Body fat at 37.7%!!!!!!!!! HELP!
saleena5
Posts: 5 Member
I recently purchased the withings smart scale and the numbers seem to be inaccurate. I am 5'1, 25 years old and a curvy girl with 34DD chest size and I do have large butt.
My measurements are as follows:
Waist: 28inch
High Hip: 35inch
Hips: 40inch
I workout 6 days a week, heavy lift 4 days, cardio 2-3 days and abs 3 days (roughly burn 2200 calories per day) and I eat within a caloric deficit, inputting everything I eat. In addition to, I drink 2L of water.
When I first purchased the scale, it did show that I had a fat mass of 37% and for two weeks it kept going back down. But recently, my weight and fat mass keeps increasing and I have not changed my diet except add in more protein.
I honestly do not know what else I should be doing. The inches on my stomach keep going down, but for some reason my fat mass doesn't seem to be decreasing.
Please help!!!!!!
My measurements are as follows:
Waist: 28inch
High Hip: 35inch
Hips: 40inch
I workout 6 days a week, heavy lift 4 days, cardio 2-3 days and abs 3 days (roughly burn 2200 calories per day) and I eat within a caloric deficit, inputting everything I eat. In addition to, I drink 2L of water.
When I first purchased the scale, it did show that I had a fat mass of 37% and for two weeks it kept going back down. But recently, my weight and fat mass keeps increasing and I have not changed my diet except add in more protein.
I honestly do not know what else I should be doing. The inches on my stomach keep going down, but for some reason my fat mass doesn't seem to be decreasing.
Please help!!!!!!
2
Replies
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Home body fat scales are not the most accurate of measures, they are very dependent on your hyrdration levels, the time of day, etc.
If your measurements are going down and clothes getting too big your efforts are being rewarded.
8 -
Scales that give you body fat are based on mostly hydration levels. Have you lost weight? Go by that number.4
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Sometimes the calorie burn calculators or apps are way off. Running a marathon burns about 2,500 calories, but you're saying you burn 2,200 calories a day? You're likely burning way less than that, even though something is telling you you're burning 2200. This would have a huge impact on why the scale is going up so far ... Or are you saying your daily calorie limit is 2200?
The way I calculate it, is that each 30 minutes of high intensity exercises burns about 100 calories.
How long have you been doing this? Starting intense exercise can cause your body to retain water. Which might explain why your measurements are improving but the scale hasn't gone down yet. It sounds like you are on the right track. If I was coaching you, I'd advise to eliminate 2 of your hard workouts for the week, and substitute them with youtube videos of yoga and pilates twice a week.1 -
I don't know if scales have improved, but I had mine measured on a scale by a professional weight loss company about 5 years ago, and then had a DEXA scan for part of a research experiment. The fat % was way off by 10! I don't worry about it as I am shaped similar and just watch my waist size... Sounds like you have a really healthy lifestyle, and are a healthy weight. I'd be careful obsessing too much about that!3
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You don't mention your weight. What is it?
There area lot of other ways to estimate your level of BF but you need your wt to use them.
The simplest calculator is BMI, which was actually designed as an indicator of one's risk for heart and other diseases related
to obesity (which has some measurement flaws related to age, race and muscularity) but, for most people, it will give you an indication of whether you are considered "obese" or not.
Just Google "BMI calculator" and enter your wt and ht. If the # is +25, you're considered "overweight" and at +30, you're considered "obese." Between 18-25, you're considered "normal."
For other methods of estimating BF, just Google, "BF calculator.". All of them require your wt and certain body measurements to come up w/a #. I've heard people say that the "Navy" calculator us accurate for them, although it is not accurate for me.
The best methods generally to measure BF (and the best methods for me) are DEXA and hydrostatic weighing but they both cost $ and are not widely available or accessible in certain areas.
As for bioelectric scales and measuring devices, they are inaccurate BUT are usually reliable in their level of inaccuracy, which means that, while you cannot trust the # given, you probably can trust the trend -- up, down or flat -- to determine if you are gaining, losing or maintaining your BF level over time.
I have one (the type that has handles to take the measurement with) and it has worked for me for that purpose but the #'s given by that device were always higher by about 5-10% than the results I got w/DEXA & hydro and for those methods, DEXA was always higher by 2-3% than hydro.
So, for the lowest BF measurement, I recommend getting weighed by hydro.
Good luck find the method that works best for you!1 -
Sometimes the calorie burn calculators or apps are way off. Running a marathon burns about 2,500 calories, but you're saying you burn 2,200 calories a day? You're likely burning way less than that, even though something is telling you you're burning 2200. This would have a huge impact on why the scale is going up so far ... Or are you saying your daily calorie limit is 2200?
I see absolutely no reason why she couldn’t be burning 2200. For a long time, my average burn per day was about 2500, according to my Fitbit, while I logged my food and my weight loss results consistently matched the math based on Fitbit burn and food log input. She’s shorter than me, we don’t know her weight, and we know she works out harder than I did, so it’s difficult to compare directly but it’s definitely plausible that she’s burning the 2200 she says she is.
I agree with others about your home scale’s body fat measurement likely being BS. For any more advice we need to know your current weight and whether you’re trying to lose weight overall or recomping (=lose fat, gain muscle, to simplify). Different goals need different approaches. As for your scale, ignore the body fat measurement and follow weight. I have a similar scale (different brand) and while I’m not currently using it due to pregnancy, the body fat measurement used to be fairly inconsistent and jump around whenever my weight jumped around, and it was consistently higher than what a proper professional body composition measurement gave me.3 -
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How long have you been weighing yourself? Are you using your scale on an unyielding surface? Has it moved at all? Could your recent weight gain be possibly related to your hormonal cycle if you haven't changed the level of calories you intake?0
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.1
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I see no a priori reason that you could not be burning 2200 cal a day, not with sufficient activity
However it sounds like weight loss at a target deficit of -250 to -500 and anything in between would still be an appropriate goal.
If you're trying to eat sub 2k Cal, how you measure and log your intake could become relevant to success1 -
How long have you been weighing yourself? Are you using your scale on an unyielding surface? Has it moved at all? Could your recent weight gain be possibly related to your hormonal cycle if you haven't changed the level of calories you intake?
I have only been weighing myself for less than a month.
I have placed it on a hard surface (wood floors) in my closet and I have not moved it since.
You might be on to something in regards to my hormonal cycle. I just cross checked my weight scale stats to my cycle and the week I had my period, my weight and fat mass was much lower than any other week. My weight was around 125-130 and fat mass was at 30%. By after my period ended it went back up to 37%.
1 -
I see no a priori reason that you could not be burning 2200 cal a day, not with sufficient activity
However it sounds like weight loss at a target deficit of -250 to -500 and anything in between would still be an appropriate goal.
If you're trying to eat sub 2k Cal, how you measure and log your intake could become relevant to success
Currently I am eating around 1600 calories per day with high protein intake. Going to try it out for another month and see how much I lose.0 -
Try weightgrapher.com or happy scale/Libra on phones I use trendweigh. Weightgrapher allows you to visually compare to a precious time period. Hormonal fluctuations can easily account for 3 to 8lbs so comparing to same time of cycle in previous month may make sense for people who are more affected!0
-
You don't mention your weight. What is it?
There area lot of other ways to estimate your level of BF but you need your wt to use them.
The simplest calculator is BMI, which was actually designed as an indicator of one's risk for heart and other diseases related
to obesity (which has some measurement flaws related to age, race and muscularity) but, for most people, it will give you an indication of whether you are considered "obese" or not.
Just Google "BMI calculator" and enter your wt and ht. If the # is +25, you're considered "overweight" and at +30, you're considered "obese." Between 18-25, you're considered "normal."
For other methods of estimating BF, just Google, "BF calculator.". All of them require your wt and certain body measurements to come up w/a #. I've heard people say that the "Navy" calculator us accurate for them, although it is not accurate for me.
The best methods generally to measure BF (and the best methods for me) are DEXA and hydrostatic weighing but they both cost $ and are not widely available or accessible in certain areas.
As for bioelectric scales and measuring devices, they are inaccurate BUT are usually reliable in their level of inaccuracy, which means that, while you cannot trust the # given, you probably can trust the trend -- up, down or flat -- to determine if you are gaining, losing or maintaining your BF level over time.
I have one (the type that has handles to take the measurement with) and it has worked for me for that purpose but the #'s given by that device were always higher by about 5-10% than the results I got w/DEXA & hydro and for those methods, DEXA was always higher by 2-3% than hydro.
So, for the lowest BF measurement, I recommend getting weighed by hydro.
Good luck find the method that works best for you!
Thank you for all the help!
My current weight fluctuates between 135-140.
I do base my calories off of my apple watch. I work out an average of 80 minutes per day and burn on average of 750 calories just by working out and the steps I take. By the end of the day, the apple watch app shows that I burn around 2200 calories (the calories my body burns naturally + working out + walking).
Also, based on the scale my muscle mass is 62% & bone mass is 3.4%
Just hoping once the lockdown is lifted I can go to a professional and get my fat mass % checked by other means.
0 -
The issue with home scales like these is that they estimate your body fat through electrical impulses, and your level of hydration and the warmth of your skin can really affect them. So I can “lose” 7% fat by having a bath 🤣 i.e my body fat lowers by 7% after a bath. I wish that were true.
So they’re useful to track stuff but they are not accurate.best thing to do is take the readings at the same time each day or week, note your hydration levels too, then make a note of your hormonal cycle. Over time you might see some patterns emerge, and sometimes the mirror and tape measure will tell you you’ve lost fat before your smart scale does!1 -
I recently purchased the withings smart scale and the numbers seem to be inaccurate. I am 5'1, 25 years old and a curvy girl with 34DD chest size and I do have large butt.
My measurements are as follows:
Waist: 28inch
High Hip: 35inch
Hips: 40inch
I workout 6 days a week, heavy lift 4 days, cardio 2-3 days and abs 3 days (roughly burn 2200 calories per day) and I eat within a caloric deficit, inputting everything I eat. In addition to, I drink 2L of water.
When I first purchased the scale, it did show that I had a fat mass of 37% and for two weeks it kept going back down. But recently, my weight and fat mass keeps increasing and I have not changed my diet except add in more protein.
I honestly do not know what else I should be doing. The inches on my stomach keep going down, but for some reason my fat mass doesn't seem to be decreasing.
Please help!!!!!!
Others are right: The body composition estimates from a home scale aren't worth stressing over; they're unlikely to be accurate. You've had a good insight about your hormonal cycle: There are some women here who report only seeing a new low weight once a month, with the rest of the month a roller-coaster of scale weights due to hormonal shifts in water retention (which isn't fat, so not worth stressing over). You may not turn out to be such an extreme case: The first month tends to be roller-coaster-like on the scale for a lot of people, especially if there were changes in what one eats, and in exercise types/amounts, at the same time one started reducing calories.
Please try to hang in there for a couple or three months before you panic, so you can compare bodyweight at the same relative point in different monthly cycles. Bodies are weird!
ETA: Remember that if you're large-breasted, and remain so with weight loss, you may well inherently have a bit higher body fat percent (even accurately measured) than someone who's pretty flat . . . even if at the same level of fitness/leanness in other respects.2 -
Sometimes the calorie burn calculators or apps are way off. Running a marathon burns about 2,500 calories, but you're saying you burn 2,200 calories a day? You're likely burning way less than that, even though something is telling you you're burning 2200. This would have a huge impact on why the scale is going up so far ... Or are you saying your daily calorie limit is 2200?
The way I calculate it, is that each 30 minutes of high intensity exercises burns about 100 calories.
How long have you been doing this? Starting intense exercise can cause your body to retain water. Which might explain why your measurements are improving but the scale hasn't gone down yet. It sounds like you are on the right track. If I was coaching you, I'd advise to eliminate 2 of your hard workouts for the week, and substitute them with youtube videos of yoga and pilates twice a week.
Um, mostly no.
I'm a pretty tiny li'l ol' lady (5'5", 125ish pounds, age 65) and I've been eating 2200+ calories a lot of days (and virtually none below the rare day at 1850), yet losing weight slowly. I admit I'm mysteriously a good calorie burner for my demographic, but 2200 TDEE for a 25-year-old woman who's active isn't crazy, even a non-tall woman.
And I have no clue how you calculate 100 calories per half hour of "intense exercise", for anyone/everyone, doing whatever exercise, at any body weight. I do some exercises, well power-metered, that burn nearly double that at what I'd call moderate intensity (Z3, maybe a small fraction of low Z4, say). (I admit I'm also a somewhat fit li'l ol' lady. 😆)
Besides, OP doesn't even say she's doing hard let alone "intense" cardio. She just said "cardio" - could be anything.
Doing lots of intense exercise generally is a bad plan, for either fitness or weight management, that I'd agree with. Moderate cardio 3 days should be fine. Why should she do Pilates and yoga videos instead of lifting and abs? Pilates and yoga can be great exercises, but so can other things.
You say "if I were coaching you" . . . for clarity, are you a personal trainer? (I'm not, though I was coaching certified in my sport at one point, now lapsed.)7 -
You don't mention your weight. What is it?
There area lot of other ways to estimate your level of BF but you need your wt to use them.
The simplest calculator is BMI, which was actually designed as an indicator of one's risk for heart and other diseases related
to obesity (which has some measurement flaws related to age, race and muscularity) but, for most people, it will give you an indication of whether you are considered "obese" or not.
Just Google "BMI calculator" and enter your wt and ht. If the # is +25, you're considered "overweight" and at +30, you're considered "obese." Between 18-25, you're considered "normal."
For other methods of estimating BF, just Google, "BF calculator.". All of them require your wt and certain body measurements to come up w/a #. I've heard people say that the "Navy" calculator us accurate for them, although it is not accurate for me.
The best methods generally to measure BF (and the best methods for me) are DEXA and hydrostatic weighing but they both cost $ and are not widely available or accessible in certain areas.
As for bioelectric scales and measuring devices, they are inaccurate BUT are usually reliable in their level of inaccuracy, which means that, while you cannot trust the # given, you probably can trust the trend -- up, down or flat -- to determine if you are gaining, losing or maintaining your BF level over time.
I have one (the type that has handles to take the measurement with) and it has worked for me for that purpose but the #'s given by that device were always higher by about 5-10% than the results I got w/DEXA & hydro and for those methods, DEXA was always higher by 2-3% than hydro.
So, for the lowest BF measurement, I recommend getting weighed by hydro.
Good luck find the method that works best for you!
Thank you for all the help!
My current weight fluctuates between 135-140.
I do base my calories off of my apple watch. I work out an average of 80 minutes per day and burn on average of 750 calories just by working out and the steps I take. By the end of the day, the apple watch app shows that I burn around 2200 calories (the calories my body burns naturally + working out + walking).
Also, based on the scale my muscle mass is 62% & bone mass is 3.4%
Just hoping once the lockdown is lifted I can go to a professional and get my fat mass % checked by other means.
Who do you most look like?
0 -
You don't mention your weight. What is it?
There are a lot of other ways to estimate your level of BF but you need your wt to use them.
The simplest calculator is BMI, which was actually designed as an indicator of one's risk for heart and other diseases related
to obesity (which has some measurement flaws related to age, race and muscularity) but, for most people, it will give you an indication of whether you are considered "obese" or not.
Just Google "BMI calculator" and enter your wt and ht. If the # is +25, you're considered "overweight" and at +30, you're considered "obese." Between 18-25, you're considered "normal."
For other methods of estimating BF, just Google, "BF calculator.". All of them require your wt and certain body measurements to come up w/a #. I've heard people say that the "Navy" calculator us accurate for them, although it is not accurate for me.
The best methods generally to measure BF (and the best methods for me) are DEXA and hydrostatic weighing but they both cost $ and are not widely available or accessible in certain areas.
As for bioelectric scales and measuring devices, they are inaccurate BUT are usually reliable in their level of inaccuracy, which means that, while you cannot trust the # given, you probably can trust the trend -- up, down or flat -- to determine if you are gaining, losing or maintaining your BF level over time.
I have one (the type that has handles to take the measurement with) and it has worked for me for that purpose but the #'s given by that device were always higher by about 5-10% than the results I got w/DEXA & hydro and for those methods, DEXA was always higher by 2-3% than hydro.
So, for the lowest BF measurement, I recommend getting weighed by hydro.
Good luck find the method that works best for you!
Thank you for all the help!
My current weight fluctuates between 135-140.
You're welcome.
FWIW, at 5' 1" and 135, your BMI is 25.5, just a hair into the "overweight" range.
So, I wouldn't worry too much about where your BF% exactly is, especially if you can keep your wt at 135 or below.
Again, best wishes and good luck to you.4
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