Opinions on my body composition results.

[QueBert]

The Nutrishop store up the street does a 2-3x a year challenge for getting into shape. I've been going there for years to get a few supplements here and there and go almost daily to get a protein bar or some jerky and an energy drink. I never bothered to enter until the latest one. One of the workers talked me into it, it's free and the top 3 win stuff. I think 1st place is a $300 gift card. I didn't enter with any thoughts of even trying to win. I was just curious. I forget the model, but they have a fancy, expensive Inbody machine. They do bi weekly weigh ins and I just did the 2nd. My results both times were all green, which they say is good. But I feel like they're a little over hyping my results to keep me motivated. I have been logging everything I eat in Lostit, I've been eating less calories and a lot more protein and doing cardio a few days a week. I don't think they're lying to me, but I'm not buying my results are as good as they're telling me. Here are my numbers for anyone who understands this stuff.

9/30 is when I signed up and initial weigh in:

Inbody Details
09/30/2024
Weight: 175.91 lbs
SMM: 71.65 skeletal muscle lbs
BFM: 45.61 body fat lbs
PBF: 25.9% body fat
BMI: 25.75 body mass index
BMR: 1647.00 Basal metabolic rate
DLM: 34.17 lbs

1st weigh in
10/12/2024
Weight: 175.80 lbs
SMM: 72.97 skeletal muscle lbs
BFM: 43.08 body fat lbs
PBF: 24.5% body fat
BMI: 25.74 body mass index
BMR: 1671.00 Basal metabolic rate
DLM: 34.61 lbs

weigh in today
10/28/2024
Weight: 175.80 lbs
SMM: 74.52 skeletal muscle lbs
BFM: 39.99 body fat lbs
PBF: 22.8% body fat
BMI: 25.74 body mass index
BMR: 1701.00 Basal metabolic rate
DLM: 35.49 lbs


This machine cost a lot and they claim it's very accurate, they're telling me my weight staying the same isn't important, it's about the BF and the muscle gained. That makes sense to me, but I feel they're overhyping my results. The guy today said if I keep at this pace I should be in the running for a top 3 spot. There are probably 100 people in this, and I know some are hitting the gym and busting their ass. I'm eating less, eating slightly healthier and doing cardio and a few minutes of pushups 3x a week. So I'm definitely not pushing myself. So my weight is practically identical, but they're saying the drop in BF and muscle I've put on is what I should be focusing on.

So after signing up just because I was bored, I feel like this could be something. There's another 6 weeks to go (I think) and now they have me motivated to apply more effort and see what I can really do. For anyone here who understands all these numbers, what's your honest opinion? I don't have a real grasp here, so seeing my skeletal muscle going up 2.85lbs when I haven't done anything strength wise, I'm almost believing their hype lol. I understand 2.8 is a low number but the fact I'm losing fat and putting on muscle is at least something.

This caused me to look up one of those machines, I knew they'd be expensive but WOOOOOO!

 

[purbeast0]

I would be highly skeptical of those results. I also don't get the numbers.

I don't know what all those acronyms mean, but how did you lose 6lbs of fat and gain only 3lbs of muscle but your weight stayed the same?

Also based on your posting history here, I would guess you are in your 40's like myself.

Putting on 3lbs of muscle in your 40s in 1 month is like the kind of results someone who is on roids would get, let alone WHILE losing 6lbs of fat. And you aren't even doing weight training - just a few minutes of pushups 3x a week. You aren't going to put on any muscle doing a few pushups a week.

In your 40s like putting on 5lbs of muscle A YEAR if you are natty and on a high intensity lifting routine would be something to be proud of.

The numbers just don't make much sense to me.

 

[QueBert]

I would be highly skeptical of those results. I also don't get the numbers.

I don't know what all those acronyms mean, but how did you lose 6lbs of fat and gain only 3lbs of muscle but your weight stayed the same?

Also based on your posting history here, I would guess you are in your 40's like myself.

Putting on 3lbs of muscle in your 40s in 1 month is like the kind of results someone who is on roids would get, let alone WHILE losing 6lbs of fat. And you aren't even doing weight training - just a few minutes of pushups 3x a week. You aren't going to put on any muscle doing a few pushups a week.

In your 40s like putting on 5lbs of muscle A YEAR if you are natty and on a high intensity lifting routine would be something to be proud of.

The numbers just don't make much sense to me.

Everything I can find on Google about the InBody machines are they're reliable when it comes to measuring body composition. I was also told by one of the guys who works there that my numbers are pretty good for the first few weeks, but they won't continue at the same rate due to my body having settled in to me changing my diet and working out. So unless the machine needs to be calibrated, the numbers should be accurate enough to use. And if the machine needs to be calibrated, well I'm still towards the top of the pack for the challenge. So if I end up in 1st place and win the gift card I'm good with that lol.

And I know price doesn't mean it has to be quality, but this cost over $20k, that seems super expensive if it doesn't do what it claims. And even if it it's still that's still a lot of money. I don't see a small business spending that kind of cash on something unless it's legit.

I just don't fully understand the numbers enough to grasp, I guess I should go sit down with someone there so they can explain what each means. I just thought maybe someone here might have some hands on with the InBody machines and could decipher the %'s so a dummy like me can understand lol.

 

[WelshBloke]

When a company offers you a service for free they aren't doing it for your benefit, they are doing it so they can sell you something.

 

[purbeast0]

Everything I can find on Google about the InBody machines are they're reliable when it comes to measuring body composition. I was also told by one of the guys who works there that my numbers are pretty good for the first few weeks, but they won't continue at the same rate due to my body having settled in to me changing my diet and working out. So unless the machine needs to be calibrated, the numbers should be accurate enough to use. And if the machine needs to be calibrated, well I'm still towards the top of the pack for the challenge. So if I end up in 1st place and win the gift card I'm good with that lol.

And I know price doesn't mean it has to be quality, but this cost over $20k, that seems super expensive if it doesn't do what it claims. And even if it it's still that's still a lot of money. I don't see a small business spending that kind of cash on something unless it's legit.

I just don't fully understand the numbers enough to grasp, I guess I should go sit down with someone there so they can explain what each means. I just thought maybe someone here might have some hands on with the InBody machines and could decipher the %'s so a dummy like me can understand lol.

I'm not saying the machine is not accurate.

I'm saying those numbers are highly skeptical based on decades of research and human physiology.

But hey maybe you just have super special genes and can put on pounds of muscle while losing fat and doing no weight training, all natural at your age.

 

[QueBert]

When a company offers you a service for free they aren't doing it for your benefit, they are doing it so they can sell you something.

Yup they're trying to get customers to buy more supplements and pre made meals. I already buy my supplements there, this was free to enter and if I win I get a $350 gift card. They're helpful at assisting people who want to get into shape. They sat down with me for 20 minutes and went over my food log for a month to come up with a meal plan and broke down what my macros should be. They knew I wouldn't be buying their meals, but they still gave me their time. Anyone can go in and use the InBody machine for free. Obviously, they hope people buy shit, but they don't pressure anyone.

They're a business so they gotta make money, but some small businesses genuinely are there to help people too.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I'm eating less, eating slightly healthier and doing cardio and a few minutes of pushups 3x a week. So I'm definitely not pushing myself.

That's still a lot more than most people do. Increase in muscle mass could also mean that your testosterone levels are improving. However, only your girlfriend can tell for sure

 

[QueBert]

That's still a lot more than most people do. Increase in muscle mass could also mean that your testosterone levels are improving. However, only your girlfriend can tell for sure

Sadly that's true, but my "working out" has been pretty pathetic, it was the initial shock of my body adjusting to me changing my diet and eating less & somewhat healthier I guess. The store owner said I'll have to start hitting weights and putting in work if I want to see any more muscle gain. Or, I can just go back to stuffing my face, put on 10-15lbs of fat, lose the small amount of muscle I've gained and start over again and have amazing results for the 1st 4 weeks, followed by nothing after that lol.

I don't know anything about my test levels, but I have pretty good metabolism so they should be at least decent for a 50 year old.

 

[purbeast0]

Yes keep going back to that store and giving them money, and they will keep feeding you bullshit lol.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Yup they're trying to get customers to buy more supplements and pre made meals. I already buy my supplements there

What do you get? I could go over the ingredients and let you know if there's any worrisome ingredient that I found out about the hard way (longggg history of supplement use that continues to this day).

Bone broth supplements may be good. Protein (lots of people here will disagree with this one) supplements are not necessary, especially not at your age, unless you want to be the next Mr. Olympia. Just eat chicken breast and broccoli a lot and you get whatever you need to build muscle. And try not to eat double the protein your body needs. It's not going to make the muscles build faster. It will only cause extra burden on your liver and kidneys as they have to convert the nitrogen in the excess amino acids to urea and excrete it. If you watch the Veritasium Youtube video on longevity and listen closely, you will understand that excess protein messes with the body's repair mechanism and you don't want that to be messed up, especially in older age where catabolism is faster and anabolism is slower.

DISCLAIMER: I'm no health expert (well, I could pass a related multiple choice exam if such an exam exists...) and my advice should be taken with lots of deep breaths (I don't recommend salt as that will exacerbate any existing health issues).

 

[QueBert]

Yes keep going back to that store and giving them money, and they will keep feeding you bullshit lol.

98% of what I buy there are $2.25 out the door energy drinks. The same drinks are $2.50-3 + tax & CRV everywhere else. I also get a free one after every 12. It was free to sign up for this challenge for and I haven't spent an extra dime. I'll guess he makes about a quarter on an energy drink, so they make maybe a whopping $7.50 a month off me. All I know is it's the cheapest place to get them, I pay like $8 less per case than anywhere else.

Maybe he's lying to me just to be nice? Seeing I'm not buying anything extra and not being told I need to buy this and that, I'm fine if I'm being lied to lol. And as far as that, he's just going off the results from his $20,000 machine. So if anyone's lying it's the machine.

 

[QueBert]

What do you get? I could go over the ingredients and let you know if there's any worrisome ingredient that I found out about the hard way (longggg history of supplement use that continues to this day).

Bone broth supplements may be good. Protein (lots of people here will disagree with this one) supplements are not necessary, especially not at your age, unless you want to be the next Mr. Olympia. Just eat chicken breast and broccoli a lot and you get whatever you need to build muscle. And try not to eat double the protein your body needs. It's not going to make the muscles build faster. It will only cause extra burden on your liver and kidneys as they have to convert the nitrogen in the excess amino acids to urea and excrete it. If you watch the Veritasium Youtube video on longevity and listen closely, you will understand that excess protein messes with the body's repair mechanism and you don't want that to be messed up, especially in older age where catabolism is faster and anabolism is slower.

DISCLAIMER: I'm no health expert (well, I could pass a related multiple choice exam if such an exam exists...) and my advice should be taken with lots of deep breaths (I don't recommend salt as that will exacerbate any existing health issues).

I don't really buy the supplements there, I'll buy a tub of protein and their electrolyte mix once every 3-4 months, I go there for the energy drinks because they're the cheapest anywhere. I was going to buy a few things and was told "you don't need these, you're better if you stick with whole foods. You shouldn't be trying to replace actual food, that's not what supplements are for." They sat with me and went over my diet in depth and told me what I should be eating more and less of and that once I get that in check then I can start to think about adding supplements if I still need anything.

And they actually told me I was overdoing it on protein powder (which I buy there) and to eat more chicken and beef to up my grams. 120g a day's their recommendation with no more than 30'ish (1 scoop) from a powder or bar. They don't even try to peddle the pre packaged fresh meals they have delivered every morning since they know I cook every day and have an understanding of my macros.

Hole in the wall stores are the best, if I go to GNC or Vitamin Shoppe they'll instantly start to pressure me to near harassment levels to buy shit. Here I buy my lil $2.25 energy drink and bounce and they don't say a word about other suggestions. The chick at GNC last month recommended I buy L-Carnitine when she asked what I did and I told her "I do 20 minutes 3x a week of super super light cardio" This place would tell me to put that shit back if I tried to buy it.

Maybe when I'm actually working out hard I'll start to buy some Creatine and L-Carnitine.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I was going to buy a few things and was told "you don't need these, you're better if you stick with whole foods. You shouldn't be trying to replace actual food, that's not what supplements are for." They sat with me and went over my diet in depth and told me what I should be eating more and less of and that once I get that in check then I can start to think about adding supplements if I still need anything.

And they actually told me I was overdoing it on protein powder (which I buy there) and to eat more chicken and beef to up my grams. 120g a day's their recommendation with no more than 30'ish (1 scoop) from a powder or bar. They don't even try to peddle the pre packaged fresh meals they have delivered every morning since they know I cook every day and have an understanding of my macros.

They sound like good people then. I would follow their advice.