Is this right? Do I need to start losing muscle?

I want to start by saying that I hope that my question isn't repetitive.  I did a search thru the forums and didn't find anything that specifically addressed the question, though, so here goes:

I am 35 years old, female, about 5'3".  I started my fitness routine about 8 weeks ago.  In the first 6 weeks, I went from 210 pounds with 44% body fat to 206 pounds and 35% body fat.

Based on my math, this means that I've gained about 16 pounds of muscle and lost ~21 pounds of fat.

Again, based on my assumption that I will not get below 27% body fat (the lowest that I've been able to achieve in my adult life, 6 years ago, when I was running 16 miles a week, eating well and doing about 9 hours of physical yoga per week), this figures above indicate that I will not be able to get below 170 pounds: meaning, that my recent measurement of 206*(1-.35) = 134 pounds of lean mass, and 134*1.27 = 170 pounds.

Does the above sound correct?  If so, and knowing that my current long term goal is to be in the 140 pound range, should I continue to build muscle mass now, with the intention to shred it later, OR, should I begin shredding now? 

In thinking about it, I think that I should continue building the muscle for now so that I'll have more resources to burn the fat down to a normal range, and worry about getting rid of the muscle as time goes on:  after all I still have 30 pounds to go before getting to the 170 range.

Does anyone have experience with or advice on this? 

Original Post by defrog3:

I am 35 years old, female, about 5'3".  I started my fitness routine about 8 weeks ago.  In the first 6 weeks, I went from 210 pounds with 44% body fat to 206 pounds and 35% body fat.

Based on my math, this means that I've gained about 16 pounds of muscle and lost ~21 pounds of fat.

One or both of your BF measures are off, there is no way you gained 16 pounds of muscle or lost 21 pounds of fat in 6 weeks.

 

I would have to question the accuracy of your BF measurements since I find it highly unlikely that you have gained 16 pounds of muscle and simultaniously lost 21 pounds of fat over an eight week period.

You should focus on losing the necesary weight while maintaining muscle mass by having a balanced routine of weight training, cardio training, flexabilty training, and above all else diet.

Sixteen pounds of muscle in 8 weeks?  You've got to be kidding me.

And then you want to lose all of this "muscle" that you have so easily gained?  At the rate you are going, you're going to look like he-man in two months tops.

LOL

 

Thanks, yes, I'm frankly suspicious of the #s, too, because my clothes are fitting better, but not THAT MUCH better. The readings were taken at my gym...

Maybe it would be better for me to invest in a scale that measures body fat to use at home? 

 

Scubatoy, my husband says the same thing! lol  He's 6'1" and of slight build:  he says that if we have a son with his height and my body type, the kid could be a linebacker...

Those scales and such aren't really very accurate IMHO -- I have one of those scales and they say to do the fat % early in the day but the water % at night before bed??  Also if you had lots of water retention during one of the measurements your fat% will be less.

I think the more accurate measures of bf% are the caliper tests but then again those are only as accurate as the person doing the measuring and you have to be sure the next person does the measurement int he exact same spot and way.  A water tank test is really the only true measure of bf% and those are usually only at a drs office or other special treatment center.

I think it takes months to gain a lb of muslce so perhaps one lb of muscle was gained.

I'd try just taking measurements and seeing how your inches disappear.

also try these bf% calculators

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/bfb

there are some other ones but I can't find my bookmark of them

Enjoy your muscles and keep working on them.  16 pounds is unlikely (beyond unlikely buy a lotto ticket), but whatever muscle you've put on will help you to reduce your body fat percentage.  The impendence tests are not accurate, digital scale can help measure change but again are not accurate.  Calipers handled by an expert are more accurate, the water dunk test is the most accurate from what I understand.

If you find that you are so muscular that you find it unattractive, then I'd say work on losing the muscles, but until that point keep building them.  Your body will reshape itself a lot over the next year or so while you continue to lose fat and increase muscle mass.