Body Fat % is increasing

[alecjcook]

Hi, I started trying to loose weight about a month ago. I have tried to keep in calorie deficit and exercising more. I was 160lb 27% fat. After a month I an 159lb but my body fat has been steadily climbing is now at 35%! Can anyone explain why my body fat seems to be increasing? I have Alta

Moderator edit: subject for clarity 

[alecjcook]

The scales are: *aria

[Heybales]

Because you aren't gaining in reality.

BIA type scales are just not that accurate.

If you have an accurate scale (meaning tested against better measurement methods) and present exactly the same hydrated body to it - accuracy could be within 5%.

Since that is unlikely - easily 10%.

And that's if scale is consistent (you can have bad accuracy but at least consistently off - can you step off, get back on, and get same reading?).

So you are still within the realm of inaccuracy on either measurement - meaning in reality there could be no change at all to the actual %.

But you have the right idea - it's a tool best used over months of observing, to see the trend direction, with no single reading really meaningful.

Your initial reading could have been after a very high sodium diet day, and water levels tad higher than normal. Since water is part of LBM (Lean Body Mass), that means FM (Fat Mass) was lower. Because BIA measures impedance for water.

2nd reading could have been after a low sodium diet week, so water levels lower than normal, so LBM appeared lower, which means FM was higher.

Really try to find that day for measuring/logging that avoids known reasons for water weight fluctuations.

Morning after rest day eating normal sodium levels.

Even there though - if still sore then retained water, and a high sodium meal can increase water in 1 day but take 3-4 to drop back down.

Keep it up. And start measuring several spots and logging that too - scale weight not always the best indicator of progress.

[alecjcook]

So, I have been using the scales every day for a month and a slow increase in fat. I know I am getting stronger and in better shape. I thought I could use both weight and fat as two separate metrics to give me a good indication of my progress. If this is not true, can you advise better metrics? What is the name of that tool used to pinch your skin and measure fat? Would that work?

[Heybales]

Measurements.

Guys for waist usually, right at belly button level around.

Then a few other areas you've observed where fat is first on or last off, maybe thigh at the widest, hips widest.

Calipers in the hands of a skilled person can give good results for 7-site method. You can become decently skilled for hitting a few spots just to have measurements - you can't reach all the spots to use a good formula though, so it's just the same as measuring to get a few figures to track for changes, in mm instead of inches.

In which case I'd just stick with the measuring tape figures.

Forget about overall accuracy of some true BF% figure - the mirror will tell you if higher than desired.

Getting stronger will tell you if a good rate of loss and not losing muscle mass (which is buried in LBM figure anyway).