Losing weight but gaining body fat

Avatar for katen73
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Losing weight but gaining body fat
23
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 8:43am
I've been on the South Beach Diet for 2 and a half weeks now. I've followed it to the best of my ability considering that there are certain fodds that I can't and won't eat. I haven't had any of the processed carbs. No bread, pastas etc. No fruit and I eat my vegitables and have chicken, turkey, sirloins, and the propper foods. The problem that is happening is that while I'm losing weight my body fat is continually rising. I thought that maybe my body had to adjust some more in stage one before I went to stage two. I've lost 17 lbs in 19 days but my body fat has gone up by 13%. When I was on the atkins diet my body fat dropped like a rock. Has anyone else had any similar experiences or can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong or what I need to do? I'm so confused.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-08-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 10:36am
how are you measuring your body fat? how are your clothes fitting? 13%seems like a lot for a two week time period.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 12:53pm
With Atkins, you are in ketosis where you are burning body fat for fuel in the first two stages, which is why you experienced a drop in your body fat percentage while on Atkins. With the South Beach Diet, I'm not sure if you ever get into ketosis, maybe borderline. You may be losing weight, but if you are still primarily burning glucose for fuel, you will still be in the process of storing body fat.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 4:11pm
Ivy leaves,

I see you on the Atkins boards posting. Anyhow, it's always great for Atkins people to share knowledge if it applies to SBD diet. Someone posted a while ago explaining the weight loss issue of water first. I can't remember who is was though. Runnermom79 or maybe Ellen or Maryanne might know the technical reason why. hmmmmmmm.... I also remember someone posting, or maybe it was telling me, that in order to lose weight, your body must be in ketosis. It's just how the body works to use fat instead of refined carbs for energy. Anyone want to help me out here??? lol. Thanks!

Ria

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-08-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 4:44pm
Question...did you read her post? She said she lost 17 pounds in 19 days so she IS losing weight. What we've got to figure out is what method is she using to measure her body fat. A scale isn't the most accurate way to measure and that could be where the 13%jump is coming from or a different person using calipers could be the cause. It would take a lot longer than 19 days to get a 13% difference in either direction. Also, it's not necessary to get into ketosis for sucess on this plan. He states that in his book. I think 17 pounds in 19 days is a huge success and the method of body fat measurement would be left up to question.

Isn't it funny how the two plans are so close but the few properties that make them different lead people in one direction or another?

Have a good weekend!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-1999
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 5:03pm

Fat is energy. Muscle is energy. Your body will use whatever it has available for energy. If you are eating some healthy fat and have excess fat to use while eating healthy in other respects, your body will use fat as energy. The body doesn't NEED refined carbs, and if you are not feeding it refined carbs, it can't use them for energy!


Catherine

 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 5:23pm
I am not sure if this post was specific to me, but I will clarify my post for you. In my own words, I know why there is such a dramatic weight loss at the beginning. I can't explain that very well. However, I have seen several explain it to posters where the information is understood. I understand your post very well. I know that if your body does not have refined carbs, it can't burn them. I understand about energy very well. I have been on SBD since September 8, and I am doing great! It's an easy eating plan to stick to without feeling deprived. YIPPIE!

Cheers!

Ria

212/197.5/192

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 5:37pm
I agree with you Alison, I would like to know how the body fat is being measured.

It does not seem physically possible to lose 17 lbs and have a 13% increase in body fat.

Ria -- I think what you are asking about is water loss? When you cut out most carbs for a while your body uses up the carbs it has stored as glycogen in your body. When your body stores the glycogen it stores it with water. So when you use it up, it releases the water, hence quick weight loss at the beginning of pretty much all diets, lower carb diets make you use up the glycogen quicker as you are not really replenishing it at all,

therefore, quicker weight loss vs. higher carb diets that you are taking in less calories,

therefore using some stores, but you are also replacing them, so the weight loss is not as quick.

Hmmm. I am real curious about this.

ellen

 

Avatar for katen73
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 8:45pm
I am using a Tanita scale that weighs and measures your body fat %.

Thanks so much!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 8:52pm
Ellen,

See, that was my thought process, but I knew I couldn't make it sound knowledgable. lol. Thanks!

Ria

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 10:45pm
I don't believe it was a question of her losing weight--the question was why is she showing an increased percentage of body fat. You can lose weight but still increase your body fat, which is what she is experiencing at the moment.

If you define success as weight loss, then yes, she is succeeding. If you define success as a reduction in body fat, then no, she is not succeeding.

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