WTF! Is this possible? Please read, my training, did something go wrong?

[CobraUTAH]

Well some may remember my posts, but anyway I went on a three month bulking blitz where I ate like a horse and trained like a gorilla. I gained 30 pounds in that time and my strength grew very fast. Anyway after the bulking I wanted to cut down. I got hell for that and was in a few arguments about cutting etc. Well at the end of my bulking June 2, 2003 I weight 232 and was at 13% bodyfat. As of last week I was 218 and 15% bodyfat. My question is what the hell went wrong. I spent weeks planning my cutting cycle down to the last detail and it didn't do shit for me. My diet seemed great I used many tips from here and the diet forum plus articles that I read. My strength is still there if not better in some areas. I used HIIT style cardio training. I thought I had all the bases covered. I don't think I look like I lost muscle and gained that much fat but the calipers say so. So are the calipers wrong? I lost three inches around my waist during this time and my abs popped out a bit more. The only area that I feel bad about during the cutting was not doing squats. But with adding deads and doing HIIT I wouldn't think that made such a difference. Anyway the whole dieting process pissed me off. I'd like to just go back to bulking and see how massive I can really get. Should I scrap the diet and weight loss, and get back to the big weights? Oh I forgot during the cutting I didn't change my training I stayed with 5x5 and kept the weights heavy. I did this because most articles and people hear said that it's the best way to keep the lean mass you gain along with doing cardio that preserves muscle mass which is why I did the HIIT. Sorry this post is poorly written but I wrote it as it came to me. In closing my main question is, can a person diet properly according to the best info available and have an adverse reaction to it. Did I really go from 232 at 13% to 218 at 15% in 8 weeks of DIETING (meaning trying to lose bodyfat while maintaining lean mass), or are the calipers and the person doing the skin fold test just that inaccurate and unpredictable.

 

[casualbb]

Did I really go from 232 at 13% to 218 at 15% in 8 weeks of DIETING (meaning trying to lose bodyfat while maintaining lean mass), or are the calipers and the person doing the skin fold test just that inaccurate and unpredictable.

Those sound like bogus results. Always compare objective numbers with your subjective visual take of yourself. If you look leaner, especially around the middle, than you lost fat. Period.

 

[CobraUTAH]

I did look leaner and I lost weight, I felt stronger in most areas etc. The bodyfat test just messed me up in the head. I felt like all the work and worrying and eating right was just a waste. It really messed up my motivation. I haven't been training with the same intensity or desire since. I guess that's why bodyfat measurement is so brutal it's rarely accurate or consistent, and varies depending on many, many variables.

 

[Toozee]

BF measurements are kinda like a cross between hollywood stars and politicians......you want to know them, but sometimes you just can't trust them.

I would just go by looks. You said you looked leaner and your strength was the same or better, and doesnt look like you lost any muscle. Sounds good to me. Don't let the number bug you.

 

[psychedout]

I think that your bf % caliper is bogus.

 

[SofaGeorge]

I've seen this happen MANY times. I've known many many people who lost size... not as much body fat. It's common to go down in weight and stay the same B/F percentage.

 

[gonelifting]

It depends on where you take the measurements. My guess is you were more than 13% when you started.

Don`t let it get to you though, like Casual said, If you look better in the waist .... you`re good.

 

[Numani]

to me the fact that you only dropped 14lbs bodyweight in an eight week period. lost 3 inches off your waist. maintained your strength and look leaner!!

seems to me you might have actually put on some more muscle, definitely not got fatter.

maybe..shot in the dark...the fat pinch test...which i think is highly weighted in males to the waist pinch number might be influenced by loose skin from the 3 inch drop.

 

[needsleep]

I posted almost exact same thing about 2 months back, dropped in weight looked more defined and lost 3inches from waist. I decided it wasn't as bad as the readings said and that the bf readings were inaccurate.

It certainly does mess your head up, i'm betting you lost fat and maybe a little muscle but not to the degree the readings suggest.

 

[pwr_machine]

are the calipers and the person doing the skin fold test just that inaccurate and unpredictable.

Did you have the same person do the skin folds?

It's receommended that you use the same person each time, and find someone with adequate experience. Even with those variables covered, there is still a small % error with the use of calipers. Look at these numbers over a longer period of time, not just 8 weeks. Until then, let the mirror be the judge. Keep in mind that there is also a remote possibility that you're losing fat as well as muscle when dieting.