Bodt fat % going up

D

demondancer

0
Hi - I am a 5'3", 125lbs 30-year-old female, and for the last year I have been working out (cardio, weights, interval training, yoga) three times a week.

My weight has remained steady (which I'm happy with - I just wanted to tone up), but my body fat percentage has gone from 23% to 26% in that time. I'm really confused as my clothes are looser, and I feel and look more lean. I have put on a bit of muscle.

So why is my body fat percentage going up?
 
Hi, I would say it is measurement error. If your weight is the same, your clothes are looser, and you feel more lean, then you must have added muscle and lost body fat.
 
stangelj said:
Hi, I would say it is measurement error. If your weight is the same, your clothes are looser, and you feel more lean, then you must have added muscle and lost body fat.
Click to expand...

I agree that a measurement error is prettty likely... how did you have your body fat % measured?
 
Thanks so much for your replies. I have some Withings scales in my bathroom, I use those. They have said 22-23% body fat all year until I last measured in early January. I then forgot to measure for a while until Friday, when I suddenly measured 26%. I measured myself just now (two days later) and it now says 27.2% body fat! But my weight is the same, and I feel small and toned, and like I said my clothes are getting a little looser all the time... I'm a bit shocked. Maybe I'm doing something wrong with my workouts and food intake?
 
Bioelectrical impedance is actually a very poor method of measuring body fat, as they'll give you a different reading based on your hydration level and what kind of foods you've eaten. In theory, you can figure out an accurate reading by multiple trials and measuring your hydration, but I would never take what one of those scales says to heart.
 
Make sure you are weighing yourself first thing in the morning before you eat anything and without clothing. The time of the month can also have a large impact on the reading because of increased fluid levels during certain times of your menstrual cycle. In the morning your body fat percentage is usually higher than in the afternoon because of the water distribution changing while you are sleeping.
 
Thanks so much everyone for your replies, this has put my mind at rest. I will try measuring my body fat using a few different methods for a more accurate reading, and also make sure I weigh myself in the morning. I did wonder if hormones and the food in my stomach could affect the measurements.
 
Unfortunately, it's pretty tough to actually get access to an accurate body fat measurement method.
http://training.fitness.com/weight-loss/measuring-body-fat-51174.html
 
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