight loss will go slower after a while, but you could work on body recomposition.
    http://gokaleo.com/2012/09/19/body-composition-that-last-five-pounds-and-how-to-deal-with-problem-areas/
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    The scale said I have gone down in fat content

    My stomach is looking a bit leaner that it was and I can feel muscle in my stomach

    Great work. Just ignore the scale, you are gaining muscle. Have you tried measurements?

    Highly doubtful. It can take 2-3 months for a female to put on 1-2lbs of muscle mass, plus (unless the op isn't fully tracking), isn't eating nearly enough to put that much mass on.

    When did you "clean up your diet"?

    Are you logging it accurately?

    Otherwise, 1-2 lb fluctuation in body weight is quite normal.
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
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    Are you ovulating/pmsing? Also I eat about 1400 a day and Im not starving...But I dont know your weight but for me being at 179 I feel full on 1400 a day....Are you eating proteins and fiber enriched foods to feel fuller longer?
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    Hello everyone.

    So Today I jumped on the scale and felt a bit discouraged. My scale says I have gained about 1-2lbs since I began cleaning up my diet. I haven't been able to workout the past few days because of travel and family emergencies... but I have tried to keep my calories/eating clean. Anyway...
    The scale said I have gone down in fat content, but up in pounds. My stomach is looking a bit leaner that it was and I can feel muscle in my stomach. So just looking for some advice. Will the scale be shifting some more (I need to drink more water today, yesterday was stressful beyond all measure and didn't have enough).

    I am going to loose 20lbs, but weight loss has been sluggish for me in the past two years.
    Also, with BMR, some sites say I it is 1,555 calories a day... but I am worried that eating 1,555 will make me starve. Advice?

    The bodyfat measurement on your scale is going to be very inaccurate and can be affected by several factors that include clothing and hydration levels.

    How long ago did you change your diet?
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    1-2 lbs = water weight fluctuations.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    The bodyfat measurement on your scale is going to be very inaccurate and can be affected by several factors that include clothing and hydration levels.


    Yeah - this. And also, as has been mentioned, a few pounds here or there can be water weight fluctuations.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    1-2 lbs = water weight fluctuations.

    ^^^this...

    you are not gaining muscle and those scales are highly inaccurate for determining your BF%. Even when you lose weight, you don't see sudden and huge drops in BF% that would be measurable.

    Your weight loss isn't going to be linear...you're going to have weeks with bigger losses and smaller losses and no losses and even gains due to water, waste, and other things that cause natural body weight fluctuations. It's best to wrap your brain around this now because your maintenance isn't going to be static either...you're going to have a range of weight, not a specific number.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    The scale said I have gone down in fat content, but up in pounds.

    Consumer scales are far more accurate measuring weight than measuring body composition. I would not blindly trust it without a whole lot more data.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    When I go down in fat, I go up in carbs (you have to eat something). Plus the holiday is big for salt. I bet that's what your weight is, btw.

    For me, I will hold water and eventually gain weight and certainly get hungrier if my carbs go over 45%. When my carbs go up, my fat goes down. So I'm going to suggest that's where you look on your macros. Fat is very calorie dense and you need to stick with 'healthier' fat that your body can digest. But it's easy to digest carbs like added sugar that really spike your insulin and trigger rapid fat production.
  • Angel_Cake25
    Angel_Cake25 Posts: 48 Member
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    I was thinking the scale was "too good to be true" when it came to the fat content. Weight loss is a process, my diary is open to those who want to read it. I never said I am a saint, so don't get it twisted. Learning to eat clean is difficult process, especially when you are on a lower income budget. Thank you.
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
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    From what I see is you went over on your sodium as far back to the 18th. Not every day but its more then likely from that. Plus the one day that you walked for 330 minutes. Which comes out to 5.5 hours....So you walked for 5.5 hours straight?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I was thinking the scale was "too good to be true" when it came to the fat content. Weight loss is a process, my diary is open to those who want to read it. I never said I am a saint, so don't get it twisted. Learning to eat clean is difficult process, especially when you are on a lower income budget. Thank you.

    You do not have to eat 'clean" to lose weight. Try to eat to a reasonable caloric deficit, with the majority of your diet comprising nutrient dense foods. Treats and non-whole foods are fine as long as you are getting a good amount of micronutrients from your diet and your macros are reasonable.

    Try to be as accurate as possible with your intake. Weigh your food where possible and log everything.
  • Angel_Cake25
    Angel_Cake25 Posts: 48 Member
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    I was thinking the scale was "too good to be true" when it came to the fat content. Weight loss is a process, my diary is open to those who want to read it. I never said I am a saint, so don't get it twisted. Learning to eat clean is difficult process, especially when you are on a lower income budget. Thank you.

    You do not have to eat 'clean" to lose weight. Try to eat to a reasonable caloric deficit, with the majority of your diet comprising nutrient dense foods. Treats and non-whole foods are fine as long as you are getting a good amount of micronutrients from your diet and your macros are reasonable.

    Try to be as accurate as possible with your intake. Weigh your food where possible and log everything.
    This is thrown back and forth on the site. Half say only 'clean foods' the other half say just eat at a deficit. I do try to stick to vegetables/veggies/etc. But the reality of the situation is that in the United States they are rather expensive. I usually get frozen ones because they are cheaper, but the facts remain that with our messed up system its cheaper to buy potato chips than apples. I am lucky to have some financial stability, but the facts remain that I am a grad student with other money responsibilities. I can't go buy a bushel of organic apples or buy a huge slab of salmon every week. Shaking my head. I do my best, but people need to also understand that to eat "completely clean" in this country is also connected to economic standing.
  • Angel_Cake25
    Angel_Cake25 Posts: 48 Member
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    The scale said I have gone down in fat content

    My stomach is looking a bit leaner that it was and I can feel muscle in my stomach

    Great work. Just ignore the scale, you are gaining muscle. Have you tried measurements?

    Highly doubtful. It can take 2-3 months for a female to put on 1-2lbs of muscle mass, plus (unless the op isn't fully tracking), isn't eating nearly enough to put that much mass on.

    When did you "clean up your diet"?

    Are you logging it accurately?

    Otherwise, 1-2 lb fluctuation in body weight is quite normal.
    I am logging it accurately. I measure food when I have the ability. I started cleaning up last week, trying to work out as well. Water does sound like the most reasonable explanation. I haven't had nearly enough in the past few days, so I may be retaining water.
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    I was thinking the scale was "too good to be true" when it came to the fat content. Weight loss is a process, my diary is open to those who want to read it. I never said I am a saint, so don't get it twisted. Learning to eat clean is difficult process, especially when you are on a lower income budget. Thank you.

    You do not have to eat 'clean" to lose weight. Try to eat to a reasonable caloric deficit, with the majority of your diet comprising nutrient dense foods. Treats and non-whole foods are fine as long as you are getting a good amount of micronutrients from your diet and your macros are reasonable.

    Try to be as accurate as possible with your intake. Weigh your food where possible and log everything.
    This is thrown back and forth on the site. Half say only 'clean foods' the other half say just eat at a deficit. I do try to stick to vegetables/veggies/etc. But the reality of the situation is that in the United States they are rather expensive. I usually get frozen ones because they are cheaper, but the facts remain that with our messed up system its cheaper to buy potato chips than apples. I am lucky to have some financial stability, but the facts remain that I am a grad student with other money responsibilities. I can't go buy a bushel of organic apples or buy a huge slab of salmon every week. Shaking my head. I do my best, but people need to also understand that to eat "completely clean" in this country is also connected to economic standing.

    Have you ever tried to buy in bulk? Especially the meats...Then cut it down to size or like with chop meat freeze half of it? I started buying in bulk for chicken breast about a year ago and now doing it for other things as well to save on money towards the end of the month when I cant always spend those few extra dollars...I also buy frozen veggies to save as well
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    I was thinking the scale was "too good to be true" when it came to the fat content. Weight loss is a process, my diary is open to those who want to read it. I never said I am a saint, so don't get it twisted. Learning to eat clean is difficult process, especially when you are on a lower income budget. Thank you.

    You do not have to eat 'clean" to lose weight. Try to eat to a reasonable caloric deficit, with the majority of your diet comprising nutrient dense foods. Treats and non-whole foods are fine as long as you are getting a good amount of micronutrients from your diet and your macros are reasonable.

    Try to be as accurate as possible with your intake. Weigh your food where possible and log everything.
    This is thrown back and forth on the site. Half say only 'clean foods' the other half say just eat at a deficit. I do try to stick to vegetables/veggies/etc. But the reality of the situation is that in the United States they are rather expensive. I usually get frozen ones because they are cheaper, but the facts remain that with our messed up system its cheaper to buy potato chips than apples. I am lucky to have some financial stability, but the facts remain that I am a grad student with other money responsibilities. I can't go buy a bushel of organic apples or buy a huge slab of salmon every week. Shaking my head. I do my best, but people need to also understand that to eat "completely clean" in this country is also connected to economic standing.

    Did you read my comment correctly? I did not say to eat clean and I did not say to just eat at a deficit. I said, try to get nutrient dense foods for a good portion of your diet - you were the one who brought up 'trying to eat clean'. Foods do not have to be organic or fresh to be nutrient dense. Frozen and even processed is fine.

    My point was/is...don't get caught up in extremes.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    The scale said I have gone down in fat content

    My stomach is looking a bit leaner that it was and I can feel muscle in my stomach

    Great work. Just ignore the scale, you are gaining muscle. Have you tried measurements?
    the OP is not gaining muscle if she is only eating the amount of calories she'd need if she were in a coma.


    OP as noted those scales can be inaccurate, something as slight as how much water you are retaining will cause a difference in fat measured
  • Amadbro
    Amadbro Posts: 750 Member
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    either lean mass or water weight (most likely since you're in a deficit)

    Drink tons of water and you'll probably lose some lbs

    other than that..don't depend on the scale. Using it as a reference point is fine but use your mirror
  • sloane70
    sloane70 Posts: 45 Member
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    This is thrown back and forth on the site. Half say only 'clean foods' the other half say just eat at a deficit. I do try to stick to vegetables/veggies/etc. But the reality of the situation is that in the United States they are rather expensive. I usually get frozen ones because they are cheaper, but the facts remain that with our messed up system its cheaper to buy potato chips than apples. I am lucky to have some financial stability, but the facts remain that I am a grad student with other money responsibilities. I can't go buy a bushel of organic apples or buy a huge slab of salmon every week. Shaking my head. I do my best, but people need to also understand that to eat "completely clean" in this country is also connected to economic standing.

    YES. Eating clean is greatly affected by one's social status, where one lives, how much money one earns, and other resources available. Thankfully, you can do things to help even it out a little. I have been super poor, and made my own tortillas, dried beans, rice, and used inexpensive protein sources to help make sure I was getting my nutrition. But it does require a lot of time, a lot of planning, and some investment, and those are also things that a lot of folks just don't have.

    A few things that might help:
    -Is there a coop nearby that has better quality foods at a discount for members (especially if there is a work requirement for members, such as 8 hours/month)?
    -Community gardens can give folks a place to grow some of their own veggies, which can be frozen or canned at home. I'm trying to explore growing my own stuff at home, and next spring I am going to be putting some old plastic buckets out under my south-facing windows to try growing tomatoes.
    -Ask at the farmers market if they have "seconds"; these are often windblown, bruised, or otherwise unattractive fruits and veggies that are still high quality and edible, just not pretty enough to sell for full price. I paid $20 for a full bushel of apples; I got 36 half pints of apple butter, two apple pies, and still have a bunch of apples (frozen) left to put up as jam.
    -Whatever you can make ahead, do. I've started baking bread with the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day recipe; it's cheaper, I can add whatever I want to it (seeds, parmesan cheese, you name it), and I know exactly what went into it. I also use my crock pot a lot for beans & rice meals.

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