Help! Feeling Really Frustrated!

You can't be losing muscle if you are doing all that you say you are! Stick with it and have your percentage checked again in a few weeks or a month. You can do it! How often are you working out and when did you start. When you first start with tryingto lose weight, usually a lot of water weight comes off in the beginning, which can acct for around 5 lbs.

How are you getting it checked? You have to remember that the hand held machines are very unreliable as they are easily affected by a lot of variables. I have lost 25 lbs, gone from a size 12 to a 6 and the handheld machine last time (it's the only way I can get it measured due to money and availability) and I was still well above average. I wouldn't trust it if this it what you are using

This.

Unless you're going to a clinic and using an advanced body fat measuring device (which cost a lot to use), don't bother using the handhelds.

If anything, use calipers. Or just use body measurements. If the belly and other areas start melting away, you know you're going in the right direction.

I agree with Valerie & aj, those tests aren't very reliable. If you're really worried about losing muscle, just make sure you've cut out sugar & starches as much as possible and are eating plenty of protein. The chemical reaction that burns fat in your body requires 3 parts fat to 1 part protein, so if you don't eat enough protein, your body will harvest it from your muscles. So just make sure you get plenty of protein throughout the day, especially right before & after a workout, and you should be fine.

Are you being truly honest with yourself with how you are eating? I worked out 5x week for 2 months and saw nothing, zip, zilch nada... Talk about frustrating, I was about to give up. I read something (that I have read a million times before) and it finally clicked!

Our bodies are: 10% genetics, 10% exercise & 80% DIET

I have completely cleaned up my diet and went on to lose all of the 25 pounds I gained. Now I'm just working on a few vanity pounds and toning. But I will be honest because I still work out 5x per week my clothes do fit different. Many pants are tighter (bc that's where I gain most of my muscle) and many shirts are too big.

Try a week without ANY processed foods, refined carbs (pasta, rice...) and no other fluids than water and of course coffee. (I will NEVER give that up.) And just so you know, there are days I eat more calories than given because I am honestly hungry but it's always clean.