Weight loss without body fat reduction?

JoLo27
JoLo27 Posts: 54 Member
edited December 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there

I'm really pleased with my progress since joining MFP. I've gone from 147 pounds to 135.5, almost at my goal of 131, but my body fat % hasn't changed at all. It's still 33%!

I understand that I need to lift weights / go to the gym etc. to reduce my body fat to my goal of below 30% but can someone explain to me how it can be that I've lost 11.5 pounds without losing any body fat??

I look much thinner and it's mostly gone off my waist and bust (I'm an 'apple') so I'm really pleased but why no fat loss??

Thanks

Jo

Replies

  • LesliePierceRN
    LesliePierceRN Posts: 860 Member
    Because when you cut caloies, especially drastically (as far as you body is concerned) then you begin to do things to 'survive' like dump materials that are placing caloric demand on your body but are expendable.. like muscle. To salvage the ability to keep living under 'famine' conditions, you will sacrifice skeletal muscle, which places great demand on metabolism, to save cardiac, respiratory, digestive, neurologic, etc tissue. And you'll keep the fat to feed these biologically necessary processes for later when you run out of muscle to dump and still aren't finding food. Your body has no idea you're doing this to yourself on purpose. It's trying to save you, it doesn't realize it's saving you from yourself. If you want to ramp up your metabolism, thereby cutting fat, you need to increase skeletal muscle, and if you feed that muscle, you'll begin to burn fat because your body will believe the famine to be over.
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
    I'd say the most likely reason is that the method of measurement used to determine your body fat % doesn't work.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Bump
  • london_running
    london_running Posts: 7 Member
    I think you're measuring wrong. You don't need to go to the gym to lose body fat - simply reducing calories consumed will do. Investigate the different ways of measuring body fat and see if you can find a doctor/dietician/trainer in your town who does one of them.
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
    Because when you cut caloies, especially drastically (as far as you body is concerned) then you begin to do things to 'survive' like dump materials that are placing caloric demand on your body but are expendable.. like muscle. To salvage the ability to keep living under 'famine' conditions, you will sacrifice skeletal muscle, which places great demand on metabolism, to save cardiac, respiratory, digestive, neurologic, etc tissue. And you'll keep the fat to feed these biologically necessary processes for later when you run out of muscle to dump and still aren't finding food. Your body has no idea you're doing this to yourself on purpose. It's trying to save you, it doesn't realize it's saving you from yourself. If you want to ramp up your metabolism, thereby cutting fat, you need to increase skeletal muscle, and if you feed that muscle, you'll begin to burn fat because your body will believe the famine to be over.
    ^^^^ Not this ^^^^^^
  • JessLLoser
    JessLLoser Posts: 235 Member
    I think you did lose body fat. I have no idea how much you reduced your calorie intake, so it must be your scale. My scale is notoriously devious, even though it is supposed to know everything. It doesn`t.
  • htmlgirl
    htmlgirl Posts: 314 Member
    You've still lost fat
    147 * 33% = 48.51
    135.5 * 33% = 44.715
    3.795lbs fat lost and 7.705lbs of other stuff
  • ksavy
    ksavy Posts: 271 Member
    You've still lost fat
    147 * 33% = 48.51
    135.5 * 33% = 44.715
    3.795lbs fat lost and 7.705lbs of other stuff

    ^^^ This
    You lost fat, you just lost other stuff as well so the % remained the same.
  • LastTenPoundsGodDamnYou
    LastTenPoundsGodDamnYou Posts: 101 Member
    Yes your % will stayed the same as it is a % of your total body weight.

    As you have reduced your body weight in total, you have reduced your fat by the same proportion when measured as a %

    200lbs @ 30% fat = 60lbs of fat

    100lbs @ 30% fat = 30lbs of fat

    Percentage the same....fat much less....see?
  • gazerofthestars
    gazerofthestars Posts: 255 Member
    Can't see your diary but I would take a guess and say it could be due to a number of reasons: 1) your protein intake may be too low. Protein is vital to sustain muscles 2) You may be consuming far too few calories. Your body needs fuel! as a result it burns off more muscle instead of fat to survive 3) It could be simply that your measurement method is in error :)
  • huntindawg1962
    huntindawg1962 Posts: 277 Member
    Not sure how long you have been doing this to lose those lbs - looks like you signed on here in March? Remember - a portion of those first lbs was just water. Most people that lose and are not doing heavy weight lifting also lose fat and muscle during their weight loss so in those first 15 lbs you probably lost water, some fat, and some muscle (lean body tissues) - so the proportion of each did not change, you lost some of each keeping the overall percentages the same.

    Also - how did you measure that body fat? the stand on home scales are somewhat generalizations so any one measurement is going to be suspect.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    You've still lost fat
    147 * 33% = 48.51
    135.5 * 33% = 44.715
    3.795lbs fat lost and 7.705lbs of other stuff

    ^^^ This
    You lost fat, you just lost other stuff as well so the % remained the same.

    This. You lose other stuff, your not feeding yourself enough, your not measuring yourself correctly, or some other reason. Lots of factors involved. Are you using a weight scale or caliburs...measuring at the same time and part of your cycle, etc?
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    You've still lost fat
    147 * 33% = 48.51
    135.5 * 33% = 44.715
    3.795lbs fat lost and 7.705lbs of other stuff

    how did you figure these totals out?

    i too have lost weight and when i go to fat2fit, i am still at 26.6 bf%. i have lost 11 lbs in 6 months, so not loosing it fat but my bf% hasn't changed since dec?
  • BriaMc
    BriaMc Posts: 177 Member
    You've still lost fat
    147 * 33% = 48.51
    135.5 * 33% = 44.715
    3.795lbs fat lost and 7.705lbs of other stuff

    Wow thanks for that reply! i lose 11lbs and mine stayed at 22% as well! Love this response vs all the others i've got (aka u lost all muscle which i KNOW i haven't!)
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    Sounds like you are "burning" muscle mass?

    But, I am not a trainer or doctor!
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Are you also doing strength training workouts? Have you tried measuring yourself? Are you seeing some muscle definition or tightness of your skin especially on your triceps? Does your clothes fit better? Are you happy with how you look in the mirror naked? More importantly, is your body getting stronger? Point is there are other factors that you need to consider aside from the method that you're using to measure body fat. Now if you answer yes to all these questions then most probably you need to re-consider taking another test otherwise you have to evaluate your exercise & especially your nutrition. No matter how effective your workout program is but if you're not supporting your workouts with proper nutrition then nothing will happen. Remember the saying that abs are made in the kitchen & not in the gym.

    You don't have to go to the gym to lift weights. The only advantage of being in a gym is the diversity of the weights/equipment but you can also achieve the same results when working out at home. Invest in an adjustable dumbbells & from there you can just buy the weighted plates later on when you need to up the weights. also bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, dips requires little to no equipment at all.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Because when you cut caloies, especially drastically (as far as you body is concerned) then you begin to do things to 'survive' like dump materials that are placing caloric demand on your body but are expendable.. like muscle. To salvage the ability to keep living under 'famine' conditions, you will sacrifice skeletal muscle, which places great demand on metabolism, to save cardiac, respiratory, digestive, neurologic, etc tissue. And you'll keep the fat to feed these biologically necessary processes for later when you run out of muscle to dump and still aren't finding food. Your body has no idea you're doing this to yourself on purpose. It's trying to save you, it doesn't realize it's saving you from yourself. If you want to ramp up your metabolism, thereby cutting fat, you need to increase skeletal muscle, and if you feed that muscle, you'll begin to burn fat because your body will believe the famine to be over.

    There's also some truth on this especially if one doesn't do anything to maintain/increase his muscle. While cardio burns fat but if you don't support it with resistance training then you will also lose muscle equally. When we are on a deficit, its impossible not to lose both fat & muscle at the same time but strength training gives our bodies signal that it needs to hold on to muscle. But to do that we also need to eat more protein & never on a very low calorie diet.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Muscle, water loss, with some fat lose at similar % as your body was prior to losing weight.
  • mommamuscles
    mommamuscles Posts: 584 Member
    Check out the group Eat More to Weigh Less.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less
    This is just one more reason people need to properly fuel their bodies if their goal is fat reduction. If you dont give your body what it needs, you are just eating up your muscle and actually getting fatter.
    Sorry if I sound snippy....I just get fed up sometimes. The number on the scale can be sooo irrelevant. I've been there and Ive made the mistake of living and dying by it, but finally making my peace with it. Seriously, check out the group. There is so much great info on there. And if you are just starting out on this journey to fitness and health, seriously, do it right the first time.
    Blessings to you all!
  • oneida_russet
    oneida_russet Posts: 26 Member
    You should join the Eat More to Weigh Less group! I totally back Becca (momofmyfivekids)!
  • 202685tracy
    202685tracy Posts: 42 Member
    I am also part of Eat More to Weigh Less. I am doing it slow and last week I didn't lose any weight on the scale (actualy gained .8 lbs), but lost .2 pounds of fat and gained .8# of muscle! A small victory, but that is what I want slow progress!
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Same thing happened to me. I stayed the same BF% even if I lost 15 pounds. I was just a smaller version of the soft me. Only when I started strenght training, fueling my body properly and getting rid of my scale did my BF decreased
  • Jennacita
    Jennacita Posts: 116 Member
    Like the four ladies before me have said go check out the group Eat More To Weigh Less. You need to fuel your body to get the results you want. They also have a youtube channel eatmore2weighless. Check it out it's awesome.
  • OriginalWhatTheHelen
    OriginalWhatTheHelen Posts: 22 Member
    Lifting weights and fueling your body properly will get you the bf% and physique you want. I echo what others have said. Visit the Eat More to Weigh Less group.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,432 MFP Moderator
    Here is a response I got from one of the people on this board I work with. She is 36 years old, 5'4 ish, 154 lbs. I had her eating 2100 calories on lifting days and 1800 calories on non workout days. She did zero cardio, and lifted heavy enough where she failed at 8-12 reps and in 12 weeks here was her response.


    "I just wanted to thank you for your help. You helped me a few months back and I just wanted to give you an update on my progress. 12 weeks ago I started at 154 and 28% bf. I got my bf remeasured last Friday and it was 24%. But I only lost 1 pound. It is crazy to me but I have learned to ignore the scale. You were right that keeping consistent and not giving up my body would finally adjust.

    Thanks again for your help!

    Stephanie"
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
    I'm another successful advocate of properly fueling our bodies and strength training ...burn fat, gain muscle .... CHANGE how your body looks and feels. I've been on diet roller coasters since I was 13 ...always utilizing the mainstream low calorie intake and lots of cardio. I finally educated myself and WOW ...yes ! I feel strongly that one must properly eat and incorporate strength training into your life. Yes ..indeed ....can lose WEIGHT without it ...but ME ...I want to lose FAT not just weight. There is a difference. Take a serious READ and Research at the Eat More to Weigh Less Group. I'm paying it forward ...

    Ive blogged about my story ...you may find it interesting. My profile is open

    Jen
    5'4
    Size 8
    Weight ? Go take a look /read
  • Feed_the_Bears
    Feed_the_Bears Posts: 275 Member
    Hmm, you've lost 12 lbs and suspect that you haven't lost any fat. First I'd say that's highly unlikely and I'd wonder how you're measuring your body fat %. Those measurements need to be very careful. First, some devises are more accurate than others, second you have to take the measurements under the right conditions i.e. my trainer would say "don't do cardio before I take your body fast %". The best way is to take the measurement with the same device, at the same time of day/same circumstances over a period of time and track the trend. That will smooth out little ups and downs.

    Besides that, you've lost water weight and muscle. You do not want to lose muscle. A little can't be avoided, but you do the best you can by keeping your calories from getting too low, keeping your protein intake up (1 g per 1.5 lb of body weight) and doing resitance/strength training exercises as opposed to just cardio. The recomended protein intake on this site is too low. I don't know where they get the idea I should only have 45 g.

    I hightly doubt that you have not lost any fat in those 12 lbs. Fat % measures are notorious for their margins of error.

    Good luck.
  • JoLo27
    JoLo27 Posts: 54 Member
    Thanks for all the replies everyone :smile:

    For those who asked whether I've got smaller, the answer is definitely yes. And I look much better in the mirror naked too!! My clothes are loose, whereas before they were so tight round my waist that I had to undo the button when I sat down. I have probably gone down a couple of bra cup sizes as well.

    I've been on MFP since March and have been averaging around 1400 calories a day net. I walk a lot - anything from 5-12 miles at a time, a couple of times a week and i go to Pilates (with machines) once a week, so I'd be surprised if I'm losing muscle.

    I've been measuring my body fat on a bathroom scale with this option on it.

    I'm not sure that I understand all the different theories but I guess that my challenge now is to introduce some resistence work and to start looking at where I get my 1400 calories from. I'm definitely eating too much fat and sugar. (I was shocked to find out that there are 10g of sugar in a small pot of my favourite organic probiotic natural yogurt!) I will aim to eat more protein and will join the Eat More to Weigh Less group.

    There's no doubt I've lost fat around my waist but I really want to crack this and get my body fat % down to under 30%. No good being slim if you're no healthier!!

    Thanks for all your support

    Jo
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