Losing weight but body measurements increased!

rosh124
rosh124 Posts: 7 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I'm a 24 year old female, weighing 140 lbs and at around 5'3". As per the Body Composition Analysis I got done at my gym, I've a Muscle Mass of 52 lbs and Body Fat Mass of 42 lbs. I've lost around 8 pounds from my starting weight of 148 lbs over a 7 month period (super slow :( )and the Body Fat Mass has been steadily lowering as well. However, quite recently while measuring myself I noticed that my measurements have increased; like my arm was around 10 inches when I started at 148 pounds and then dropped to 9.4 inches at some point and now it's 10 inches again. I know it's not a measurement error as I've been measuring myself every month and this is the first time that I seem to have higher measurements all over my body.

Some extra info, I generally burn around 700 calories every day according to my MyZone and workout 6 days a week. I've been recently following Kayla's BBG plan. I eat around 1200 calories everyday as per the MFP suggestion.

Not sure what's happening. It would be great if someone could point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Replies

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    If you are building lean muscle then your measurements may change - are you lifting weights? The change in arm could be accounted by that (potentiallly)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    If you are building lean muscle then your measurements may change - are you lifting weights? The change in arm could be accounted by that (potentiallly)

    Eating 1200 cals isn't going to do much for gaining muscle
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Are you measuring your arms at the same time of day, for example always after working out or never after working out?

    Re other body measurements, my stomach measurement varies dramatically at ovulation and again around menstruation. I don't use this measurement to track progress but more of a what the heck sort of thing.
  • rosh124
    rosh124 Posts: 7 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    If you are building lean muscle then your measurements may change - are you lifting weights? The change in arm could be accounted by that (potentiallly)

    I am lifting weights and I can definitely see a change in my biceps and triceps, as in I can "feel" muscle definition when I flex. But since women don't have the necessary hormones to bulk, I assumed that the arms are not supposed to get bigger :(

    But, its not just the arms, the measurements have increased all over..

    Could it be that I'm building lean muscle but not burning the fat ?
  • rosh124
    rosh124 Posts: 7 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Are you measuring your arms at the same time of day, for example always after working out or never after working out?

    Re other body measurements, my stomach measurement varies dramatically at ovulation and again around menstruation. I don't use this measurement to track progress but more of a what the heck sort of thing.

    I am measuring at the same time, using the same tape etc.
  • B4Rachael
    B4Rachael Posts: 155 Member
    I probably sound crazy but I have been keeping body measurements since 2014 and I can tell you for certain that you will see 1/2 inch increases every now and again; that go back down the next time I measure. I have noticed that my arms and legs are the places where this happens most often and I am certain it has to do with water retention.
  • rosh124
    rosh124 Posts: 7 Member
    B4Rachael wrote: »
    I probably sound crazy but I have been keeping body measurements since 2014 and I can tell you for certain that you will see 1/2 inch increases every now and again; that go back down the next time I measure. I have noticed that my arms and legs are the places where this happens most often and I am certain it has to do with water retention.

    Thanks Rachel! I think I'll just keep measuring them and hope it'll go down soon :neutral:
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    rosh124 wrote: »
    B4Rachael wrote: »
    I probably sound crazy but I have been keeping body measurements since 2014 and I can tell you for certain that you will see 1/2 inch increases every now and again; that go back down the next time I measure. I have noticed that my arms and legs are the places where this happens most often and I am certain it has to do with water retention.

    Thanks Rachel! I think I'll just keep measuring them and hope it'll go down soon :neutral:

    I second water retention. I feel so friggin bloated right now! I feel your pain. lol.
  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    rosh124 wrote: »
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    If you are building lean muscle then your measurements may change - are you lifting weights? The change in arm could be accounted by that (potentiallly)

    I am lifting weights and I can definitely see a change in my biceps and triceps, as in I can "feel" muscle definition when I flex. But since women don't have the necessary hormones to bulk, I assumed that the arms are not supposed to get bigger :(

    But, its not just the arms, the measurements have increased all over..

    Could it be that I'm building lean muscle but not burning the fat ?

    Women do have hormones that allow us to put on muscle - we just can't get the same amount of muscle a man would for a similar effort.

    I also vote for water retention.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Those gym tools are not accurate. Honestly I stopped wasting time on those the time they told me that the 3 lbs I lost were all lean mass (and that was the 3 months when I did the most lifting too).
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