some numbers:
current body fat three site caliper method (I drug out the caliper tonight).
It was:
c: 54
s; 55
t: 30
= 38.88%
fitbit scale regisered me today at 37.6% and yesterday at 37.9%; so that's within one percentage point of one another. Moreover, the height, neck, abs navy version came up with 41.9% -- a little higher than the others - but these are all so close it makes me believe my scale is pretty accurate, contrary to broad internet claims.
I also dug through the fitbit numbers over the last week.
I went from 349.1 to 343.5 pounds - a good loss of 5.5 pounds; but it turns out I lost 11.2 pounds of lean muscle and exchanged it for 5.6 pounds of fat gain. wow! How can that be? So, now, though it's a small difference - my metabolism is slower rather than faster, as I have less muscle mass. That seems impossible, although I think it's likely pretty accurate.
Incidentally, for those who say I should eat more protein here's the numbers.
date / g protein / % of diet protein
01.04 / 157 g protein / 25% of cals
01.03. / /174 g / 26%
01.02 / 204 g / 23%
01.01 / 188 g / 24%
12.31 / 207g / 24%
12.30 / 150 g / 25%
12.29 / 150g / 35%
average: 175g protein/day
average % = 24.7%
Some of my reading suggests 30% of diet protein; but 24.7% isn't that far off.
Moreover, suggestions for building muscle is 0.7g/pound of lean mass up to around 1g protein/lean pound = I have a lean mass of about 210 pounds or so ; so the protein range is 147g to 210g. So, in other words, I'm right in the middle of that target.
Also, incidentally, according to my movements and expenditures in fitbit, I'm -1,200 to -1,500 calories per day on average going back four weeks (the math is a bit fuzzy, but that predicts a loss of 1,200 * 30 = 36,000 calories or 10 pounds; and 1,500 * 30 = 45,000 calories = 12.9 pounds. Turns out I lost six pounds, not 10-13 - so it's off by about 50%. [even worse I gained fat and lost muscle - the worst of all worlds].) but the basic point is this: I'm consuming about 2400 calories a day, and I burn about 4,200 calories a day (something like 3,400 calories plus about 800 calories with activity and exercise).
I suppose the answer is to add some more protein to the mix. get it near 200-220 grams of protein per day.
I guess the other thing is I'm trying to improve my sleep pattern too. Four the past four weeks this is teh data:
ending / score avg for week
01.05 / 80 (good)
12.29 / 72 (fair)
12.22 / 76 (fair)
12.15 / 68 (fair);
12.08 / 74 (fair)
So, maybe the answer is better sleep and slightly greater protein.
Having said all of this - I think the workouts can be harder and more regular, too. I'm currently doing resistance training (with lighter weights, as the new heavier weights have yet to arrive) three days per week.