percentage of body fat

Question
hmm. so maybe this brings me to the next question.

1.) but first, i read somewhere that for every 10 pounds lost, as much as 6 can be muscle. i can't
seem to find the source, but it was some medical website, not a diet program.

2.) i have now hit that lovely weight loss plateau. i lost 3 pounds per week for 3 months, but for
4 weeks now i have lost no weight, even though i am eating 1200 cal a day or less (yes, i have
checked carefully) this is what started me wondering about the body fat % and also going out to
walk more frequently, but still not loosing any weight. i do get tired, but have been blaming it on
increased stress at work.

ok, i promise that after this i will stop asking things, but thanks again. i really appreciate your
help!

u
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Followup To
Question -
thanks so much for your answer. i guess my concern is: is it possible that i am loosing just as
much muscle as fat because i am not exercising quite as much as i should? my body feels like i
actually have more muscle than when i started all this, but just making sure?

you are right about these scales not being all that accurate, but i bought a very "high end" Tanita
and i am aware of the hydration factor. it also could be that i got a lemon.

u


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Followup To
Question -
I bought a scale that measures body fat percentage along with
weight. In 5 months I have lost 34 pounds and my BMI has gone
from 29.6 to 25. Yet the scale tells me that my percentage of body-
fat started at 40 and is now 41. How is that possible?

(I am a 48 year old woman 5,11" and currently weigh 179 pounds. I
am moderately active and I need to loose another 20 -30 pounds
to be at the lower end of healthy weight.)
Answer -
Uta,

You may have bought a bad quality scale.  Scales that also try to calculate body fat based on
Bioimpedance Analysis (BIA).  This technique tends to underestimate fat in overweight people.  
Also, your hydration status can significantly alter the reading.  BIA has an accuracy of +/- 5-6%
compared to the more accurate method of hydrostatic weighing (under water weighing).  

If you have lost 34 lbs and your BMI has gone from 29.6 to 25, it certainly appears that the body
fat analysis is incorrect.  I wouldn't worry about it, you are obviously making good progress.

Keep up the good work.

Todd
Answer -
Uta,

You bring up a good point, but I didn't mention the possibility of half of you weight loss being
muscle because it is not a realistic possibility that half of your weight loss is muscle.

It is true that when people lose weight, they probably will also lose some muscle tissue and this
is more pronounced in people who do not exercise during weight loss.  However, the amount of
muscle loss is typically much smaller than the amount of fat loss.

In your case, half of your weight loss would have to have come from muscle for your body fat %
to remain the same.  If this were to occur, your weight loss probably would have stopped and
you probably would have felt weak and generally poor.

I hope this helps.

Todd

Answer
Uta,

The minimum you should be eating is 1200 calories, though 1500 may be more reasonable.  If you starve yourself too much, your metabolism may slow too much and you may increase the amount of muscle loss.  

Your plateau could be partly due to your lack of regular exercise.  Your getting tired during walking could be from you being "out of shape" and your minimal caloric intake.  Also, regular exercise has been shown to be a good stress reliever.

I suggest you see your doctor for a check up if you haven't been in recently.  It's always best to check with a doctor before starting a diet and/or exercise plan.

Todd

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