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.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2003
Sat, 10-18-2003 - 11:15pm
Ivy Leaves,

Success or no success in the body fat arena depends on the instruments used to retrieve the measurements. Body fat is hard to judge by a scale. The question asked was why is she losing the weight, but her body fat is going sky high. IMO, scales are difficult to use with body fat. Anyone else agree? Nothing beats the skin calipers and few pinches here and there. I'll let someone else take this because it sounds to me, Ivy Leaves, that maybe you are confused as to what is the actual concern might be or is it possible you are trying to learn as well? Yes, this does write out as I am being negative, but I am not being negative. Your posts are just aligning themselves on a fine line between helpful and "pot stirring." However, this is just my opinion. No harm intended.

Ria

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-08-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 8:30am
I understand where you are coming from. Body fat scales are much more reliable than weight scales. your hydration level and muscle mass are two factors that can contribute to an inaccurate result. Yes, i know you can gain body fat and lose weight but not 13%worth. That is why I asked the questions I did before telling her anything drastic. We needed the facts first.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-08-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 8:32am
Cool! Okay, so how are your clothes fitting? Do you FEEL like you are gaining body fat? Are you weighing on the same day? Hydration and muscle mass have significan impact on body fat results. Will you post a normal days menu for us...just to make sure you're on the right track there?

Hope we're able to help:)

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 9:38am
Ria, you are entitled to your opinion, whatever that may be. Most people who start a diet or different way of eating are trying to lose weight and measure their success by whether they lose or not. Some people, however, (myself included) are more concerned about their health as far as body fat percentages and what that means to their cardiovascular system. I think it is great to lose weight, but if my body fat percentage goes up (and stays up, not just a momentary fluctuation), for me that is a cause of concern.

When a discussion such as this one comes up, you will see two different groups emerge--the people concerned with the weight loss, and the other group who fine-tunes their definition of success even more. If you call that "stirring the pot", that, of course, is your prerogative. Personally, I call it looking at things from a different perspective.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 10:04am
Ivy,

You posted:

You can lose weight but still increase your body fat, which is what she is experiencing at the moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would like to know how? The body is made of muscle, fat, and water. If you lose weight and gain fat then you have to lose enough muscle and water to equal the weight you lost plus the additional fat. That would make you very dehydrated and put you into ketosis big time.

Jo

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-1999
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 11:56am

Ria,


I understand better where you are coming from now. I saw your post as insisting that the body needed processed carbs for energy, and I couldn't figure out why you would even think that.


Of course, everyone has a right to their own opinion, and we will disagree on some of the little

 

winter 2010 siggy

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 7:37pm
Ivy,

Well said, and in my opinion, opinions are great when learning. Which WOE are you following? We have had a little headbutting before, but I see you amended your post on the Atkins board. I am sorry for getting defensive when I read your posts, but I don't like to see the negative posts come in here. Your ideas and opinions are more than welcome of course. People measure success in different ways. The original post was asking why body fat increases 13%. The next person asked how her body was being tested. That was the original idea regarding the posts. Thanks for your insight, and hopefully, we can keep on eating on! Take care,

Ria

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 7:48pm
Ria,

Perhaps you have me confused with someone else? I have never amended any of my posts on any board.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 7:55pm
This isn't you? http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-fbatkins/message.asp?webtag=iv-fbatkins&msg=38177.2

I tried to send you an email, but I didn't find an email addy.

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie First Birthday tickers
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2003
Sun, 10-19-2003 - 8:32pm
The post (on the Atkins board) was regarding your inquiry whether Reese's pieces would be a legal treat on Atkins. My reply was "Sweets are legal only if they are sugar-free...I think Reese's has a sugar-free peanut butter cup." I had originally posted just the portion prior to the three periods. I then remembered seeing a bag of Reese's sugar-free candy at the grocery store (they turned out to be sugar-free Reese's peanut butter cups), so I added the portion after the three periods just for general information.



Since Atkins doesn't count calories, the sugar-free varieties are considered "legal" after the first two weeks of induction. I did not post any of this info on the SBD board because I'm not sure where the SBD stands as far as sugar-free treats go.

Regarding your statement of me amending my post, I thought you were suggesting that I had changed one of my posts to reflect something opposite than I had originally posted. This was not the case.

(A few days after the posts on the Atkins board I did try the sugar-free peanut butter cups and they are actually quite good--if they are legal for whatever plan you are following, I think you would enjoy them).