Losing weight, but I lost muscle - JP Fitness Forums

meverett172000 · 02-17-2008, 06:49 AM

I've been using Alwyn Cosgrove's complexes over the last 6 weeks and I'm dropping weight and getting in good shape. My goal was to lose 10 lbs. of fat and I've lost about 5 lbs. fat and 5 lbs. muscle. I had the stomach flu which contributes to some of this. I workout 3 times a week and play soccer once a week. I think my problem is totally diet related. I'm new to dieting (and this forum) so take it easy on me. Actually, I'm trying to change my eating habits altogether, not really dieting, and eating 5-6 times day.

I tried some calorie counters and they recommend 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day. Here's what I typically eat.
Breakfast: bowl of cereal with skim milk.
Snack: banana
Lunch: turkey sandwhich on wheat with vegetables on the side or grilled chicken breast with vegetables
Snack: nuts and maybe some string cheese
Dinner: Could be chicken and pasta or stir fry, usually chicken

Am I just not eating enough protein? Is it that simple?

Thanks for any help.

ParanoidAndroid · 02-17-2008, 06:55 AM

How do you know that you've lost muscle?

Are you using as much weight in your workouts before you started dieting?

Cynic · 02-17-2008, 06:59 AM

Not a whole lot of fruits and vegetables in there.

Txgirl · 02-17-2008, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meverett172000

I've been using Alwyn Cosgrove's complexes over the last 6 weeks and I'm dropping weight and getting in good shape. My goal was to lose 10 lbs. of fat and I've lost about 5 lbs. fat and 5 lbs. muscle. I had the stomach flu which contributes to some of this. I workout 3 times a week and play soccer once a week. I think my problem is totally diet related. I'm new to dieting (and this forum) so take it easy on me. Actually, I'm trying to change my eating habits altogether, not really dieting, and eating 5-6 times day.

I tried some calorie counters and they recommend 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day. Here's what I typically eat.
Breakfast: bowl of cereal with skim milk.
Snack: banana
Lunch: turkey sandwhich on wheat with vegetables on the side or grilled chicken breast with vegetables
Snack: nuts and maybe some string cheese
Dinner: Could be chicken and pasta or stir fry, usually chicken

Am I just not eating enough protein? Is it that simple?

Thanks for any help.

Okay, stupid question from me. When you say Alan Cosgrove's complexes, which book, NROL? Just curious because I may want to check it out.

Lost Dog · 02-17-2008, 09:57 AM

How do you know you lost muscle?

You don't say how much fat you have to lose, but 5lbs of muscle seems like a lot in so short a time. I'd say it's a calculation error or a typical electronic body fat scale problem.

kfisherx · 02-17-2008, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meverett172000

I tried some calorie counters and they recommend 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day. Here's what I typically eat.
Breakfast: bowl of cereal with skim milk.
Snack: banana
Lunch: turkey sandwhich on wheat with vegetables on the side or grilled chicken breast with vegetables
Snack: nuts and maybe some string cheese
Dinner: Could be chicken and pasta or stir fry, usually chicken

Am I just not eating enough protein? Is it that simple?

Thanks for any help.

Couple o things. This information is not nearly enough for us or you to understand what is going on. For one, I look at this and think that you ain't nearly getting 3K a day on this unless your portion sizes are HUGE. Do you know your portion sizes? If you don't then you cannot possibly troubleshoot a problem such as this one with any degree of confidence. If you do know you portion sizes and enter them into a program such as fitday it will tell you what your macronutrient ratios are and then you would know if you are getting enough protein. Macronutrients are FAT, CARBs and PROTEIN and you want to get them in some specific ratio amount such as 20%, 40%, 40%.

meverett172000 · 02-17-2008, 12:47 PM

I have scale that measures body fat. Yes, it varies quite a bit so I use it several times a week and track the trend. By subtracting the body fat%, I calculate lean mass which is trending down. I think having the flu really triggered some of that and I haven't rebounded completely.

As for the complexes, I take some from the NROL, which is a great read, and some from some of the articles Cosgrove has posted on websites. If I'm doing the complete complex without putting the bar down, then I'm using 75#s and reps up to 10 and trying to get through 4 sets.

As for my diet, I haven't really calculated the total calories so I'm probably a little premature on my question. I know I'm not hitting the 40% for protein so that helps as a starting point.

And I'm working hard to get vegetables in now. It's big adjustment for me. I've got a lot of bad habits to correct.

Lost Dog · 02-17-2008, 12:53 PM

I have a Tanita scale, too. I've gone from 185 to 185, but lost 1.5 inches on my belly, I can see a lot more veins on my arms, more muscle in my shoulders and back, etc. Meanwhile, my Tanita says I went from 14% to 16%. Just sayin'...

Cynic · 02-17-2008, 12:54 PM

You could try home made vegetable juices. I just tried one for the first time, a V-8 knockoff and it was pretty good with a bit of tabasco (put you wouldn't tell by the smell).

Now, I need the tools to dehydrate the pulp and I'll have my own Greens+ knock-off.

Leigh P. · 02-17-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meverett172000

I have scale that measures body fat. Yes, it varies quite a bit so I use it several times a week and track the trend. By subtracting the body fat%, I calculate lean mass which is trending down. I think having the flu really triggered some of that and I haven't rebounded completely.

As for the complexes, I take some from the NROL, which is a great read, and some from some of the articles Cosgrove has posted on websites. If I'm doing the complete complex without putting the bar down, then I'm using 75#s and reps up to 10 and trying to get through 4 sets.

As for my diet, I haven't really calculated the total calories so I'm probably a little premature on my question. I know I'm not hitting the 40% for protein so that helps as a starting point.

And I'm working hard to get vegetables in now. It's big adjustment for me. I've got a lot of bad habits to correct.

In short you have far to many variables here.

1-Those scales, no matter what kind of a trend you track, just aren't correct period. They are based more on hydration levels and will never give you anything close to a correct trend or measurement.

2-Calculate your intake as accurately as possible. If you come to a point to where you are really not having results then your calculation of intake not being an issue really eliminates a lot of problems and questions.

3-Weight loss can be had on a generally balanced diet. Not losing muscle tissue with aggressive training and trying to just lose fat is another story. Up your protein intake, get more diverse foods in general.

Re-access, hit at it with more focus and good luck this time around.

smoddelm · 02-17-2008, 02:20 PM

Within a day's time my Tanita scale, which purports to tell everything from BF to lean body mass to level of visceral fat, will give me readings on lean body mass that are 3 or 4 lbs apart. The lower my hydration level (also as measured by the scale), the lower the lean body weight. And of course the BF% goes up accordingly. The most stable reading I get on it is my bone mass. I don't know what technique it uses to generate that, but it changes very little. I would think that, since the BF% and lean body weight readings are so dependent on hydration, having a stomach fle -- very dehydrating -- would really have an impact on what the scale tells you.

missjane · 02-17-2008, 03:45 PM

I've totally given up on using my Tanita or my Omron because all it does it piss me off!! I'm going by how I look, measurements, and how my favorite jeans fit!

Cynic · 02-17-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missjane

I've totally given up on using my Tanita or my Omron because all it does it piss me off!! I'm going by how I look, measurements, and how my favorite jeans fit!

That's a good method. Certainly one I hear touted all the time.

It doesn't work so well for me though. The loss is so gradual, I don't really notice it until the pants REQUIRE a belt so they aren't around my ankles.

diamondpete · 02-17-2008, 06:09 PM

HI Meverett

welcome to the boards. As others have commented tanita scales are not very consistent. I measure first this in the morning (under the same conditions) and again before be (same conditions). Basically, I have found that I got readings that were consistent with visual changes I was seeing. For me the two most important factors were (and still are) weight and the mirror test.

I think it is very unlikely that you could lose 5lbs of muscle in 6 weeks. I think you probably need to track you calories to get a better handle on what you should be eating. Now unlike most people here, I do not track calories, I just eat clean when I am training. Very clean. So I do not think you need to track, but unless you are very disciplined and have a good idea of what you r body needs, you may want to do it for a bit.

As far as your diet, is sounds a bit "light", especially if you are not putting crap (like salad dressing and mayo) on your food. Other things to consider: what are you drinking (juices? pop? - DON"T) You need more veggies, especially green things!! more fruits. and probably more protein.

Good luck, and welcome!!

TheFitOne · 02-18-2008, 06:25 AM

I also have to agree with the other posters here. I also have a set of Tanita scales and do not trust the fat measurements they report. I do make a note of it every week but I do not pay that much attention to it. I pay more attention to the scale weight and how I feel and look.

meverett172000 · 02-25-2008, 07:36 PM

Thanks for all of the advise. Lots of good info here and I'm really enjoying this forum. For this first time, I'm really changing my eating habits and I'm feeling pretty good.

I'm glad to hear that the scales are not accurate because it's a little frustrating when it gives strange #'s when I've been working so hard.