How do I know if I am losing fat and not muscle?
Asked by anonymous on Nov 01, 2009
in Weight Loss
I started out at 250 lbs in March 2008 and by April 2008 I was 217 lbs. Then during the winter of 2008, I gained again. I restarted keeping track in May 2009 when I was 230 lbs and from May to November, I would go up and down. It is now November and I am 200 lbs. I was sick once this year and was not able to eat much and I lost 5 lbs. Then I got my front teeth pulled and got dentures so I did not feel like eating anything that I had to chew for quite awhile. I lost 10 lbs but gained it back when I started eating again. Since getting my dentures, I have tried to curb my snacking, cut down on sweets, and since July, I have been working longer hours and doing more physical work. In Sept, I weighed 210 so I don’t know if that is a great loss in a month.
Answer
You lost 20 pounds (210 to 200 lb) in around 8 weeks, which is an acceptable rate , but I can't tell how much of your loss is fat vs. muscle. That is told by Body Composition Analysis (BCA), which measures the percentage of body weight that is comprised of fat vs. fat free mass (i.e. muscle and other non-fat tissue). It is measured with calipers or other tests such as underwater weighing, the BodPod, DEXA Scan, and Bioletrical Impedence. BCA is usually performed at gyms, health fairs, universities, and at some doctor's offices. Analyze your body composition before you change your diet and exercise, and then have it re-measured any time after one month. Read more about Body Composition at About.com.
How often should you eat during the day?
It is neither necessary to eat every two hours nor to stop eating at 6:00 PM. As long as your calorie intake is less than your output... Read more
