I'm losing muscle!!!!

jtintx
jtintx Posts: 445 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I started tracking my body fat% back in the beginning of June. Since then I've lost 13 more pounds but only 7.32 lbs is fat loss; the other 5.68 lbs is lean body mass (muscle). I'm only losing about 2 lbs a month so I'm not starving myself. I am doing some weight training about twice a week. Although, I admit I'm not always consistent. But why am I losing so much lean mass? I'm getting very frustrated being stuck at 26+ % body fat. BTW, I am verifying my BF% by having the Bod Pod done every 3 months. What in the heck is going on?
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Replies

  • daves160
    daves160 Posts: 600
    Eat more protein. Lots or protein (1 to 1.5 grams per pound of muscle)
  • tangal88
    tangal88 Posts: 689
    how much protein are you eating?

    To low calorie consumption, and/or to low protein levels will start to eat into your muscle mass also.

    (1 gram roughly per lb of lean body mass is a good rough range)
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I would look at your protein intake first (in grams), and I would probably also look at your training methods. I would also look at your deficit compared to your current weight. (<---- scratch that last one, reading comprehension failed me there).

    If you can share the above info, you may get more specific answers.
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    I am eating LOTS of protein. I get anywhere from 100 to 140 grams of protein a day. I'm also eating back all of my exercise calories and my deficit is only set to 250 calories a day.
  • Coltsman4ever
    Coltsman4ever Posts: 602 Member
    When you're on a calories deficit, you burn muscle and fat. You can help maintain the muscle you have by working out.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I am eating LOTS of protein. I get anywhere from 100 to 140 grams of protein a day. I'm also eating back all of my exercise calories and my deficit is only set to 250 calories a day.

    How heavy are you lifting and what is your lifting routine like?
    Can you add an additional lifting day to your program?
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
    I hear you..I am almost 40 pounds lost..but only 3% BF loss....my nutritionist put me on a low carb diet (Paleo). In the last 15 days I have managed to lose 5 pounds..but wont know till Dec 6th how much of that is was fat...
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    I would look at your protein intake first (in grams), and I would probably also look at your training methods. I would also look at your deficit compared to your current weight. (<---- scratch that last one, reading comprehension failed me there).

    If you can share the above info, you may get more specific answers.
    I currently weigh 130 lbs. My body fat % is 26.6. I do cardio 6 days a week. I run about 35-40 miles a week currently (training for a marathon). I also usually bike 2-3 times a week. But I eat back ALL of my exercise calories. I am NOT starving myself. This is so frustrating. I love to compete in athletics but dragging around this extra body fat is getting old.
  • fatguyweightloss
    fatguyweightloss Posts: 145
    Protein and some moderate weight training to at least maintain your current muscle mass. If you are not using those muscles your body can look at any extra muscle as optional. Personally as long as my strength is not decreasing I am not concerned about specific lbs of muscle mass.
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
    Can't see your diary so can't comment on how much you're eating. To lose fat instead of muscle, eat more than your BMR and do strength training. plain and simple!
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
    I would look at your protein intake first (in grams), and I would probably also look at your training methods. I would also look at your deficit compared to your current weight. (<---- scratch that last one, reading comprehension failed me there).

    If you can share the above info, you may get more specific answers.
    I currently weigh 130 lbs. My body fat % is 26.6. I do cardio 6 days a week. I run about 35-40 miles a week currently (training for a marathon). I also usually bike 2-3 times a week. But I eat back ALL of my exercise calories. I am NOT starving myself. This is so frustrating. I love to compete in athletics but dragging around this extra body fat is getting old.

    You need to do more than just cardio.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    Although, I admit I'm not always consistent.
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    I am eating LOTS of protein. I get anywhere from 100 to 140 grams of protein a day. I'm also eating back all of my exercise calories and my deficit is only set to 250 calories a day.

    How heavy are you lifting and what is your lifting routine like?
    Can you add an additional lifting day to your program?
    I am lifting pretty heavy...can only do about 10-12 reps of any given weight. Once I can do more than that I bump up the weight. I do full body - but sometimes I leave out the legs if I have a long run the next day.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    What is your weekly weight loss goal set at?

    With so little left to lose the smaller the deficit the better, as you would lose less muscle as a % of total weight loss. I would suggest setting your goal at 0.5lbs/week.

    Here is a guide to setting weekly weight loss goals:
    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

    edited to note: sorry I see that you are already set at this amount. Maybe try changing your activity level to a higher level and try eating even more.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    I am lifting pretty heavy...can only do about 10-12 reps of any given weight. Once I can do more than that I bump up the weight. I do full body - but sometimes I leave out the legs if I have a long run the next day.

    Is it an option to swap out a day of cardio for another lifting day, or does this screw your marathon training?
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    -Bodyfat measurements are often inaccurate.

    -Anything that is not fat is considered "lean mass," including water.
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    I am lifting pretty heavy...can only do about 10-12 reps of any given weight. Once I can do more than that I bump up the weight. I do full body - but sometimes I leave out the legs if I have a long run the next day.

    Is it an option to swap out a day of cardio for another lifting day, or does this screw your marathon training?
    My marathon is the first week of December. I plan on adding one more day of lifting after that. I will also start swimming again then.
    -Bodyfat measurements are often inaccurate.

    -Anything that is not fat is considered "lean mass," including water.
    That's why I get my BF% checked with the Bod Pod. It is on par with hydrostatic weighing.
  • fakeplastictree
    fakeplastictree Posts: 836 Member
    I think maybe all the cardio may be having an affect on your muscle. Too much can eat away at your muscle tissue from my understanding.
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    With extensive endurance training you will lose a lot of muscle mass. It comes with the territory... That's why you don't see bulked up kenyans setting world record paces. Once you finish your marathon you can switch focuses to strength training to work on retaining your muscle mass or turn towards a billing cycle to help regain any lost mass. Many endurance athletes do this over the "off" season.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    or turn towards a billing cycle to help regain any lost mass.

    Heh. That'd be great if I could send people bills and get paid, and put on muscle.

    =)













    (No grammar police here sir, just found that funny).
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    Autocorrect strikes again... :(
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    With extensive endurance training you will lose a lot of muscle mass. It comes with the territory...
    I expected to lose some muscle but 43% of my weight loss? With such a low deficit and the amount of protein I'm consuming, combined with some strength training this just doesn't seem right. Am I missing some sort of hormone or is there any other possible explanation?
  • gtwin
    gtwin Posts: 290 Member
    Too much cardio and not enough lifting. And HEAVY lifting....high reps and light weight won't do much if you're trying to gain lean muscle mass. Plus, up your protein intake as others have mentioned.
  • daves160
    daves160 Posts: 600
    The other thing is to look at your own body. Don't rely on a standardized calculation to tell you what you can see on your body.
    BMI calculations are not always right. There are a lot of variables.
  • JillyCornwall
    JillyCornwall Posts: 376 Member
    With extensive endurance training you will lose a lot of muscle mass. It comes with the territory...
    I expected to lose some muscle but 43% of my weight loss? With such a low deficit and the amount of protein I'm consuming, combined with some strength training this just doesn't seem right. Am I missing some sort of hormone or is there any other possible explanation?

    Actually I was going to mention this very fact...your age suggests you might be in some stage of the menopause..so hormones may play a part..certainly worth getting this checked out.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    I would consider not eating at a deficit and start building some muscle. Then cut down. I'm not an expert on that process tho. I did it (by accident lol) while I was following New Rules of Lifting for Women (I should get a check for how much I push this book lol).
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    That's why I get my BF% checked with the Bod Pod. It is on par with hydrostatic weighing.

    Neither of those methods are terribly accurate. DEXA scan is the most accurate, and even that has problems.
  • la_flaca
    la_flaca Posts: 17 Member
    I understand where you're coming from....I trained for a marathon last year, ate like a horse to get back my exercise calories (did not have weight loss as a goal), and lost muscle mass despite my best efforts. My already scrawny arms turned into sticks! It seems inevitable with that much running, I'm sorry to say. The other things was that, running 40-50 miles/week, my strength-training efforts were pretty lame....simply didn't have much extra time or energy, and I was very focused on getting my miles in.

    You can work on it after your race! Good luck.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,972 Member
    I started tracking my body fat% back in the beginning of June. Since then I've lost 13 more pounds but only 7.32 lbs is fat loss; the other 5.68 lbs is lean body mass (muscle). I'm only losing about 2 lbs a month so I'm not starving myself. I am doing some weight training about twice a week. Although, I admit I'm not always consistent. But why am I losing so much lean mass? I'm getting very frustrated being stuck at 26+ % body fat. BTW, I am verifying my BF% by having the Bod Pod done every 3 months. What in the heck is going on?
    While you will lose lean muscle along with fat, to retain muscle you do need to really challenge it. That's why when I hear people using 5lb weight for dumbell bench presses I have to intercede and tell them that it's not enough because that doesn't challenge their actual strength. And it's BS when they say "but it's heavy for me", yet carrying a 5lb grocery bag or a 5lb purse isn't.
    2 things. Bump your weights up and be CONSISTENT.
    Understand the more lean muscle you lose the lower you metabolic rate will go and the slower your weight loss journey will go too.






    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    That's why I get my BF% checked with the Bod Pod. It is on par with hydrostatic weighing.

    Neither of those methods are terribly accurate. DEXA scan is the most accurate, and even that has problems.
    It still shows a trend. Even if it's off 1-2% the trend still shows me that my body fat % is not changing. I can only use the tools available to me and that I can afford. DEXA isn't completely accurate either, as you mentioned....but I"m not going to run out and have an autopsy done just to be accurate. LOL :-)
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