Want to gain muscle but scared to go into a calorie surplus

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czmiles926
czmiles926 Posts: 130 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I'm female, 5"3 and 105 pounds. I want to gain muscle so I look fitter and less skinny. For my exercise I usually do running, squats, hip bridges and crunches about three times a week.
I'm worried that I'm not doing enough exercise to build muscle and by going into a calorie surplus I'll just gain fat instead. But I've also heard that it's impossible to gain muscle if your not eating a surplus. Any advice?

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  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    I would do some research in to a structured lifting program - as a good starting point there are some stickied threads on the forum with lots of info. This will help with the muscle gain.

    To gain muscle, you could do recomp without weight gain, but I'd say that may not be the greatest idea when you're at the bottom of a healthy weight for your height. Eat at a small surplus and you'll minimise fat gain whilst making it easier to build muscle
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    czmiles926 wrote: »
    I'm female, 5"3 and 105 pounds. I want to gain muscle so I look fitter and less skinny. For my exercise I usually do running, squats, hip bridges and crunches about three times a week.
    I'm worried that I'm not doing enough exercise to build muscle and by going into a calorie surplus I'll just gain fat instead. But I've also heard that it's impossible to gain muscle if your not eating a surplus. Any advice?

    You're right, you're not doing enough exercises. The only ones you've listed that will build muscle is really the squats. You need to find a pre existing lifting plan, like a Stronglifts, that will provide the schedule and lifts that will work the entire body.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    As mentioned, finding a progressive lifting program will be optimal to make sure you are building muscle while you bulk.

    Here is the link:

    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Also I know the idea of gaining weight can be scary, but it will be worth it to build a muscle foundation. Keeping your surplus lower (so 125-250cals over maintenance per day or 0.25-0.5lb gain per week) will help keep fat gains under control.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    I'll parrot what the others said. You need a better lifting program...u seem to be neglecting other muscle groups... :disappointed:
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    You are barely above being under weight (by like half a pound). Once you figure out what lifting plan you want you will have to eat more and gain weight to fuel muscle. At this point you simply don't have the body weight or body fat to support recomposition. Take advantage of new lifter gains when you start lifting and eat more. Add some peanut butter or ice cream at the end of the day if you haven't hit a surplus.
  • czmiles926
    czmiles926 Posts: 130 Member
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    Thanks for the advice. I don't have any weights, could I build muscle using body weight exercises?
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    You've got it quite right. You're not doing enough exercises.
    czmiles926 wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice. I don't have any weights, could I build muscle using body weight exercises?
    You can. Although using weights makes it much easier.

    See Naked Warrior, Be your own gym, convict conditioning, anything by the Kavadlo brothers. OR gymnastic programs like building the gymnastic body by sommer.

    Pushups, pullups, dips, squats, and their variations.

    One arm pushups, one arm one leg pushups, decline/elevated pushups, and planche pushups for example.
  • DaneDog28
    DaneDog28 Posts: 11 Member
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    I hear you - I am 5'3" and about 113.5 - the lowest I've gone in 107, but its too skinny for me and my clothes hang off, esp in the rear and its not cute. I started adding a few extra calories a day, eating alot of protein, and put on about 3.5 pounds so far, and I am still skinny but fill out my clothes much better. The current workout I am doing is from a women's fitness magazine, and it its basically lifting 5 days a week, total body, with minimal cardio. In a month I've seen results. Good luck!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    czmiles926 wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice. I don't have any weights, could I build muscle using body weight exercises?

    is joining a gym an option ..?
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
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    czmiles926 wrote: »
    Thanks for the advice. I don't have any weights, could I build muscle using body weight exercises?

    Yes you could but it's really not going to work well. To build muscle you really need to lift weights that are at least 60% of the maximum you can lift. While doing bodyweights, the best you'll be able to do in most cases is 50% or so unless you do something like chin-ups or wall push ups, then you can use a far amount of your body as weight.

    You'll be able to do Stronglifts at home by picking up a barbell kit somewhere and modify it to do Hack Squats instead of Squats and a Floor Press instead of a Bench Press. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done.
  • czmiles926
    czmiles926 Posts: 130 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »

    is joining a gym an option ..?

    Not until October
  • Zhatan
    Zhatan Posts: 45 Member
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    Recent studies have shown that it is indeed possible to build muscle on a calorie deficit if your protein intake is high enough, however it's most likely a good idea to be on a slight surplus and start working out with weights.
    Just be sure not to overdo it with the food intake as some gym people tend to do.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Zhatan wrote: »
    Recent studies have shown that it is indeed possible to build muscle on a calorie deficit if your protein intake is high enough, however it's most likely a good idea to be on a slight surplus and start working out with weights.
    Just be sure not to overdo it with the food intake as some gym people tend to do.

    Which studies??
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Zhatan wrote: »
    Recent studies have shown that it is indeed possible to build muscle on a calorie deficit if your protein intake is high enough, however it's most likely a good idea to be on a slight surplus and start working out with weights.
    Just be sure not to overdo it with the food intake as some gym people tend to do.

    You may gain lean body mass but that's not necessarily muscle fibre.
  • loftus4827
    loftus4827 Posts: 54 Member
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    Simply put - you can't make something out of nothing. If you want to gain muscle you need to give your body something to use: surplus calories. You have to overcome your fear of gaining weight.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    Zhatan wrote: »
    Recent studies have shown that it is indeed possible to build muscle on a calorie deficit if your protein intake is high enough, however it's most likely a good idea to be on a slight surplus and start working out with weights.
    Just be sure not to overdo it with the food intake as some gym people tend to do.

    None that apply to a 5'3" 105 lb female.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    Eat more, stop running and lift daily :smile: don't worry about gaining... in fact get rid of the scale for a while.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    I stay stop running because I was an avid runner and had to stop... it's counter-intuitive. Lift heavy, build muscle, burn it off... makes no sense. I could never build a bum and wondered why LOL!
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    cushman5279 wrote: »
    I stay stop running because I was an avid runner and had to stop... it's counter-intuitive. Lift heavy, build muscle, burn it off... makes no sense. I could never build a bum and wondered why LOL!

    Nothing wrong with running if you're eating enough to support your activity and muscle growth...
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    cushman5279 wrote: »
    I stay stop running because I was an avid runner and had to stop... it's counter-intuitive. Lift heavy, build muscle, burn it off... makes no sense. I could never build a bum and wondered why LOL!

    Nothing wrong with running if you're eating enough to support your activity and muscle growth...

    Absolutely 100% true! But it sounds like the OP is weary about upping her calories in the first place so I'd hate to see her keep running, increase lifting but not increase her calories enough to support it :smile:

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