Weight Training ans losing muscle mass?
Gr8tDaneLover
Posts: 37 Member
So I have been working with a trainer for 4 months now. They use the Inbody scale to test for your BMI, Body fat percent and Skeletal Muscle mass. I started at 72.9 Lbs of muscle mass, dropped to 71.0 lbs after the first month, then went up the last 2 to 71.4lbs and 71.9 lbs. Yesterday I took another Inbody test and it has gone back down to 69.4lbs. That shows a 3.5 lbs loss of muscle mass. But I am weight training.
My Body fat % also went up. I started as follows: 46.6, 46.0, 44.6, 43.5... then it went up to 44.7.
But I am still consistently losing weight. I lost another 2 lbs since my Body fat measurement of 43.5.
I've lost 27.9lbs so far.
I have also been tracking my macros and eating a Keto-ish diet. No sugar or gluten.
Anyone have any ideas of what's going on?
I was sick for one week and therefore missed 2 workouts. But that can't be the reason for these results? Can it?
My Body fat % also went up. I started as follows: 46.6, 46.0, 44.6, 43.5... then it went up to 44.7.
But I am still consistently losing weight. I lost another 2 lbs since my Body fat measurement of 43.5.
I've lost 27.9lbs so far.
I have also been tracking my macros and eating a Keto-ish diet. No sugar or gluten.
Anyone have any ideas of what's going on?
I was sick for one week and therefore missed 2 workouts. But that can't be the reason for these results? Can it?
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Replies
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1. Some loss of lean body mass is inevitable while losing weight. It's not possible to lose 100% fat even when strength training and ensuring adequate protein intake.
2. With that said, scales use bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) to measure your body fat and LBM. BIA is not a particularly accurate method of measuring those things and is subject to substantial error rates. My BF% as measured on my Withings scale sometimes shows fluctuations of up to 2% from one day to the next, which of course is ridiculous.6 -
1. Some loss of lean body mass is inevitable while losing weight. It's not possible to lose 100% fat even when strength training and ensuring adequate protein intake.
2. With that said, scales use bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) to measure your body fat and LBM. BIA is not a particularly accurate method of measuring those things and is subject to substantial error rates.
This. I would pretty much ignore whatever reading you're getting out of this thing. If possible, ask for caliper check ins and use this data along with the mirror and measurements to track trends.2 -
rainbowbow wrote: »1. Some loss of lean body mass is inevitable while losing weight. It's not possible to lose 100% fat even when strength training and ensuring adequate protein intake.
2. With that said, scales use bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) to measure your body fat and LBM. BIA is not a particularly accurate method of measuring those things and is subject to substantial error rates.
This. I would pretty much ignore whatever reading you're getting out of this thing. If possible, ask for caliper check ins and use this data along with the mirror and measurements to track trends.
^ Assuming the trainer knows how to use skinfold calipers and is proficient in using them. It's been my experience that the trainers in most "big box"/chain gyms use BIA devices exclusively. I can't remember ever seeing one of them use calipers.
Agreed on using the mirror (or better yet, weekly/monthly progress photos) and measurements to track trends. It's equally (or even more) accurate than BIA scales.1 -
rainbowbow wrote: »1. Some loss of lean body mass is inevitable while losing weight. It's not possible to lose 100% fat even when strength training and ensuring adequate protein intake.
2. With that said, scales use bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) to measure your body fat and LBM. BIA is not a particularly accurate method of measuring those things and is subject to substantial error rates.
This. I would pretty much ignore whatever reading you're getting out of this thing. If possible, ask for caliper check ins and use this data along with the mirror and measurements to track trends.
^ Assuming the trainer knows how to use skinfold calipers and is proficient in using them. It's been my experience that the trainers in most "big box"/chain gyms use BIA devices exclusively. I can't remember ever seeing one of them use calipers.
Agreed on using the mirror (or better yet, weekly/monthly progress photos) and measurements to track trends. It's equally (or even more) accurate than BIA scales.
Maybe i'm biased since i'm a trainer and i think using calipers are relatively easy to figure out.
Blows my mind that anyone who is a trainer couldn't figure that out. 2 -
Agree with everything posted above, though curious about the "keto-ish" diet. I'm not a proponent of keto, but the benefits of it are only seen if your body is in ketosis. There isn't a whole lot of room for "-ish" there. So do you mean you're eating low carb? FWIW if low carb works for you, go for it. If low fat works, do that. It may sound trite, but the best diet is the one you'll stick with.
Also, both carbs and fat are delicious and part of a balanced breakfast...and lunch...and dinner.
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rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »1. Some loss of lean body mass is inevitable while losing weight. It's not possible to lose 100% fat even when strength training and ensuring adequate protein intake.
2. With that said, scales use bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) to measure your body fat and LBM. BIA is not a particularly accurate method of measuring those things and is subject to substantial error rates.
This. I would pretty much ignore whatever reading you're getting out of this thing. If possible, ask for caliper check ins and use this data along with the mirror and measurements to track trends.
^ Assuming the trainer knows how to use skinfold calipers and is proficient in using them. It's been my experience that the trainers in most "big box"/chain gyms use BIA devices exclusively. I can't remember ever seeing one of them use calipers.
Agreed on using the mirror (or better yet, weekly/monthly progress photos) and measurements to track trends. It's equally (or even more) accurate than BIA scales.
Maybe i'm biased since i'm a trainer and i think using calipers are relatively easy to figure out. Blows my mind that anyone who is a trainer couldn't figure that out.
I bought calipers and take my own measurements monthly - I use the Jackson/Pollock 3-site (axillary, abdominal, thigh) measurements to track BF%. That, along with monthly progress pics and measurements, gives me a useful method of tracking trends. I know the 3-site method isn't completely accurate, but I can easily take them myself so at least I can vouch for the measurements being somewhat consistent.2 -
Agree with everything posted above, though curious about the "keto-ish" diet. I'm not a proponent of keto, but the benefits of it are only seen if your body is in ketosis. There isn't a whole lot of room for "-ish" there. So do you mean you're eating low carb? FWIW if low carb works for you, go for it. If low fat works, do that. It may sound trite, but the best diet is the one you'll stick with.
Also, both carbs and fat are delicious and part of a balanced breakfast...and lunch...and dinner.
I started out Keto 4 months ago. But this wasn't working for me, as I had weight loss surgery many years ago. Part of this surgery purposely causes malabsorption of proteins, fats and complex carbs. I can't follow the macros based on the calculator because of my malabsorption. I have to eat more calories / fat / protein etc. I am currently trying to figure out my macros with my malabsorption.
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rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »1. Some loss of lean body mass is inevitable while losing weight. It's not possible to lose 100% fat even when strength training and ensuring adequate protein intake.
2. With that said, scales use bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) to measure your body fat and LBM. BIA is not a particularly accurate method of measuring those things and is subject to substantial error rates.
This. I would pretty much ignore whatever reading you're getting out of this thing. If possible, ask for caliper check ins and use this data along with the mirror and measurements to track trends.
^ Assuming the trainer knows how to use skinfold calipers and is proficient in using them. It's been my experience that the trainers in most "big box"/chain gyms use BIA devices exclusively. I can't remember ever seeing one of them use calipers.
Agreed on using the mirror (or better yet, weekly/monthly progress photos) and measurements to track trends. It's equally (or even more) accurate than BIA scales.
Maybe i'm biased since i'm a trainer and i think using calipers are relatively easy to figure out. Blows my mind that anyone who is a trainer couldn't figure that out.
I bought calipers and take my own measurements monthly - I use the Jackson/Pollock 3-site (axillary, abdominal, thigh) measurements to track BF%. That, along with monthly progress pics and measurements, gives me a useful method of tracking trends. I know the 3-site method isn't completely accurate, but I can easily take them myself so at least I can vouch for the measurements being somewhat consistent.
In the hands of an experienced operator, and with lean to moderately overfat people w/out a lot of visceral fat, the 3-site method is as accurate as any other skin fold protocol. And a man can sorta kinda do it on himself with reasonable accuracy.1 -
Gr8tDaneLover wrote: »So I have been working with a trainer for 4 months now. They use the Inbody scale to test for your BMI, Body fat percent and Skeletal Muscle mass. I started at 72.9 Lbs of muscle mass, dropped to 71.0 lbs after the first month, then went up the last 2 to 71.4lbs and 71.9 lbs. Yesterday I took another Inbody test and it has gone back down to 69.4lbs. That shows a 3.5 lbs loss of muscle mass. But I am weight training.
My Body fat % also went up. I started as follows: 46.6, 46.0, 44.6, 43.5... then it went up to 44.7.
But I am still consistently losing weight. I lost another 2 lbs since my Body fat measurement of 43.5.
I've lost 27.9lbs so far.
I have also been tracking my macros and eating a Keto-ish diet. No sugar or gluten.
Anyone have any ideas of what's going on?
I was sick for one week and therefore missed 2 workouts. But that can't be the reason for these results? Can it?
Most of you numbers are within the standard of error, so you cannot conclude that you have lost any muscle based on those readings.
I am confused by the % body fat. Are you saying that you have lost 28 lbs with virtually no change in body fat %?
Any bioimpedance test must be done under strictly consistent conditions. That means the same time of day, after urination, etc. It should also be on a relatively empty stomach. You cannot exercise beforehand--its best not to exercise within 24 hours. You must be normally hydrated but you cannot drink a substantial amount of liquid soon before the test.
Plus you are also learning that it ain't that easy to gain muscle--esp in a deficit.
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I'd suggest getting a DEXA scan and getting some metabolic testing done. You'll get a a better benchmark of your body composition and the metabolic testing can give you a better idea of where your caloric intake should be...especially since some of the newer studies have shown that weight loss surgery patients can have an altered metabolism.0
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I agree with what's said here. Most of the devices used to measure fat % are not real accurate. The only true accurate method is underwater testing. I'm a trainer too, and calipers are easy to use, but some clients are not comfortable with this form of testing and it's only really good to use when the client is not extremely overweight. I'm not familiar with the Keto-ish diet but I do know that if you aren't consuming enough calories you will lose weight but also lose muscle too. Some become "skinny" fats meaning they are smaller in size and lose pounds but are not toned. All my clients have gained muscle and have lost fat %. You should feel stronger and gain muscle with enough weight training and correct nutritious calorie intake.0
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