Gaining body fat but losing pounds and inches?

halfjapgirl79
halfjapgirl79 Posts: 16 Member
in Introduce Yourself
In two months I lost 9.5 pounds and 10 inches. I'm thick and need to drop in both these areas. How ever my body fat went up two percent! My trainer did my body fat percentage using calipers. I have a large variety of work outs I use protein powder when I have vigorous ones. I honestly don't care how much I weigh or what size clothes I wear. I am on a journey to regain my health. So the body fat percentage sits heavy on my mind. Long term I would like to have my old athletic build back which means I need muscle. I'm so frustrated. And I've lost another 2 pounds in five days. Good bad? I don't know... Advice?

Replies

  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    Your body readjusts, and fat from one area might move to another and then go away. Just keep on keeping on. Dont ask me why that after I lost 50lbs I went from H cup up to J cup; its just how it happens, but eventually I went down to D.
    Im not sure how to caliper measurment works exactly, but women carry weight differently throughout the month; you couldve been more bloated that day; i dont think your fat actually went up, it couldve been a false reading. Like I said, keep on doing what youre doing.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    Margin of error on caliper body fat measurement is around 3%, so a +2% change isn't particularly meaningful. If you really care about body fat % (I'll withhold judgement there) then you really need to go the hydrostatic route. Personally, you sound like you're doing everything right -- just keep it up.
  • halfjapgirl79
    halfjapgirl79 Posts: 16 Member
    Thank you both! I really appreciate the feed back
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    I agree that this could easily be a measurement issue, but just in case you should be aware that if this trend continues, it would mean that you are losing lean body mass quicker than you are losing fat. Are you getting plenty of calcium (for bones) and protein (for muscles)? Does your training include strength?
  • halfjapgirl79
    halfjapgirl79 Posts: 16 Member
    That is my big concern, losing muscle. I use protein powder when work out hard. I dont think I have much calcium in my diet. I will have to look into that. My work outs include yoga, kickboxing, running, and a solid core class that includes weights. I went back to speak with my trainer again. He said that because I was cycling that could have thrown my numbers. So I feel a little better now.
  • halfjapgirl79
    halfjapgirl79 Posts: 16 Member
    I wonder... If my total body mass went down wouldn't my body fat percentage have easily went up? There is less of me now.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    The only way this is possible is if you're looking at serious muscle wastage.

    Much more likely is operator error with the calipers.
  • Sky_Of_Aegis
    Sky_Of_Aegis Posts: 114
    In two months I lost 9.5 pounds and 10 inches. I'm thick and need to drop in both these areas. How ever my body fat went up two percent! My trainer did my body fat percentage using calipers. I have a large variety of work outs I use protein powder when I have vigorous ones. I honestly don't care how much I weigh or what size clothes I wear. I am on a journey to regain my health. So the body fat percentage sits heavy on my mind. Long term I would like to have my old athletic build back which means I need muscle. I'm so frustrated. And I've lost another 2 pounds in five days. Good bad? I don't know... Advice?

    I drink Oolong tea with a bit of honey, and take garcinia cambogia with potassium and calcium "2,000 mg a day but I am also well over weight." They are both fat inhibitors. Just be sure if you use the garcinia cambogia, it is a US product, 60% HCA, and no fillers are added to them. They are both natural substances, so I see no harm in using them unless of course you are sensitive to caffeine, or taking the garcinia cambogia in high doses. From personal experience, In the last 4 lbs I have lost, I have also lost about 4+% of my body fat. Oolong tea is known for using fat reserves and converting them into energy. I drink about 4-10 tea bags a day personally, but it's whatever the drinker's preference is. I do eat right and exercise pretty heavily as well, but I have noticed a significant change. You can get both on Amazon.com in good size quantities "90-180 capsules; 100 tea bags" for roughly $20.

    Take what I have said with a grain of salt. I know some people don't believe in using any kind of dietary supplements whether they are natural or not. In my personal opinion, I can't say that this makes me any worse than people that do use powders and vitamins to aid them.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    The only way this is possible is if you're looking at serious muscle wastage.

    Much more likely is operator error with the calipers.

    I am thinking this ..

    I can't see how you would gain body fat but lose weight; they are pretty much diametrically opposed...
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
    Most like it's operator error or some of the natural error in using calipers. As you lose weight and size your skin does slowly shrink elastically, but it's slow and that looser skin easily throws off the caliper tests. As someone else stated, the only relatively accurate body fat test is the hydrostatic test.
  • halfjapgirl79
    halfjapgirl79 Posts: 16 Member
    The only way this is possible is if you're looking at serious muscle wastage.

    Much more likely is operator error with the calipers.

    No chance being on my monthly cycle could have thrown these measurements?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    The only way this is possible is if you're looking at serious muscle wastage.

    Much more likely is operator error with the calipers.

    No chance being on my monthly cycle could have thrown these measurements?

    I suppose it could if you're bloated. I would still consider that operator error because the trainer should know to be taking measuements at the same point in your cycle and have asked you about it when he/she got the reading that you've gained fat.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Another vote for errors in the test:

    http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=250
  • halfjapgirl79
    halfjapgirl79 Posts: 16 Member
    The only way this is possible is if you're looking at serious muscle wastage.

    Much more likely is operator error with the calipers.

    No chance being on my monthly cycle could have thrown these measurements?

    I suppose it could if you're bloated. I would still consider that operator error because the trainer should know to be taking

    measuements at the same point in your cycle and have asked you about it when he/she got the reading that you've gained fat.

    Giggle. I think he normally has much older women and mostly men. So it occurred to him later to ask, because he was perplexed until further thought. I need to wait a few weeks he says. So hopefully this is the case and I get a better out come. Thank you very much. Sound like you know your stuff.
  • moochani
    moochani Posts: 1
    I'd cut down on carbs and up your fat intake from olive oil, grass fed butter and organic grass fed meats. That's what I did and it really helped. I also cut on cardio and did more weight lifting during the week...huge difference.
  • romeroe223
    romeroe223 Posts: 1
    From what I have learn so far, everyone is different. Also, the only test that is accurate, when dealing with body fat index, is the one involved with a water tank. The human body deposits fat in different location, which is the reason why the only way I can have a six pack is if I follow a strict diet. Reason why is because the first place my body deposits fat is in my abdominal.

    My second question is, what kind of protein you are taking? iso 100 is pure protein, is a little expensive, but it's pretty good. Also, what is your ultimate goal? I like to use example, do you want to be a power lifter or a body builder? weightlifter want to be strong, use techniques to allow them to lift the maxim amount of weight, not concerning on how they look. Body builders use a technique to make their muscle to look a certain way. Same thing with a sprinter and a long distant runner, same sport just different goal.

    If your goal is to be strong (power lifter), then don't worry much about BMI, just make sure you are performing the exercises with the correct form. If you want to look a certain way, then pay extra close attention to your diet and research exercises that isolate specific muscle.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    Try plugging your measurements into a body fat calculator and see what that gets you. This has more error than someone skilled using calipers but should be a good double check.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/cbbf/

    Hydrostatic would be the best but is more expensive. If you are losing weight and inches, and your strength is not decreasing, then you are fine. A true weightlifting routine like StrongLifts 5x5 or Starting Strength would be best to help you maintain your lean body mass and be able to watch for strength decreases which would be indicative of losing muscle.

    Good luck!
  • halfjapgirl79
    halfjapgirl79 Posts: 16 Member
    From what I have learn so far, everyone is different. Also, the only test that is accurate, when dealing with body fat index, is the one involved with a water tank. The human body deposits fat in different location, which is the reason why the only way I can have a six pack is if I follow a strict diet. Reason why is because the first place my body deposits fat is in my abdominal.

    My second question is, what kind of protein you are taking? iso 100 is pure protein, is a little expensive, but it's pretty good. Also, what is your ultimate goal? I like to use example, do you want to be a power lifter or a body builder? weightlifter want to be strong, use techniques to allow them to lift the maxim amount of weight, not concerning on how they look. Body builders use a technique to make their muscle to look a certain way. Same thing with a sprinter and a long distant runner, same sport just different goal.

    If your goal is to be strong (power lifter), then don't worry much about BMI, just make sure you are performing the exercises with the correct form. If you want to look a certain way, then pay extra close attention to your diet and research exercises that isolate specific muscle.

    My ultimate goal is to really just be healthy. As a result I would like to regain my old athletic build. I normally purchase whatever is on sale as protein powdereds go. I was not aware of differences in them till recently. So my purchases in that area will change to better choices. I've been considering the thermogentic amplifiers. Anyone have thoughts or feelings on that?

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