Weight Gain/Decrease in Body Fat Percentage?

[cherylnb]

Dear educated crowd -

Does anyone know how to answer this question: Suppose a person gains 2 pounds but also loses 2% body fat (as an example). Is there a way to calculate whether or not the pounds are all muscle gain? Put another way, is there a way to "quantify" progress? I mean, even though muscle weighs more than fat, it would be good to know at what point you are deluding yourself by claiming that your weight gain is all solid muscle!!

Thanks!

 

[Debra]

You've just posed a simple math problem. If one weighed 100# & gained 2# but body fat went from 26% to 24%, they had 26# of fat before & about 24# after. So they lost fat #. Or gained some water weight.

All of this presumes that one has access to an accurate body fat measuring device. Personally I take the jeans test. Meaning how do my clothes feel.

Debra

 

[YasB]

Dear cherylnb-
I think that the best way to quantify progress is to use a tape measure b/c it will better measure fat loss. I lose weight so slowly that if I didn't measure myself I would think that no progress was being made! For example, in the last month I've lost ~4 inches (measuring about 5 different body parts) but only 1.5#. So, the pounds on the scale didn't reflect the changes taking place.

I use a formula by Covert Bailey (an exercise physiologist) where you can plug in a few body measures and then convert to Bodyfat %. That and weekly weigh-ins lets me monitor progress (and setbacks, of course). Let me know if you want the formula. I don't have it with me right now.


Yas B

 

[getyourfreakon0402]

Hi Yas B,

I'd love to see that formula!

Thanks,
J.

 

[naughtoj]

I know the formula!!!!!

J...are you under 30 or over 30 and I will post it tonite!!! ( the formula is different based on your age..and you are female, right??

The Covert body fat test is so much nicer than the rest in that you seem to get lower numbers. I have a body fat scale that measures me FAT, but when I do the Covert test, I am actually an athlete!! My sis for some reason has done my scale and the body fat for Covert and she comes out relatively the same in percentage BF, but I guess she is more "skinny" looking with much less muscle bulk.. Oh well....let me know!!!

 

[cherylnb]

Thanks everyone! Your answers really helped. I know that how clothes fit is a good indicator. It's just that I can be overly analytical (I'll post that to the "quirk" thread!)

I have to comment that the phrase "Simple Math Problem" seems like an oxymoron to me!

 

[getyourfreakon0402]

Nautoj,

I'm neither under 30 nor over 30...I'm 30 Interesting in the comparison between your sis's difference between a fat scale and the equation. Fat scales are so quirky and expensive so the equations sounds like a great solution. I'm interested in how it works.

Thanks!

 

[Debra]

Sorry, still think like a tax accountant. There's a tired old joke about engineers, lawyers & accountants - the punch line is "What do you want it (the number) to be?"

You asked a good question. It's pretty easy to talk yourself into believing that the scale is just measuring muscle gain when doing a PS rotation when it's just your fired up appetite.

 

[fit@home]

Honestly, the VERY best way to

measure bodyfat gain/loss is by water immersion! Most athletic departments in universities will do this for you relatively cheaply. When I had mine done at Wichita State University, it only cost me $15.00!!

Hollie

 

[Bobbi]

RE: Honestly, the VERY best way to

Hi! Whenever I see a question about a 2 or 3 pound weight gain, I always have to point out that a 2 or 3 pound weight gain may be nothing more than a flucuation in your water levels. My weight fluctuates by 2-3 pounds during the course of a monthly cycle. My point is a 2-3 pound fluctuation is normal and may not mean much at all!
I think Cheryl is correct about how your clothes fit because the scale lies even when you are fit.
Bobbi http://www.plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Chick's Rule!

 

[naughtoj]

RE: Honestly, the VERY best way to

Hi guys!

Well, I second what Bobby says. It depends on how fast the weight gain/body fat loss happened. If we are talking within a week here, well, yes, your gain is mostly water. But VERY important to understand is this: It is very hard to gain muscle MASS without gaining a little bit of fat. They say it is actually almost impossible. What would be more accurate is that almost all that extra weight is water, because if you are losing a good amount of true body fat, your weight should really not be increasing. See??

I also wanted to post the Covert Bailey body fat measurement test here, it is also on Health Central.com...you just plug in your values for the measurements and it gives you your percentage BF.

J...if you are 30 years old, you get to use the "women thirty years and younger measurement which is....

hips + (.80 x thigh)- (2 x calf) - wrist= BF percentage

WOMEN OVER 30 have to use this...

hips + thigh - (2 x calf)- wrist = BF percentage

Really, you should use the website. It tells you where exactly to measure and computes it for you. On the Firm Forum there was some upset about the calculation automatically adding an extra 3% BF or so if you were over 30. Well, as you can see, you have to use your total thigh measurement if you are over 30 as opposed to only .80 if you are under, and I had remarked that I thought this was due to the assumption that the size of the AVERAGE SEDENTARY NON-WEIGHT LIFTING woman, over 30, is probably due to fat rather than muscle. Kinda unfair assumption for all of us, yeah, but relatively accurate for the more unfit population. SO, if you are over 30 but under 50, and lift weights, I would say use the under 30 calculation and it is probably a bit more accurate for you. Over 50, you have to admit that inevitably you have either lost some muscle or have stopped gaining it at the same rate as when you were in your 20's.

Of course, Covert Bailey did not give a reason for his method of measuring in his book, this is just my intellectual deduction as a result of knowing a great deal on the subject. Hope you can all use the website and it gives you GOOD NUMBERS!!! Take care, Janice