Losing BF % but no weight, not working out, what's the deal?

sasasasa1 · April 2016

Hello everyone!

So I got a HR fitbit 4 Weeks ago, and started to watch my caloric intake much more carefully, making sure I always have at least a 500 calorie deficit, 1000 is my goal.
The first two weeks I lost about 2.5 kg, but then the last two weeks, this is the second week, I lost body fat % (this week 0.4%, last week about 0.3%) but still no weight loss, in fact I gained 0.2kg. Am I doing something wrong?? I don't work out so it's not muscle, unless you count walking up a hill for 15 minutes a day working out, but I've been doing that for 3 months now. I don't really sleep well (1-5 hours average) during the week because of work and stress, so Friday night I sleep like 12 hours, and I weigh myself Saturday. Could the stress/work and long sleeping the night before cause alot of water retention or something?? When should I weigh myself? Or am I doing something wrong?

cocobee2016 · April 2016

I'm not experienced enough to answer that as I have just started using my fitbit zip but maybe you should forward your question to the so-called experts on the fitbit site.

pineygirl · April 2016

Weight loss isn't linear. Weight can fluctuate due to how much sodium you eat, carb intake, and your cycle.

Make your logging is as accurate as possible (use a food scale). If the deficit is there....you will lose weight. Because...science.

But the deficit has to be there.

I weigh myself everyday. I'm a geek (literally a scientist) and I like data. I use trendweigh the to see the overall trend.

I'm in maintenance now and it's normal for me to fluctuate 2 to 3lbs (1-1.5kg) if I have a high sodium meal, or when upping carbs, and due to hormone changes in my cycle (ovulation causes about a a2lb or 1kg gain).

Initially when starting a diet you typically lose weight fast. Like as high as 2 to 5lbs the first week or two. Then seem to stall or slow down.

The first weight that comes off is water. You normally store more glycogen when eating at maintenance or a surplus. When you eat at a deficit you store less glycogen. For every molecule of glucose you store as glycogen it takes 3 molecules of water. So when eating at a deficit you hold on to less water.

sasasasa1 · April 2016

pineygirl wrote: »

Weight loss isn't linear. Weight can fluctuate due to how much sodium you eat, carb intake, and your cycle.

Make your logging is as accurate as possible (use a food scale). If the deficit is there....you will lose weight. Because...science.

But the deficit has to be there.

I weigh myself everyday. I'm a geek (literally a scientist) and I like data. I use trendweigh the to see the overall trend.

I'm in maintenance now and it's normal for me to fluctuate 2 to 3lbs (1-1.5kg) if I have a high sodium meal, or when upping carbs, and due to hormone changes in my cycle (ovulation causes about a a2lb or 1kg gain).

Initially when starting a diet you typically lose weight fast. Like as high as 2 to 5lbs the first week or two. Then seem to stall or slow down.

The first weight that comes off is water. You normally store more glycogen when eating at maintenance or a surplus. When you eat at a deficit you store less glycogen. For every molecule of glucose you store as glycogen it takes 3 molecules of water. So when eating at a deficit you hold on to less water.

Hey! Thanks for the reply

My logging IS accurate, extremely. I don't put anything in my mouth I don't log accurately, I use grams to make sure it's as accurate as possible and weigh everything I eat or drink. The deficit is there, and the % body fat is going down, just the weight doesn't want to budge and I don't know why.

size102b · April 2016

What's your age weight etc are you eating calories burned your Fitbit gives you as you say your not exercising you shouldn't really eat the calories burned on the actives you do daily all the time as your body's used to that.

How many calories are you eating ?
How are you weighing & measuring everything ?
Are you weight measuring absolutely everything ?

How'd you calculate your calories ?

sasasasa1 · April 2016

size102b wrote: »

What's your age weight etc are you eating calories burned your Fitbit gives you as you say your not exercising you shouldn't really eat the calories burned on the actives you do daily all the time as your body's used to that.

How many calories are you eating ?
How are you weighing & measuring everything ?
Are you weight measuring absolutely everything ?

How'd you calculate your calories ?

I'm 22, 167 cm and 76 kg, if that helps.
I'm not eating back what I burn - I burn about 2000 calories in 24 hours (fluctuates between 1900-2300 as I'm sedentary) and so I eat between 1000-1300 daily.

I measure and calculate everything by my weight scale that uses grams, and I scan whatever has a barcode or I follow nutrition information on packaging to figure out calories based on grams. I don't really eat out much so it's easier for me to calculate what's in something I cook.

I weigh myself only on Saturday mornings after I wake up with 30 minutes (and use the bathroom), but again, during the week I barely sleep and im very stressed so Friday nights I can easily sleep 12ish hours.

I hope that helps

Maxematics · April 2016

I'm actually curious as to how you know your body fat percentage is decreasing. If you're using a scale at home that reads your body fat, those are inaccurate as they vary greatly depending on hydration levels; your body fat can change by more than 2% just by drinking a glass of water. I'm fairly confident you're not getting a DEXA scan week to week, so I wouldn't be relying on those body fat percentages if I were you.

Packerjohn · April 2016

synacious wrote: »

I'm actually curious as to how you know your body fat percentage is decreasing. If you're using a scale at home that reads your body fat, those are inaccurate as they vary greatly depending on hydration levels; your body fat can change by more than 2% just by drinking a glass of water. I'm fairly confident you're not getting a DEXA scan week to week, so I wouldn't be relying on those body fat percentages if I were you.

This, anything you can get hold of (and I would include a DEXA scan) isn't going to be able to consistently measure bf% to the tenth of a percent.

Springfield1970 · April 2016

500-1000 calorie a day deficit? Why would you do that to yourself? No wonder your body is stressed and you can't sleep.

You also have no way of accurately knowing what your body fat is unless you're going to a lab or have an expert with body fat calipers on hand.

You could be measuring yourself to see if you're getting smaller, that's a good way, or have some non stretch skinny trousers.

You'll find out what's going on, just keep asking questions and listening to the right people.

Francl27 · April 2016

Scales are not an accurate way of calculating body fat %... don't even base anything on that number.. it will depend on how hydrated you are, if you used the bathroom, and all kinds of things.. not accurate at all...

sasasasa1 · April 2016

I was using calipers and a body scale for body fat percentage, but I guess it's not accurate like everyone is saying. I am also losing inches though, as I'm measuring myself, so it still seems weird that my weight isn't budging!

Springfield1970 wrote: »

500-1000 calorie a day deficit? Why would you do that to yourself? No wonder your body is stressed and you can't sleep.

You also have no way of accurately knowing what your body fat is unless you're going to a lab or have an expert with body fat calipers on hand.

You could be measuring yourself to see if you're getting smaller, that's a good way, or have some non stretch skinny trousers.

You'll find out what's going on, just keep asking questions and listening to the right people.

Well I figured it's basic math. If I want to lose 1-2 pounds a week, and a pound is 3500 calories, I have to have a 500-1000 calorie deficit to lose that much?
My profession is what stresses me out and keeps me up doing work, not the deficit! Otherwise I sleep fine.
I'll keep measuring myself, no idea why it's doing that though, but yeah I'll stop relying on my scale.

KateTii · April 2016

Your body fat can go down while your weight stays the same.

For instance, if I have lost 1kg of fat and then drink 1L of water (1L of water weighs 1kg.

The scale will then give me my total weight, that is my bones + organs + muscle + fat + food/water inside me + poop/pee inside me.

Because i've lost 1kg of fat, the scale should go down. But because i've got 1kg of water in me, the scale will show the same reading as last time.

The reverse can also happen - I weigh myself then go to the bathroom and pee/poop. Weigh again and suddenly i'm 1/2kg lighter. Did I magically lose 1/2kg of fat? Nope, just poop/pee.

In other words, calm down. It's normal.

3dogsrunning · April 2016

Springfield1970 wrote: »

500-1000 calorie a day deficit? Why would you do that to yourself? No wonder your body is stressed and you can't sleep.

You also have no way of accurately knowing what your body fat is unless you're going to a lab or have an expert with body fat calipers on hand.

You could be measuring yourself to see if you're getting smaller, that's a good way, or have some non stretch skinny trousers.

You'll find out what's going on, just keep asking questions and listening to the right people.

I am confused. 500-1000 calorie a day deficit is pretty typical and recommended. Or did you think she meant she is eating 500-1000 calories total a day?

Losing BF % but no weight, not working out, what's the deal?

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