How can you gain fat lbs while losing weight?

MathSci · 03-03-2012, 05:30 PM

I was just checking my measurements on the MWC website and I noticed that there was a week where I gained almost 3 lbs in fat mass. How can you gain fat lbs when you are eating so few calories?????

That same week, I lost 5.8 lbs of water and my overall weight loss was 5.1 lbs so I'm not complaining, but I'm just trying to understand this. The following week, I lost almost 7 lbs of fat, but my water weight went up by 2.6 lbs. Was something wrong with the Tanita scale?

Michelynn · 03-03-2012, 06:12 PM

One week, they told me that when you lose a lot of water, it can throw off the fat reading on the scale. I don't think there's any way you gained fat so don't worry too much about it.

scottieMike · 03-03-2012, 08:30 PM

The scale is estimating water, fat, etc.

The only reasonably accurate measure is the weight.

I would ignore the other readings.

Psmileyf · 03-04-2012, 04:43 AM

Does it measure muscle mass? Could you have lost muscle mass and gained fat?

MathSci · 03-04-2012, 06:39 AM

I don't see a measurement for muscle mass. I don't think I'm going to look at all those numbers again because I just get caught up in what it all means. I'm just going to focus on what my weight is!

jbjb93 · 03-04-2012, 06:53 AM

Look in the medi posts about this. Someone had posted an article that explains water loss and fat loss (last november maybe?). I don't know how to do links.
Let me know if you can't find it.

Michelynn · 03-04-2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psmileyf

Does it measure muscle mass? Could you have lost muscle mass and gained fat?

On your slip from the scale, the FFM amount is Fat Free Mass -- so muscle, bone, water, connective tissue, etc. It can give you an idea of muscle loss/gain since you also know the amount that is water.

Also, if you look on the Medi website, you can see the graph with the breakdown of Fat, Water, and Lean Body Mass (which seems to be anything that is not water or fat). It took me a while to figure out that if you click on one of those 3 categories under the graph, it disappears. So you can see just 1 or 2 at a time. I like looking at the Fat only graph!

I've also read that recent exercise, full bladder, and dehydration can affect the readings.

03-03-2012, 05:30 PM	#1
MathSci Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Midlothian, VA Posts: 94 Gallery: MathSci Stats: 348.8/248.0/199 WOE: Medi Weight Loss Start Date: Jan. 24, 2012	How can you gain fat lbs while losing weight? I was just checking my measurements on the MWC website and I noticed that there was a week where I gained almost 3 lbs in fat mass. How can you gain fat lbs when you are eating so few calories????? That same week, I lost 5.8 lbs of water and my overall weight loss was 5.1 lbs so I'm not complaining, but I'm just trying to understand this. The following week, I lost almost 7 lbs of fat, but my water weight went up by 2.6 lbs. Was something wrong with the Tanita scale?

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03-03-2012, 06:12 PM	#2
Michelynn Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 183 Gallery: Michelynn Stats: 215/157/150 WOE: Medi Weightloss Start Date: 9/6/11	One week, they told me that when you lose a lot of water, it can throw off the fat reading on the scale. I don't think there's any way you gained fat so don't worry too much about it.

03-03-2012, 08:30 PM	#3
scottieMike Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 196 Gallery: scottieMike Stats: 265/228/175 WOE: Atkins Start Date: April 2011	The scale is estimating water, fat, etc. The only reasonably accurate measure is the weight. I would ignore the other readings.

03-04-2012, 04:43 AM	#4
Psmileyf Very Gabby LCF Member!!! Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Philly Burbs Posts: 3,803 Gallery: Psmileyf Stats: 215/193 on WW/167since LC Aug 1st/166 WOE: Atkins Start Date: 8/1/2011	Does it measure muscle mass? Could you have lost muscle mass and gained fat?

03-04-2012, 06:39 AM	#5
MathSci Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Midlothian, VA Posts: 94 Gallery: MathSci Stats: 348.8/248.0/199 WOE: Medi Weight Loss Start Date: Jan. 24, 2012	I don't see a measurement for muscle mass. I don't think I'm going to look at all those numbers again because I just get caught up in what it all means. I'm just going to focus on what my weight is!

03-04-2012, 06:53 AM	#6
jbjb93 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: outside Chicago Posts: 134 Gallery: jbjb93 Stats: 233/173.0/150 WOE: Medi-Weightloss Start Date: Sept 2, 2011	Look in the medi posts about this. Someone had posted an article that explains water loss and fat loss (last november maybe?). I don't know how to do links. Let me know if you can't find it.