Is it possible to lose bodyfat, but weigh the same?

[UpInSmoke]

I've been trying to off these last pounds for a while now. My diets pretty strict, I try to hit around 1700-2000 cals daily. Protein 1g/lb. It's been really slow progress. I've noticed everything is starting to tighten up and I can see more definition, especially around the midsection. But the problem is I've been weighing myself weekly and it's dropped to 218 at the lowest, but has then bounced up to 228, and has been yo-yo'ing like this for a while. I'm scared to drop the cals lower cause I do have quite a bit of muscle and don't want to lose it, and I notice I seem frail if I'm not eating enough. I still have a bit of bodyfat on my lower stomach and love handles. Any suggestions? I've even started using OxyElite about a week ago and it seems to be helping, but my weights still not dropping.

[greedy11]

I've been trying to off these last pounds for a while now. My diets pretty strict, I try to hit around 1700-2000 cals daily. Protein 1g/lb. It's been really slow progress. I've noticed everything is starting to tighten up and I can see more definition, especially around the midsection. But the problem is I've been weighing myself weekly and it's dropped to 218 at the lowest, but has then bounced up to 228, and has been yo-yo'ing like this for a while. I'm scared to drop the cals lower cause I do have quite a bit of muscle and don't want to lose it, and I notice I seem frail if I'm not eating enough. I still have a bit of bodyfat on my lower stomach and love handles. Any suggestions? I've even started using OxyElite about a week ago and it seems to be helping, but my weights still not dropping.

yea.. my weight has stayed the exact same and ive been "cutting" for about 4 months.. huge changes in the mirror tho.. i dont understand it but im not gonna complain..

[Lvisaa2]

I've been trying to off these last pounds for a while now. My diets pretty strict, I try to hit around 1700-2000 cals daily. Protein 1g/lb. It's been really slow progress. I've noticed everything is starting to tighten up and I can see more definition, especially around the midsection. But the problem is I've been weighing myself weekly and it's dropped to 218 at the lowest, but has then bounced up to 228, and has been yo-yo'ing like this for a while. I'm scared to drop the cals lower cause I do have quite a bit of muscle and don't want to lose it, and I notice I seem frail if I'm not eating enough. I still have a bit of bodyfat on my lower stomach and love handles. Any suggestions? I've even started using OxyElite about a week ago and it seems to be helping, but my weights still not dropping.

You can drop BF without dropping any weight. Converting your fat into muscle will cause you to remain at the same weight or even bounce around a little bit(up one day, down the next). Also when you weigh yourself, water intake, etc. will have an effect on your weight. If not doing so, keep it consistent as to when you weigh yourself to get a more accurate reading. At certain points, I've dropped BF while staying around the same general average weight.

If you wanted to lose just weight, you might want to look at slightly adjusting your workout routine or re-evaluating dietary choices. 2,000 cal seems a bit low depending on your activity level; I eat around 2500 when cutting, but this is also with a high activity level(~2 hours, 6 days a week; sometimes reaching 3 on specific days depending on routine/situations, i.e. when I have a game on that day). One of the best things I've found is making sure my food choices are always spot-on; it makes you get much more satisfaction and fullness when you make the really good choices instead of just the okay and sometimes easier choices. Adding some more calories from protein and having some less from carbs/fat may help you to trim some of those pesky pounds that like to hang on. Granted, I have no idea what your current diet looks like so it's just a general suggestions. Cheers!

[PBateman2]

Muscle does not convert into fat and fat does not convert into muscle. Two completely separate entities.

Scale should be last on your list for measuring progress - IMO - or at least one of many tools that should be used when determining success of a cut. You could be recomping - improving muscle/fat ratio without changing and/or slight changing of bodyweight. Long process though but can happen sooner rather than later for some.

How are your waist measurements changing? Progress pics? BF% changes? Mirror? How are your clothes fitting? Other factors to consider.

[crockett07]

Muscle does not convert into fat and fat does not convert into muscle. Two completely separate entities.

Scale should be last on your list for measuring progress - IMO - or at least one of many tools that should be used when determining success of a cut. You could be recomping - improving muscle/fat ratio without changing and/or slight changing of bodyweight. Long process though but can happen sooner rather than later for some.

How are your waist measurements changing? Progress pics? BF% changes? Mirror? How are your clothes fitting? Other factors to consider.

This times 100000. Great post. I recently repped you so ill rep this post when im off cool down.

[UpInSmoke]

I haven't been taking measurements, but I should now that you mention it. I've noticed in the mirror I've started looking more cut, so I guess I'm making some progress. Clothes seem a little loser, not a whole lot though. What do you mean by recomp? Sorry if that's a dumb question. Does that mean one could put on muscle while losing fat? Not by one converting into another though. But is that why the numbers might stay the same?

[tomsfish]

im in the same situation as you so it must be possible to some extant.im back to the gym going into my 6th month, after a year off due to injury.for the past 4 months i have weighed 225, ive gone up a size in shirts and gone down a size in pants.i dont know how long it will last but im enjoying it for now.

tom

[PBateman2]

I haven't been taking measurements, but I should now that you mention it. I've noticed in the mirror I've started looking more cut, so I guess I'm making some progress. Clothes seem a little loser, not a whole lot though. What do you mean by recomp? Sorry if that's a dumb question. Does that mean one could put on muscle while losing fat? Not by one converting into another though. But is that why the numbers might stay the same?

Yes, recomp in the sense of losing fat while simultaneously gaining lean mass hence improving muscle/fat ratio. Bodyweight though remains relatively the same.

Many noobs experience this (small degree), some do it through long term carb/calorie cycling (effective nutrition partitioning technique), fasted training (IF) w/ calorie cycling, etc...

Use as many tools as you can to gauge effectiveness of your cut so youre not spinning your wheels.

[bigollie2006]

Yes you also want to take in count food you have ate, water weight, and clothing if you weigh in cloths. When I weigh in I make sure its on an empty stomach and in my underwear before I drink anything for the day and hopefully have already taken a deuce. Dont fret man, Monday was my weigh in day and I was kind of bloated and today I weighed myself on an empty stomach and was about 2lbs lighter so dont fret just keep your head up and keep on doing what you are doing for a few weeks, if you dont see any change after 2-3 weeks then I would look at your diet a bit more and check your calories