gaining fat and losing muscle?

eacraig00
eacraig00 Posts: 6 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a body fat scale and I started in at 45-55% of fat a day @ 244lbs. I haven't really eaten much for my meals but I haven't logged them so I can't tell you how little I've been eating. I don't think I have any eating disorders other than I get so busy I forget to eat.

I've been using MFP and a bodymedia device pretty consistently for a month now where MFP says I should aim for 2000 calories a day if I want to loose 1lb a week. I fall short of this by 200 hundred making it 1800 a day.

I'm a teacher for special needs kids and it's a very hand on job, physically restraining, moving kids around keeps me pretty active during the day. My bodymedia device averages me burning 2900 calories a day and on weekends where i usually do less about 2500 per day.

I've been wanting to go the gym but that typically adds 200-300 calories to my caloric deficit so I haven't done that.

What I don't understand is that over this month yet I've gained 7lbs of fat and lost 3lbs of muscle over the month.

Does anyone know what could be happening? My goal is obviously to loose weight and get fit but I'm at 231 @ 50% and at a lost at what to do. I can't keep gaining.


Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited April 2015
    How do you determine how much fat & muscle you're losing? In reality you are probably losing some of both. If only by the scale, they are not highly accurate and bf% will vary based on hydration level. You can look for a trend over time, and try to keep your weighins consistent. Such as same time of day, same break in your routine. (Like before having anything to drink when you wake up in the morning.)
  • eacraig00
    eacraig00 Posts: 6 Member
    Well I've been doing it for 30 days, Even if I if I ignore fat reading my overall weight is increasing. I am looking at the trend not a single number (averaged out for a few days during the start and at the end). '

    I should add that I've never really eaten a lot and just now started to eat more.

    My weigh ins are always in the morning and is the first thing I do.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Bioelectrical impedence scales are inaccurate for measuring body fat.

    When you first start eating more sometimes your weight increases due to hormones and glycogen. If it keeps doing that after the first week or so then you need to focus on accurately logging food (weigh everything).
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Also, open your food diary and you'll get more specific answers. Some people don't realize that they are eating lots on weekends and wiping out their deficit for the week.

    Bodymedia devices (and all others like it) are still estimates. If there is an underlying medical issue you could be burning less than the arm band thinks you are.
  • eacraig00
    eacraig00 Posts: 6 Member
    I said 30 days but I've been recording for 45 days. I don't eat any more during the weekend which I do record. I will be less active because there are kids to haul around.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    eacraig00 wrote: »
    I said 30 days but I've been recording for 45 days. I don't eat any more during the weekend which I do record. I will be less active because there are kids to haul around.

    Make your food diary public
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Are you getting enough protein for your muscles, I wonder?
  • eacraig00
    eacraig00 Posts: 6 Member
    I average 80grams/day in protein intake.
  • eacraig00
    eacraig00 Posts: 6 Member
    When I go further back, I've gained 5lbs of fat and 5lbs of muscle over a 45 day period. I don't have enough information to account for bloating that also occurs. I just want to make sure I'm doing what I can with what I've recorded.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    eacraig00 wrote: »
    When I go further back, I've gained 5lbs of fat and 5lbs of muscle over a 45 day period. I don't have enough information to account for bloating that also occurs. I just want to make sure I'm doing what I can with what I've recorded.

    Stop relying on the scale to tell you your body fat. It isn't accurate. If you are gaining weight it means you are eating too much. Either your arm band isn't accurate or your logging isn't accurate or both. Open up your food diary.
  • eacraig00
    eacraig00 Posts: 6 Member
    thanks usmcmp.
  • healthy_life2015
    healthy_life2015 Posts: 215 Member
    You say you haven't really been logging. That needs to be your first change. Get a food scale and carefully measure out all the food you eat. You may find that you are eating much more that 1800 calories.
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