Um....

How is this possible?

I had a measurement taken at my gym. Same trainer takes measurements including Futrex NIR spectrometer BF reading.

BF exactly the same (13.5%) two months apart. Weight exactly the same (161).

And yet, my chest went up a half inch, my shoulders went up a half inch, my hips are slightly bigger and so are my legs (probably from deads).

So how do I have more muscle and the same weight but the same BF?

I don't get it.... except maybe measurement error. My waist is a bit softer and I've gone slightly less defined in the abs (but so barely that I think it may just be my own psychotic perceptions). Still have abdominal veins and vascularity in arms, etc.

I just don't get how I've been able to get slightly thicker in my upper body with the same weight and BF.

BF exactly the same (13.5%) two months apart. Weight exactly the same (161).

And yet, my chest went up a half inch, my shoulders went up a half inch, my hips are slightly bigger and so are my legs.
It could be fluid retention.

Usually, if you are at the same weight but you are larger, that indicates either a reduction in lean body mass combined with an increase in fat (since lean body mass takes up less room on the body than fat does), or bloating, which could be due to water or sodium intake. Were you measured at the same time of day, with similar amounts of food in you?

I measured myself today for the first time in 3 weeks. I measure myself using three methods:
1) Tanita scale
2) Omron handheld
3) 3-point Caliper (I can't do 7 point on myself, and whenever other people do it, they get very inconsistent results, I figure my consistent 3 point results are better than inconsistent 7 point)

My weight is exactly the same as it was 3 weeks ago. I'm very clearly more defined in the mirror now than I was 3 weeks ago (I just finished my initial weight loss and I'm on my first bulk now)
The tanita and omron both show body fat % went UP (0.6% and 0.7%)
The caliper says I went DOWN 1.6%

Bottom line, I don't trust electronic BF meters. I trust the mirror more than anything, with a caliper being a close second. The electronic stuff seemed to be pretty good when I was >10% body fat, and the calipers were somewhat difficult for me to use when I was >15% body fat -- but at low body fat percentages, things change very much and BIA becomes worthless and the caliper becomes easier to use.

Probably measurement error. Whenever you get a reading like 13.5%, even with very accurate measuring methods, there is going to be some + or -.

The other possibility is that you measured yourself slightly differently from one time to the next. If you expect, and want to be bigger from one time to the next, then you may have unconsciously made that happen (i.e. measuring in a slightly different spot, or used slightly less tension on the tape, etc.).

It could be one or the other above, or perhaps some combination of both.

Probably measurement error. Whenever you get a reading like 13.5%, even with very accurate measuring methods, there is going to be some + or -.

The other possibility is that you measured yourself slightly differently from one time to the next. If you expect, and want to be bigger from one time to the next, then you may have unconsciously made that happen (i.e. measuring in a slightly different spot, or used slightly less tension on the tape, etc.).

It could be one or the other above, or perhaps some combination of both.

The person who did the measurement was the same, and performs at least 3 or 4 measurements on different people every weekday.

I am confident that the tape measurements were as accurate as they can be.

Though the BF reading could be off, I grant you. It wasn't BIA though, which is notoriously volatile depending on hydration levels.

This test was done at the same time of day and under the same conditions as before. Had eaten the same way the day previous, eaten nothing on the day of the measurement, etc.

Um....

How is this possible?

I had a measurement taken at my gym. Same trainer takes measurements including Futrex NIR spectrometer BF reading.

BF exactly the same (13.5%) two months apart. Weight exactly the same (161).

And yet, my chest went up a half inch, my shoulders went up a half inch, my hips are slightly bigger and so are my legs (probably from deads).

So how do I have more muscle and the same weight but the same BF?

I don't get it.... except maybe measurement error. My waist is a bit softer and I've gone slightly less defined in the abs (but so barely that I think it may just be my own psychotic perceptions). Still have abdominal veins and vascularity in arms, etc.

I just don't get how I've been able to get slightly thicker in my upper body with the same weight and BF.


I've never heard of the Futrex NIR spectrometer BF. How does it work? Is it a fancy name for a BIA device? Unless you use BodPod or hydrostatic weighing there is "relatively high" level of error associated with the measurement. My guess is that you prbably have gained muscle and lost fat, but error shows otherwise.

for me numbers don't matter as long as you are satisfied with the way you look

for me numbers don't matter as long as you are satisfied with the way you look


I agree, the numbers will make you crazy eventually. :eek::eek::eek: