Body Composition Analysis?

[gregbrich]

Phil and other PM Fitness Guru's,

Please help me understand this.

So 3 months back, before starting last bulking cycle, I messured in at 19.5 PBF on InBody-230, now finishing (2 weeks out) what I thought was a real crapy bulker with only 7 lbs gained so far... My BMI went from 30 to 30.5 and my percent body fat is now 14.8, or 5% less then when I started.

I ate a ton of food and feal like a fat cow!

WTF?

 

[muscle_n_blood]

Don't let numbers tell you how you are doing. How do you look? How do you feel? How are you performing in the gym and elsewhere? If you can answer these questions with a confident "quite well, thank you" all the other numbers like BMI, BF%, and even weight are irrelevant.
I've never had a judge at a bodybuilding show ask about my BMI. I've never had a girl on the beach come at me with a set of calipers. When I hook myself up to some heavy weight to do a set, I know how much it weighs. It doesn't care how much I weigh.

 

[gregbrich]

Don't let numbers tell you how you are doing. How do you look? How do you feel? How are you performing in the gym and elsewhere? If you can answer these questions with a confident "quite well, thank you" all the other numbers like BMI, BF%, and even weight are irrelevant.
I've never had a judge at a bodybuilding show ask about my BMI. I've never had a girl on the beach come at me with a set of calipers. When I hook myself up to some heavy weight to do a set, I know how much it weighs. It doesn't care how much I weigh.

Thank you for your feedback, but I would then ask what is the point to even doing this kind of Comp Analysis then?

 

[muscle_n_blood]

Thank you for your feedback, but I would then ask what is the point to even doing this kind of Comp Analysis then?

IMHO, none. I've been into strength and physique training for many years, long before these types of analyses were in vogue. I have always evaluated my success (or lack of it) on how I look, how I feel, and how I perform, whether that be in the gym, field of play, or stage. I know whether I did my best at training, diet, and supplementation, and knowing numbers like bf% or BMI wouldn't have changed any outcomes, made me look any better, or make me feel more healthy or confident.

 

[pumpkinhead]

BMI is not ment for a bodybuilder..its soley based off height and weight. I am morbidly obese acording to BMI. If you truly want to know your bodyfat do underwater weighing or Bod pod....

That being said, bodyfat is irrelevant to a point. I have seen guys look better on stage and be 2% higher according to bodyfat test, then the guy standing next to him. so yes, keep your bodyfat levels undercontrol are important, but at the end of the day let the mirror be the judge

....(of course unless your one of thoose concieted bastards that thinks he looks good working out with his sleeveless shirt cut down to his waist with is love handles hanging out)

 

[gregbrich]

Kinda figured the BMI was not aplicable but was surprised to see BF going down, rather then up on what I thought was a bulking cycle.

The testing was not done with calipers, It was via InBody 230.
**broken link removed**

 

[muscle_n_blood]

Kinda figured the BMI was not aplicable but was surprised to see BF going down, rather then up on what I thought was a bulking cycle.

The testing was not done with calipers, It was via InBody 230.
**broken link removed**

It doesn't matter how the testing was done. The information is worthless. What good is it if you get what you consider to be a favorable number but you are still unsatisfied with the results? Or if the numbers are surprisingly bad but you feel good and everyone is in awe of your physique?
This is especially true with how your physique looks. Each individual's genetics distributes BF differently. For example, using random numbers: A body with an evenly distributed 9% will look better than someone who holds their 7% in their love handles or as chest flab.

 

[gregbrich]

It doesn't matter how the testing was done. The information is worthless. What good is it if you get what you consider to be a favorable number but you are still unsatisfied with the results? Or if the numbers are surprisingly bad but you feel good and everyone is in awe of your physique?
This is especially true with how your physique looks. Each individual's genetics distributes BF differently. For example, using random numbers: A body with an evenly distributed 9% will look better than someone who holds their 7% in their love handles or as chest flab.

Good input! This is kinda what I am thinking also. Plus, I don't see the need for dishing out $50 bucks to get BF%.

Although I guess I am pleased to see a number of less then 15%.

 

[homonunculus]

Phil and other PM Fitness Guru's,

Please help me understand this.

So 3 months back, before starting last bulking cycle, I messured in at 19.5 PBF on InBody-230, now finishing (2 weeks out) what I thought was a real crapy bulker with only 7 lbs gained so far... My BMI went from 30 to 30.5 and my percent body fat is now 14.8, or 5% less then when I started.

I ate a ton of food and feal like a fat cow!

WTF?

Wanna try something for shits n' grins?...

Get your body water under control as needed, drop your carbs for about 24 hrs and go back in slightly dehydrated (e.g., don't drink anything after 5-6PM the night before if you're doing a morning test with them) and see what they come up with for BF%.

The fun part could be the Q and A / explanation you get as to why you're so much fatter now...

That's a bioelectrical impedence machine they used, so it has underlying assumptions based on the hydration and impedance (resistance) to current flow of the fat-free mass (FFM). Increased water retention, from storing it along with glycogen (e.g., especially going from a depleted to supersaturated state), from eating a ton food along with water, especially with plenty of sodium, from estrogen-related water retention, or what have, you changes the hydration of the body. The underlying assumption of the method is that the FFM is more hydrated than the Fat Mass, which is true. (The computational equations used by the machine are usually not available, as these are proprietary info. Sometimes you can't even get the company to tell you how they came up with them. I looked briefly at the site, but didn't find anything.)

So, if you gained water weight during the cycle, the BIA will, based on its underlying software, interpret this as an increase in FFM, which means a decrease in Fat Mass (according to the BIA), so you end up with a calculation of less BF and thus a lower BF% estimate.

Years ago, I screwed around with one of these (experimental model) and would after a weekly carb-up that added bout 10lb of bodyweight (from keto to fullblown nasty carb and sodium and water - it was Rebound Training, which you can google), I'd gain in about 12-15lb of "FFM" in just 24hr and lose about 3-5lb of "fat," if I recall. I was amazed at what 2 trips to the AYCE buffet and piles of homemade pancakes could do for body composition... LOL

------

Either way, that's a pretty high BF% (even if the estimate is quite high) to be starting a bulking cycle, so I can imagine you feel like ass now... (I would...)

-Scott

 

[Essentially87]

I don't think the number is worthless; you have to do it on the same machine consistently and stay properly hydrated to the same level when you did the initial test. The better machines all pass electricity through your body and measure the retention of water because muscle holds water fat doesn't etc. and hence the current passes in different rates and magic numbers are given. I think though something that measures body comp. when you maintain the same hydration, try to minimize other factors like caffeine intake, time of day, etc can serve as a guidance point like a scale. Its like measuring yourself on different scales all the time, one at the gym, one at home, one on your buddies you are going to get different numbers. Consistency is key to measure results but then again it doesn't mean BF % is going up when you weigh yourself on the same scale and you weigh more while working hard in the gym.

Cliffs: Same scale, body fat comp machine consistency watch your numbers on the same one. Provides another measurement, I don't think the scale is that important but anything you are going to use to "judge" yourself should be the same equipment and measured at different periods." I also agree the mirror is best. If you look better who cares what the numbers say?

 

[Essentially87]

Wanna try something for shits n' grins?...

Get your body water under control as needed, drop your carbs for about 24 hrs and go back in slightly dehydrated (e.g., don't drink anything after 5-6PM the night before if you're doing a morning test with them) and see what they come up with for BF%.

The fun part could be the Q and A / explanation you get as to why you're so much fatter now...

That's a bioelectrical impedence machine they used, so it has underlying assumptions based on the hydration and impedance (resistance) to current flow of the fat-free mass (FFM). Increased water retention, from storing it along with glycogen (e.g., especially going from a depleted to supersaturated state), from eating a ton food along with water, especially with plenty of sodium, from estrogen-related water retention, or what have, you changes the hydration of the body. The underlying assumption of the method is that the FFM is more hydrated than the Fat Mass, which is true. (The computational equations used by the machine are usually not available, as these are proprietary info. Sometimes you can't even get the company to tell you how they came up with them. I looked briefly at the site, but didn't find anything.)

So, if you gained water weight during the cycle, the BIA will, based on its underlying software, interpret this as an increase in FFM, which means a decrease in Fat Mass (according to the BIA), so you end up with a calculation of less BF and thus a lower BF% estimate.

Years ago, I screwed around with one of these (experimental model) and would after a weekly carb-up that added bout 10lb of bodyweight (from keto to fullblown nasty carb and sodium and water - it was Rebound Training, which you can google), I'd gain in about 12-15lb of "FFM" in just 24hr and lose about 3-5lb of "fat," if I recall. I was amazed at what 2 trips to the AYCE buffet and piles of homemade pancakes could do for body composition... LOL

------

Either way, that's a pretty high BF% (even if the estimate is quite high) to be starting a bulking cycle, so I can imagine you feel like ass now... (I would...)

-Scott

^^^<------what he said