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2004/08/18, 09:23 AM
This two week evaluation showed that I had lost 5 pounds, .5 to 1 inch everywhere except my arms which went up :big_smile: and my waist and abdomen, which stayed the same.:(
But I am confused about the fact that my body fat percentage went UP and my body mass index went DOWN. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?
Could bloating have anything to do with this?
HELP!
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2004/08/18, 09:36 AM
I'm new at this but...
bmi has nothing to do with fat and muscle it only considers height and weight.
I think that if your drop weight losing both fat and muscle (or ONLY muscle) and you loose more muscle weight then fat weight you will create your scenario.
Overall weight falls implies that bmi will fall,
but by loosing more muscle weight your %fat has increased. Make sense?
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2004/08/18, 09:53 AM
Kind of, well, I'm lying...no, it doesn't make sense. If I was loosing muscle, how would I have gained in my arms? It is muscle there, not fat, I can see it.
So maybe I lost some muscle somewhere else? :surprised:
Oh, this is very perplexing....is there a posibilty that the gal who measured me could have screwed something up?
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2004/08/18, 09:56 AM
I questioned the same thing, I checked my body fat percentage after I had dropped a few pounds and my waist size was the same but my weight was down more and it said my BF% Went up...Pisses me off but I dont think it is very trustworthy.
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2004/08/18, 10:01 AM
what if the size of your thighs reduced? There is a lot of muscle there in contrast with most peoples' arms. A quarter inch lost in your thighs and a quarter inch gain in your arms will result in a net weight loss, assuming your thighs have much more muscle than your arms which is true in most people.
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2004/08/18, 10:02 AM
Sorry goldengloves, my response was to Dfly.
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2004/08/18, 10:12 AM
Ok, so I can gain muscle in my arms and at the same time loose muscle in my thighs? Is this what you are saying? (sorry for being a rock:surprised:)
I guess what I am confused about is how that can happen, given that I would have thought that it was an overall process....that muscle loss wouldn't be selective to one area as opposed to the next. You see what I'm saying?
Anyway, so any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong?
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2004/08/18, 10:21 AM
I think mainly that two weeks isn't sufficient time to get a sure fire reading on what your body is doing. If you were strict counting calories for 2 weeks and maintained the same weight, drop your calories for 2 more weeks while maintaining your minimum protein and maybee increasing your good fats a bit.
Just a tiny layer of fat over newly built muscle will increase the size of a measured body part. Stay the course. Your body will win the battle eventually. Fat is a vicious wild animal. It comes off everybody at different rates on different spots.
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Waterskis with buffalo
Charlie
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2004/08/18, 10:30 AM
Yes that is what I am saying, but you raise a good point: is muscle loss selective? The little reading I have done tells me that fat loss isn't selective, but muscle, I don't know. Still, I think that for your weight to fall and %fat to increase there has to be muscle loss somewhere at a greater rate than the increase in your arms.
As for your suggestions of what do, Sorry, I don't know. I'm not the one to ask. I know that I have lost muscle mass from lack of use rather than lack of food. Maybe a significant body part isn't being worked enough. Does the body select the part that needs the muscle least when it it eats the muscle?? Please help experts.
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2004/08/18, 10:38 AM
Yes, please do or I am going to have to dye my hair blonde.:laugh:
Anyway, I did just read an article that said:
Weight loss by dieting alone without exercise will increase your Body Fat percentage as your weight comes down. Unless stimulated by exercise the High Water Tissues break down quicker than Low Water Tissues! Muscle is a High Water Tissue composed of 70% water, 7% lipids (fat) ,and 22% protein. Fat is made up of 22% water, 72% lipids (fat), and 6% protein.
Now, I am working out faithfully, so I am going to assume that this isn't what applies to my particular situation, but I thought it was interesting.
Charlie, I do set small goals, perhaps I should start doing my weights and measures on a monthly basis?
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2004/08/18, 10:40 AM
Sorry dfly, drop calories about 250 per day for 2 weeks.
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Waterskis with buffalo
Charlie
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2004/08/18, 10:45 AM
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Quoting from dfly411:
Charlie, I do set small goals, perhaps I should start doing my weights and measures on a monthly basis?
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My wife became much saner when she went to monthly measuring and weighing. Remember if you have been working out properly
for a while, seeing strength gains and not seeing the tape measure do right, the most important adjustments you can make are small ones in your diet.
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Waterskis with buffalo
Charlie
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2004/08/18, 11:05 AM
Dfly,
Remember that water is considered lean body mass. So if you lose five pounds, but it some of it happens to be water weight you are going to be reducing your lean body mass even though you aren't losing muscle. This in turn makes your fat percentage go up even though you gained no fat.
For example.
Day one lean body mass is 222 lbs and fat mass is 45 lbs
This creates a total mass of 267 lbs and a BF % of 16.8%
Day 14 for example purposes say you have lost 5 lbs of water wieght so you lean body mass is 217 and there is no fat loss or muscle loss.
Now the total is weight is 262 and your BF % is 17.1%.
So in answer to your question bloating and the loss of that water can affect your BF %. Furthermore, remember that muscle stores water as does fat, so when you lose water, you may lose some dimension as well.
I hope that helps.
Daniel
P.S. All numbers are just for illustration and not meant to imply or denote anything. *S*
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2004/08/18, 11:10 AM
Good point daniel. Dfly your original suggestion may be right. We may be thinking too hard. lol.
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2004/08/18, 11:51 AM
She lost 5 pounds in two weeks and she was dissapointed. I told her that she should be happy, 2 lbs a week is great! She is doing great, and she is hot!
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You can cover up the flaws on your body, but there is no hiding a flawed personality.
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2004/08/18, 12:03 PM
Well, since when does the husbands opinion on these things matter??? I know my opinion on my wife's looks is just so much fart gas.
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Waterskis with buffalo
Charlie
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2004/08/18, 12:39 PM
Disappointed isn't really the description at all...I have never dieted using a scale before...so I am just as sure that I lost before the same way, but didn't "keep score".
"5" just seems like a small number, but I know that this was a healthy amount for two weeks and so I am quite satisfied. However, I do think I will not look at my weight when it is done after the next two weeks and go back to how I am feeling about what I see in the mirror.
I think you're hot too Hector *wink*wink*
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2004/08/18, 12:39 PM
BTW Daniel...that actually did make sense to me, thank you!
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2004/08/18, 02:42 PM
dfly, I take it you have only been in your new eating and exercise routine for 2 weeks. If this is correct the first weeks loss was water weight but of course calipers and the scale cannot take this into account so it goes by all it knows....muscle and fat.
People can lose anywhere from 0 to (I've seen) 10 lbs just in water weight that first week but hey it's a loss ; )
I really hate that blasted scale it really doesn't show you what progress you have "really" made. Use it as a guide and as far as taking your BF% keep taking it every 2 to 4 weeks and watch for the trend. Eventually you will see your BF% settle in and then you can gauge if it is muscle or fat you are actually losing/gaining. Using a tape measure is a good idea to specially if the scale is not moving like we like it to lol
Make sure you take your caliper readings at the same time of day by the same person and skip it during TOM ; )
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Quoting from dfly411:
This two week evaluation showed that I had lost 5 pounds, .5 to 1 inch everywhere except my arms which went up :big_smile: and my waist and abdomen, which stayed the same.:(
But I am confused about the fact that my body fat percentage went UP and my body mass index went DOWN. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?
Could bloating have anything to do with this?
HELP!
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Damselfly
Whoever said that sunshine brings happiness never danced in the rain. \"unknown\"
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2004/08/18, 07:47 PM
dfly411,
You are a smart girl, what would you say to someone that just posted what you did? You know you are doing great and an inspiration to us all. Keep up the good work!
PS - the boating thing is probably behind your issue
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2004/08/18, 10:24 PM
Ok, I was NOT expecting to get on the scale and have a 10 pound loss or anything guys, in fact I am quite pleased with how it has gone. I understand the water weight thing as well, what I wasn't getting is the BMI and Body Fat percentage. I've never had either of the two measured before and just got shocked about the variation between the two. I am a bit obsessive and have a great urgency to understand this side of fitness tracking. I have always approached weight loss without a scale or special numbers to show my progress. (instead, I use my mirror and my favorite pair of Levis)
Fsdsk, I probably wouldn't have said anything unless I could have answered the question.:big_smile:
Thanks for the encouragement guys!
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2004/08/19, 04:11 AM
ok I deserved that:big_smile:
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2004/08/19, 08:52 AM
dfly those are the 2 best ways to measure one's progress :) unless you are planning to compete.
Are you taking pictures to? Those will really give you a visual on where you are making porgress!
Good luck, it sounds like you are already doing great :)
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Quoting from dfly411:
(instead, I use my mirror and my favorite pair of Levis)
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Damselfly
Whoever said that sunshine brings happiness never danced in the rain. \"unknown\"
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