Totally Gutted....Can somebody explain this?

N

NickyK

0
Here's the story...

I went to the gym today full of anticipation as I was getting my BF% measured. It was almost 5 weeks since the last time and I was expecting a drop of maybe 1% or so.

11 Sept Results: Height 168, Age 34, Weight 74.3 kgs, BF% 18.7%, R Leg 16.6%, L Leg, 16.7%, R Arm 12%, L Arm 12.5%, Trunk 21.3%

15 Oct Results Height 170, Age 34, Weight 74.3 kgs, BF% 19.6%, R Leg 16.4%, L Leg 16.7%, R Arm 12.6%, L Arm 13.1%, Trunk 22.9%

I was totally gutted and am thinking of giving up the gym altogether. I was doing a crappy 3 way split but from info received here switched to a FBW on 11 Sept on M W F with cardio T and T and also friendly 5 aside soccer on Sat. My eating habits are good Mon to Fri and a little bit off at weekends. The only real difference in what I'm eating is 3 protein shakes a day which I wasn't doing before 11 Sept.

Can anybody explain this? I can post up my exercise routine and a diet if required.
Disillusioned
 
Yeah, if you're in a calorie surplus you will gain weight, mostly muscle if you train but usually some fat too.
 
I generally eat the same most days.
Bowl of bran flakes
3 Protein shakes
Apple
Banana
2 Plums
Pear
Tin of weight watchers Tuna
Dinner usually consists of potatoes, meat and veg or meat , sauce and rice/pasta and I split this into 2 portions.
I generally eat 5 times a day. I work shifts so when I eat varies from week to week.
 
if you are exercising 5 times a week and you've gained weight, then your diet isn't all its cracked up to be. You must be eating carbs at the wrong times, not enough protein, I would guess not enough omega 3 (encourages fat loss) and too many calories.
Clean it up!
 
Limestix, that's fair enough. I did say at weekends my diet isn't great. It includes maybe a chinese or a burger and some chocolate but I haven't had any alcohol either in the month. I'm not saying I'm superman or anything but I was expecting some improvement. Hence the disappointment. At the end of the day if I didn't put the work in I would know myself.
 
looks like this was measured with calipers, which are notorious for inaccuracy, especially if the operator is different than the last time. Also, how did you grow almost an inch at age 34?
 
Haha yeah I noticed the growth spurt too!!! Hope it keeps up, at 5ft 7 I could do with it!! It was done with those machines where you remove trainers and socks and step onto and hold handles, Tanita body composition analyser. I believe it sends a low level current through you.

Is this possible....

I was reading something on Chillens log about dropping carbs for a day every now and then and also reducing your calorie intake on days you don't train. The day before I was measured I couldn't make training so I dropped carbs from my diet. Just to try it for a day. I woke up feeling lean and even remarked to my gym buddy how I felt but that I had been p!$$ing like crazy all that day. I believe those machines are only accurate if you've consumed a lot of water. I hadn't, I'd only had my breakfast and a shake and I was still urinating like mad from the day before!!!
A long shot? I thought that too!!!
 
limestix said:
looks like this was measured with calipers, which are notorious for inaccuracy, especially if the operator is different than the last time. Also, how did you grow almost an inch at age 34?
Click to expand...

This was my very first thought as well, and was also about to say you grew two inchs ??!? lol a mass displacment calculator is the only accurate measurment of BF%,(that i know of) they have them at fitness science labs, they look like egg's and you sit inside them. you call them up out of the phone book and make an appointment cost is about 50$ ish takes like 5min,, also if your replaced that fat with muscle thoes calipers will say it's more fat 100% of the time.
 
NickyK said:
Haha yeah I noticed the growth spurt too!!! Hope it keeps up, at 5ft 7 I could do with it!! It was done with those machines where you remove trainers and socks and step onto and hold handles, Tanita body composition analyser. I believe it sends a low level current through you.

Is this possible....

I was reading something on Chillens log about dropping carbs for a day every now and then and also reducing your calorie intake on days you don't train. The day before I was measured I couldn't make training so I dropped carbs from my diet. Just to try it for a day. I woke up feeling lean and even remarked to my gym buddy how I felt but that I had been p!$$ing like crazy all that day. I believe those machines are only accurate if you've consumed a lot of water. I hadn't, I'd only had my breakfast and a shake and I was still urinating like mad from the day before!!!
A long shot? I thought that too!!!
Click to expand...

Those impedence machines are horribly inaccurate. They are a good "ballpark" and you got a good ballpark measurement of your BF%, but as someone else pointed out, there is only one REAL accurate method. Calipers are as accurate as the person doing the measuring.

What I say to my clients when they are frustrated with their lack of results is to ask themselves the following questions:

1. Did you journal your food intake daily?
2. Did you exercise reasonably and follow your exercise plan?
3. Did you make healthy eating choices 80-90% of the time?
4. Did you have a reasonable calorie deficit every day (if you're trying to lose weight)?

If you can answer yes to all of those, then you are doing your body right and it will respond. It doesn't always respond on our timetable, but it does always respond. (Barring very rare medical situations, it will respond.)
 
1. Did you journal your food intake daily?
2. Did you exercise reasonably and follow your exercise plan?
3. Did you make healthy eating choices 80-90% of the time?
4. Did you have a reasonable calorie deficit every day (if you're trying to lose weight)?

1. I used to journal it on fitday but I found I was generally eating the same things most days. My calorie intake was always around the 1800-2000 mark. According to the BMR I was allowed 2700.
2. Yes
3. Yes, although I will rethink my eating habits at weekends and make the right choices.
4. Yes I believe so.

I will persevere for another month and get measured again!!!
 
I think its possible to grow 2cm especially if you are starting to become active and are weight training.
You didn't actually grow though, probably just improved your posture.
Most westerners suffer from monkey butt (i forget the scientific name) where the lower back is arched, causing the butt to stick out in the back and the gut to stick out in the front. Having an arch in your spine would also cause you to lose some height
 
limestix said:
I think its possible to grow 2cm especially if you are starting to become active and are weight training.
You didn't actually grow though, probably just improved your posture.
Most westerners suffer from monkey butt (i forget the scientific name) where the lower back is arched, causing the butt to stick out in the back and the gut to stick out in the front. Having an arch in your spine would also cause you to lose some height
Click to expand...

I do suffer from Lumbago and it stopped me deadlifting and squatting for a while. 2cms is a lot though!!
 
I'll just add that +-1% of BF when you are at 19%+ is completely irrelevant IMHO and therefore a terrible reason to quit the gym. I stopped these little inconsistency bothering me a long time ago. Think long term, think aiming for 8%BF, you don't even need to get calipered (lol, did I just invent a new word) for this, because when you're 8%BF you just know by looking at the mirror.

I think too much measuring is the enemy of motivation. Try weighting yourself everyday for example, you'll find your bodyweight itself varies +-2kg at any given time, depending on water retention, when/what you ate, if you visited the toilet recently or not, etc :)

Don't sweat it buddy, you're working out and that means you're well on your way to success!
 
Hi Guys,

I didn't quit the gym. I took all the advice on board and cleaned up my weekend eating habits. Got measured for BF% yesterday.

11 Sept Results: Height 168, Age 34, Weight 74.3 kgs, BF% 18.7%, R Leg 16.6%, L Leg, 16.7%, R Arm 12%, L Arm 12.5%, Trunk 21.3%

15 Oct Results Height 170, Age 34, Weight 74.3 kgs, BF% 19.6%, R Leg 16.4%, L Leg 16.7%, R Arm 12.6%, L Arm 13.1%, Trunk 22.9%

21 Nov Results Height 170, Age 34, Weight 73.3 kgs, BF% 15.5%, R Leg 13.4%, L Leg 13.4%, R Arm 10.3%, L Arm 10.9%, Trunk 17.9%

I think myself, now that's there's not much fat left in my arms and legs the fat loss has started to finally shift from my face, stomach and chest. Needless to say I'm pretty happy and now have the motivation to push again. The girl at the gym actually said to start watching myself now in case I became scrawny!!

A few questions.
1. How many calories in a teaspoon of peanut butter? I can't find it anywhere.
2. Can somebody recommend some vitiamins? I take echinecha for anti colds etc and protein shakes twice a day when I train, once when I don't.

Thanks,

Nicky
 
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