losing weight, but gaining fat...

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Gritty_Gal
Gritty_Gal Posts: 96 Member
edited May 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
I had body composition done at my gym a month ago and then I had one done today. I tried to make sure that the surrounding circumstances were the same on both days. It seems that I lost almost 3 lb, but gained 2.2% fat. They used Tanita Body Composition Analyzer TBF-300

Here are my stats from month ago:
122.8lb
BMI 18.7
fat% 17.5
fat mass 21.4 lb
FFM 101.41lb
TBW 74.21

Today:
120.00 lb
BMI 18.2
fat% 19.7
fat mass 23.61 lb
FFM 96.4 lb
TBW 70.6 lb

Is there someone who can explain this to me? And if I'm really losing lean body mass and gaining fat, any suggestions as to what I should do next? I'm completely at loss here...

Thanks in advance :)
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Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    The word you're looking for is whack

    You're welcome
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
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    Just concentrate on your BMI. Healthy BMI is between 20-25. Yours seems a bit low. Go online, stick in your height, weight and it will tell you your BMI.
  • pattyproulx
    pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
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    BF is never really accurate. I'd say give it more time. Make sure you're lifting heavy and getting enough protein. You don't want your body eating away at your muscle.
  • pattyproulx
    pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
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    jorinya wrote: »
    Just concentrate on your BMI. Healthy BMI is between 20-25. Yours seems a bit low. Go online, stick in your height, weight and it will tell you your BMI.

    BMI is really not that good of a measure. It's just as good as focusing on weight. It doesn't give any indication of muscle vs fat.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
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    I agree with everyone else. Those BF% calculators are really inaccurate.

    As long as you're regularly doing a progressive resistance training program (my favorite: heavy lifting) and eating at least 0.83g of protein per pound of total body weight, then you're doing the best you can when it comes to muscle retention.... assuming that you're not eating at an aggressive calorie deficit, of course.
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
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    fufonzo wrote: »
    jorinya wrote: »
    Just concentrate on your BMI. Healthy BMI is between 20-25. Yours seems a bit low. Go online, stick in your height, weight and it will tell you your BMI.

    BMI is really not that good of a measure. It's just as good as focusing on weight. It doesn't give any indication of muscle vs fat.

    Sorry!!!!! I was just tell in OP not to mind the other fat readings.
  • Gritty_Gal
    Gritty_Gal Posts: 96 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I just started working out about 3 months ago (after about 10 years). Looking at my progress pictures from the past 3 months, I see huge difference on my stomach and I'm very happy with that.

    I agree with you "fufonzo", and I make sure to get about 90-100g of protein every day. I do 2 HIIT classes a week (about 30 min of strength training on TRX and about 30 min cardio), lift heavy weights (3 sets of 6-8 reps or to failure which is about 8th rep) once a week (full body workout) and walk / run 4-5K about 2-3 times a week.

    I agree with "jorinya" that I actually should gain weight, and I'm hoping to do that through muscle gain.

    So the comparison of those two results made me feel discouraged and speechless.

    I appreciate your input. It's encouraging when other see it as inaccurate as well :smile:

  • Gritty_Gal
    Gritty_Gal Posts: 96 Member
    edited May 2015
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    FoxyLifter wrote: »
    I agree with everyone else. Those BF% calculators are really inaccurate.

    As long as you're regularly doing a progressive resistance training program (my favorite: heavy lifting) and eating at least 0.83g of protein per pound of total body weight, then you're doing the best you can when it comes to muscle retention.... assuming that you're not eating at an aggressive calorie deficit, of course.

    I'm 5'8" and 120 lb. I keep my calorie count at about 1200 - 1250 a day. And looking at your recommendation of protein intake, it seems that I'm on track with 90-100g. Good to see that I'm doing something right :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Gritty_Gal wrote: »
    I just started working out about 3 months ago (after about 10 years). Looking at my progress pictures from the past 3 months, I see huge difference on my stomach and I'm very happy with that.

    I agree with you "fufonzo", and I make sure to get about 90-100g of protein every day. I do 2 HIIT classes a week, lift heavy weights (3 sets of 6-8 reps or to failure which is about 8th rep) once a week (full body workout) and walk / run 4-5K about 2-3 times a week.

    I agree with "jorinya" that I actually should gain weight, and I'm hoping to do that through muscle gain.

    So the comparison of those two results made me feel discouraged and speechless.

    I appreciate your input. It's encouraging when other see it as inaccurate as well :smile:

    You want be able to gain muscle without gaining some fat
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    Your BMI indicates you are underweight. You should not be trying to lose anymore weight.
  • Gritty_Gal
    Gritty_Gal Posts: 96 Member
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    elphie754 wrote: »
    Your BMI indicates you are underweight. You should not be trying to lose anymore weight.

    That's the thing. I'm not really trying to lose weight. I want to lose more fat. And from what I have read it's hard to lose fat while gaining muscle. If you know of a plan, or literature that you could recommend on the subject I would be happy to look at it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Gritty_Gal wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Your BMI indicates you are underweight. You should not be trying to lose anymore weight.

    That's the thing. I'm not really trying to lose weight. I want to lose more fat. And from what I have read it's hard to lose fat while gaining muscle. If you know of a plan, or literature that you could recommend on the subject I would be happy to look at it.

    If you're not trying to lose weight why are you only eating 1200 cals?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I know I seem to post this a bit, but you may find this worthwhile:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    You wouldn't necessarily have to do exactly what Staci did, but from what you've posted, it sounds like this approach would work well for you.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Gritty_Gal wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Your BMI indicates you are underweight. You should not be trying to lose anymore weight.

    That's the thing. I'm not really trying to lose weight. I want to lose more fat. And from what I have read it's hard to lose fat while gaining muscle. If you know of a plan, or literature that you could recommend on the subject I would be happy to look at it.

    You need to eat at maintenance if you want any hope of losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time. Even then it's unlikely for women since they don't have the levels of testosterone men do. Hate to break it to you, but you probably want to eat a couple hundred calories above maintenance.
  • Gritty_Gal
    Gritty_Gal Posts: 96 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Gritty_Gal wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Your BMI indicates you are underweight. You should not be trying to lose anymore weight.

    That's the thing. I'm not really trying to lose weight. I want to lose more fat. And from what I have read it's hard to lose fat while gaining muscle. If you know of a plan, or literature that you could recommend on the subject I would be happy to look at it.

    If you're not trying to lose weight why are you only eating 1200 cals?

    I was a little heavier when I started. I've been about 120 lb all my life until I had kids and then had a hard time losing those last 10 lb., so I looked at kept a diary of my food intake and was at about 1500 cals a day. so I figured if I take away about 300 that should help me lose the last 10 lb. At this point, you are right, I should probably go back to 1500.
  • sarahrhinckley
    sarahrhinckley Posts: 3 Member
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    Losing weight does not necessarily mean that you're strictly losing body fat. You might be losing muscle mass as well, meaning that your body fat percentage is increasing as you lose muscle. Continue cardio and proper dieting, but because you are within the healthy weight range for your height, consider increasing your strength training using weights. However, you should NOT be gaining fat mass and you should take the BF% readers with a grain of salt. Water weight can also contribute to how the reader interprets your body composition.
  • Gritty_Gal
    Gritty_Gal Posts: 96 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    Gritty_Gal wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Your BMI indicates you are underweight. You should not be trying to lose anymore weight.

    That's the thing. I'm not really trying to lose weight. I want to lose more fat. And from what I have read it's hard to lose fat while gaining muscle. If you know of a plan, or literature that you could recommend on the subject I would be happy to look at it.

    You barely have fat to lose. You need to go speak to a therapist perhaps. Your thinking is not healthy.

    You made me laugh... I come from a family of tall, small-bones and skinny people. It's just genetics for me. I'd like to be more fit and ideally have about 15% of body fat. The weight, at this point, is becoming a secondary things for me, since I'm back to the weight I have been all my life.

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