Question about bodyfat

hiitdogs

hiitdogs

Cathlete
This is really strange and I don't know what to make of it, so I am hoping anyone of the educated crowd here can make sense of this.

A couple of weeks ago I really got serious again about eating clean, exercising and losing weight.
Since I was a liiiittle out of shape, I started with the Cathe Intermediate Rotation, on top of my daily walks/runs (much more walk than run) with my dogs.

So at first, the weight came down, then up again and then I started dropping again very slowly, however, my bodyfat - according to the bodyfat scale - came down fairly quickly. Great, I am fine with that.
So all over sudden two days ago when I stepped on the scale my bodyfat according to the scale is off the chart, I mean it came up by about 5 % - YIKES.

There was no change in eating pattern, calories or water intake. I eat between 1600 and 1900 kcal and drink 3 to 4 liters every day.

I am trying to focus on the fact that I am feeling much better overall, but it still bugs me! I am just at a loss as to WTH happened. Any ideas anyone?

Carola
 
Are you checking your bodyfat at the same time every day? I weight myself twice a day. The morning bodyfat # is usually about 5% different than early evening (before dinner). I have a Tanita scale and it said in the manual that early evening is best to get an accurate number. Your bodyfat fluctuates throughout the day depending upon what you eat, how much water you drink, etc.

Marcy
 
Hi Carola :) My first question is, how accurate are those scales w/ the body fat analyzers? I guess I never put much stock into those. I thought the omron gadgets were pretty reliable for at home readings (so I gather from people here). I know there are different types on the market and wondered if anyone had a thought about that.

Second of all, how long b/w your first reading and second? You said a couple weeks? I would think maybe not to check it so frequently, because I think body fat can vary a bit on a short term basis, due to time of month, what you ate, etc. I know some check it way more frequently than that, but I don't find it necessary. Perhaps once a month would give you a better overall picture to really see changes. A couple weeks is such a short amount of time for body - probably 4-6 are when you really start to see a big difference.

These are just my thoughts. I am psyched for you on your health journey :) Keep us updated!


Debbie


I'm not gaining weight. I'm retaining food.
 
Yup! Same time in the morning, right after I get up. I know the BF percentage comes down a little if I drink like a glass of water and it always is lower in the evening.

I just couldn't believe it, I think I jumped on the scale about 10 times yesterday. I even turned it off and back on. I just wanted to shake that darn thing}(

Carola
 
Hey Debbie,

I sure like the line that says "I'm not gaining weight, I'm retaining food". That's pretty funny!

I have a Tanita scale that automatically scans the bodyfat. I don't think they are completely accurate and I don't get bent out of shape over a little here or there, but I do look for a trend.

That being said, I am stepping on the scale every day (yes, I know, I know, I hear you screaming at me DON'T STEP ON THE SCALE DAILY) and the bodyfat had come down a little bit every day and that made sense to me. What I mean, is, it didn't drop significantly from one day to the other, but I slowly worked my way down. The increase, however, really came within one day, like WHAM. Which is what really threw me off track.

I keep track of what I eat on the PC version of fitday and nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. The ONLY thing I noticed, my saturated fat intake usually is under 10 % (as is recommended), but on the day before my BF jumped, I ate one of those Zone Perfect bars and boy, have you guys ever noticed how much saturated fat is in those little stinkers???? YIKES! So my saturated fat intake was over 20 % on that day.

But that can't be it, can it?

Carola
 
>Hi Carola :) My first question is, how accurate are those
>scales w/ the body fat analyzers? I guess I never put much
>stock into those. I thought the omron gadgets were pretty
>reliable for at home readings (so I gather from people here).
>I know there are different types on the market and wondered if
>anyone had a thought about that.

Electrical impedance measurement of body fat is notoriously inaccurate and inconsistent. This includes both the body fat scales and the handheld analyzers. There are so many variables that can affect the reading - because they don't actually measure body fat %. They measure water %, and using mathematical equations, they derive a body fat %. They may read high or low depending on whether you're a man or a woman, whether you've eaten recently or have an empty tummy, whether you're hydrated or deyhdrated, etc. Like Donna said, they're okay for looking at a basic trend, but one should never expect an accurate, absolute body fat % value from these gizmos. I'm positive the margin of error in these things is more than 5%, so I wouldn't worry at all about seeing a 5% increase.

Better methods for measuring body fat would be (1) calipers - I like the Accumeasure because you can use them on yourself, although one could argue that because you're only testing at 1 site, it's not that accurate. True, but it would definitely be consistent, since the measurement is of actual body fat - and consistency is what's important, so you can be confident that changes you're seeing are real. Or (2) the BodPod, which uses the same concept as hydrostatic weighing, but with air instead of water - so you don't have to hold your breath and be underwater. The BodPod is available at a lot of gyms and hospitals, for a fee (my gym charges $30 for non-members, I think). It would be good for establishing a baseline measurement.

Hope this helps! I haven't used the body fat measurement feature on my Tanita scale in years - I just don't trust it! :)
 
I'm not really educated in the scales, but what was your sodium intake like the day before? I know that can throw things out of whack really easy.
 
I agree with Materialgirl! Those things are SO inaccurate and inconsistent and I NEVER use mine! I don't trust it with my weight much less my body fat %. I remember when I first got it and I got a reading. The next day I accidentally used my husband's profile and it said I was something like 15%(!!!!) lower than the day before! What a piece of crap I tell you! If I were you, I'd stop using it for that purpose and start measuring yourself and/or get someone to use the calipers on you.

Carolyn
 
scales are pure evil}( . i don't believe in them. every now and then i just reach into the back of my closet for a pair of pants that i used to wear, . . and try them on. if i can get them over my thigh, . . yeah, . . over my back side, . . even better, . . if i can zip them up, . . i'm throwing a party. truth of the fact is that i find scales unreliable since your weight varies throughout the day. i mean having a bowel movement can lighten the load and change the numbers, . . .i pretty much look at it this way. if i'm healthy and strong great. it's okay to have goals and to be fit, . . but don't let those numbers on the scale deter you or discourage you from living a healthy lifestyle. do it because you love it and because it's good for you. my two cents.
:)
 
I can't even imagine a scale that you step onto that can have anything close to an accurate measurement of body fat. I know they make them, but how in the world do they work? I wouldn't trust that thing as far as I can throw it. Carola, I wouldn't worry about what a scale like that says.
 
I use mine only as a trend. Water retention or dehydration make a difference in the reading and (not to be gross here) but depending on whats in your intestines seems to make a difference too. If I were you, I would just keep using it the next several days and see if it comes back down.

Jean
 
I understand that with the weight and I really don't pay much attention to weight anymore, I just use it as a general trend to see if the weight goes down over time (and I have to lose a LOT of weight, ahem).

I always thought the bodyfat feature is more reliable than the weight, but I guess I was falling for a marketing ploy :+

I have had my scale for about a year and I have never had that happen, it would vary by as much as 2 % difference morning to evening but not over 5 %. Weird. I guess even I have to live with the fact that not everything is logical and there are things that can't be explained.

Oh well, but I guess the good news is, I lost 9 pounds over the past 12 days :) and I have never felt better.

Have a great day everyone!

Carola
 
Hi Carol! First of all I don't believe in those scales either. Second here is just a couple little tid bits on weight loss. One big one is where are you in your menstral cycle? You can lose weight easily on days 1-14(day 1 being the first day of your period). Days 15-28 it is really hard to lose weight, because you are ovulating and your body is getting ready for a pregnancy. So your body tends to hold on to the fat. Also how often you have a bowel movement has a big impact. Your intestinal health has a huge role on losing wight.

Melissa
 
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