So I joined a gym three weeks ago and had my percent body fat taken by a personal trainer using calipers and it was 16%.

Over the past three weeks I cut my calorie intake from 3000 to 1800 and I have been doing strength training and cardio 4 times a week. I have lost 3 pounds (now 5'10" 173), but I had my percent body fat taken again today by the same guy and it was still at 16%.

I also had my measurements done again and my chest was an inch bigger. I have also gone in one belt loop. I can also see the difference in the mirror.

Do you think the % body fat measurements were inaccurate? Should I just forget about % BF?

I'm sure there is margin for error in body fat tests, especially if done at the gym and I don't know how much of a difference percentage wise 3 pounds would make. Maybe some of the experts can answer that...

Personally, I don't worry too much about body fat% or weight. If I 'see' positive results then I know I'm doing the right stuff. What is your goal, to lose weight? Or to gain muscle?

What time of day are you taking the measurements?
The same time ever day with no food in your belly? Or later in the day after consuming water and food?

These things play a big factor in your caliper pinches.
You should take the measurements in the morning, after you go to the bathroom and before you eat.

Sounds like a margin of error issue (unless it was taken at a different time of day as niceone pointed out). As Moonbeam3 said... a 3 pound loss is great, but to lose % of fat is tough. In other words losing three pounds of fat may only be 1% loss in body fat. I'm confusing myself

Anyway, try to keep at it. Obviously you are doing something good if the inches are going down. Try to get on a regular schedule of WHO and WHEN you test your body fat. Calipers have a margin of error as big as the person doing the measurements. A safe number is 3-5% error.

Give yourself a little more than three weeks...How many points were used in taking the measurement, 3 or 7?

I would say do 9.. if you are using a caliper 9 is the most precise you will get.

I know tons of people who get 6-7% BF with 7-site measurement and there is no way in hell they are that low.

I dunno, dropping from 3000cals to 1800cals is 1200 difference...a big decrease to the body. it might be running in starvation mode, and you burned more muscle than fat.

its not out of the realm of possibility here.

FIND what your LBM is, then you will know if it was muscle you lost, because as MELKORE said 1800 hundred calories is to much at one time.

This topic is a couple of years old. Do you have a wayback machine or how/why did you bump it?