Shock body fat %

[carrie74]

Hiya. Am slightly in shock and my DH is fed up with me talking about it and I'm away this weekend so going to have to dump on you lovely MNers .

I've been seeing my PT for about 4 years, initially weekly, but then about 18mths ago went down to fortnightly - I knew what I needed to do, my attitude to exercise had really changed, I was in a good place.

Then this last autumn I noticed that my boobs seemed a bit bigger (I'm pretty flat chested, so the sight of some cleavage was weird), and some of my trousers a bit tighter. Weighed myself and was about 7-10 pounds higher than my normal resting weight. No real change in exercise, in fact I'd been doing a bit more running, replaced my Fitbit with an Apple Watch and more conscious of my movements. But was so longer walking the (v short - 5 min) school run a couple of times a week, so minimal changes.

Partway through December, I got fed up, felt too big, was over the parties and all the food and drink, so stepped us the exercise again. Since NYD have cut out added sugar from diet.

Think have lost a pound or two, but agreed to have my measurements done again with PT, so did them on Friday. Came out with 36% body fat. For context, my BMI is about 22-23, and I have never been described as anything other than slim. When I stopped having measurements with PT a few years ago, I was at about 27% I think, so this is an enormous difference and puts me as obese. My abdominal bit measured a cm more than last measurements.

I'm totally horrified - I eat fairly well, exercise frequently, and am at a bit of a loss. Anyone else in this situation? I know body fat measurements can be inaccurate, but this just seems mental. Am quite upset really, and not sure how to rectify - I will really struggle to fit more exercise t me into my week.

How old are you OP? Anything else out of the ordinary going on?

A few possibilities spring to mind...

• option 1. Any chance you could be pregnant? Might be worth POAS.
• option 2. Age. My metabolism and body %s changed suddenly as I hit 40...turns out it was perimenopause starting.
• option 3. Something else wierd is going on, might be worth an MOT at the doctors to eliminate the common suspects - thyroid problems, low iron, hormone changes,

How did you measure the body fat? With calipers?

Many most body fat measurements are woefully inaccurate.

Have you been tracking (calories and/or macros)? I find that helps me get back on track in these sorts of situations.

But yes, as pp said, it sounds like something hormonal going on. How old are you? Could you be pregnant? Could it be menopause related? Any issues with your thyroid?

Or have you changed your contraception (e.g. changed/ new hormonal contraception?)

Thanks All. 43, not PG (Mirena and had a period about 10 days ago), nothing else going on, so maybe it is hormonal then. Measured by calipers and know they're often inaccurate, I figure since they're being measured by the same person in same conditions, even if the % is inaccurate, the trend is probably there.

I've never had to watch my weight other than after DD1 was born and the baby weight didn't instantly fall off. It did once I started running, granted that was 12 years ago...I'm so much fitter than I was when I started seeing my PT years ago, I'm going to really struggle to fit more in. Happy to continue with cutting the sugar out of my diet (I'm a sugar addict, but 2 weeks into giving up it's been fine and I can see it continuing longer term quite easily), but I wouldn't know where to start with calorie counting etc - but I eat pretty healthily most of the time, so I'm not crazy worried about my diet. I hardly drink either, so no empty calories there (except last month!).

Hi OP don’t want to cause concern but weight gain around the abdomen can be associated with ovarian disease so worth getting checked out ASAP considering the abdo and breast changes.

Agree with veterni do please see your gp. I presented with similar strange symptoms at exactly same age (running times inexplicably slower, unexplained weight gain, bigger boobs) and they sent for a scan. All was well, but still it was good and reassuring to get checked out. Turned out to be an early menopause and low iron (and too many snacks) in my case but GP said I was right to see her.

OK, you've freaked me out enough to book a GP appointment on Friday. I have a good friend who's survived ovarian cancer, detected when she was PG (very generalised symptoms, nothing that overly concerned her). Will explain symptoms and see what they think. Thank you all, sure it'll just be age-related.

Good plan OP, sorry for freaking you out but always best to check. We need to nudge each other on these matters. So easy to put our own stuff bottom of the things to do list.

Chances are it’ll all be fine but best to get checked - good luck OP

How many places does he take the measurements from? Then how does he calculate the overall Body fat. Calipers can give a very good accurate measurement. You say your bmi is 22 so Body fat shouldn’t read that high. Post a picture of yourself .

Thanks Strong. Measurements were taken from bicep, tricep, abdominal fold, shoulder blades, then I think he referred to a book to chart the overall percentage. My abdominal fold is saggy, always has been and has never recovered after birth of Dc2 (10 years ago), so I'd like to think maybe just some excess skin. However, that was there last time we measured too, so can't make that excuse .

Am 5'7" and currently around 63kg. I like to hover around 60, and 58 is my special place . Low cholesterol etc etc, don't really drink, don't smoke. Would prefer not to post a photo, no one needs to see the flab

For your height and weight you are NOT in anyway shape or form obese but in a healthy I repeat healthy range. His calculations are completely wrong I take body fat measurements from 12 sites of the body inputting them individually on to a computer program that calculates it.

Does this pt of yours give you a nutrition plan to meet your goals? How often does he change your workout program. Do you set goals and regularly achieve them.
If the answer is yes then he is completely fine to part your hard earned cash to.

Thanks Strong, I know I'm a healthy weight, but I do worry about being 'skinny fat'. My PT has offered nutrition plans but I don't feel the need for one - obviously I don't need to lose weight, but would feel happier in my skin a few pounds lighter, and I can do that myself. We don't have a routine as such, every week is different, and we catch up on what I've been doing the previous week. My goals (after initial assessment and lowering of body fat a few years ago) was maintenance and staying strong and healthy. Seeing him keeps me accountable, and I've not been too worried about the numbers. But then I mentioned my clothes getting a bit tighter and that I needed to up the running and he asked if I wanted to start tracking again. I was reluctant initially, but when the weight didn't self-regulate as it's always done previously, I thought it would be helpful again.

So I'm happy with the service I'm getting, I don't think I'm a lost cause, but the recent measurement was a shocker. Hopefully in 8 weeks' time when we re-measure, there will be a drastic change .

I can’t see in the slightest why your paying him there’s no accountability whatsoever. No two weeks are the same by the sound of it. What’s the goals you set and without a structured plan you’ll never actually get to where you want to be. Does he stick you on. Cardio equipment while your with them? If he does Then your just paying him to keep you company.

A proper dedicated coach that’s results orientated will give you a tailored nutrition plan that will support your needs to accomplish you goals. Never left to do your own thing. How much does he charge mines £60 an hour and I get results tenfold.

I work out in his private gym, it's not public. He is with me 1-1 the whole hour (there's nowhere else for him to go). He's offered a nutrition plan, I don't want one, he's offered continuous measurements, I didn't want that. We've discussed goals, mine has been to stay healthy. We're in touch in between sessions, when I say he keeps me accountable, I mean I need to work out in between otherwise our sessions are much harder and largely worthless.

I can see you feel very strongly about this, and I'm not sure what goals you're working towards, but my goals are pretty small, and (I think) very achievable without me having to radically overhaul my lifestyle (or dump my kids, work and DH ).

Oh dear I’m sorry by the sounds of you post I seemed to have touched a nerve or too. I also train in a private gym cardio can be done alone outside of any training session I wouldn’t dream of giving a client(yes I’m a coach too) cardio whilst I’m there. Your paying to be trained preferably with heavy weights a program would be structured towards building strength in your weaker body components. Building stronger backs/glutes if you’re more dominant on one side for instance unilateral work for those area for example.

You gave a very vague goal of to be healthy by not drinking and smoking is just that😉 no one needs to radically overhaul anything I have four children and a Dh too .

I’m wondering if you’ve had a well woman check ?as you said you are in your early 40s medichecks do them for you much better than anything the Gp can give gives you a fuller breakdown of all our hormones and digestive systems are working. It’s worth it because then you’ll know where your at hormones wise.

Thanks strong, no nerves touched, just typing in phone quickly while at work, hence brevity. I don't do cardio work, I lift weights with my PT, and I often do a circuits class that he holds at a local school once a week, where he makes sure that whatever we've worked at circuits I don't then work the same muscles the next day in our session. He increases my weights when I'm ready for more challenge, but for the last 18 months I've been seeing him fortnightly, so I've probably not been fully pulling my weight (excuse the pun ) in between, hence the change in body fat.

My goal may be a bit woolly, but I'm not training for an event, I'm not trying to change my body shape, I just want to be healthy and treat my body right (so I don't drink or smoke and try to eat well most of the time, and having been seeing my PT for a while, now I incorporate fitness in my life as well). As I said up thread, I'm already slim, yes I'd be personally happier with a few more pounds off, but literally a few, not stones.

I had my 40YO check up a [mumbles] few years ago, my cholesterol and blood pressure were very good, so the whole body fat thing does seem to be an anomaly given the rest of my physiology. I don't recall there being hormonal type checks. DH and I did say it would be funny if next session my PT said he'd read off the wrong line , maybe that will happen.

I'm very happy with my PTs work, IMO the biggest result with me is changing my mindset from being very resentful of doing anything, to making it a normal part of my week (with less resentment ). I can see you have formulated an opinion from what I've written about my PT which I personally don't feel is a fair reflection of the PT I know, but of course you can only go via my snippets here.

Sorry, should clarify - weights and circuits type stuff - I'm not just squatting with 5kg weights the whole time .

Sorry I’ve been on holiday and was totally forgot about this thread. I suggested. The medi checks well woman tests purely based on the fact your symptoms you indicated larger breast and er hum at our age I a bit older than you btw.thought a better more comprehensive test would give you a much better picture than the box standard NHS one.

When I had that test they had me back in for countless blood tests urine samples the lot and wouldn’t give me an answer as to why or what the results were showing. They tried giving me a diet sheet in stupidly low calorie deficit. I’m a size 6 but heavily muscular yes I compete( bodybuilding) totally natural no enhancement ever taken or ever will. They weighed me many times on different scales. To this day I don’t know or care what I weigh I do get weighed by my coach I don’t look all I am in in on my chart is muscle gain.

I then had independent tests done privately for my own piece of mind it showed me that thier tests are somewhat basic. I’m about to have a medi checks well woman one done. See when that dread big M is going to start😖

Remember weights is for strength healthy bone density and cardiovascular exercise is for health and fitness never confuse the two both play a very important role in keeping our bodies healthy