Can anyone explain the mystery of the missing 12lb?

[Scruffmonster]

Nobody knows if this is true or has happened. Why would anyone want to lose metabolically active lean mass? Or indeed be happy about it?

Muscle mass which directly affects your metabolic rate to the tune of 350-500cals per day per 10lb muscle. Skews calorie deficits very easily.

I assumed that we knew this, That the first post contained a typo. ie His Body fat percentage was 30%. Not a BMI of 30%. My bad if not.

Irrespective of that, if you're coming down from 227lbs and two thirds of your weight loss is Fat, you're doing something right. What do you think would happen if he lost 100% fat every week? He'd probably weight 200lbs before he couldn't do anything more.

You HAVE to lose lean mass to a point. Some prefer not to, I myself would rather keep a bit of upper body muscle weight on there for when I play Football for example, but for me to start hitting hills as fast as I'd like, getting down to 5% body fat wouldn't help on it's own. Getting smaller, lighter muscles, powering a smaller, lighter body would be how to do it.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I assumed that we knew this, That the first post contained a typo. ie His Body fat percentage was 30%. Not a BMI of 30%. My bad if not.

Irrespective of that, if you're coming down from 227lbs and two thirds of your weight loss is Fat, you're doing something right. What do you think would happen if he lost 100% fat every week? He'd probably weight 200lbs before he couldn't do anything more.

You HAVE to lose lean mass to a point. Some prefer not to, I myself would rather keep a bit of upper body muscle weight on there for when I play Football for example, but for me to start hitting hills as fast as I'd like, getting down to 5% body fat wouldn't help on it's own. Getting smaller, lighter muscles, powering a smaller, lighter body would be how to do it.

Beurer scales measure BMI. The op stated BMI. This is correct because I harnessed the power of google and discovered they sell two BMI versions.

The OP stated 31lbs lost - The scales cannnot tell what the loss was accurately(We've discussed and ably debunked the BMI crap a few posts up). The OP does not know either - therefore nobody can know how much of the 31lbs was fat,water,muscle or lunch.

So we know: The OP weighs 196lbs - I wonder how much of that is body hair.

 

[Scruffmonster]

Beurer scales measure BMI. The op stated BMI. This is correct because I harnessed the power of google and discovered they sell two BMI versions.

The OP stated 31lbs lost - The scales cannnot tell what the loss was accurately(We've discussed and ably debunked the BMI crap a few posts up). The OP does not know either - therefore nobody can know how much of the 31lbs was fat,water,muscle or lunch.

So we know: The OP weighs 196lbs - I wonder how much of that is body hair.

Beurer scales also measure Body Fat.

BMI is not expressed as a percentage, to me, reading through, it looked like there was plenty of misunderstanding. If the scales are showing a % value, it's not BMI.

But cool.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Beurer scales also measure Body Fat.

BMI is not expressed as a percentage, to me, reading through, it looked like there was plenty of misunderstanding. If the scales are showing a % value, it's not BMI.

But cool.

They measure weight,they guess everything else. Typo or not the BMI 30 or BF 30% whatever it may be - reading is balls.

But cool. Concentrate on irrelevant stuff. It doesn't change the -31lb reading. It just means that nobody knows accurately what that 31lb was comprised of,which is still the overall point in question.

 

[MrJamie]

A lot of the body fat sensors are next to useless and guess based on your weight, with the handheld sensors you can get someone else to hold them or use a piece of wire and it often makes very little difference.

It's probably a mixture of fat, muscle, fluid etc. From what i remember, your energy stores require lots of water to bond so when you're on a calorie deficit and your energy stores are running light you end up considerably lighter from that. Its a bit like how people can lose half a stone after having a 24 hour stomach bug. If you start munching the pies you'll probably bounce back a fair bit of weight too.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

A lot of the body fat sensors are next to useless and guess based on your weight, with the handheld sensors you can get someone else to hold them or use a piece of wire and it often makes very little difference.

It's probably a mixture of fat, muscle, fluid etc. From what i remember, your energy stores require lots of water to bond so when you're on a calorie deficit and your energy stores are running light you end up considerably lighter from that. Its a bit like how people can lose half a stone after having a 24 hour stomach bug. If you start munching the pies you'll probably bounce back a fair bit of weight too.

3.7g water per g glycogen without referring to any manuals.

 

[Scruffmonster]

They measure weight,they guess everything else. Typo or not the BMI 30 or BF 30% whatever it may be - reading is balls.

But cool. Concentrate on irrelevant stuff. It doesn't change the -31lb reading. It just means that nobody knows accurately what that 31lb was comprised of.

Most body fat scales will do an excellent job of tracking weight loss through fat. They're never going to be super accurate, but if you use them daily, using your common sense to help them be precise then they're an excellent tool. Far better than a set of scales alone.

Simple things like standing on them first thing as you get out of bed and jotting down the numbers, skipping a day if you've had a skinful, or disregarding the results if you then go to pee and see a different colour to normal. They'll all see you keep track of your general body composition.

It's not about trusting them to bet your life away, it's about being as precise as possible. Quoting 'I am 14% body fat' to a mate is silly, recording your daily calues for 3 months and charting progress is valuable enough to warrant owning some.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Most body fat scales will do an excellent job of tracking weight loss through fat. They're never going to be super accurate, but if you use them daily, using your common sense to help them be precise then they're an excellent tool. Far better than a set of scales alone.

Simple things like standing on them first thing as you get out of bed and jotting down the numbers, skipping a day if you've had a skinful, or disregarding the results if you then go to pee and see a different colour to normal. They'll all see you keep track of your general body composition.

It's not about trusting them to bet your life away, it's about being as precise as possible. Quoting 'I am 14% body fat' to a mate is silly, recording your daily calues for 3 months and charting progress is valuable enough to warrant owning some.

They are like a normal scale - a starting number which is not in dispute. What is in dispute is a bathroom scale competently measuring BF% and BMI - neither of which it can do with any accuracy. That is equivalent to my fridge telling me how much I'm about to eat based on how much natural light it senses when I open the door.

Like weight both BMI and BF% will be numbers - these numbers(BMI/BF%) are based on a guess taken from pressure created on pads by the persons FEET. Weight overall is the only accurate number attainable on such a set of scales. The scales can in no way calculate accurately what that weight is made of,you are connected to it via your feet. If I put my cat who weighs a few kg on a set of scales and then put an equal weight of bricks - the scales will not be able to tell which is part of the damp-proof course and which is Mika the 7yr old tom

These numbers will go up and down(hopefully mostly down) but what these numbers cannot be is accurate - they can be consistent. Accurate and consistent are not the same thing.

Conclusion: The OP shouldn't be worrying about finding a supposed rogue 12lb. But should be carrying on with doing such a good job irrespective of what the scales predict

I really don't get why this is so hard for people to understand.

 

[Scruffmonster]

They are like a normal scale - a starting number which is not in dispute. What is in dispute is a bathroom scale competently measuring BF% and BMI - neither of which it can do with any accuracy. That is equivalent to my fridge telling me how much I'm about to eat based on how much natural light it senses when I open the door.

Like weight both BMI and BF% will be numbers - these numbers(BMI/BF%) are based on a guess taken from pressure created on pads by the persons FEET. Weight overall is the only accurate number attainable on such a set of scales. The scales can in no way calculate accurately what that weight is made of,you are connected to it via your feet. If I put my cat who weighs a few kg on a set of scales and then put an equal weight of bricks - the scales will not be able to tell which is part of the damp-proof course and which is Mika the 7yr old tom

These numbers will go up and down(hopefully mostly down) but what these numbers cannot be is accurate - they can be consistent. Accurate and consistent are not the same thing.


I really don't get why this is so hard for people to understand.

Leaving absolute accuracy to the side, Do you know what body fat scales are?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Leaving absolute accuracy to the side, Do you know what body fat scales are?

Marketing gimmick for the gym bunny/yoyo dieter. I wouldn't trust something I can buy in Argos to tell me what my body is made of.

Here is one. It shows a pretty lady stepping onto a scaleset with her feet of all things. Would have thought?

Here's another Although no pretty lady this time

Here's another Only this time the pretty lady has the remote(story of my life) and once again maneuvers herself onto the scaleset with her FEET.

 

[Scruffmonster]

Marketing gimmick for the gym bunny/yoyo dieter. I wouldn't trust something I can buy in Argos to tell me what my body is made of.

You should. How long ago did you last use a set?

This is anecdotal but telling.

I ran a Marathon in April, weighing a lean 154lbs. Muscles were defined, I felt light, springy, healthy, fit. My body fat scales had me down at 16%.

I now weigh 175lbs as I've been lazy. I have a light covering, little definition and I know I'm off my game. Happily so, I'm taking some downtime. Training starts in December. My body fat scales have me down at about 25%.

Now, I'm not saying that I am 25% fat now, nor would I say I was 16% in April. There is however, an absolute correlation between those numbers and my body. It's not a wild guess.

Learn how to use them and they can be a good tool. Certainly far better than scales alone. As millions of people currently losing weight on diets right now but never getting any less fat really.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

You should. How long ago did you last use a set?

This is anecdotal but telling.

I ran a Marathon in April, weighing a lean 154lbs. Muscles were defined, I felt light, springy, healthy, fit. My body fat scales had me down at 16%.

I now weigh 175lbs as I've been lazy. I have a light covering, little definition and I know I'm off my game. Happily so, I'm taking some downtime. Training starts in December. My body fat scales have me down at about 25%.

Now, I'm not saying that I am 25% fat now, nor would I say I was 16% in April. There is however, an absolute correlation between those numbers and my body. It's not a wild guess.

Learn how to use them and they can be a good tool. Certainly far better than scales alone. As millions of people currently losing weight on diets right now but never getting any less fat really.

You are totally not getting this. Your scales had you at 16%, it does not mean that you were actually. Your scales have you at 25% now, it does not mean that you are.

What you have is a number that changed - a number taken on a set of scales connected to your body via your feet. That is quite a margin of error.

If your scales show 14% in June 2013 then something happened. What that something is, the scales cannot tell.

 

[MacB]

Not a fan of BMI here for most of the reasons stated and I now just use overall body weight, how I feel fitness wise and the ratio of height to waist size(measured just below belly button).

The only one I treat as a target is the latter, I kind of figure that if I reach that while eating well and being active then the other bits will fall into whatever suits me naturally.

By the way no original science was involved in the creation of this post.

 

[Scruffmonster]

You are totally not getting this. Your scales had you at 16%, it does not mean that you were actually. Your scales have you at 25% now, it does not mean that you are.

What you have is a number that changed - a number taken on a set of scales connected to your body via your feet. That is quite a margin of error.

If your scales show 14% in June 2013 then something happened. What that something is, the scales cannot tell.

I really am. I have a decent working knowledge of the scales, and my body.

I never said that at any point, it knows my exact body fat percentage. Yet it is a good indicator for ensuring that you're losing weight in a way that you want to.

It would be perfectly feasible to lose weight and never see that body fat percentage change. That was not my goal as a runner. I was looking to be light and efficient as possible. I ensured that happened.

Do you truly believe that they serve no purpose, that they have nothing to offer?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I really am. I have a decent working knowledge of the scales, and my body.

I never said that at any point, it knows my exact body fat percentage. Yet it is a good indicator for ensuring that you're losing weight in a way that you want to.

It would be perfectly feasible to lose weight and never see that body fat percentage change. That was not my goal as a runner. I was looking to be light and efficient as possible. I ensured that happened.

Do you truly believe that they serve no purpose, that they have nothing to offer?

I pretty much do yes. As I have repeated enough times, BMI and BF% taken off scales are no more than numbers. These numbers can rise or fall. But they cannot be assumed to be accurate in any way, they can be assumed to be consistent. As I have also posted, BMI is taken and based off populations of people to compare other populations or groups of people to. Do you compare your scale results to the population of France or to that of a local village? Don't think so!

The OP is looking for a rogue 12lb after his bathroom scales suggested it might have flown off in the middle of the night. Ultimately that 12lb is a loss somewhere as part of an overall loss of 31lbs, but neither BMI or BF% scales can tell you what it was made of.

Nobody knows what it is made of, bathroom scales certainly do not know what it was made of.

In this instance, the OP has too many numbers and such scales are a bad thing. Using three numbers to do the job of one just isn't appropriate here.