Weight loss but BF % the same?

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merbear787
merbear787 Posts: 82 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi folks! So I’m doing this weight loss challenge at my gym and have been hitting my macros and workout goals for the past 5 weeks! Today at weigh in I lost 2lbs last week but my bf is the same. Our gym uses a hand-held bf analyzer. I know they’re not very accurate but as long as it is consistent and you’re seeing progress it should be a good indicator of how you’re doing. I’m worried that I just lost muscle. Does anyone know what I may need to do differently? I hit my protein goals but I did so extra cardio this week. I am 5’10”, female, 28 years old, and am 173 lbs. my goal is to be 160 lbs. my bf reading was 24.6% over the past three weeks. I am eating about 1500 calories per day with one high carb day a week (today woohoo!) thanks for your help!!

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  • fb47
    fb47 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    You lose a lot of muscles if your losing weight way too fast (usually anything over a weekly weight loss over 2 lbs is considered as losing weight too fast). I don't know how you track your weight, but something tells me you weigh once a week which isn't an accurate way of knowing if your losing weight at a fast pace or not.
  • merbear787
    merbear787 Posts: 82 Member
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    I can definitely start weighing in daily but have been loosing about 2lbs/week over the last five weeks. I don't really trust the device they use to track bf% but was getting disappointed with how it was going! I do like cardio but don't want to lose too much lean body mass.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    merbear787 wrote: »
    I can definitely start weighing in daily but have been loosing about 2lbs/week over the last five weeks. I don't really trust the device they use to track bf% but was getting disappointed with how it was going! I do like cardio but don't want to lose too much lean body mass.

    Using your muscles doesn't provoke atrophy!
    (Also remember although muscle is lean mass not all lean mass is muscle....)

    Being inactive would provoke muscle atrophy and excessive deficit can also be a factor of course. Which is why I think weight loss challenges are potentially a really poor idea for many. Losing 2lbs a week when you have little to lose could well be a bad idea for you whereas a really overweight person it could be entirely appropriate.

    I would be far more concerned about your rate of loss rather than cardio or the numbers given by a very inaccurate gizmo.
  • merbear787
    merbear787 Posts: 82 Member
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    Thanks for your feedback!! I may have dropped my calories too quickly, I think that may be the culprit. I’m definitely going for 1lb/week so i have room to add more back in :)

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