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Anonymous
Hello /fit/,

I've been taking an aerobics/weight training class at a JC since February in which at the beginning, we measured our beginning weight, body fat percentage (using an impedance scale), and max lifts for different machines. I've also been going to the gym frequently and today we did our end of class lifts. My lifts have grown a lot, and I've lost weight, but my body fat has stayed at 20% according to that scale.

I know these lift amounts aren't a big deal but it's a big day for me:

Leg press: 240 280
Leg curl: 156 192
Leg extension: 170 175 (right above my kneecap hurt like a bitch when I do these so I didn't push it)
Seated row: 130 205
Shoulder press: 72 101
Chest press: 110 145
Bicep curl: 72 101
Tricep extension: 60 96
Lat pulldown: 120 156
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>> Anonymous
Have you changed your diet at all?

Diet is very important when trying to lower body fat content (for example, in men, fat usually builds up on the stomach so in order to get well defined abs, you have to get rid of the layer between the muscles and the skin).

Drink more water (to keep you full) and eat more salad.
>> Anonymous
>>124972
I forgot to add:

Muscle is more dense than fat. You could have lost much more than 3 pounds of fat, but because muscle is heavier, you have only netted a lost of 3 pounds.
>> Moonmauler !!LgNbdvCFAuN
It's great that you're improving.

One little tip though: free weights are vastly superior to machines.
>> Anonymous
>>124979
>>124979
>>124979

This.

Also, impedance testing is dependent on your hydration. Since you likely naturally increased your water intake due to your increased output, that could have scewed the results in the manner you observed.

The best thing to do with those is to test first thing in the morning before you've done any eating or drinking. Having water in your system can throw the results as far as 5%, if not farther.
>> Anonymous
>>124972
I'm actually trying to eat more to gain lots of muscle, but I have been eating healthier (less processed grains and sugars, more protein, taking vitamins, etc), then I'll go on a cut eventually later. I do drink tons of water. Usually around a gallon a day.

I do know muscle weighs more, just according to this scale, the fat:lean mass ratio hasn't changed, but it seems off to me since my lifts have improved a lot.

>>124979
Yeah, unfortunately this class has mostly machines. The ONLY free weights are dumbbells that go up to 25 lbs. When I go to 24 hour fitness (usually once a week) I mostly use freeweights. I don't want to overtrain though so push myself pretty well in class (mon wed), then go to the gym once a week where I know I am getting a better workout. Once school is over I'll be doing freeweight workouts 3 times a week.
>> anonymous
Good job man.

I started out like you with really low maxes for all of my lifts. Most of my maxes were only about 10 pounds heavier than your original maxes when i started lifting and exerising 2 years ago, and now all of your maxes i can rep easily many many times. So keep up your hard work and you will get exponentially more in shape and stronger.

Oh and just a tip to keep you motivated, muscle burns fat ... so the more muscle you build over time the easier it will be for you to burn fat. So as you keep working out you will burn more and more fat faster with the greater amount of muscle you will gain. So just keep workin out and you will get the results you want.
>> anonymous
oh and i started with the same military press max as you if thats what you meant by shoulder press.

My military press max now with a barbell is 155 pounds.