How is My BF% This High?

Diet and Nutrition
1

So, I weighed in today on 3 different scales, all of them calibrated, and all said almost exactly 189.5 (I’m 5 10). My gym has multiple methods for testing bf% and they all came back between 12.3 and 12.5%. I figured I was at 9.5-10% maybe.

Here’s what I’m confused about though. A little over 3 weeks ago I weighed 182. My diet is exactly the same, and I’ve actually doubled the amount I run each week, from about 6 miles to about 12-13. The only difference is that I’m squatting and deadlifting each week, as opposed to before I would only do one or the other week to week. There’s no way I’ve added 7 lbs. of muscle in 3 weeks, I don’t look any different.

So here’s what my diet has been like the last few months:

2535 calories per day / 78 grams of fat (28%) / 290 grams of carbs (42%) / 167 grams of protein (27%).

Here’s the typical diet for a day on which I workout:

Breakfast:
1.5 servings of Oatmeal
3 hardboiled eggs

Lunch:
2 tunafish (chunk lite) sandwhiches on whole wheat bread, with mayo
apple
banana

Dinner:
1/2 lbs. of pasta w/ sauce
12 oz. top round steak, seperable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat.

Here’s my typical diet on a day I DON’T work out.

Breakfast:
1.5 servings of Oatmeal
3 hardboiled eggs

Lunch:
2 tunafish (chunk lite) sandwhiches on whole wheat bread, with mayo
apple
banana

Dinner:
12 oz. top round steak, seperable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat.

As you can see I just add pasta for the insulin spike on days I workout. What I don’t get though is how the hell my fucking bf % can be 12.4%, given that I’ve kept everything the same, but doubled cardio this past month. Same diet, almost identical routine, 100% increase in cardio = 7 lbs. more, and a 12.4% bf%

2

Wheres the rest of the food ?

3

BF testing isn’t 100% accurate.

When you weighed 182, did you have your BF tested? from the sound of it you didn’t. Thus making your comparison incomplete

4

[quote]300andabove wrote:
Wheres the rest of the food ?[/quote]

That’s what I don’t get. How the fuck am I 190 with 12 bf eating that? I’m trying to cut the fat back a bit and just see what I look like at around 7% bf, for chuckles, and then go back to 195 or so. I NEVER have problems manipulating my bf or weight, it usually comes easily to me. So this has really thrown me for a loop

5

You would drop fat if you ate a lot less carbs, a lot more fat, and more total calories.

6

Full body pictures ?

7

WFT? Is that all you eat? Forget your weight, your diet can’t be healthy.

8

[quote]redgladiator wrote:
WFT? Is that all you eat? Forget your weight, your diet can’t be healthy.[/quote]

What i thought… wheres the FOOD ?

Tuna sandwiches are your 2nd main meal… does that not at ALL ring any alarm bells ?

Here have a read off that…

9
10

The addition of more cardio could allow your muscles to soak up more carbohydrates therefore drawing in more water. (I dunno I am just hypothesizing here)

11

[quote]Addiction wrote:
The addition of more cardio could allow your muscles to soak up more carbohydrates therefore drawing in more water. (I dunno I am just hypothesizing here)[/quote]

…

12

[quote]redgladiator wrote:
WFT? Is that all you eat? Forget your weight, your diet can’t be healthy.[/quote]

How so?

I know 12.4% isn’t THAT high, but relatively speaking for where I thought I was that’s like 6 lbs. of fat difference. I’ve been using Fitday to track what I eat, and it hasn’t changed lately. I’ve successfully cut & bulked many times, that’s why I’m so surprised this time. I’m pissed. Like you said though, can’t argue with physics.

One note: I hadn’t fasted before the test, I’ve always been told you have to, but these guys said it didn’t matter.

13

OP is this EVERYthing you eat? I want to help you but you need to give us detail.

Seriously forget your bodyfat. That diet is really really bad.

14

[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
redgladiator wrote:
WFT? Is that all you eat? Forget your weight, your diet can’t be healthy.

How so?

I know 12.4% isn’t THAT high, but relatively speaking for where I thought I was that’s like 6 lbs. of fat difference. I’ve been using Fitday to track what I eat, and it hasn’t changed lately. I’ve successfully cut & bulked many times, that’s why I’m so surprised this time. I’m pissed. Like you said though, can’t argue with physics.

One note: I hadn’t fasted before the test, I’ve always been told you have to, but these guys said it didn’t matter. [/quote]

no need to fast for a body fat test.

and as mentioned, your diet is lacking vitamins and minerals big time

15

[quote]Addiction wrote:
The addition of more cardio could allow your muscles to soak up more carbohydrates therefore drawing in more water. (I dunno I am just hypothesizing here)[/quote]

Timeout… What?

16

The readings are wrong.
Reading over your post there is your problem; your runs have doubled in duration, drop the steady state cardio and do some hill sprints.

17

AQ…
A lot of questions you have to ask yourself to figure out the 7lbs but none should have to be about bf% except you did the same bf test when you weighed 182lbs. In other words, what are you comparing the 12% to?

  1. Are the conditions of both weigh-ins same…same time of the day after trips to bathroom, same scale, dressed same way, have eaten same food and drank same amount of water, physical activities done both days etc?

  2. You claim your diet haven’t change but the night before the last weigh-in, did you take high carb/sodium (read pasta+sauce)?

I know I am susceptible to bloat with these kinds of food because I check my weight everyday and I may notice 4lbs increase a day after high carb/sodium.

  1. Understand that even though you now run 7 extra miles/week, that’s just about 700 calories extra you burn/week save for increased metabollism. But what other physical activities or NEPA have you given up…are you now more of a couch potato because you are tired from the run etc?

If your 7lbs is all water, when you lose it without losing any fat, don’t be surprised if your bf is higher. It’s simple math.

18

[quote]300andabove wrote:
Wheres the rest of the food ?[/quote]

No shit.

If I ate like that, i’d be one miserable prick and gnawing off my co-workers arms.

That’s a half day’s worth of food.

19

[quote]imhungry wrote:
300andabove wrote:
Wheres the rest of the food ?

No shit.

If I ate like that, i’d be one miserable prick and gnawing off my co-workers arms.

That’s a half day’s worth of food.[/quote]

I can’t read ANY postings from you seriously anymore with that avatar, and that thread about your ‘family’… anyway…

Ya… yer diet sucks… you gotta eat more food dude! at LEAST another 2 - 3 meals in there… can the bread… eat oats… get more oils… up the protein etc…

20

well that was like a typical day…lemme post a whole weeks. Again, the overall intake for protein/carbs/fat is as stated in the OP.

Monday (workout that day)
Breakfast:
8 oz. O.J.
1.5 servings of Oatmeal
3 hardboiled eggs

Lunch:
2 PB&J sandwhiches, on whole wheat bread
apple
banana

Dinner:
1/2 lbs. of pasta (w/ sauce & parmesian cheese)
12 oz. top round steak, seperable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat.
8 oz. of 1% milk

Tuesday(workout that day)
Breakfast:
8 oz. O.J.
1.5 servings of Oatmeal
3 hardboiled eggs

Lunch:
2 chunklite tuna sandwiches with mayo, on whole wheat bread
apple
banana

Dinner:
1/2 lbs. of pasta (w/ sauce & parmesian cheese)
12 oz. top round steak, seperable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat.
8 Oz. 1% milk

Wednesday (Non-Workout day)
Breakfast:
8 oz. O.J.
1.5 servings of Oatmeal
3 hardboiled eggs

Lunch:
2 buffaloe turkey & pepperjack cheese on whole wheat bread sandwiches
apple
banana

Dinner:
12 oz. top round steak, seperable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat.
8 oz. 1% milk

Thursday (Workout Day)
Breakfast:
8 oz. O.J.
1 serving of cream of wheat
3 hardboiled eggs

Lunch:
2 chunklite tuna sandwiches with mayo, on whole wheat bread
apple
banana

Dinner:
Box of organic mac & cheese
12 oz. top loin sirloin pork, seperable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat.
8 Oz. 1% milk

Friday (non workout day)
Breakfast:
8 oz. O.J.
1.5 servings of Oatmeal
3 hardboiled eggs

Lunch:
2 PB&J sandwhiches, on whole wheat bread
apple
banana

Dinner:
12 oz. top loin sirloin pork, seperable lean & fat, trimmed to 0" fat
8 oz. of 1% milk

Saturday (non workout day)
Breakfast
8 oz. O.J.
1.5 servings of oatmeal

Lunch
6" Tuna Grinder (With lettuce, green peppers, onions, jalapenos)

Dinner:
3.5 cups of meat tortelini
8 oz. of 1% milk

Sunday (non workout day)
Breakfast
1.5 servings oatmeal
3 hardboiled eggs
8 oz. O.J.

Lunch
8 oz. pasta

Dinner
12 oz. top loin sirloin pork, seperable lean & fat trimmed to 0" fat
8 Oz. Milk