Losing muscle and gaining fat.

Options
I eat at maintenance calories and workout but im losing muscle and gaining fat. Anyone knows why ? I use a body fat analyzer to measure fat and muscle percentages.
«1

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited July 2016
    Options
    What type of body fat analyzer are you using? What are your workouts like? What's the time frame?

    A couple guesses - your body fat analyzer is not very accurate, or the person doing the testing isn't well trained.

    OR - your workouts aren't effective.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/body-fat-analyzers/faq-20057944
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Options
    Hmmm. Is it possible that you've calculated your maintenance calories wrong and you're actually too high? Also, are you doing fasted workouts? If so, it's possible you're burning muscle instead of fat.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    Options
    leajas1 wrote: »
    Hmmm. Is it possible that you've calculated your maintenance calories wrong and you're actually too high? Also, are you doing fasted workouts? If so, it's possible you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    I workout fasted; it has never caused an issue with muscle loss and I can't see why it would. I believe the only issue here is that the OP's method of body fat analysis is inaccurate.
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
    Options
    TeaBea wrote: »
    What type of body fat analyzer are you using? What are your workouts like? What's the time frame?

    A couple guesses - your body fat analyzer is not very accurate, or the person doing the testing isn't well trained.

    OR - your workouts aren't effective.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/body-fat-analyzers/faq-20057944

    Im using Kinetik body composition monitor .
    My workout includes 45 min elliptical training 6 days a week and sit ups along with some squats
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
    Options
    leajas1 wrote: »
    Hmmm. Is it possible that you've calculated your maintenance calories wrong and you're actually too high? Also, are you doing fasted workouts? If so, it's possible you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    Hmm i dont think so since im not gaining weight :/
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited July 2016
    Options
    healthy491 wrote: »
    TeaBea wrote: »
    What type of body fat analyzer are you using? What are your workouts like? What's the time frame?

    A couple guesses - your body fat analyzer is not very accurate, or the person doing the testing isn't well trained.

    OR - your workouts aren't effective.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/body-fat-analyzers/faq-20057944

    Im using Kinetik body composition monitor .
    My workout includes 45 min elliptical training 6 days a week and sit ups along with some squats

    Do you have access to weights? This is going to be much more effective than body weight workouts for maintaining lean muscle mass. You want to do progressive lifting.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    Options
    What is the timing and frequency that you are doing your BF analysis? And over what time period are you seeing the gain fat/lose muscle results?
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
    Options
    TeaBea wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    TeaBea wrote: »
    What type of body fat analyzer are you using? What are your workouts like? What's the time frame?

    A couple guesses - your body fat analyzer is not very accurate, or the person doing the testing isn't well trained.

    OR - your workouts aren't effective.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/body-fat-analyzers/faq-20057944

    Im using Kinetik body composition monitor .
    My workout includes 45 min elliptical training 6 days a week and sit ups along with some squats

    Do you have access to weights? This is going to be much more effective than body weight workouts for maintaining lean muscle mass. You want to do progressive lifting.

    Was gonna buy some today. I can only lift 1-1.5 kgs tho :( I am really weak .. I cant even lift 6 bottles of water !!
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
    Options
    What is the timing and frequency that you are doing your BF analysis? And over what time period are you seeing the gain fat/lose muscle results?

    I usually do it once a week and every week I can 0.1% fat and lose 0.1% muscle
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited July 2016
    Options
    How long have you been monitoring your body fat/muscle percentages? How long have you been seeing this trend (losing muscle/gaining fat)?
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
    Options
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    How long have you been monitoring your body fat/muscle percentages? How long have you been seeing this trend (losing muscle/gaining fat)?

    I've been monitoring it for about 4 weeks and have been seeing this trend the last 3 weeks
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Options
    Lift weights and eat a high protein diet
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
    Options
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    Can I ask what you eat roughly on workout days and how long you are working out for?

    Sugar free biscuits in the morning (450 cals )
    Cereal as snack (100 cal)
    Lunch : wrap with 2 egg whites and vegetables (350 cal)
    Snack : protein bar (150 cal)
    Dinner : wrap with cottage cheese and vegtables (375 cal) and some fruit afterwards

  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    So if I'm reading this right, you've been doing this once a week for 4 weeks, the last 3 weeks have shown the trend in question, correct?

    IMO, 4 data points, each of which varies by .1% is not significant enough to worry about, especially given the questionable accuracy of those home devices. Keep tracking things, but IMO, I'd need more meaningful data before I made any changes. Assuming you trust your intake estimates.
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
    Options
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    So if I'm reading this right, you've been doing this once a week for 4 weeks, the last 3 weeks have shown the trend in question, correct?

    IMO, 4 data points, each of which varies by .1% is not significant enough to worry about, especially given the questionable accuracy of those home devices. Keep tracking things, but IMO, I'd need more meaningful data before I made any changes. Assuming you trust your intake estimates.

    Yeah ur right
    And i didnt gain any weight so
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Options
    healthy491 wrote: »
    What is the timing and frequency that you are doing your BF analysis? And over what time period are you seeing the gain fat/lose muscle results?

    I usually do it once a week and every week I can 0.1% fat and lose 0.1% muscle

    None of those types of body fat monitors are accurate to that degree, and lots of things (including hydration) can cause variance in your readings. You're worrying about something that isn't statistically significant.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Options
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    Can I ask what you eat roughly on workout days and how long you are working out for?

    Sugar free biscuits in the morning (450 cals )
    Cereal as snack (100 cal)
    Lunch : wrap with 2 egg whites and vegetables (350 cal)
    Snack : protein bar (150 cal)
    Dinner : wrap with cottage cheese and vegtables (375 cal) and some fruit afterwards

    Are you a vegetarian? There is a lot of protein but not much carbs. I think more carbs and water but im no expert. Good luck either way mate:smile:

    Macro distribution isn't really germane in this conversation (exercise is going to matter much more for her body composition than individual macros), but it's actually the other way around. Lots of carbs but limited protein and very little fat. She's getting protein only from the egg whites (8g for both), the protein bar (maybe 20g), the cottage cheese (20-30g depending on the brand) and maybe another 10g from everything else. That's 68g total, and I think I'm overestimating. All her vegetables, fruits, biscuits and cereal are carbohydrates. But again, that's not going to meaningfully impact a body fat analysis scale that is fluctuating by 0.1% per week. That's statistically insignificant.
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Options
    synacious wrote: »
    leajas1 wrote: »
    Hmmm. Is it possible that you've calculated your maintenance calories wrong and you're actually too high? Also, are you doing fasted workouts? If so, it's possible you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    I workout fasted; it has never caused an issue with muscle loss and I can't see why it would. I believe the only issue here is that the OP's method of body fat analysis is inaccurate.

    Fasted workouts are great for losing fat (I've had great success with this too), but there comes a point, depending on how long your session is, when your body will start burning muscle instead of fat. I'm not sure how long OP's training sessions are - just throwing out suggestions.

    http://www.muscleforlife.com/fasted-cardio/

  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Options
    healthy491 wrote: »
    leajas1 wrote: »
    Hmmm. Is it possible that you've calculated your maintenance calories wrong and you're actually too high? Also, are you doing fasted workouts? If so, it's possible you're burning muscle instead of fat.

    Hmm i dont think so since im not gaining weight :/

    Ah, okay, gotcha. I made an assumption that when you said you were gaining fat that meant you were gaining weight.