How accurate are body analysis scales/monitors

[SisterAgatha]

The ones at the gym. With grips as well as feet.

Ive put on weight from my holiday but what’s upsetting is that I’ve lost muscle. I was working out 3x a week and doing cardio too. I did eat A LOT on holiday, I fully expected the gain but not to lose so much muscle. 1kg. I don’t feel like I’ve lost that much.

Does that sound about right?

How did you determine a loss of 1kg muscle? There is no exact method to determine muscle loss vs fat loss unless you go into a water tank displacement scenario. When you exercise, while you are exercising the first 20-30 min your body uses glycogen stores from your muscles, liver, etc for energy. Then after that point, your body begins to convert fat to energy via processes called beta-oxidation and lypolysis (fat destruction). Those two events create carbon dioxide and water, the rest is energy burned by muscles and your general metabolism during exercise. If you really want to lose weight, do 30-40 min of good intense muscle lifts, exercises and then do moderate to high intensity interval aerobic exercise. I had four babies and lost 40 lbs each pregnancy using this method and today I am over 55, weigh what I did in high school and wear a size 6-8-10 American.

Different scales seem to come up with different results. The key is to use the same scale to monitor changes over time.

Water levels are usually included in muscle weight so being dehydrated affects your muscle score quite dramatically.

Thanks, I have lost 5 stone by exercising regularly and eating well. I’ve maintained for 3 years and this is more for aesthetics, balance and strength now as I also now weigh the same as when I was 15.

I used the machine in the gym (I do this measurement weekly) which told me last weeks muscle mass and todays, so I took one away from the other.

I’ve used the machine for 6 months and only this week - after holiday - did it show such a huge change 😐

Same scales though. Maybe I really did eat that much 🥲

I’m sure you’ll get back to your set point pretty fast.

Thanks. I do hope so. I don’t mind so much putting on weight, it’s that I lost muscle too which I’d worked quite hard for. I’m over 40.

I read some articles and apparently you can lose 1kg of muscle in a week with no exercise (although we did play badminton, walk, and use the gym there one day, half heartedly admittedly 🤣)

I think they are rubbish. Just use a tape measure. These scales are affected by water or having your arms too close to your body. The ones at my gym tell me I have obese arms. My arms are a size 8. 🙄

my tape measure does also show my waist is bigger at the moment so maybe I just need to face facts 😂

it also told me my cardio vascular age has increased to 53 which is another thing I’m pissed off about but that’s for another day!

My understanding is that they’re not considered that accurate as they can fluctuate wildly based on your hydration status.

You really need a Dexa scan to accurately measure your fat/muscle composition.

And I don’t suppose I can get one of those weekly with my gym membership 🥲

I am at peace with it. Have lost abit of the holiday weight already and am still feeling strong so I’ll just keep going with my plan 💪🏻

thanks all

I haven't used the gym ones for a while. But I can 100% tell you that our body fat scales at home vary wildly based on hydration levels.

Low hydration I have more fat, if I've been drinking the recommended 2lt of water, I have more muscle.
Salty Chinese takeaway has the same effect.

My scales are a bit mental and tell me things like I've lost 5lb of muscle and gained 6lb of fat, in 24hrs.

Thoes who use tapes what sort of tape do you use and how do you know you aren't pulling it too tight, not tight enough?

I just dont do it too tight and I do it in the same places each time. It isn’t going to be 100% accurate either but it’s fairly accurate, it just takes practice. I know it’s fairly accurate as I can work out a clothes or bra size using the method if something will fit me. I use a soft flexible seamstress tape. I don’t measure very often now but when I was losing weight and working out it was reassuring as the scales didn’t always go down but the tape did.

@SisterAgatha how long were you on holiday for? It’s very unlikely that you have done too much damage.

Well done on your 5 stone loss!

thanks 🙂

Ten days but I was eating two breakfasts, pastries, cakes with cream as well as ice cream, chips with sauces, lots of fried things, I just totally let lose.

Im back on track so I know by next I’ll be in my happy zone. Will try the scales at the gym again then and see, although I’ve swapped out lifting this week for lake swimming because of the heat, so there’ll still be some difference in gains.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and all that!

DH got a withings scale recently. I don't know how accurate it is, but we find it seems to give consistent readings IF we use it consistently - so for me I only use it if I've had my 2 morning mugs of tea and been to the loo. I can't imagine it could give consistent results if done at random times of day after variable amounts of food and drink.