lean muscle loss?

Avatar for mally29
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Registered: 10-15-2003
lean muscle loss?
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Mon, 10-20-2003 - 10:47am
Hi everyone,

I have a question. I began the SB diet last wednesday....and it just so happens I am also on a fitness program...since last wednesday I have lost 5 pounds...have not felt hungry, pants don't feel looser, and I was surprised when I stepped on the scale at the gym this morning. It just so happened that I had an assesment test this morning....According to the body fat analysis, all 5 of those pounds are lean muscle....not fat. Can someone help?

Thanks,

Michelle

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Christopher Patrick is

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Avatar for mally29
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Registered: 10-15-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 11:55am
...and to answer the question before anyone even asks, I had my body fat done correctly at the gym....

Thanks in advance,

Michelle

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Christopher Patrick is

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Registered: 04-28-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 12:18pm
I wonder if that is my problem too. I sure hope not because that doesn't sound good. I have been steadily losing almost a pound a day (last week) but I'm not noticing any change in the way my clothes fit. I'm starting week 4 (week 2 of phase 2.) All I've been doing for exercise is walking but I plan on adding strength training this week. I haven't been measuring my body fat, so I have no way to tell.
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Registered: 10-08-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 12:57pm
I wish I could help more but the only explanation I have is you might not be eating enough. From what I understand, when you body uses muscle for energy, it's because it hasn't gotten the calories it needs and thinks it's "starving". Therefore, it hords the fat and ends up burning muscle. I don't know how much you are eating so this may or may not be the case. in the diet and fitness section, there's a calculator to find out how many calories a day you need. I know we don't count calories but in your case, I'd try it for a couple of days to see if that helps. I try to stick to 1800 calories a day becuase of my activity level, muscle mass, etc. www.fitday.com helps me stay where I need to be.

I'm sorry if this isn't helpful, but please let us know how you're doing.




Edited 10/20/2003 1:42:11 PM ET by runnermom79

Avatar for mally29
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Registered: 10-15-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 2:31pm
Thanks...I don't quite get it myself...I hit the gym about 3 times a week....using the elyptical machines for about 30 minutes, and strength 2 x week (not back to back)...and I am not following the diet to a tea, for example, it was my dh's birthday saturday night, so along with a nice antipasto, which was yummy, I also had two thin crust pizza slices, and a small piece of choc cake....other than that, my morning has been eggs (of some type)...this morning I had the spinach cups in the book....for lunch I have been eating a salad with oil and balsamic vinegar with either low fat ham, or yesterday I had chicken....often I do miss my morning snack because I am at the gym, but mid afternoon snack has been nuts or a cheese stick, and then supper...pork, chicken, with asparagus, broccoli, a salad....I try to vary it....I don't get up from the table hungry...for lunch today, I had tuna with a little fat free mayo, with romaine lettuce, and ended up putting it on one slice of multi grain bread because now I am concerned about losing muscle....geeze....here I think I am doing well, and now I am not sure.

Michelle

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Christopher Patrick is

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Registered: 10-08-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 2:38pm
try to add the whole wheat whole grain bread or some beans through the day. See if that helps. If you don't have much to lose, Dr. A gives the okay to start in phase 2. That may be what you need.

Good luck!

Avatar for mally29
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Registered: 10-15-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 3:49pm
My goal is only about 20 pounds. I am 5' 7 1/2, and I weighed between 170 and 173....when I began my excercise program, that scale said 172. After 4 weeks of the program( and before the SB diet) I weighed 169.5 (same scale)...today, after 7 weeks (and 1 week on the SB diet)I am 164.5 and my body fat went from 130 to 129.5 in 7 weeks...he said that amounts to about 3 pounds, which means 5 pounds of muscle. I went from 169/170 to 164 in less than a week...and that is when I started the diet, so that is what I am attributing it to. We were definately carb junkies....bad carbs, I should say....and never really realized some of the things were eating were just metabolizing into sugar. I had Gestational Diabetes with my first pregnancy, and my cholest. and LDL are high (trig. are fine)....all my weight is in the middle....my legs are like string beans....it's all in the gut/belly area.

I will try adding the whole grain bread and some fruits and see if it helps. Do I need more protein?

Thanks so much,

Michelle

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Christopher Patrick is

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Registered: 07-17-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 4:04pm
Hi Michelle!

What method did the trainer use to take you body fat measurments? Just curious (and bear with me, because I might have some ideas as to what is going on with you...)

Stacy

Avatar for mally29
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Registered: 10-15-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 4:40pm
I am actually not sure of what it is called. It was not with electrodes, it was a machine, looks a little like the insed of a steering wheel on a car, you hold it directly in front of you, input the info (weight, height, not sure if there was anything else) and wait. While I believe that there MUST be a margin for error, I do not feel like I lost 5 pounds, either...

Michelle

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Christopher Patrick is

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Registered: 10-08-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 5:52pm
A little more couldn't hurt. I try to have a good serving size of protein at every meal

Breakfast-lean bacon in the micro w/ egg beater cheese omlette

Lunch-lunch meat, chicken breast, lean hamburger patty w/ veggie

Dinner-chicken, pork chop, chili, lean hamburger, shrimp, salmon, beef tenderloin w/ mashed cauliflower or broccoli or squash w/ a bean of some sort.

I have small amounts of protein with snacks but the bulk comes with the main meals. I'm not a veggie eater so it's hard for me to get them in. It's coming along slowly:)

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Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: mally29
Mon, 10-20-2003 - 9:21pm

I've never heard of anybody losing 5 lbs. of lean muscle that fast. Usually that much weight that quickly is mostly (or all) fluid. Is there a way you can have your body fat confirmed by another method?


I think the suggestions to add a little of the Phase 2 foods and a little more protein is a good idea. Here is a quote from The Fat Flush Plan that is applicable to the South Beach Diet and

       ~~Rhonda~~


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